Abstract: An illustrative embodiment disclosed herein is an apparatus including a processor having programmed instructions to send an application programming interface (API) write request to a first virtual machine (VM) on a first node to write an object, receive a response to the API write request including a physical disk location of a physical disk to which the object is written, wherein the physical disk is located on a second node, and using the physical disk location, send an API read request to a second VM on the second node to read the object.

Abstract: A method embodiment commences upon identifying an on-premises storage area such as a file or virtual disk that is composed of a set of data blocks. A history of data access patterns over the data blocks is determined by observing accesses to the data blocks over time. When offsite storage is demanded (e.g., such as to a cloud-based storage facility), one or more storage objects are formed such that the blocks in a first one of the one or more storage objects comprise the blocks that have been measured to have the highest access rates (e.g., most recently accessed or most frequently accessed). Metadata that serves as a map is stored with the storage objects. A process or thread can access the storage objects in expectation that the most recently accessed or most frequently accessed blocks will be available in the first ones of the one or more storage objects.

Abstract: Systems for high-performance computing. A storage control architecture is implemented by a plurality of nodes, where a node comprises combinations of executable containers that execute in cooperation with virtual machines running above a hypervisor. The containers run in a virtual machine above a hypervisor, and/or can be integrated directly into the operating system of a host node. Sensitive information such as credit card information may be isolated from the containers in a separate virtual machine that is configured to be threat resistant, and which can be accessed through a threat resistant interface module. One of the virtual machines of the node may be a node-specific control virtual machine that is configured to operate as a dedicated storage controller for a node. One of the virtual machines of the node may be a node-specific container service machine that is configured to provide storage-related and other support to a hosted executable container.

Abstract: A virtual computing system deduplicates data. The system includes one or more processors, and one or more computer-readable storage media communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more computer-readable storage media has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: scan extents for duplicate data chunks; calculate hash values for the extents at different chunk lengths; emit the hash values at the different chunk lengths; identify matching ones of the hash values; and select one or more candidates from among the matching ones of the hash values for dedup.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to synchronization of data in a shared pool of configurable computer resources. One or more consistency points are created in a source filesystem. A first consistency point is compared with a second consistency point to detect a directory change at the source filesystem, which includes identifying at least one difference between the first and second consistency points. A file level change associated with an established directory at a target filesystem is identified responsive to the detection of the directory change. A link is established between the source filesystem and the target filesystem, and the established directory is updated based on the file level change.

Abstract: Entries in individual portions of a network map serve to establish inter-cluster routes that are formed from routing data structures at individual clusters, which routing data structures store connection parameters pertaining to access point nodes in a multi-cluster computing environment. Upon receiving a resource management request at one of the access points, the request parameters are used in combination with the network map to identify at least one target access point having a virtual machine for responding to the resource management request. The resource management request is routed to a next hop access point node on route(s) to target access points. If the next hop access point node is not the node to respond to the resource management request, then processing at the next hop node serves to route the resource management request to a further next hop access point node on a route to the target access point.

Abstract: Systems for distributed computing systems. A topological configuration of computing nodes is selected to manage availability of metadata data in a computing system. A method embodiment commences by accessing a plurality of node topology attributes and using those attributes to map between nodes and availability domains. Resource usage measurements such as computing node load are collected. A plurality of candidate replication configurations are generated, and each candidate replication configuration is scored with respect to several quantitative objectives. Additionally, the candidate replication configurations are given respective resource usage balance scores. One or more candidate replication configurations are selected based on resource usage balance scores and/or a separation skew value. Determination of a selected configuration is dominated by resource usage when there is a tie between best-scoring configurations or when none of the configurations meet a scoring threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for profiling teleconference session quality in communication networks. Specifically, the disclosed method and system entail providing classifications labeling teleconference session quality using a classification model. The classification model may produce these aforementioned quality classifications based on the ingestion of features extracted from teleconference session network traffic, which may have traversed through sampling network device(s) positioned in the network traffic path of the teleconference session between client devices.

Abstract: A system using pulsed leader consensus management that can manage storage by electing a leader node from a group of nodes and fulfilling read requests for the group of nodes if a sync state is not expired. The sync state can correspond to two conditions: first, that the nodes in the group direct the write requests for the group to the leader node; second, that a health pulse is detected, wherein the health pulse is generated if the leader node is alive (e.g. has not failed, terminated, or become non-responsive). If either of the two conditions fail, the sync state can be considered expired and the group of nodes may fall back to consensus-based read mechanisms, such as Paxos, until a new leader node is elected.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting data from a local management system of a remote office branch office site in a virtual computing system to a central management system includes assigning, by the local management system, an initial priority to each piece of data, identifying data requested by the central management system since a previous data transmission, and updating the initial priority of each piece of data to an updated priority. The data requested by the central management system is prioritized higher than other data. The system and method also include combining, by the local management system, at least a portion of the data starting with data having a highest priority, into a data packet until the data packet achieves a computed data packet size, transmitting the data packet to the central management system, and updating the initial priority with the updated priority for future data transmissions.

Abstract: Facilitating deduplication of data in a computing system without managing access to reference count variables. A method embodiment commences upon detecting first data unit and calculating a first checksum value. At a later time, a second data unit is received and the system calculates a second checksum value. If the second checksum value is the same as the first checksum value, then the first data unit and the second data unit are the same data and need not be duplicated. In such cases, an entry in the metadata points to the location of the first data unit that is already stored. Additional metadata entries are made in the metadata to associate a Boolean usage state flag and a Boolean deletion state flag with the second checksum value. Periodically scans of the metadata are performed. When both Boolean flags are in a particular state, the deduplicated data is deleted.

Abstract: A system using pulsed leader consensus management that can manage storage by electing a leader node from a group of nodes and fulfilling read requests for the group of nodes if a sync state is not expired. The sync state can correspond to two conditions: first, that the nodes in the group direct the write requests for the group to the leader node; second, that a health pulse is detected, wherein the health pulse is generated if the leader node is alive (e.g. has not failed, terminated, or become non-responsive). If either of the two conditions fail, the sync state can be considered expired and the group of nodes may fall back to consensus-based read mechanisms, such as Paxos, until a new leader node is elected.

Abstract: A method embodiment commences upon identifying an on-premises storage area such as a file or virtual disk that is composed of a set of data blocks. A history of data access patterns over the data blocks is determined by observing accesses to the data blocks over time. When offsite storage is demanded (e.g., such as to a cloud-based storage facility), one or more storage objects are formed such that the blocks in a first one of the one or more storage objects comprise the blocks that have been measured to have the highest access rates (e.g., most recently accessed or most frequently accessed). Metadata that serves as a map is stored with the storage objects. A process or thread can access the storage objects in expectation that the most recently accessed or most frequently accessed blocks will be available in the first ones of the one or more storage objects.

Abstract: Systems for cluster computing. A method for detection and remediation of degraded nodes in a cluster commences upon measuring operational aspects of the nodes in the cluster, then determining, based on the measurements and other factors, a suspect set of nodes comprising one or more suspect nodes from the nodes in the cluster that have measurements that are determined to be outliers with respect to remaining nodes that are determined not to be the outliers. A density-based spatial clustering analysis is performed over the suspect set and remediation actions are initiated when results of the density-based spatial clustering analysis identifies a suspect node as being a degraded node.

Abstract: A scalable multi-cluster resource sharing facility. A global witness process runs on a first computing platform that communicates over one or more networks to any number of nodes situated over two or more clusters. The global witness process listens on the network for occurrences of leadership and/or resource requests from nodes of different clusters. The global witness processes a request by retrieving a resource request and a respective last known state value, comparing the last known state value to a global stored state value, then storing a new state value when the respective last known state value is equal to the stored state value. Any number of contemporaneous requests can be processed by the global witness process, however only one request can be granted. The other requestors each receive a rejection of their resource request when their proffered last known state value is not equal to the stored state value.

Abstract: An approach for reduced size extent identifiers for a file system may be implemented by generating a full-size extent or file identifier and generating a smaller identifier from a portion of the full-size identifier. A check may be performed as to whether the smaller identifier is unique within a file system and if it is unique, the smaller identifier may be used in place of the full-size identifier. If not unique, the size of the smaller identifier may be increased. In some embodiments, the size of the smaller identifier is increased until a unique identifier if found.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high availability computing systems. Systems and methods include disaster recovery of two-node computing clusters. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a computing cluster having two nodes, the two nodes corresponding to a first node and a second node that each send and receive heartbeat indications periodically while performing storage I/O operations. One or both of the two nodes detect a heartbeat failure between the two nodes, and in response to detecting the heartbeat failure, one or both of the nodes temporarily cease storage I/O operations. A witness node is accessed in an on-demand basis as a result of detecting the heartbeat failure. The witness performs a leadership election operation to provide a leadership lock to only one requestor. The leader then resumes storage I/O operations and performs one or more disaster remediation operations. After remediation, the computing cluster is restored to a configuration having two nodes.

Abstract: Systems for distributed computing systems. A topological configuration of computing nodes is selected to manage availability of metadata data in a computing system. A method embodiment commences by accessing a plurality of node topology attributes and using those attributes to map between nodes and availability domains. Resource usage measurements such as computing node load are collected. A plurality of candidate replication configurations are generated, and each candidate replication configuration is scored with respect to several quantitative objectives. Additionally, the candidate replication configurations are given respective resource usage balance scores. One or more candidate replication configurations are selected based on resource usage balance scores and/or a separation skew value. Determination of a selected configuration is dominated by resource usage when there is a tie between best-scoring configurations or when none of the configurations meet a scoring threshold.

Abstract: Facilitating deduplication of data in a computing system without managing access to reference count variables. A method embodiment commences upon detecting first data unit and calculating a first checksum value. At a later time, a second data unit is received and the system calculates a second checksum value. If the second checksum value is the same as the first checksum value, then the first data unit and the second data unit are the same data and need not be duplicated. In such cases, an entry in the metadata points to the location of the first data unit that is already stored. Additional metadata entries are made in the metadata to associate a Boolean usage state flag and a Boolean deletion state flag with the second checksum value. Periodically scans of the metadata are performed. When both Boolean flags are in a particular state, the deduplicated data is deleted.

Abstract: Systems for high-performance distributed computing. The systems include techniques for managing data and metadata across multiple nodes. A method embodiment commences by storing data at a node using a first storage mechanism that is local to the node. A first set of metadata is configured to identify a storage location for the stored data. The first set of metadata is stored using the same first storage mechanism that is local to the node. For accessing the first set of metadata, a second set of metadata is configured to identify a storage location for the first set of metadata. The second set of metadata is stored using a second storage mechanism that comprises a distributed metadata storage facility that stores metadata across multiple storage locations having at least one of the multiple storage locations that is not local to the node that stores data and metadata using the first storage mechanism.