System and Method for Analyzing Input/Output Activity on Local Attached Storage

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for analyzing file I/O activity on local attached storage devices within a computer network is provided. In an embodiment, a software agent executes on one or more servers within the network, and monitors the I/O activity on the network's local attached storage (e.g., SAN, NAS, and IDE and SCSI disks). A management interface is also provided for monitoring I/O activity-related data and for receiving reports on such I/O activity. In an embodiment, collected I/O-related data and any predefined I/O metrics are stored in a central repository (e.g., a relational database). The system, method and computer program product provide accurate metrics to assists system administrators in deciding, justifying and validating resource purchases for and allocations within the network.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . A computer readable medium comprising program instructions, wherein the instructions are computer-executable to: 
 identify a plurality of managed objects to be monitored in a network;    collect, for one or more pre-determined time intervals, one or more I/O metrics for each of the set of managed objects, wherein a first I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics comprises a number of file open operations;    classify the file open operations into a plurality of categories, including a first category of file open operations that resulted in a file creation and a second category of file open operations that resulted in an overwrite of an existing file; and    generate a report summarizing the one or more I/O metrics, wherein the report includes a separate summary for each category of the plurality of categories of file open operations.    
     
     
         24 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of read operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of the read operations satisfied from a cache.  
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of file truncate operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of file extend operations.  
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the instruction are further computer-executable to: 
 identify a threshold value of at least one I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics;    identify an action to be executed if the at least one I/O metric reaches the threshold value;    determine whether the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value during the one or more pre-determined time intervals; and    in response to determining that the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value, execute the action.    
     
     
         27 . A method comprising: 
 identifying a plurality of managed objects to be monitored in a network;    collecting, for one or more pre-determined time intervals, one or more I/O metrics for each of the set of managed objects, wherein a first I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics comprises a number of file open operations;    classifying the file open operations into a plurality of categories, including a first category of file open operations that resulted in a file creation and a second category of file open operations that resulted in an overwrite of an existing file; and    generating a report summarizing the one or more I/O metrics, wherein the report includes a separate summary for each category of the plurality of categories of file open operations.    
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of read operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of the read operations satisfied from a cache.  
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of file truncate operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of file extend operations.  
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 identifying a threshold value of at least one I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics;    identifying an action to be executed if the at least one I/O metric reaches the threshold value;    determining whether the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value during the one or more pre-determined time intervals; and    in response to determining that the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value, executing the action.    
     
     
         31 . A system, comprising: 
 one or more processors; and    a memory storing program instructions, wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:    identify a plurality of managed objects to be monitored in a network;    collect, for one or more pre-determined time intervals, one or more I/O metrics for each of the set of managed objects, wherein a first I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics comprises a number of file open operations;    classify the file open operations into a plurality of categories, including a first category of file open operations that resulted in a file creation and a second category of file open operations that resulted in an overwrite of an existing file; and    generate a report summarizing the one or more I/O metrics, wherein the report includes a separate summary for each category of the plurality of categories of file open operations.    
     
     
         32 . The system as recited in  claim 31 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of read operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of the read operations satisfied from a cache.  
     
     
         33 . The system as recited in  claim 31 , wherein the one or more I/O metrics include a second I/O metric comprising a number of file truncate operations and a third I/O metric comprising a number of file extend operations.  
     
     
         34 . The system as recited in  claim 31 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to: 
 identify a threshold value of at least one I/O metric of the one or more I/O metrics;    identify an action to be executed if the at least one I/O metric reaches the threshold value;    determine whether the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value during the one or more pre-determined time intervals; and    in response to determining that the at least one I/O metric reached the threshold value, execute the action.