Embodiments provide adaptive storage management for optimizing multi-tier data storage. A storage manager may interact with storage decision advisors. The manager may adaptively make storage management decisions (e.g., flush, evict, recall, delete) after considering recommendations from and the credibility of the storage decision advisors. The manager may update the credibility of storage decision advisors based on how their recommendations affected optimization. The manager may adaptively choose when to rebalance or reconfigure the credibility of the storage decision advisors. Storage decision advisors may themselves be adaptive. Storage decision advisors may examine credibility feedback from the storage manager to determine which recommendations were useful and which were not. Storage decision advisors may then change when they will make a recommendation, when they will abstain from making a recommendation, the type of recommendation provided, or other behavior. Optimization may concern performance, cost, power usage, or other factors.