Intelligently moving data between storage systems

1. A method implemented by a computing device, the method comprising:

identifying a first set of performance characteristics associated with a first plurality of data communications paths between a source storage system and a plurality of target storage systems;

identifying a second set of performance characteristics associated with a second plurality of data communications paths between two or more target storage systems of the plurality of target storage systems;

selecting, using the first set of performance characteristics associated with the first plurality of data communications paths between the source storage system and the plurality of target storage systems and the second set of performance characteristics associated with the second plurality of data communications paths between the two or more target storage systems, an optimal path between the source storage system and a particular target storage system, the optimal path having one or more performance characteristics that are superior to performance characteristics of at least one other data communications path of the first plurality of data communications paths and the second plurality of data communications paths; and

migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system using the optimal path.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system to the particular target storage system and also transmitting data from the source storage system through a second target storage system to the particular target storage system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system through two or more target storage systems to the particular target storage system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using data locality information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using resource utilization information for each of the storage systems.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises, for the particular target storage system, selecting the optimal path from amongst a plurality of distinct paths between the source storage system and the particular target storage system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifying the first set of performance characteristics associated with the first plurality of data communications paths between the source storage system and the plurality of target storage systems includes identifying a roundtrip messaging latency between the source storage system and each of the plurality of target storage systems; and

identifying the second set of performance characteristics associated with the second plurality of data communications paths between two or more target storage systems includes identifying a roundtrip messaging latency between each of the plurality of target storage systems.

8. An apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

identifying a first set of performance characteristics associated with a first plurality of data communications paths between a source storage system and a plurality of target storage systems;

identifying a second set of performance characteristics associated with a second plurality of data communications paths between two or more target storage systems of the plurality of target storage systems;

selecting, using the first set of performance characteristics associated with the first plurality of data communications paths between the source storage system and the plurality of target storage systems and the second set of performance characteristics associated with the second plurality of data communications paths between the two or more target storage systems, an optimal path between the source storage system and a particular target storage system, the optimal path having one or more performance characteristics that are superior to performance characteristics of at least one other data communications path of the first plurality of data communications paths and the second plurality of data communications paths; and

migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system using the optimal path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system to the particular target storage system and also transmitting data from the source storage system through a second target storage system to the particular target storage system.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system through two or more target storage systems to the particular target storage system.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using data locality information.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using resource utilization information for each of the storage systems.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises, for the particular target storage system, selecting the optimal path from amongst a plurality of distinct paths between the source storage system and the particular target storage system.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

identifying the first set of performance characteristics associated with the first plurality of data communications paths between the source storage system and the plurality of target storage systems includes identifying a roundtrip messaging latency between the source storage system and each of the plurality of target storage systems; and

identifying the second set of performance characteristics associated with the second plurality of data communications paths between two or more target storage systems includes identifying a roundtrip messaging latency between each of the plurality of target storage systems.

15. A computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

identifying a first set of performance characteristics associated with a first plurality of data communications paths between a source storage system and a plurality of target storage systems;

identifying a second set of performance characteristics associated with a second plurality of data communications paths between two or more target storage systems of the plurality of target storage systems;

selecting, using the first set of performance characteristics associated with the first plurality of data communications paths between the source storage system and the plurality of target storage systems and the second set of performance characteristics associated with the second plurality of data communications paths between the two or more target storage systems, an optimal path between the source storage system and a particular target storage system, the optimal path having one or more performance characteristics that are superior to performance characteristics of at least one other data communications path of the first plurality of data communications paths and the second plurality of data communications paths; and

migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system using the optimal path.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system to the particular target storage system and also transmitting data from the source storage system through a second target storage system to the particular target storage system.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein migrating data stored on the source storage system to the particular target storage system further comprises transmitting data from the source storage system through two or more target storage systems to the particular target storage system.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using data locality information.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises selecting the optimal path using resource utilization information for each of the storage systems.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein selecting the optimal path between the source storage system and the particular target storage system further comprises, for the particular target storage system, selecting the optimal path from amongst a plurality of distinct paths between the source storage system and the particular target storage system.