System and method for load balancing in a data storage system

Abstract

Various implementations of the invention provide load balancing in a data storage system. A computing processor receives a request to create a new data storage container on a selected one of a plurality of data storage assets, where each of the plurality of data storage assets is configured to host a plurality of data storage containers. The computing processor determines which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container and creates the new data storage container on the data storage asset that is farthest away from the existing data storage container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for load balancing in a data storage system comprising:
 receiving, via a computing processor, a request to create a new data storage container on a selected one of a plurality of data storage assets, wherein each of the plurality of data storage assets is configured to host a plurality of data storage containers;   determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container;   creating the new data storage container on the data storage asset that is farthest away from the existing data storage container.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a farthest of a plurality of closest data storage containers.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a farthest of a plurality of closest data storage containers comprises:
 determining a closest data storage container that is hosted on each of the plurality of data storage assets; and   determining which one of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a farthest one of the closest data storage containers.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a fewest number of data storage containers.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a least amount of data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a least amount of data records.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein when two or more of the plurality of data storage assets are determined to host the farthest of the closest data storage containers, determining which of the two or more of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a fewest number of data storage containers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein when two or more of the plurality of data storage assets are determined to host the fewest number of data storage containers, selecting any one of such two or more of the plurality of data storage assets to host the new data storage container. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein when two or more of the plurality of data storage assets are determined to host the farthest of the closest data storage containers, determining which of the two or more of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a least amount of data or data records. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining whether the existing storage container is a spill space storage container or a split space storage container.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein when the existing data storage container is a split space storage container, the determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a fewest number of data storage containers, and
 wherein when the existing data storage container is a spill space data storage container, the determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises determining which of the plurality of data storage assets hosts a farthest of a plurality of closest data storage containers.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets host data storage containers that are farthest away from the existing data storage container for a same customer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets host data storage containers that are farthest away from the existing data storage container for a same user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container comprises:
 determining which of the plurality of data storage assets host data storage containers that are farthest away from the existing data storage container based on common information in one or more data records included in the data storage containers and the existing data storage container.