STORAGE WORKLOAD HINTING
Methods and structure for reconfiguring storage systems are provided. One exemplary embodiment is a storage controller. The storage controller includes a memory that stores multiple profiles that are each designated for a different type of Input/Output processing workload from a host, and each include settings for managing communications with coupled storage devices. Each type of workload is characterized by a pattern of Input/Output requests from the host. The storage controller also includes a control unit able to process host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with a first profile, identify a change in type of workload from the host, and load a second profile designated for the changed type of workload in place of the first profile. The control unit is also able to process host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with the second profile.
1 . A storage controller comprising:
a memory that stores multiple profiles, each profile designated for a different type of Input/Output processing workload from a host, wherein each profile includes settings for managing communications with coupled storage devices, and each type of workload is characterized by a pattern of Input/Output requests from the host; and
a control unit configured to process host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with a first profile, identify a change in type of workload from the host, load a second profile designated for the changed type of workload in place of the first profile, and process host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with the second profile.
2 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein:
each type of workload is associated with a different combination of latency and bandwidth.
3 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the control unit is further configured to identify the change in type of workload based on a time of day.
4 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein:
each type of workload is characterized by at least one property selected from the group consisting of: a read/write ratio, a ratio of data moved by writes versus reads, an Input/Output queue depth, an Input/Output request size, and whether Input/Output requests are performed sequentially or not.
5 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the control unit is further configured to identify the change in type of workload by receiving a command from the host that indicates the changed type of workload.
6 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the control unit is further configured to identify the change in type of workload by analyzing Input/Output requests that have been processed by the storage controller over a period of time.
7 . The storage controller of claim 1 , wherein the settings are selected from the group consisting of:
a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) stripe size, a maximum number of commands per disk over a unit time, a maximum number of commands per logical volume over a unit time, a write cache setting, a read cache setting, a cache flush parameter of a write back cache, a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) level, a data replication parameter, a data recovery parameter, whether or not coalescing of Input/Output commands is enabled, whether or not re-ordering of Input/Output commands is enabled, whether or not FastPath Input/Output is enabled, whether or not Write Ahead Logging (WAL) is enabled, and whether front of queue disk features are enabled.
8 . A storage controller comprising:
means for storing multiple profiles, each profile designated for a different type of Input/Output processing workload from a host, wherein each profile includes settings for managing communications with coupled storage devices, and each type of workload is characterized by a pattern of Input/Output requests from the host; and
means for processing host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with a first profile, identifying a change in type of workload from the host, loading a second profile designated for the changed type of workload in place of the first profile, and processing host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with the second profile.
9 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein:
each type of workload is associated with a different combination of latency and bandwidth.
10 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein:
the storage controller is configured to identify the change in type of workload based on a time of day.
11 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein:
each type of workload is characterized by at least one property selected from the group consisting of: a read/write ratio, a ratio of data moved by writes versus reads, an Input/Output queue depth, an Input/Output command size, and whether writes are performed sequentially or not.
12 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein:
the storage controller is configured to identify the change in type of workload by receiving a command from the host that indicates the changed type of workload.
13 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein:
the storage controller is configured to identify the change in type of workload by analyzing Input/Output operations that have been processed by the storage controller over a period of time.
14 . The storage controller of claim 8 , wherein the settings are selected from the group consisting of:
a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) stripe size, a maximum number of commands per disk over a unit time, a maximum number of commands per logical volume over a unit time, a write cache setting, a read cache setting, a cache flush parameter of a write back cache, a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) level, a data replication parameter, a data recovery parameter, whether or not coalescing of Input/Output commands is enabled, whether or not re-ordering of Input/Output commands is enabled, whether or not FastPath Input/Output is enabled, whether or not Write Ahead Logging (WAL) is enabled, and whether front of queue disk features are enabled.
15 . A method comprising:
processing host Input/Output requests at a storage controller in accordance with a first profile that includes settings for managing communications with coupled storage devices;
identifying a change in type of Input/Output processing workload from the host, wherein types of workload are characterized by a pattern of Input/Output requests from the host;
loading a second profile designated for the changed type of workload in place of the first profile, wherein the second profile includes settings for managing communications with the coupled storage devices; and
processing host Input/Output requests at the storage controller in accordance with the second profile.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
each type of workload is associated with a different combination of latency and bandwidth.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
identifying the change in type of workload based on a time of day.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
each type of workload is characterized by at least one property selected from the group consisting of: a read/write ratio, a ratio of data moved by writes versus reads, an Input/Output queue depth, an Input/Output command size, and whether writes are performed sequentially or not.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
identifying the change in type of workload by receiving a command from the host that indicates the changed type of workload.
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
identifying the change in type of workload by analyzing Input/Output operations that have been processed by the storage controller over a period of time.