Abstract: A method for policy based provisioning of shared boot images includes querying a storage name server for boot target that is in an accessible discovery domain. Boot target information about the boot target is received. A login request is sent to the boot target. The login request includes a flag specifying whether the login request is a first login request after a reboot.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing data integrity for stored data are disclosed. A method may include, in connection with the receipt of a read command at a storage resource, reading a data block from the storage resource, the data block including a data field, a data integrity field indicating the integrity the data field, and an encryption indicator field indicating whether the data block is encrypted with a current cryptographic key for the storage resource. The method may further include determining whether the data field is encrypted with the current cryptographic key based at least on the encryption indicator field. The method may additionally include returning at least a portion of the data block in reply to the read command in response to determining that the data field is encrypted with a cryptographic key other than the current cryptographic key.

Abstract: A Write-Once Read-Many (WORM) memory controller receives data from a processing system that is addressed to a location in a storage device, stores the data and a tag at the location, receives second data from the processing system that is addressed to the location, determines that the location includes the tag, and prevents the second data from being stored at the location based upon the presence of the tag. A WORM memory device sends a reply to a controller in response to an initialization command. The reply includes an address number that corresponds with the storage capacity of the WORM memory device. The WORM memory device sends another reply to another controller in response to another initialization command. The initialization commands are different from each other. The other initialization reply includes an address number of zero.

Abstract: Information handling system network traffic is managed by populating a DCBX client framework with application network parameters associated with predetermined applications. Network devices, such as information handling system clients and servers, retrieve a TLV from a switch to obtain application network parameters for an application and apply the parameters so that the application executing on the device tags network communications with the associated parameters, such as bandwidth, loss less behavior, priority, latency, through put and CPU utilization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing data integrity for stored data are disclosed. A method may include, in connection with the receipt of a read command at a storage resource, reading a data block from the storage resource, the data block including a data field, a data integrity field indicating the integrity the data field, and an encryption indicator field indicating whether the data block is encrypted with a current cryptographic key for the storage resource. The method may further include determining whether the data field is encrypted with the current cryptographic key based at least on the encryption indicator field. The method may additionally include returning at least a portion of the data block in reply to the read command in response to determining that the data field is encrypted with a cryptographic key other than the current cryptographic key.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a storage system may include a storage cluster comprising a plurality of network attached storage nodes, one or more backup devices communicatively coupled to the storage cluster, and a cluster-wide data server executing on the plurality of network attached storage nodes and configured to manage communication of backup data between the plurality of network attached storage nodes and the one or more backup devices.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include extracting identities of one or more hosts from a storage resource-to-host mapping database associated with a storage resource. The method may also include, for each of the one or more hosts: computing a discovery domain unique identifier based on the host unique identifier, determining if the discovery domain unique identifier is present in a discovery domain database associated with the storage resource, and adding a storage resource unique identifier of the storage resource to an entry of the discovery domain database associated with the storage resource.

Abstract: Information handling system network traffic is managed by populating a DCBX client framework with application network parameters associated with predetermined applications. Network devices, such as information handling system clients and servers, retrieve a TLV from a switch to obtain application network parameters for an application and apply the parameters so that the application executing on the device tags network communications with the associated parameters, such as bandwidth, loss less behavior, priority, latency, through put and CPU utilization.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a memory controller coupled to a first and a second storage device. The memory controller stores information on the first storage device based upon an access count related to the information, stores other information on the second storage device based upon a another access count related to the other information, and stores access data including the access counts. The information handling system also includes a processing system coupled to the memory controller. The processing system obtains the access data from the memory controller, and determines to perform an operation on the data based upon the access count, and to not perform the operation on the other data based upon the other access count.

Abstract: Access to backup information, such as at network attached storage compliant with NDMP, is managed by interfacing a backup authentication mechanism with a primary authentication system and responding to requests for backup information according to permissions defined by the primary authentication system. A data management application requests access to backup information with an NDMP MD5 hash and includes a domain name and password for an LDAP or AD authentication through a pluggable authentication module. Access to backup information is provided based upon the permissions associated with the domain of the primary authentication mechanism.

Abstract: A fast rebuild mechanism that includes a background initialization mechanism. The fast rebuild mechanism allows a RAID controller to be made aware of what blocks are actually in use so that only those blocks are rebuilt after a disk drive failure. The fast rebuild mechanism also includes functionality for an IO controller (such as storage controller) to detect whether a block has stored data to indicate that the block has valid data when the block is accessed.

Abstract: A network switch includes a port coupled to a host, and a profile. The profile includes a key associated with a virtual machine on the host, and information for configuring the port for the virtual machine. The switch receives communication on another port with the key and configures the other port for the virtual machine. A method includes coupling a host with a virtual machine to a port of a network switch, receiving communications from the virtual machine on the port, and creating a profile with a key for identifying data associated with the virtual machine and with information for configuring the switch to route data associated with the virtual machine through the port, receiving communications with the key information at another port, and modifying the information to route data for the virtual machine through the other port.

Abstract: A network includes a management module with a first root complex, a first server with a first endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a second server with a second root complex, a second endpoint coupled to the second root complex, a third endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a bridge coupled to the second endpoint and to the third endpoint. A method includes discovering a PCIe host bridge adapter (PHBA) and a storage resource coupled to multiple storage extents in a PCIe domain, creating a first virtual function on the storage resource and sending a first identifier for the first virtual function to the PHBA. A network interface device includes a PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to a PCIe root complex, another PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to another PCIe root complex, and a bridge that couples the first PCIe endpoint with the second PCIe endpoint.

Abstract: A network includes a management module with a first root complex, a first server with a first endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a second server with a second root complex, a second endpoint coupled to the second root complex, a third endpoint coupled to the first root complex, and a bridge coupled to the second endpoint and to the third endpoint. A method includes discovering a PCIe host bridge adapter (PHBA) and a storage resource coupled to multiple storage extents in a PCIe domain, creating a first virtual function on the storage resource and sending a first identifier for the first virtual function to the PHBA. A network interface device includes a PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to a PCIe root complex, another PCIe endpoint that is coupleable to another PCIe root complex, and a bridge that couples the first PCIe endpoint with the second PCIe endpoint.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data migration are disclosed. A method may include allocating a destination storage resource to receive migration data. The method may also include assigning the destination storage resource a first identifier value equal to an identifier value associated with a source storage resource. The method may additionally include assigning the source storage resource a second identifier value different than the first identifier value. The method may further include migrating data from the source storage resource to the destination storage resource.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a storage system may include a storage array comprising one or more storage resources, a processor communicatively coupled to the storage array, and a de-duplication module comprising instructions embodied on a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor. The de-duplication module may be configured to, when read and executed by the processor: generate a fingerprint for an item of data stored on the storage array; identify a partition for the fingerprint; associate the partition with a hardware instance selected from a plurality of hardware instances, wherein each particular hardware instance comprises one or more information handling resources; and query the selected hardware instance to determine if the fingerprint exists on the hardware instance.

Abstract: A method of managing storage device resets in a system using shared storage is provided. A reset instruction is received at a shared storage device from a first node. In response, the storage device is at least partially reset, including aborting one or more queued I/O commands including a first I/O command received from a second node. A reset notification timer is started. If an I/O command is received from the second node during the reset notification timer, in response to receiving the I/O command the second node is notified of the storage device reset such that the second node can determine that the first I/O command was aborted. If no I/O command is received from the second node during the reset notification timer, at the expiration of the timer, the second node is notified of the storage device reset such that the second node can determine that the first I/O command was aborted.

Abstract: A system and method for efficient inode enumeration is disclosed. The system and method for enumerating inodes, comprises locating one or more inode files associated with the file system. For each of the one or more inode files, determining a physical address range for each inode within the inode file. The system and method further comprises creating a list of the physical address range for each of the inodes within the one or more inode files. The system and method comprises sorting the list based on physical addresses of the inodes.

Abstract: A spilt backup agent model where a component on a host and a component on the block storage device function together logically to provide a backup agent. In certain embodiments, the mechanism provides a split backup agent model using a NDMP protocol. The NDMP protocol is an industry standard protocol that allows for backup of hosts with a single backup agent that is compatible with multiple independent software vendor (ISV) backup software. Thus with the present invention, proprietary backup software dependent host agents are not required. The NDMP protocol provides for separation of control and data connections where the control path runs between the data server on the host that needs to be backed up and backup software (e.g., a Data Management Application (DMA)) and between the backup device and the backup software. The data path runs between the host and the backup device.

Abstract: A system can be operable to receive boot configuration information from a remote source independent of the type of initiator (e.g., software or hardware) used by an information handling system. The information handling system having the initiator can be coupled to the remote source, which includes the boot configuration information, and a storage array that includes a boot image. While operating within a pre-operating system (pre-OS) environment, the information handling system can create a boot configuration table and populate the boot configuration table with the boot configuration information. The boot configuration information can include an address for the boot image and information for configuring an OS initiator to be used when loading the OS.