Abstract: A storage array is implemented as a virtual machine on a server. The virtual storage array includes a virtual engine with virtual directors and virtualized processor and memory resources. Embedded storage software converts Input/Output requests into Input/Output requests that can be serviced by the virtual machine. A virtual backend driver enables the virtual storage directors to access a set of virtual drives. A virtualized shared memory driver provides emulated input/output, XOR, direct memory access and copy services for send and receive threads.

Abstract: Software emulations of physical devices allow protocol neutral communications between heterogeneous operating systems. Within a computing node of a storage cluster, a logical communications cut-through device connects a guest operating system to a front end adapter and enables the guest operating system to perform operations on an allocated portion of computing node memory without hypervisor intervention. The cut-through device may implement an industry standard memory-mapped interface, thereby enabling a guest operating system to discover the cut-through device and obtain access to memory that is shared with the hypervisor and/or another guest OS. Moreover, if guest OSs and/or the hypervisor share any communications protocol then the channel may be utilized at memory speeds. This may be advantageous in symmetric multiprocessing environments in which multiple guest OSs can have core affinities.