Abstract: A method for storing data in a system that includes a plurality of storage devices, the method that includes obtaining object usage data from the plurality of storage devices, determining, using the object usage data, object clusters, where at least one object cluster of the object clusters includes at least two objects that are associated based on access patterns, migrate a first object, of the two objects, from a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices to a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices.

Abstract: A technique manages data in slices of difference sizes within different storage tiers. The technique involves, based on access activity for first data currently residing within a first slice having a first size, selecting a target set of storage devices within which to store the first data from among multiple sets of storage devices. The technique further involves moving the first data from the first slice having the first size to a second slice having a second size that is different from the first size. The technique further involves, after the first data is moved from the first slice to the second slice, storing the second slice in the target set of storage devices.

Abstract: A method for storing data in a system that includes a plurality of storage devices, the method that includes obtaining object usage data from the plurality of storage devices, determining, using the object usage data, object clusters, where at least one object cluster of the object clusters includes at least two objects that are associated based on access patterns, migrate a first object, of the two objects, from a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices to a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices.

Abstract: A technique for managing SSDs in a data storage system generates an endurance value for each of multiple SSDs and arranges the SSDs in RAID groups based at least in part on the generated endurance values. As a result of such arranging, some RAID groups may include only SSDs with higher endurance values while other RAID groups may include only SSDs with lower endurance values. The data storage system may then run RAID groups with higher endurance values at higher speeds and may run RAID groups with lower endurance values at lower speeds.

Abstract: A technique is directed to performing a tuning operation in data storage equipment. The technique involves generating, while the data storage equipment performs input/output (I/O) transactions, an observed I/O statistics profile based on performance of at least some of the I/O transactions. The technique further involves performing a comparison operation that compares the observed I/O statistics profile to an expected I/O statistics profile which is defined by a set of operating settings that controls operation of the data storage equipment. The technique further involves operating the data storage equipment in a normal state when a result of the comparison operation indicates that the observed I/O statistics profile matches the expected I/O statistics profile and in a remedial state which is different from the normal state when the result of the comparison operation indicates that the observed I/O statistics profile does not match the expected I/O statistics profile.

Abstract: A technique manages file data of a file system. The technique involves provisioning a first LUN with slice locations from a heterogeneous storage pool created from a solid state device (SSD) storage tier formed from SSD memory and a hard disk drive (HDD) storage tier formed from HDD memory. The technique further involves provisioning a second LUN with slice locations from the heterogeneous storage pool. The technique further involves, while different LUN level policies are applied to the first LUN and the second LUN, moving file data of a file system from the slice locations of the first LUN to the slice locations of the second LUN. Such a technique enables effective auto-tiering at the file level where active file data moves to a higher performance storage tier and inactive file data moves to a cost effective lower performance storage tier thus optimizing operation.

Abstract: A technique manages data within solid state device (SSD) storage. The technique involves, in response to writing data to a set of SSD storage components, consuming a set of recurring write quotas for the set of SSD storage components. Each recurring write quota identifies an amount of remaining usefulness for a respective SSD storage component, e.g., periodically allocated budgets for write operations based on measured (or counted) reliability and/or healthiness factors. The technique further involves, as the set of recurring write quotas are consumed, performing a set of quota evaluation operations to evaluate the set of recurring write quotas. The technique further involves, in response to a set of results from the set of quota evaluation operations, performing a set of remedial activities to control access to the data that was written to the set of SSD storage components.

Abstract: A technique balances data storage activity within a mapped-RAID environment. The technique involves selecting, by processing circuitry, a source slice of storage from multiple slices of storage of the mapped-RAID environment, the source slice containing particular data to be relocated. The technique further involves selecting, by the processing circuitry, a destination slice of storage from the multiple slices of storage of the mapped-RAID environment. The technique further involves relocating, by the processing circuitry, the particular data from the source slice to the destination slice to balance data storage activity within the mapped-RAID environment. The mapped-RAID environment includes multiple storage devices. Each storage device provides multiple non-overlapping device extents.

Abstract: A technique performs stream-based storage of data. The technique involves receiving, by processing circuitry of data storage equipment, an incoming flow of data. The technique further involves detecting, by the processing circuitry, different data streams within the incoming flow of data. The technique further involves performing, by the processing circuitry, data placement operations based on the different data streams detected within the incoming flow of data. The data placement operations are configured and operative to place data of each data stream of the different data streams in a different segment of storage provided by a data storage array of the data storage equipment. With data of each data stream being placed in a different segment, the resulting operation is more efficient, e.g., optimized sequential reads and writes, more effective data prefetching, more effective auto-tiering of data, and so on.

Abstract: Technology for proactively allocating data storage resources to a storage object. A rate at which host I/O operations directed to the storage object are received and/or processed is monitored during a monitored time period, and a high activity time range is identified. An anticipatory time range is defined that is a range of time immediately preceding the high activity time range. During the anticipatory time range within a subsequent time period following the monitored time period, high performance non-volatile storage is allocated to the storage object that is available for processing host I/O operations directed to the storage object at the beginning of and throughout the high activity time range. A low activity time range may also be identified, and lower performance non-volatile storage may be allocated to the storage object within an anticipatory time range immediately preceding the low activity time range.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, information associated with a relationship between a physical layer block and a virtual logic block for RAID storage. The information associated with the relationship between the physical layer block and the virtual logic block may be written within the RAID storage.

Abstract: A technique operates multiple data storage tiers including a solid state drive (SSD) storage tier having SSD storage components and a hard disk drive (HDD) storage tier having magnetic disk devices. The technique involves establishing write quotas for the SSD storage components of the SSD storage tier. Each write quota identifies an amount of data that is permitted to be written to a respective SSD storage component during a predefined amount of time. The technique further involves consuming the write quotas in response to write operations performed on the SSD storage components of the SSD storage tier. The technique further involves, in response to a particular write quota for a particular SSD storage component of the SSD storage tier becoming fully consumed, performing a set of remedial activities on the multiple storage tiers to protect operation of the particular SSD storage component of the SSD storage tier.

Abstract: A technique performs best-effort deduplication. The technique involves activating a front-end log deduplication service that is configured and operative to perform deduplication operations on data in front-end log-based storage prior to that data reaching back-end storage that is different from the front-end log-based storage. The technique further involves, after the front-end log deduplication service is activated, receiving new data in the front-end log-based storage. The technique further involves, providing the front-end log deduplication service to perform a data deduplication operation on the new data while the new data resides within the front-end log-based storage. The technique further involves, after the data deduplication operation is performed on the new data, updating the back-end storage to indicate storage of the new data within the back-end storage.

Abstract: Technology for proactively allocating data storage resources to a storage object. A rate at which host I/O operations directed to the storage object are received and/or processed is monitored during a monitored time period, and a high activity time range is identified. An anticipatory time range is defined that is a range of time immediately preceding the high activity time range. During the anticipatory time range within a subsequent time period following the monitored time period, high performance non-volatile storage is allocated to the storage object that is available for processing host I/O operations directed to the storage object at the beginning of and throughout the high activity time range. A low activity time range may also be identified, and lower performance non-volatile storage may be allocated to the storage object within an anticipatory time range immediately preceding the low activity time range.

Abstract: Technique manage data within computerized memory. The techniques involve, in response to receiving host data in a write cache, updating a data order log that holds order information indicating a temporal order for the host data. The temporal order initially is the order that the host data was received in the write cache. The techniques further involve transferring the host data from the write cache to secondary storage. The techniques further involve, after the host data is transferred from the write cache to secondary storage, providing a garbage collection service that consolidates the host data within the secondary storage in accordance with the data order log that holds the order information indicating the temporal order for the host data. With the temporal order of the host data generally preserved, data access operations may enjoy various optimizations such as improved prefetching, more sequential reads, improved auto-tiering, and so on.

Abstract: A technique manages file data of a file system. The technique involves provisioning a first LUN with slice locations from a heterogeneous storage pool created from a solid state device (SSD) storage tier formed from SSD memory and a hard disk drive (HDD) storage tier formed from HDD memory. The technique further involves provisioning a second LUN with slice locations from the heterogeneous storage pool. The technique further involves, while different LUN level policies are applied to the first LUN and the second LUN, moving file data of a file system from the slice locations of the first LUN to the slice locations of the second LUN. Such a technique enables effective auto-tiering at the file level where active file data moves to a higher performance storage tier and inactive file data moves to a cost effective lower performance storage tier thus optimizing operation.

Abstract: A technique is directed to performing a tuning operation in data storage equipment. The technique involves generating, while the data storage equipment performs input/output (I/O) transactions, an observed I/O statistics profile based on performance of at least some of the I/O transactions. The technique further involves performing a comparison operation that compares the observed I/O statistics profile to an expected I/O statistics profile which is defined by a set of operating settings that controls operation of the data storage equipment. The technique further involves operating the data storage equipment in a normal state when a result of the comparison operation indicates that the observed I/O statistics profile matches the expected I/O statistics profile and in a remedial state which is different from the normal state when the result of the comparison operation indicates that the observed I/O statistics profile does not match the expected I/O statistics profile.

Abstract: A technique operates multiple data storage tiers including a solid state drive (SSD) storage tier having SSD storage components and a hard disk drive (HDD) storage tier having magnetic disk devices. The technique involves establishing write quotas for the SSD storage components of the SSD storage tier. Each write quota identifies an amount of data that is permitted to be written to a respective SSD storage component during a predefined amount of time. The technique further involves consuming the write quotas in response to write operations performed on the SSD storage components of the SSD storage tier. The technique further involves, in response to a particular write quota for a particular SSD storage component of the SSD storage tier becoming fully consumed, performing a set of remedial activities on the multiple storage tiers to protect operation of the particular SSD storage component of the SSD storage tier.

Abstract: A technique processes read requests from a set of requesters. The technique involves providing, while a first data element and a second data element are stored in secondary storage, the first data element from the secondary storage to the set of requesters in response to a first request to read the first data element from the set of requesters. The technique further involves providing, after the first data element is provided to the set of requesters in response to the first request, the second data element to the set of requesters in response to a second request to read the second data element from the set of requesters. The technique further involves maintaining, in response to detecting that the first data element and the second data element match, a single copy of the first and second data elements in a read cache for subsequent read access.

Abstract: A technique manages data in slices of difference sizes within different storage tiers. The technique involves, based on access activity for first data currently residing within a first slice having a first size, selecting a target set of storage devices within which to store the first data from among multiple sets of storage devices. The technique further involves moving the first data from the first slice having the first size to a second slice having a second size that is different from the first size. The technique further involves, after the first data is moved from the first slice to the second slice, storing the second slice in the target set of storage devices.