Data storage resource allocation in managing data storage operations

Abstract

A system and method to perform data management operations in a data management system assigns the data management request to one or more available data management resources. If the data management request fails, at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure is determined, as is a category associated with the one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure. Other data management requests are identified in a list of data management requests that request data management resources having the same category and the list of data management requests is updated to indicate that the data management system should not perform the other identified data management requests.

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured with instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a plurality of data management requests, by a method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of data management requests to be performed by a data management system, wherein each data management request is to be performed using data management resources of the data management system;   attempting to perform a data management request from the plurality of data management requests by assigning the data management requests to one or more available data management resources;   if the data management request fails to be performed by the assigned one or more data management resources,   determining the assigned one or more data management resources at least partially responsible for the failure;   determining an association of the data management request comprising the one or more data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure, wherein the determining of the association of the data management request is based on resource requirements and resource allocation rules;   identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests that request data management resources having the same association as the data management request comprising the one or more data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure of the data management request; and   updating the received plurality of data management requests to indicate that the data management system should not perform the identified other data management requests for those data management requests that have the same association as the data management request comprising the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the association comprises a category and wherein the category comprises a common data management resource that is likely to be critical to the performance of a data management request. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests comprises determining a likeness factor among the data management requests that use a common data management resource, and applying the same treatment to the data management requests that have the same association, when the likeness factor exceeds a threshold level. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a common resource, and when the data management request fails because of a common resource, then identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests associated with the data management request comprising the failed common resource and applying the same treatment to the associated data management request as the data management request comprising the failed common resource. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the list of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a unique resource, and when the data management request fails because of a unique resource, then not identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests having the same association as the data management request with the unique resource. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the association corresponds to a storage policy. 
     
     
         7 . A method to perform a set of data management operations by a computing device in a data management system, the method comprising:
 requesting that a data management operation, from a data structure representing multiple data management requests, be performed within a time window, wherein the requesting includes assigning the data management operation to one or more available data management resources;   if the data management operation fails, determining at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure;   determining an association of the data management request comprising the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure, that is based on resource requirements and resource allocation rules; and wherein the association of the data management request comprising the at least one data management resource comprises at least one association from a plurality of associations;   identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests that request data management resources having the same association as the data management request comprising the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure; and   and updating the data structure of data management requests to indicate that the data management system should not perform the other identified data management requests for those data management requests that have the same association as the data management request comprising the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the association comprises a category and wherein the category comprises a common data management resource that is likely to be critical to the performance of a data management requests. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests comprises determining a likeness factor among the data management requests that use a common data management resource, and applying the same treatment to the data management requests that have the same association, when the likeness factor exceeds a threshold level. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a common resource, then identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests associated with the data management request comprising the failed common resource and applying the same treatment to the associated data management request as the data management request comprising the failed common resource. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the list of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a unique resource, and when the data management request fails because of a unique resource, then not identifying other data management requests in the plurality of data management requests having the same association as the data management request with the unique resource. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising a grid or table representing a set of resources needed by data management requests to thereby match up resources that can best satisfy each data management request, wherein a physical data storage resource that is close geographically or by network proximity to a client computer is selected in the grid or table for the client computer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the association corresponds to a storage policy. 
     
     
         14 . A system configured to perform a set of data management operations in a data management system, the system comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory, coupled to the processor, and storing instructions to be performed by the processor, the instructions including:
 requesting that a data management operation, from a data structure representing multiple data management requests, be performed within a time window, wherein the requesting includes assigning the data management operation to one or more available data management resources;   if the data management operation fails, determining at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure;   determining an association with the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure, wherein each data management resource comprises an association from a plurality of associations and wherein the association is based on resource requirements and resource allocation rules;   identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests that request data management resources having the same association as the at least one data management resource at least partially responsible for the failure; and   updating the data structure of data management requests to indicate that the data management system should not perform the other identified data management requests.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the association comprises a category wherein the category is created for each common resource that is likely to be critical to the performance of a data management request. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests comprises determining a likeness factor among the data management requests that use similar data management resources, and treating the associations as the same when the likeness factor exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a common resource, and when the data management request fails because of a common resource, then identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests that request data management resources having the same association as the common resource. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests comprises determining whether the data management request failed because of a unique resource, and when the data management request fails because of a unique resource, then not identifying other data management requests in the data structure of data management requests that request data management resources having the same association as the unique resource. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising creating a grid or table representing a set of resources needed by data management requests to thereby match up resources that can best satisfy each data management request, wherein a physical data storage resource close geographically or by network proximity to a client computer is selected in the grid or table for the client computer. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the storage policy corresponds to a defined storage location and a set of preferences for performing the data management request.