Reclaiming space in cloud-container storage pools
You can move data from a larger, fragmented cloud container into a smaller, more fully utilized cloud container. In this way, you can help reduce the cost of using object storage for cloud-container storage pools.
Before you begin
- You can configure a cloud reclamation rule only on a Microsoft Azure cloud computing system or on a cloud computing system with the Simple Storage Service (S3) protocol.
- Your cloud storage provider might charge a fee for the data movement that results from reclamation operations. Before you schedule reclamation operations, use the Operations Center to calculate the effect that different reclamation thresholds might have.
About this task
Fragmentation occurs in cloud-container storage pools when data is deleted or expired. To reclaim space in a cloud-container storage pool, schedule either a daily or an ad hoc reclamation operation.
Procedure
Alternatively, create the rule by using the DEFINE STGRULE command with the ACTIONTYPE=RECLAIM setting.
Results
When the storage rule is active, the server determines whether a cloud container reaches its threshold for unused space. If the container space exceeds the threshold that you set, non-expired data extents are moved to a new, smaller container.
For pools with enabled object lock, reclamation is triggered only when the object lock period is nearing the expiration for the cloud containers. The trigger point occurs when the object lock is about to expire within a period that includes the reuse delay plus 7 days.
This ensures that the candidates for reclamation do not continue to occupy space on cloud storage for a longer duration after reclamation completes, as they can only be deleted from cloud storage once the lock has expired.