Abstract: Techniques are provided for multi-tier write allocation. A storage system may store data within a multi-tier storage environment comprising a first storage tier (e.g., storage devices maintained by the storage system), a second storage tier (e.g., a remote object store provided by a third party storage provider), and/or other storage tiers. A determination is made that data (e.g., data of a write request received by the storage system) is to be stored within the second storage tier. The data is stored into a staging area of the first storage tier. A second storage tier location identifier, for referencing the data according to a format utilized by the second storage tier, is assigned to the data and provided to a file system hosting the data. The data is then destaged from the staging area into the second storage tier, such as within an object stored within the remote object store.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for block allocation for persistent memory during aggregate transition. In a high availability pair including first and second nodes, the first node makes a determination that control of a first aggregate is to transition from the first node to the second node. A portion of available free storage space is allocated from a first persistent memory of the first node as allocated pages within the first persistent memory. Metadata information for the allocated pages is updated with an identifier of the first aggregate to create updated metadata information reserving the allocated pages for the first aggregate. The updated metadata information is mirrored to the second node, so that the second node also reserves those pages. Control of the first aggregate is transitioned to the second node. As a result, the nodes do not attempt allocating the same free pages to different aggregates during a transition.

Abstract: Failover methods and systems for a networked storage environment are provided. In one aspect, a read request associated with a first storage object is received, during a replay of entries of a log stored in a non-volatile memory of a second storage node for a failover operation initiated in response to a failure at a first storage node. The second storage node operates as a partner node of the first storage node. The read request is processed using a filtering data structure that is generated from the log prior to the replay and identifies each log entry. The read request is processed when the log does not have an entry associated with the read request, and when the filtering data structure includes an entry associated with the read request, the requested data is located at the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for maintaining and recomputing reference counts in a persistent memory file system of a node. Primary reference counts are maintained for pages within persistent memory of the node. In response to receiving a first operation to link a page into a persistent memory file system of the persistent memory, a primary reference count of the page is incremented before linking the page into the persistent memory file system. In response to receiving a second operation to unlink the page from the persistent memory file system, the page is unlinked from the persistent memory file system before the primary reference count is decremented. Upon the node recovering from a crash, the persistent memory file system is traversed in order to update shadow reference counts for the pages with correct reference count values, which are used to overwrite the primary reference counts with the correct reference count values.

Abstract: Failover methods and systems for a networked storage environment are provided. In one aspect, a read request associated with a first storage object is received, during a replay of entries of a log stored in a non-volatile memory of a second storage node for a failover operation initiated in response to a failure at a first storage node. The second storage node operates as a partner node of the first storage node. The read request is processed using a filtering data structure that is generated from the log prior to the replay and identifies each log entry. The read request is processed when the log does not have an entry associated with the read request, and when the filtering data structure includes an entry associated with the read request, the requested data is located at the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A method and system for co-locating journaling and data storage based on write requests. A write request that includes metadata and data is received from a client. A logical storage unit for storing the metadata and the data is identified. The logical storage unit is divided into a journal partition and a volume partition. The journal partition includes a first log and a second log. Which of the first log and the second log is an active log and which of the first log and the second log is an inactive log are identified. The metadata is recorded in a first location in the active log and the data is recorded in a second location in the active log during a single I/O operation. A reply is sent to the client after the metadata and the data are recorded in the journal partition.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for data management across a persistent memory tier and a file system tier. A block within a persistent memory tier of a node is determined to have up-to-date data compared to a corresponding block within a file system tier of the node. The corresponding block may be marked as a dirty block within the file system tier. Location information of a location of the block within the persistent memory tier is encoded into a container associated with the corresponding block. In response to receiving a read operation, the location information is obtained from the container. The up-to-date data is retrieved from the block within the persistent memory tier using the location information for processing the read operation.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for multi-tier write allocation. A storage system may store data within a multi-tier storage environment comprising a first storage tier (e.g., storage devices maintained by the storage system), a second storage tier (e.g., a remote object store provided by a third party storage provider), and/or other storage tiers. A determination is made that data (e.g., data of a write request received by the storage system) is to be stored within the second storage tier. The data is stored into a staging area of the first storage tier. A second storage tier location identifier, for referencing the data according to a format utilized by the second storage tier, is assigned to the data and provided to a file system hosting the data. The data is then destaged from the staging area into the second storage tier, such as within an object stored within the remote object store.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for atomic writes for persistent memory. In response to receiving a write operation, a new per-page structure with a new page block number is allocated. New data of the write operation is persisted to a new page of the persistent memory having the new page block number, and the new per-page structure is persisted to the persistent memory. If the write operation targets a hole after the new data and the new per-page structure have been persisted, then a new per-page structure identifier of the new per-page structure is inserted into a parent indirect page of a page comprising the new data. If the write operation targets old data after the new data and the new per-page structure have been persisted, then an old per-page structure of the old data is updated with the new page block number.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for block allocation for persistent memory during aggregate transition. In a high availability pair including first and second nodes, the first node makes a determination that control of a first aggregate is to transition from the first node to the second node. A portion of available free storage space is allocated from a first persistent memory of the first node as allocated pages within the first persistent memory. Metadata information for the allocated pages is updated with an identifier of the first aggregate to create updated metadata information reserving the allocated pages for the first aggregate. The updated metadata information is mirrored to the second node, so that the second node also reserves those pages. Control of the first aggregate is transitioned to the second node. As a result, the nodes do not attempt allocating the same free pages to different aggregates during a transition.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for remote object store error handling. A storage system may store data within one or more tiers of storage, such as a local storage tier (e.g., solid state storage and disks maintained by the storage system), a remote object store (e.g., storage provided by a third party storage provider), and/or other storage tiers. Because the remote object store may not provide the same data consistency and guarantees that the storage system provides for clients such as through the local storage tier, additional validation is provided by the storage system for the remote object store. For example, when data is put into an object of the remote object store, a verification get operation is performed to read and validate information within a header of the object. Other verifications and checks are performed such as using a locally stored metafile to detect corrupt or lost metadata and/or objects.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing a persistent memory storage tier to manage persistent memory of a node. The persistent memory is managed by the persistent memory storage tier at a higher level within a storage operating system storage stack than a level at which a storage file system of the node is managed. The persistent memory storage tier intercepts an operation targeting the storage file system. The persistent memory storage tier retargets the operation from targeting the storage file system to targeting the persistent memory. The operation is transmitted to the persistent memory.

Abstract: Data protection methods and systems for a storage environment are provided. A first-in-first out (FIFO) structure stores a logical representation of a first storage location that retains previous data for a data container, after new data for the data container is stored at a second storage location. The FIFO structure also stores a logical representation of a file system tree structure that is stored in persistent storage, after a consistent point operation. In response to an event, the file system tree structure is selected, based on the file system tree structure being closest to a transaction. A snapshot is generated using the file system tree structure. Thereafter, the data container is restored from the snapshot or from a copy of the snapshot.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing write ordering for persistent memory. A set of actions are identified for commitment to persistent memory of a node for executing an operation upon the persistent memory. An episode is created to comprise a first subset of actions of the set of actions that can be committed to the persistent memory in any order with respect to one another such that a consistent state of the persistent memory can be reconstructed in the event of a crash of the node during execution of the operation. The first subset of actions within the episode are committed to the persistent memory and further execution of the operation is blocked until the episode completes.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing a storage abstraction layer for a composite aggregate architecture. A storage abstraction layer is utilized as an indirection layer between a file system and a storage environment. The storage abstraction layer obtains characteristic of a plurality of storage providers that provide access to heterogeneous types of storage of the storage environment (e.g., solid state storage, high availability storage, object storage, hard disk drive storage, etc.). The storage abstraction layer generates storage bins to manage storage of each storage provider. The storage abstraction layer generates a storage aggregate from the heterogeneous types of storage as a single storage container. The storage aggregate is exposed to the file system as the single storage container that abstracts away from the file system the management and physical storage details of data of the storage aggregate.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for persistent memory file system reconciliation. As part of the persistent memory file system reconciliation, high level file system metadata associated with a persistent memory file system of persistent memory is reconciled. Client access to the persistent memory file system is inaccessible until reconciliation of the high level file system metadata has completed. A first scanner is executed to traverse pages of the persistent memory in order to fix local inconsistencies associated with the pages. A local inconsistency of a first set of metadata or data of a page is fixed using a second set of metadata or data of the page. The first scanner is executed asynchronously in parallel with processing client I/O directed to the persistent memory file system.

Abstract: Failover methods and systems for a networked storage environment are provided. A filtering data structure and a metadata data structure are generated before starting a replay of a log stored in a non-volatile memory of a second storage node, during a failover operation initiated in response to a failure at a first storage node. The second storage node operates as a partner node of the first storage node to mirror at the log one or more write requests received by the first storage node prior to the failure, and data associated with the one or more write requests. The filtering data structure identifies each log entry and the metadata structure stores a metadata attribute of each log entry. The filtering data structure and the metadata structure are used for providing access to a logical storage object during the log replay from the second storage node.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for maintaining and recomputing reference counts in a persistent memory file system of a node. Primary reference counts are maintained for pages within persistent memory of the node. In response to receiving a first operation to link a page into a persistent memory file system of the persistent memory, a primary reference count of the page is incremented before linking the page into the persistent memory file system. In response to receiving a second operation to unlink the page from the persistent memory file system, the page is unlinked from the persistent memory file system before the primary reference count is decremented. Upon the node recovering from a crash, the persistent memory file system is traversed in order to update shadow reference counts for the pages with correct reference count values, which are used to overwrite the primary reference counts with the correct reference count values.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for data management across a persistent memory tier and a file system tier. A block within a persistent memory tier of a node is determined to have up-to-date data compared to a corresponding block within a file system tier of the node. The corresponding block may be marked as a dirty block within the file system tier. Location information of a location of the block within the persistent memory tier is encoded into a container associated with the corresponding block. In response to receiving a read operation, the location information is obtained from the container. The up-to-date data is retrieved from the block within the persistent memory tier using the location information for processing the read operation.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for remote object store error handling. A storage system may store data within one or more tiers of storage, such as a local storage tier (e.g., solid state storage and disks maintained by the storage system), a remote object store (e.g., storage provided by a third party storage provider), and/or other storage tiers. Because the remote object store may not provide the same data consistency and guarantees that the storage system provides for clients such as through the local storage tier, additional validation is provided by the storage system for the remote object store. For example, when data is put into an object of the remote object store, a verification get operation is performed to read and validate information within a header of the object. Other verifications and checks are performed such as using a locally stored metafile to detect corrupt or lost metadata and/or objects.