Method of a full coverage low power mode for storage systems storing replicated data items

1. A method of selecting one or more memory storage devices in a storage system, said storage system comprising a first quantity of memory storage devices storing a plurality of replicated data items, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a percentage of said first quantity of memory storage devices to be selected in a first computer process and providing said set percentage to a second computer process;

identifying a second quantity of memory storage devices in accordance with said set percentage in said second computer process, said identified memory storage devices storing a subset of said plurality of replicated data items; and

wherein memory storage devices not included in said identified second quantity of memory storage devices store at least one instance of each data item not included in said subset of said plurality of replicated data items.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said set percentage is calculated by said first computer process.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said set percentage is less than or equal to a maximum threshold percentage.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said set percentage is an input parameter to said first computer process.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said identified second quantity of memory storage devices stores all instances of said subset of said plurality of replicated data items.

6. The method according claim 1 , wherein said subset of said plurality of replicated data items is copied to an auxiliary memory storage device.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising entering low power mode by powering down all memory storage devices except for memory storage devices associated with said identified second quantity of memory storage devices to be active during low power mode.

8. A computer program product for selecting one or more memory storage devices in a storage system, said storage system comprising a first quantity of memory storage devices storing a plurality of replicated data items, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable code configured for setting a percentage of said first quantity of memory storage devices to be selected in a first computer process and providing said set percentage to a second computer process;

computer usable code configured for identifying a second quantity of memory storage devices in accordance with said set percentage in said second computer process, said identified memory storage devices storing a subset of said plurality of replicated data items; and

wherein memory storage devices not included in said identified second quantity of memory storage devices store at least one instance of each data item not included in said subset of said plurality of replicated data items.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein said set percentage is calculated by said first computer process.

10. The computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein said set percentage is an input parameter to said first computer process.

11. The computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein said set percentage is less than or equal to a maximum threshold percentage.

12. The computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein said second quantity of memory storage devices stores all instances of said subset of said plurality of replicated data items.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11 , wherein said subset of said plurality of replicated data items is copied to an auxiliary memory storage device.

14. The computer program product according to claim 8 , further comprising computer usable code configured for entering low power mode by powering down all memory storage devices except for memory storage devices associated with said identified second quantity of memory storage devices to be active during low power mode.

15. A method of implementing a full coverage low power mode in a storage system, said storage system comprising a plurality of replicated data items stored on a plurality of memory storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a percentage of memory storage devices to be powered down during said low power mode in a first computer process and providing said set percentage to a second computer process;

identifying a first quantity of said memory storage devices in accordance with said set percentage, said identified first quantity of memory storage devices storing a subset of said plurality of replicated data items in said second computer process; and providing said subset to a third computer process; and

copying data items stored solely on said subset to an auxiliary storage subsystem in said third computer process, said auxiliary storage subsystem comprising a second quantity of memory storage devices.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said set percentage is greater than or equal to zero.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said set percentage is calculated by said first computer process.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said set percentage is an input parameter to said first computer process.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said memory storage devices not included in said identified second quantity of memory storage devices store at least one instance of each data item not included in said subset of said plurality of replicated data items.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein storage space of said second quantity of auxiliary storage devices is greater than or equal to storage space required by said subset.

21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein powering down said identified memory storage devices results in a full coverage low power mode for said storage system.

22. A method of implementing a full coverage low power mode in a hierarchical distributed storage system storing one or more replicated data items, said distributed storage system comprising a plurality of memory storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the number of replications of each said data item in said hierarchical distributed storage system;

identifying one or more subsets of said plurality of memory storage devices, each said identified subset storing one instance of each of said one or more replicated data items;

selecting one identified subset of said plurality of memory storage devices to be active during low power mode; and

entering low power mode by powering down all memory storage devices except for memory storage devices associated with said identified subset of said plurality of memory storage devices to be active during low power mode.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the method of storing one of said one or more replicated data items on said hierarchical distributed storage system comprised the steps of:

identifying the number of instances said one or more replicated data item are to be stored on said hierarchical distributed storage system; and

storing each instance of said replicated data item on a memory storage device coupled to a separate distinct node of said hierarchical distributed storage system.

24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein each said separate distinct node is coupled to one or more memory storage devices.

25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein each instance of each said data item is stored on a distinct memory storage device.