Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for dynamically altering accessing of storage drives based on the technological limits of the drives. Operating parameters are set for each drive based on the technological limits for accessing that drive's type of technology. The operating parameters are then monitored during accessing of each one of the storage drives. The ones of the storage drives that have exceeded the operating parameters are identified. The accessing of the identified storage drives is altered so that none of the storage drives exceeds the operating parameters.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for dynamically determining and adjusting a number of data blocks to be prestaged in a cache included in the storage device. The storage device receives and processes input/output (I/O) requests. Information about the I/O requests and about the processing of the requests by the storage device is accumulated. The information is then used to dynamically adjust a prestaging policy as the storage device receives and processes requests. The prestaging policy defines a current number of data blocks to be prestaged in the cache.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating logical paths between a host and a controller in a virtual data storage system such that the loads on the logical paths from storage devices are distributed evenly across the logical paths. When a connection request for connecting a storage device to the host is received by the controller, the controller counts an amount of queued connection requests from the storage devices to the host on each logical path. A logical path for the new connection request is then selected as a function of the amount of queued connection requests on each logical path and the current input/output activity on each logical path. The controller selects the logical path void of current input/output activity that has the lowest amount of queued connection requests to be the selected logical path. The controller then associates the new connection request with the selected logical path.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating logical paths between a host and a controller in a virtual data storage system such that the loads on the logical paths from storage devices are distributed evenly across the logical paths. When a connection request for connecting a storage device to the host is received by the controller, the controller counts an amount of queued connection requests from the storage devices to the host on each logical path. A logical path for the new connection request is then selected as a function of the amount of queued connection requests on each logical path and the current input/output activity on each logical path. The controller selects the logical path void of current input/output activity that has the lowest amount of queued connection requests to be the selected logical path. The controller then associates the new connection request with the selected logical path.