US Patent 7624232 Volume management method and apparatus

A volume management method is proposed for setting at least a logical volume over a plurality of physical storage devices by taking requested performance of other volumes into consideration. The volume management method comprises the steps of: receiving a volume creation request specifying a requested storage capacity and requested average performance; forming a judgment as to whether or not there exists an unoccupied area satisfying the requested storage capacity throughout the storage devices; forming a judgment as to whether or not all volumes, which include existing volumes each sharing any of the storage devices with a volume to be created and the volume to be created, each satisfy its requested average performance by referring to information of requested average performance on a storage means for each of the existing volumes if the unoccupied area satisfying a requested storage capacity is determined to exist; and setting the volume to be created if all the volumes each satisfy the requested average performance.