Systems and Methods for Migrating Components in a Hierarchical Storage Network

Abstract

System and methods for selectively or automatically migrating resources between storage operation cells are provided. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a management component within the storage operation system may monitor system operation and migrate components from storage operation cell to another to facilitate failover recovery, promote load balancing within the system and improve overall system performance as further described herein. Another aspect of the invention may involve performing certain predictive analyses on system operation to reveal trends and tendencies within the system. Such information may be used as the basis for potentially migrating components from one storage operation cell to another to improve system performance and reduce or eliminate resource exhaustion or congestion conditions.

1 . A method for automatically transferring a resource from a first storage operation cell to a second storage operation cell, the method comprising:
 monitoring a first operational characteristic of a first resource in the first storage operation cell wherein the first operational characteristic has an associated first threshold;   identifying a second storage operation cell including a second resource having a second operational characteristic that does not exceed a second threshold,   determining whether the first resource may be transferred to the second storage operation cell such that the transfer is capable of causing the first operational characteristic to remain within the first threshold; and   automatically transferring the first resource to the second storage operation cell if the first operational characteristic is near or exceeds the first threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational characteristic is representative of a distribution of storage operations within the first storage operation cell. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transfer of the first resource to the second storage operation cell promotes a substantially uniform distribution of storage operations within the first storage operation cell. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein load balancing is accomplished, at least in part, by the substantially uniform distribution of data transmission tasks. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational characteristic is representative of storage media consumption. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the transfer of the first resource to the second storage operation cell reduces storage media consumption. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the transfer of the first resource to the second storage operation cell reduces the likelihood of storage media exhaustion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational characteristic is representative of overall system performance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer of the first resource to the second storage operation cell improves system efficiency. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising automatically transferring management information associated with the first resource from the first storage operation cell to the second storage operation cell when the first resource is transferred. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring at least one operational characteristic of the first storage operation cell after transferring the first resource. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring the first resource back to the first storage operation cell if the at least one operational characteristic of the first storage operation cell indicates an undesirable impact in the operation of the first storage operation cell after transferring the first resource. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring at least one operational characteristic of the second storage operation cell after transferring the first resource. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transferring the first resource back to the first storage operation cell if the at least one operational characteristic of the second storage operation cell indicates an undesirable impact in the operation of the second storage operation cell after transferring the first resource. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising quiescing the resource before transferring the first resource to the second storage operation cell. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising verifying that the second storage operation cell can accept the first resource prior to transferring the first resource to the second storage operation cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the verifying further comprises simulating the performance of the first resource in the second storage operation cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the verifying further comprises simulating the performance of the first storage operation cell without the first resource in the second storage operation cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a predictive analysis to determine an operational trend; and   determining whether to transfer the first resource to the second storage operation cell based on the operational trend.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second operational characteristics are any one of the following: network bandwidth utilization, resource capacity used, resource capacity available, time periods between storage operations, scheduling conflicts, or transmission path loads. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising before transferring the first resource to the second storage operation cell, analyzing and predicting at least one effect on operational characteristics of the first or second storage operation cell if the first resource is transferred. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifying includes creating the second storage operation cell. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending an alert to a user that the resource has been transferred. 
     
     
         24 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors cause an electronic device to:
 monitor a first operational characteristic of a first resource in the first storage operation cell wherein the first operational characteristic has an associated first threshold;   identify a second storage operation cell including a second resource having a second operational characteristic that does not exceed a second threshold,   determine whether the first resource may be transferred to the second storage operation cell such that the transfer is capable of causing the first operational characteristic to remain within the first threshold; and   transfer the first resource to the second storage operation cell if the first operational characteristic is near or exceeds the first threshold.   
     
     
         25 . A system for re-allocating a resource in a storage system, comprising:
 a first storage operation cell in the storage system, the first storage operation cell including a first resource;   a second storage operation cell in the storage system,   a storage manager that monitors an operational characteristic of the first resource in the first storage operation cell;   wherein in the event that the operational characteristic is near or exceeds a first threshold, the storage manager automatically locates a second storage operation cell, the second storage operation cell, determines whether the first resource may be transferred to the second storage operation cell such that the transfer is capable of causing the first operational characteristic to remain within the first threshold; and   transfers the first resource to the second storage operation cell to maintain the first operational characteristic to remain within the first threshold.   
     
     
         26 . A method for re-allocating resources in a storage system, the method comprising:
 monitoring an operational characteristic of at least one storage operation cell in the storage system;   identifying a resource in a first storage operation cell;   identifying a second storage operation cell to which the resource may be transferred;   determining a potential effect that a transfer of the resource would have on the operational characteristic of at least one storage operation cell in the storage system; and   in the event that the determined potential effect of a transfer of the resource satisfies a criteria for the storage system, transferring the resource to the second storage operation cell.   
     
     
         27 . A system for optimizing performance of storage operations in a storage system including a plurality of storage operation cells and resources, the system comprising:
 a storage manager that monitors an operational characteristic of a plurality of storage operation cells in the storage system;   wherein the storage manager identifies a group first resources in a first storage operation cell and identifies a plurality of second storage operation cells to which the group of first resources may be transferred; and   wherein the storage manager determines a potential effect that a transfer of the group of first resources to the plurality of second storage operation cells would have on the performance storage operations, and if the determined potential effect of a transfer of the group of first resources improves the performance of storage operations, the storage manager transfers the group of first resources to the plurality of second storage operation cells.   
     
     
         28 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors cause an electronic device to:
 monitor an operational characteristic of at least one storage operation cell in a storage system;   identify a first resource in a first storage operation cell;   identify a second storage operation cell to which the resource may be transferred;   determine a potential effect that a transfer of the resource would have on the operational characteristic of at least one storage operation cell in the storage system; and   in the event that the determined potential effect of a transfer of the resource satisfies a an operational condition for the storage system, then transfer the resource to the second storage operation cell.