Abstract: In the case of FC-NVMe (NVMe over Fabrics using Fibre Channel (FC) as a transport), zoning is typically performed using the interface WWPNs, but the masking of NVMe namespaces is performed using a host's NVMe Qualified Name (NQN or HOSTNQN). The use of two identifiers (i.e., one identifier used for zoning and another identifier used for masking) introduces a potential security related concern. A bad actor may obtain the NQN of a host that has access to sensitive information and use it to access this sensitive information. Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, by correlating different identifiers and using a combination of the different identifiers, access can easily be provided to the appropriate host adapters while prohibiting access to rogue hosts.

Abstract: A virtual volume (vVol) is non-disruptively migrated from a first data storage appliance (DSS) to a second DSS. In a synchronizing phase, data is copied from a source vVol to a destination vVol which is not mapped and to which a host computer has no path. Upon completion of synchronization, (1) a mapping is created to the destination vVol for the host and signaled to the host by sending a notification having an associated log page, (2) it is determined whether the host has retrieved the log page, (3) in response the host retrieving the log page, a cutover is performed making the destination vVol accessible to the host and the source vVol inaccessible to the host, and (4) in response to the host not retrieving the log page, the cutover is not performed, leaving the destination vVol inaccessible to the host computer (migration may be aborted or retried).

Abstract: A virtual volume (vVol) is non-disruptively migrated from a first data storage appliance (DSS) to a second DSS. In a synchronizing phase, data is copied from a source vVol to a destination vVol which is not mapped and to which a host computer has no path. Upon completion of synchronization, (1) a mapping is created to the destination vVol for the host and signaled to the host by sending a notification having an associated log page, (2) it is determined whether the host has retrieved the log page, (3) in response the host retrieving the log page, a cutover is performed making the destination vVol accessible to the host and the source vVol inaccessible to the host, and (4) in response to the host not retrieving the log page, the cutover is not performed, leaving the destination vVol inaccessible to the host computer (migration may be aborted or retried).

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for dividing a total IO flow rate limit between a plurality of storage nodes of a multi-node storage system. A total desired IO flow rate may be determined. Each storage node of the plurality of storage nodes may be queried for a desired IO flow rate, thus defining a plurality of desired IO flow rates. An updated IO flow rate limit may be defined, for each storage node, an updated IO flow rate limit based upon, at least in part, the total IO flow rate limit and the plurality of desired IO flow rates. One or more IO requests may be processed on the plurality of storage nodes based upon, at least in part, the updated IO flow rate limit defined for each storage node and the total desired IO flow rate.

Abstract: A command is received from a host regarding accessing an NVMe dispersed namespace in a metro cluster configuration of storage arrays. A namespace group state corresponding to the host and the port is determined and returned to the host. The namespace group state indicates whether the specific communication path between the host and the port is optimized or non-optimized. The namespace group state indicates that the communication path is non-optimized where the host is not located at the same location as the storage array, and that the communication path is optimized where the host is located at the same location as the storage array and the node of the storage array is a preferred node for processing I/O directed to the NVMe dispersed namespace from hosts located in the same location as the storage array.

Abstract: Data storage management may include configuring a stretched volume in a metro cluster configuration using a first volume and a second volume both configured as a same logical volume, L1; receiving I/O operations at the metro cluster configuration directed to L1, wherein the I/O operations include a write operations that are received at a first system of the metro cluster configuration and that write first data to the first volume; viewing values of a metric regarding data replication performed for the first volume to replicate data between systems of the metro cluster configuration for writes directed to the first volume; responsive to said viewing, determining whether the first metric values denote a problem has occurred in the metro cluster configuration at a first point in time; and responsive to determining that the problem has occurred at the first point in time, performing one or more corrective actions.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, at a first storage appliance of a plurality of storage appliances, a first volume that is configured to be managed by the first storage appliance, wherein data within the first volume is accessible by the first storage appliance. In response to generating the first volume, a protocol identifier representation of the first volume may be generated at each other storage appliance of the plurality of storage appliances and may be configured to be managed by a respective storage appliance of the plurality of storage appliances.

Abstract: Discovery service contact information is provided from a data storage system to administration logic of a virtualization environment, and distributed within the virtualization environment to hypervisor hosts, enabling the hypervisor hosts to discover logical ports within the data storage system, and then establish logical communication paths between the hypervisor hosts and the ports. In response to determining that the data storage system supports virtual volumes, the hypervisor hosts indicate hypervisor capability of using virtual volumes to the data storage system, and the data storage system exposes virtual volumes to hypervisors in response to indications of the ability of those hypervisors to use virtual volumes.

Abstract: A command is received from a host regarding accessing an NVMe dispersed namespace in a metro cluster configuration of storage arrays. A namespace group state corresponding to the host and the port is determined and returned to the host. The namespace group state indicates whether the specific communication path between the host and the port is optimized or non-optimized. The namespace group state indicates that the communication path is non-optimized where the host is not located at the same location as the storage array, and that the communication path is optimized where the host is located at the same location as the storage array and the node of the storage array is a preferred node for processing I/O directed to the NVMe dispersed namespace from hosts located in the same location as the storage array.

Abstract: Discovery service contact information is provided from a data storage system to administration logic of a virtualization environment, and distributed within the virtualization environment to hypervisor hosts, enabling the hypervisor hosts to discover logical ports within the data storage system, and then establish logical communication paths between the hypervisor hosts and the ports. In response to determining that the data storage system supports virtual volumes, the hypervisor hosts indicate hypervisor capability of using virtual volumes to the data storage system, and the data storage system exposes virtual volumes to hypervisors in response to indications of the ability of those hypervisors to use virtual volumes.

Abstract: In the case of FC-NVMe (NVMe over Fabrics using FC as a transport), zoning is typically performed using the interface WWPNs, but the masking of NVMe namespaces is performed using a host's NVMe Qualified Name (NQN or HOSTNQN). The use of two identifiers (i.e., one identifier used for zoning and another identifier used for masking) introduces a potential security related concern. A bad actor may obtain the NQN of a host that has access to sensitive information and use it to access this sensitive information. Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, by correlating different identifiers and using a combination of the different identifiers, access can easily be provided to the appropriate host adapters while prohibiting access to rogue hosts.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for maintaining a federation of a plurality of appliances as a single subsystem, wherein maintaining the federation as the single subsystem may include maintaining a centralized discovery mechanism across the plurality of appliances, wherein a discovery service of the centralized discovery mechanism may return a list of all ports in the federation. Controller IDs for a predefined range of controller IDs may be allocated for a plurality of dynamic controllers per appliance of the plurality of appliances, wherein the controller IDs may be allocated as a response to a connect command from a host. An empty namespace list for the plurality of dynamic controllers on the plurality of appliances in the federation may be exposed. The host may receive a notification from at least one dynamic controller of the plurality of dynamic controllers on at least one appliance of the plurality of appliances in the federation.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, at a first storage appliance of a plurality of storage appliances, a first volume that is configured to be managed by the first storage appliance, wherein data within the first volume is accessible by the first storage appliance. In response to generating the first volume, a protocol identifier representation of the first volume may be generated at each other storage appliance of the plurality of storage appliances and may be configured to be managed by a respective storage appliance of the plurality of storage appliances.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for maintaining a federation of a plurality of appliances as a single subsystem, wherein maintaining the federation as the single subsystem may include maintaining a centralized discovery mechanism across the plurality of appliances, wherein a discovery service of the centralized discovery mechanism may return a list of all ports in the federation. Controller IDs for a predefined range of controller IDs may be allocated for a plurality of dynamic controllers per appliance of the plurality of appliances, wherein the controller IDs may be allocated as a response to a connect command from a host. An empty namespace list for the plurality of dynamic controllers on the plurality of appliances in the federation may be exposed. The host may receive a notification from at least one dynamic controller of the plurality of dynamic controllers on at least one appliance of the plurality of appliances in the federation.

Abstract: Migrating a source volume from a source appliance to a destination appliance, wherein the source volume is assigned to an asymmetric namespace access (ANA) group and initially exposed to a host computer as accessible at the source appliance, includes creating a destination volume on the destination appliance and expanding the ANA group to include the destination volume, with the ANA group initially exposing the destination volume as inaccessible to the host computer at the destination appliance. Subsequently, the destination volume is synchronized to the source volume and then a cutover is performed that includes (i) copying volume metadata including host reservations from the source volume to the destination volume, and (ii) changing the ANA group to expose the source volume as inaccessible at the source appliance and the destination volume as accessible at the destination appliance.

Abstract: Migrating a source volume from a source appliance to a destination appliance, wherein the source volume is assigned to an asymmetric namespace access (ANA) group and initially exposed to a host computer as accessible at the source appliance, includes creating a destination volume on the destination appliance and expanding the ANA group to include the destination volume, with the ANA group initially exposing the destination volume as inaccessible to the host computer at the destination appliance. Subsequently, the destination volume is synchronized to the source volume and then a cutover is performed that includes (i) copying volume metadata including host reservations from the source volume to the destination volume, and (ii) changing the ANA group to expose the source volume as inaccessible at the source appliance and the destination volume as accessible at the destination appliance.