Abstract: A method for managing allocation of data sets among A plurality of storage devices of a computing apparatus such that the data set are allocated to a storage device whose uncommitted storage volume and access capability most nearly meet the requirement of the particular data set and the data sets are further allocated in such a way that access activity to the data sets will be distributed substantially uniformly across all the storage devices. The method comprises the steps of:(1) monitoring and recording data set access activity as a function of time:(2) calculating the data storage factor of each data set;(3) calculating a machine storage factor of each storage device;(4) calculating the residual storage factor of each storage device;(5) allocating the data set to a storage device that has sufficient available space and whose residual storage factor most nearly matches and exceeds the data storage factor of the data set being allocated.