Patent ID: 8261016

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for producing a balanced reconstruction load across a plurality of storage devices comprising a storage array, the method comprising: upon receiving a request to decluster a parity group in the storage array, generating a scalable declustered layout by sequentially allocating each chunk of the parity group to a storage device from the plurality of storage devices based on a then-current load of the plurality of storage devices, wherein the then-current load is based on a total share load for each storage device and the total share load for each storage device is a function of a pair-wise share load for one or more pairs of storage devices including said storage device, and wherein the pair-wise share load for a pair of storage devices is a number of parity groups that span the pair of storage devices; storing the scalable declustered layout in a layout data structure; and configuring the plurality of storage devices according to the stored scalable declustered layout to produce a balanced reconstruction load in the storage array upon failure of a storage device from the plurality of storage devices.