Fast dependency mining using access patterns in a storage system

摘要

A system and method is provided in which access patterns of data blocks are used to predict future accesses to the data blocks. One of the types of patterns that may be used in connection with the system described herein is depended blocks. Dependent blocks are blocks that are often referenced one after another in a short period of time. For example, one block (block b) is commonly referenced after another block (block a) a noted time period. The system described herein provides a block dependency algorithm that enables a search task involving searching of block dependencies with respect to proposed dependency definitions. In an embodiment, the search task may be performed based on using of a branch and bound methodology. A search tree is built in which a set of activity vectors (V) are ordered, and a search algorithm is used to traverse and “prune” branches of the tree.