Abstract: Reducing telemetry data transmitted from a storage system includes selecting a data reduction algorithm from a plurality of data reduction algorithms, where selection includes eliminating data reduction algorithms that process frames of telemetry data at a lower rate than the frames of telemetry data are generated and applying the data reduction algorithm to the telemetry data. Selecting a data reduction algorithm may include selecting a remaining one of the data reduction algorithms that provides a greatest amount of data reduction. Reducing telemetry data transmitted from a storage system may also include determining if the data reduction algorithm sufficiently reduces an amount of data that is transmitted using a communications channel and removing some of the telemetry data in response to the data reduction algorithm not sufficiently reducing the amount of data that is transmitted. The data reduction algorithms may include data de-duplication and data compression.

Abstract: A virtual storage unit from one data storage system may be migrated to another data storage system. Utilization impacts on system resources by one or more virtual storage units on multiple data storage systems may be quantified, for each data storage system as a whole, or for a functional component of each data storage system. Based on these quantifications, multiple “what-if” scenarios may be considered to determine the consequences of migrating one or more virtual storage units from one of the data storage systems to another one of the data storage systems. If it is determined that a virtual storage unit is to be migrated, a live migration may be performed such that one or more hosts maintain access to the data of the virtual storage unit while the virtual storage unit is being migrated.

Abstract: A host-based memory is maintained for a host computing device. Data obtained from a storage array in response to one or more read requests is stored in the host-based memory. The storage array includes an array-based memory and is configured to perform one or more data pre-fetch operations. The host computing device monitors for the occurrence of a set of sequential read requests. The set of sequential read requests is sent from the host computing device to the storage array when one or more read requests of the set of sequential read requests match data stored in the host-based memory. Thus, the storage array is enabled to perform one or more data pre-fetch operations in accordance with the array-based memory and the set of sequential read requests.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for processing a read request for a piece of content stored within a storage system. If it is determined that the piece of content is not present within a front end cache system of the storage system, requesting the piece of content from a multi-tiered data array, thus defining requested content. The requested content is received from the multi-tiered data array. A tier designator, concerning the requested content, is received that identifies a specific data tier within the multi-tiered data array from which the requested content was obtained.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for monitoring an application being executed on a host to generate a prediction concerning a quantity of data that may be needed in the future. The quantity of data is requested from a data array coupled to the host. The quantity of data is received from the data array. The quantity of data is stored within a frontend cache system included within the host.

Abstract: Described are modeling techniques. In accordance with one or more criteria, a determination may be made as to whether to use a dynamic model or a static model to model performance of components, such as storage devices, of a data storage system. A system may include first and second data storage systems where the first data storage system includes a computer readable medium with first code that performs processing in connection with data storage movement optimizations using one or more models including a dynamic model, and second code that generates and maintains the dynamic model used to model performance of storage devices. The second code may include code for performing first processing to determine device sets each of which does not share back-end resources of the second data storage system with any other device sets, and performing second processing to determine sets of performance curves corresponding to the device sets.

Abstract: To facilitate both minimal allocations and adaptive allocations, two sets of storage group policies are defined—one policy setting minimal allocation values for storage group access to storage resources and one policy setting maximal allocation values for storage group access to storage. In addition, a set of priority weights is specified that is used to balance access to storage tiers across storage groups. Upon existence of contention for storage resources, minimum allocation values for storage groups are determined based on the priority weights for the storage groups, resulting in threshold values being set to enable at least partial access to storage resources for all storage groups without requiring priority weighting of the activity density distributions of the competing storage groups. Allocations other than the minimal allocations are provided based on relative activity density distribution of storage extents between groups.

Abstract: Described are techniques for partitioning storage of a data storage system. A plurality of storage groups is selected. Each of the plurality of storage groups includes one or more devices and is associated with an allocation policy including a first threshold specifying one of a minimum or a maximum amount of storage of a first of a plurality of storage tiers. Workload data for the plurality of storage groups is analyzed. Storage of a plurality of storage tiers is partitioned for use by the plurality of storage groups in accordance with criteria. The criteria includes workloads of the plurality of storage groups and the allocation policy associated with each of the plurality of storage groups.

Abstract: Managing data in a storage system having a plurality of classes of storage includes determining an amount of data to be provided on at least one of the classes of storage according to a policy, dynamically setting a threshold according to the amount of data to be provided on the at least one of the classes or an expected performance based on the threshold, and placing data on particular classes of storage based on the threshold. Dynamically setting a threshold may include sorting data portions according to at least one score thereof and may include determining a particular score corresponding to the amount of data to be provided. The data portions may be provided in a histogram having a horizontal scale corresponding to a score value and a vertical scale corresponding to a number of data portions having a particular value.

Abstract: A system and techniques are provided for evaluating front end activity of a storage device in connection with storage tiering and management operations at the back end without the need to collect new sub-LUN metrics/statistics on the front end or querying the front end. The system avoids demotions of extents that are hot on the front end even when seemingly cool on the back end. The result is improved system performance since data that is hot on the front end will not be demoted to a lower storage tier. The system provides that there is little to no additional performance impact on the front end because there is no requirement to collect any new front end statistics or query the front end, and there is no increase in the meta data collected by the automated tiering system as there is no new sub-LUN metrics collected on the front end.

Abstract: The contributions of a virtual storage unit to the utilization of a data storage system may be quantified. A utilization score may be determined for each virtual storage unit for one or more functional components of the data storage system, for example, a front-end adapter, back-end adapter or interface physical storage unit. A utilization score may be determined for the data storage system as a whole by combining the component utilization scores of the virtual storage unit. Component and/or system utilization scores may be visually presented to a user in a manner that enables the user to assess the relative contributions of the virtual storage units to utilization of the component or overall system, respectively. What-if scenarios may be considered using the utilization scores to determine the consequences of moving one or more virtual storage units from one data storage system to another, and a live migration may result.

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing I/O (input/output) operations. A first observed value of a first performance metric denoting any of a current workload or performance for a first physical device is determined. A target time delay for the first physical device is identified based on the first observed value of the first performance metric. The target time delay specifies a minimum time delay between consecutive host I/Os directed to the first physical device. The target time delay is enforced with respect to consecutive host I/Os directed to the first physical device.

Abstract: Described are techniques for partitioning resources. A plurality of resource limit ranges are specified for a plurality of tenants of a system. Each of the plurality of resource limit ranges have a lower bound and an upper bound. A plurality of current resource limits are determined. Each of the plurality of current resource limits indicate a current resource limit for one of the plurality of tenants. Each current resource limit for one of the tenants is a value included in one of the plurality of resource limit ranges specified for the one tenant. The plurality of current resource limits are dynamically determined in accordance with a current state of the system.

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing data operations. A read request for first data is received at a data storage system. It is determined whether the read request results in a cache hit whereby the first data is stored in a cache of the data storage system, or whether the read request otherwise results in a cache miss. If the read request results in a cache miss, processing is performed to determine determining whether to perform cacheless read processing or deferred caching processing to service the read request. Determining whether to perform cacheless read processing or deferred caching processing is performed in accordance with criteria including a measurement indicating a level of busyness of a back-end component used to retrieve from physical storage any portion of the first data not currently stored in the cache.

Abstract: A method system and program product for sending a hint relating access requests of data stored on a storage array from a server to the storage array, receiving the hint at the storage array, and updating information about the data stored on the storage array using the hint.

Abstract: Described are techniques for evaluating data movement alternative. A set of criteria including capacity and performance limits is received. First processing is performed to evaluate a plurality of alternatives for use in data movement with respect to a set of logical devices having data stored on a set of physical storage devices. Each of the plurality of alternatives includes a different set of data movement criteria comprising capacity limits and a different set of performance limits. The set of physical storage devices includes at least a first physical device of one of a plurality of storage tiers and a second physical device of another one of the plurality of storage tier. One of the sets of performance limits is selected in accordance with the first processing.

Abstract: Described are techniques for configuring data storage. Criteria identifying limits is received for a plurality of storage tiers for one or more logical devices. The storage tiers include a first storage tier and one or more other storage tiers where the first storage tier is higher performing than the other storage tiers. First processing is performed to determine a first set of data portions of the logical devices to be stored on physical devices of the first storage tier subject to limits included in said criteria. First processing includes determining scores for data portions of the logical devices. Each score is calculated using one or more metrics including a first metric weighted based on an expected I/O size. The data portions are ranked in accordance with the scores. The first set of data portions stored in the first storage tier is selected based on the score ranking.

Abstract: A networked data storage system includes data movement logic and a virtual machine for executing a data management processing plan which is generated by a facility outside the storage array based on statistical information associated with extent level activity metrics provided by the storage array. Dynamically updated and automatically generated data management processing plans are provided to the storage array in the form of units of compiled byte code which the storage array is able to verify and execute using a virtual machine. The virtual machine interfaces with the environment in which it is embedded in a carefully constrained manner, thereby preventing clearly undesirable operations.

Abstract: Described are techniques for enforcing an allocation policy. Information is received that describes one or more storage groups. Each of the storage groups includes one or more thin devices. Each of the thin devices includes a plurality of chunks of storage allocated on one or more of a plurality of storage tiers. For each of the one or more storage groups, a plurality of counters is determined indicating amounts of storage currently allocated from the plurality of storage tiers for use by the storage group. Using the plurality of counters, it is determined whether each of the one or more storage groups violates thresholds included in an allocation policy associated with each storage group. Each of the thresholds specifies a maximum amount of storage of one of the plurality of storage tiers that can be used by each storage group.

Abstract: Techniques are described for processing a data operation that writes first data to a data portion currently stored on first physical storage of a first storage tier of a data storage system, including storage tiers each having a different performance ranking relative to other storage tiers. Second physical storage is allocated from one of the storage tiers for storing the first data written to the data portion. This one storage tier is selected independent of the first storage tier. The first data is stored in a cache and destaged from the cache to the second physical storage. A single merged copy of data for the data portion is formed. Based on an activity level of the data portion, a target tier is selected for storing the single merged copy of data for the data portion.