Method and apparatus to manage object based tier

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide a technique to manage object based tier to improve allocation of media to unallocated area. In one embodiment, a method of allocating an area of a logical volume to an unallocated area of a virtual volume for a write command comprises: calculating an object location of an object based on the write command and an object allocation information, the write command containing a virtual volume name and a virtual volume address of a virtual volume; selecting a tier from a plurality of tiers based on the calculated object location and an object and tier definition information; selecting a media type from a plurality of media types based on the selected tier and a tier and media definition information; and selecting a logical volume from a plurality of logical volumes based on the virtual volume specified by the write command, the object allocation information, a pool information, and the selected media type.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage system comprising:
 plural types of storage devices configured to form a plurality of storage tiers, each of the plurality of storage tiers including a plurality of storage areas;   a processor being configured to manage a first relationship between one or more objects and one or more files, and a second relationship between the one or more files and one or more virtual volumes, and manage in which storage tier data of the object should be stored,   wherein the processor, in response to a first write command to a first virtual volume, is configured to:   determine a first object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the first virtual volume specified by the first write command;   determine the storage tier in which data of the first object should be stored, and   allocate at least a first storage area in the determined storage tier to the virtual storage area of the first virtual volume specified by the write command.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more objects and the one or more files are managed by a server. 
     
     
         3 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory configured to store:   first information indicating the first relationship between the one or more objects and the one or more files,   second information indicating the second relationship between the one or more files and the one or more virtual volumes, and   third information indicating in which storage tier data of the one or more objects should be stored.   
     
     
         4 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of storage devices at least includes Solid State Drives. 
     
     
         5 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein write data instructed by the write command is stored to the allocated first storage area in which the data of the first object should be stored. 
     
     
         6 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to:   compare a storage tier of a second storage area which is allocated to a second virtual volume with a storage tier in which data of a second object should be stored, the second object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the second virtual volume,   wherein if the storage tier of the allocated second storage area does not correspond to the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored, the processor is configured to migrate data stored in the allocated storage area to a storage area in the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored.   
     
     
         7 . A storage system comprising:
 plural types of storage devices being configured to form a plurality of storage tiers, each of the plurality of storage tiers including a plurality of storage areas;   a processor being configured to manage a plurality of virtual volumes to which a storage area of the plurality of storage areas is allocated in response to a write command and manages a correspondence between one or more objects and one or more virtual volumes,   wherein the processor, in response to a first write command to a first virtual volume of the plurality of the virtual volumes, is configured to:   determine a first object having a relationship with a virtual storage area in the first virtual volume specified by the first write command;   determine a storage tier in which data of the first object should be stored, and   allocate a first storage area in the determined storage tier to the first virtual volume included in the first write command.   
     
     
         8 . The storage system according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more objects and the one or more files are managed by a server. 
     
     
         9 . The storage system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a memory configured to store:   first information indicating a first relationship between the one or more objects and one or more files,   second information indicating a second relationship between the one or more files and the one or more virtual volumes, and   third information indicating in which storage tier data of the one or more objects should be stored.   
     
     
         10 . The storage system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to:   compare a storage tier of a second storage area which is allocated to a second virtual volume with a storage tier in which data of a second object should be stored, the second object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the second virtual volume,   wherein if the storage tier of the allocated second storage area does not correspond to the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored, the processor is configured to migrate data stored in the allocated storage area to a storage area in the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored.   
     
     
         11 . A method in a storage system having plural types of storage devices configured to form a plurality of storage tiers, each of the plurality of storage tiers including a plurality of storage areas; and a processor being configured to manage a first relationship between one or more objects and one or more files, and a second relationship between the one or more files and one or more virtual volumes, and manage in which storage tier data of the object should be stored, the method comprising the steps of:
 in response to a first write command to a first virtual volume:   determining a first object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the first virtual volume specified by the first write command;   determining the storage tier in which data of the first object should be stored, and   allocating at least a first storage area in the determined storage tier to the virtual storage area of the first virtual volume specified by the write command.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 managing, by a server, the one or more objects and the one or more files.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory:   first information indicating the first relationship between the one or more objects and the one or more files,   second information indicating the second relationship between the one or more files and the one or more virtual volumes, and   third information indicating in which storage tier data of the one or more objects should be stored.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of types of storage devices at least includes Solid State Drives. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing write data instructed by the write command to the allocated first storage area in which the data of the first object should be stored.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 comparing a storage tier of a second storage area which is allocated to a second virtual volume with a storage tier in which data of a second object should be stored, the second object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the second virtual volume; and   if the storage tier of the allocated second storage area does not correspond to the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored, migrating data stored in the allocated storage area to a storage area in the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored.   
     
     
         17 . A method in a storage system having plural types of storage devices being configured to form a plurality of storage tiers, each of the plurality of storage tiers including a plurality of storage areas, the method comprising:
 managing a plurality of virtual volumes to which a storage area of the plurality of storage areas is allocated in response to a write command and managing a correspondence between one or more objects and one or more virtual volumes,   in response to a first write command to a first virtual volume of the plurality of the virtual volumes:   determining a first object having a relationship with a virtual storage area in the first virtual volume specified by the first write command;   determining a storage tier in which data of the first object should be stored, and   allocating a first storage area in the determined storage tier to the first virtual volume included in the first write command.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 managing, by a server, the one or more objects and the one or more files.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory:   first information indicating a first relationship between the one or more objects and one or more files,   second information indicating a second relationship between the one or more files and the one or more virtual volumes, and   third information indicating in which storage tier data of the one or more objects should be stored.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 comparing a storage tier of a second storage area which is allocated to a second virtual volume with a storage tier in which data of a second object should be stored, the second object having a relationship with a first file which corresponds to a virtual storage area in the second virtual volume,   if the storage tier of the allocated second storage area does not correspond to the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored, migrating data stored in the allocated storage area to a storage area in the storage tier in which data of the object should be stored.