Opportunistic Tier in Hierarchical Storage
A system reduces the impact of constrained bandwidth to long-term data storage without adding new data storage resources to the data center, typically by temporarily storing data on data storage devices that are contained within a desktop computer, a notebook computer, or other computing device. The invention stores lower priority data sets temporarily on data storage devices that are already purchased or expensed until lower priority data sets can be migrated to long-term data storage. The invention relieves the performance impact of congestion caused by slow communication interfaces, recording channels, and mechanical systems that move tape cartridges around. The invention may also be configured with security functions that restrict where or how certain data sets are stored temporarily.
1 . A method for managing lower priority data comprising:
identifying a low priority data set;
identifying underutilized data storage resources external to data center storage;
storing the low priority data set in the underutilized data storage external to the data center storage resource for a first period of time; and
migrating the low priority data set from the underutilized data storage external to longer term storage.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the low priority data includes:
assigning the underutilized external data storage resources as a first target to receive the at least one low priority data set; and
moving the at least one low priority data set to the first target.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
assigning a second of the underutilized external data storage resources as a second target to receive for the at least one low priority data set; and
moving the at least one low priority data set to the first target and to the second target.
4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising migrating the at least one low priority data set from the first target to long-term data storage.
5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising migrating the at least one low priority data set from the first target or from the second target to long-term data storage.
6 . A method for managing low priority data, comprising:
identifying at least one low priority data set;
identifying underutilized external data storage resources;
identifying and assigning a security level with the at least one low priority data set wherein the security level indicates restrictions on where or how the at least one low priority data set may be stored on the underutilized external data storage resources;
assigning at least one of the underutilized external data storage resources as a first target to receive the at least one low priority data set; and
moving the at least one low priority data set to the first target.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
assigning a second of the underutilized external data storage resources as a second target to receive the at least one low priority data set; and
moving the at least one low priority data set to the second target.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising migrating the at least one low priority data set from the first target to long-term data storage.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising migrating the at least one low priority data set from the first target or from the second target to long-term data storage.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the security level restricts the low priority data set from being stored on the underutilized external data storage resources that are contained within mobile computers.
11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the security level restricts the low priority data set to be stored on the underutilized external data storage resources in an encrypted format.
12 . A system for managing low priority data, comprising:
a processor;
a memory;
one or more modules stored in memory and executable by a processor to:
identify at least one low priority data set;
identify underutilized external data storage resources; and
assign at least one of the underutilized external data storage resources as a first target to receive the at least one low priority data set;
13 . The system of claim 12 , the one or more modules further executable to move the at least one low priority data set to the first target.
14 . The system of claim 12 , the one or more modules further executable to:
assign a second of the underutilized external data storage resources as a second target to receive the at least one low priority data set; and
move the at least one low priority data set to the second target.
15 . The system of claim 14 , the one or more modules further executable to migrate the at least one of the low priority data set from the first target to long-term data storage.
16 . The system of claim 14 , the one or more modules further executable to migrate the at least one low priority data set from the first target or from the second target to long-term data storage.