Optimizing a storage system

Abstract

An example method of optimizing a storage system includes: generating, by a computer system, a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems monitored by the computer system; selecting a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems; determining an update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and applying the update to the selected problem storage system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of optimizing a storage system comprising:
 generating, by a computer system, a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems monitored by the computer system;   selecting a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems;   determining an update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and   applying the update to the selected problem storage system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems monitored by the computer system comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a number of previous errors encountered by the storage system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems monitored by the computer system comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a likelihood that a future error will occur on the storage system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems monitored by the computer system further comprises determining, for each problem storage system in the list of problem storage systems, a future date at which an error is likely to occur. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises:
 sorting the list of problem storage systems based on an organization to which each problem storage system belongs;   determining a particular organization has an increasing number of total errors reported for problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization; and   selecting the problem storage system from problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems monitored by the computer system comprises determining a severity of errors reported for each problem storage system in the list of problem storage systems. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises selecting the problem storage system based on whether a number of reported errors is increasing. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for optimizing a storage system, the apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to:
 generate a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems being monitored;   selecting a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems;   determining an update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and   applying the update to the selected problem storage system.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a number of previous errors encountered by the storage system. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a likelihood that a future error will occur on the storage system. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored further comprises determining, for each problem storage system in the list of problem storage systems, a future date at which an error is likely to occur. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises:
 sorting the list of problem storage systems based on an organization to which each problem storage system belongs;   determining a particular organization has an increasing number of total errors reported for problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization; and   selecting the problem storage system from problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored comprises determining a severity of errors reported for each problem storage system in the list of problem storage systems. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises selecting the problem storage system based on whether a number of reported errors is increasing. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product disposed upon non-transitory computer-readable media, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:
 generate a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems being monitored;   select a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems;   determine an update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and   applying the update to the selected problem storage system.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a number of previous errors encountered by the storage system. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored comprises adding storage systems from the group of storage systems to the list of problem storage systems based on a likelihood that a future error will occur on the storage system. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the generating the list of problem storage systems among the group of storage systems being monitored further comprises determining, for each problem storage system in the list of problem storage systems, a future date at which an error is likely to occur. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises:
 sorting the list of problem storage systems based on an organization to which each problem storage system belongs;   determining a particular organization has an increasing number of total errors reported for problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization; and   selecting the problem storage system from problem storage systems belonging to the particular organization.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the selecting the problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems comprises selecting the problem storage system based on whether a number of reported errors is increasing.