Efficient resource sharing

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a resource manager, a resource of a storage system, the resource being one which a testing system lacks permission to use for testing the storage system, the resource including one of a storage server, a storage array, or a virtual machine;

adding, by the resource manager, the resource to a group of resources which the testing system is permitted to use for testing the storage system, wherein adding the resource to the group includes granting the testing system a temporary permission to use the resource for testing the storage system, the group of resources also including one or more additional resources, which the testing system is granted a permanent permission to use, and of which the testing system is a default owner;

allocating the resource to a test that is performed by the testing system, wherein allocating the resource includes providing the testing system with at least one of an address or a port number for accessing the resource; and

removing, by the resource manager, the resource from the group wherein removing the resource from the group includes revoking the temporary permission,

wherein the grant of temporary permission to use the resource includes transferring ownership of the resource from a default owner of the resource to the testing system, and the revocation of the temporary permission includes transferring the ownership of the resource from the testing system back to the default owner of the resource.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the resource manager, a resource request that is associated with the test,

wherein the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request, and

wherein the resource is identified and added to the group before the resource request is received.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the resource manager, a resource request that is associated with the test,

wherein the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request,

wherein the resource is identified and added to the group after the request is received, and

wherein the resource is added to the group in response to the resource matching a set of resource parameters that are specified by the request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is added to the group in response to detecting that a load of the resource is below a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the permission is revoked based on an outcome of the test.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is added to the group of resources that are accessible by the storage system at a beginning of a predetermined time period, and the resource is removed from the group of resources at an end of the predetermined time period.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of resources which the testing system is permitted to use is defined using a resource database, adding the resource to the group of resources includes storing an entry corresponding to the resource to the resource database, and removing the resource from the group includes deleting the entry from the resource database.

8. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to perform the operations of:

identifying a resource of a storage system, the resource being one which a testing system lacks permission to use for testing the storage system, the resource including one of a storage server, a storage array, or a virtual machine;

adding the resource to a group of resources which the testing system is permitted to use for testing the storage system, wherein adding the resource to the group includes granting the testing system a temporary permission to use the resource for testing the storage system, the group of resources also including one or more additional resources, which the testing system is granted a permanent permission to use, and of which the testing system is a default owner;

allocating the resource to a test that is performed by the testing system, wherein allocating the resource includes providing the testing system with at least one of an address or a port number for accessing the resource; and

removing the resource from the group wherein removing the resource from the group includes revoking the temporary permission,

wherein the grant of temporary permission to use the resource includes transferring ownership of the resource from a default owner of the resource to the testing system, and the revocation of the temporary permission includes transferring the ownership of the resource from the testing system back to the default owner of the resource.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operation of receiving a resource request that is associated with the test,

the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request, and

the resource is identified and added to the group before the resource request is received.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operation of receiving a resource request that is associated with the test,

the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request,

the resource is identified and added to the group after the request is received, and

the resource is added to the group in response to the resource matching a set of resource parameters that are specified by the request.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the resource is added to the group in response to detecting that a load of the resource is below a predetermined threshold.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the permission is revoked based on an outcome of the test.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the resource is added to the group of resources that are accessible by the storage system at a beginning of a predetermined time period, and the resource is removed from the group of resources at an end of the predetermined time period.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the group of resources which the testing system is permitted to use is defined using a resource database, adding the resource to the group of resources includes storing an entry corresponding to the resource to the resource database, and removing the resource from the group includes deleting the entry from the resource database.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the operations of:

identifying a resource of a storage system, the resource being one which a testing system lacks permission to use for testing the storage system, the resource including one of a storage server, a storage array, or a virtual machine;

adding the resource to a group of resources which the testing system is permitted to use for testing the storage system, wherein adding the resource to the group includes granting the testing system a temporary permission to use the resource for testing the storage system, the group of resources also including one or more additional resources, which the testing system is granted a permanent permission to use, and of which the testing system is a default owner;

allocating the resource to a test that is performed by the testing system, wherein allocating the resource includes providing the testing system with at least one of an address or a port number for accessing the resource; wherein

removing the resource from the group wherein removing the resource from the group includes revoking the temporary permission,

wherein the grant of temporary permission to use the resource includes transferring ownership of the resource from a default owner of the resource to the testing system, and the revocation of the temporary permission includes transferring the ownership of the resource from the testing system back to the default owner of the resource.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the processor-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the operation of receiving a resource request that is associated with the test,

the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request, and

the resource is identified and added to the group before the resource request is received.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the processor-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the operation of receiving a resource request that is associated with the test,

the resource is allocated to the test in response to the resource request,

the resource is identified and added to the group after the request is received, and

the resource is added to the group in response to the resource matching a set of resource parameters that are specified by the request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the resource is added to the group in response to detecting that a load of the resource is below a predetermined threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the permission is revoked based on an outcome of the test.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the resource is added to the group of resources that are accessible by the storage system at a beginning of a predetermined time period, and the resource is removed from the group of resources at an end of the predetermined time period.