Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for allocating shared resources to nodes in a distributed computing network system. Nodes request a lock for each instance of a computing resource (e.g., a virtual IP address associated with a service provided by the distributed computing network system) from a distributed lock manager. The distributed lock manager maintains a queue of requests for each instance of the shared resource. Upon receiving a lock from the distributed lock manager, the receiving node performs a fairness allocation protocol to determine whether to accept the lock. If so determined, the shared computing resources associated with the lock is configured.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide techniques for maintaining consistency in a distributed system (e.g., a distributed secondary storage system). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first set of file system objects included in performing the requested file system operation is identified in response to a request to perform a file system operation. An update intent corresponding to the requested file system operation is inserted into an inode associated with each identified file system object. Each file system object corresponding to the inode is modified as specified by the update intent in that inode. After modifying the file system object corresponding to the inode, the update intent is removed from that inode.

Abstract: An improved architecture is provided which enables significant convergence of the components of a system to implement virtualization. The infrastructure is VM-aware, and permits scaled out converged storage provisioning to allow storage on a per-VM basis, while identifying I/O coming from each VM. The current approach can scale out from a few nodes to a large number of nodes. In addition, the inventive approach has ground-up integration with all types of storage, including solid-state drives. The architecture of the invention provides high availability against any type of failure, including disk or node failures. In addition, the invention provides high performance by making I/O access local, leveraging solid-state drives and employing a series of patent-pending performance optimizations.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide techniques for maintaining consistency in a distributed system (e.g., a distributed secondary storage system). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first set of file system objects included in performing the requested file system operation is identified in response to a request to perform a file system operation. An update intent corresponding to the requested file system operation is inserted into an inode associated with each identified file system object. Each file system object corresponding to the inode is modified as specified by the update intent in that inode. After modifying the file system object corresponding to the inode, the update intent is removed from that inode.

Abstract: Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata n leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure n the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing a consensus group in a distributed computing cluster, by determining that an instance of an authority module executing on a first node, of a consensus group of nodes in the distributed computing cluster, has failed; and adding, by an instance of the authority module on a second node of the consensus group, a new node to the consensus group to replace the first node. The new node is a node in the computing cluster that was not a member of the consensus group at the time the instance of the authority module executing on the first node is determined to have failed.

Abstract: Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata in leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure in the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node.

Abstract: An improved architecture is provided which enables significant convergence of the components of a system to implement virtualization. The infrastructure is VM-aware, and permits scaled out converged storage provisioning to allow storage on a per-VM basis, while identifying I/O coming from each VM. The current approach can scale out from a few nodes to a large number of nodes. In addition, the inventive approach has ground-up integration with all types of storage, including solid-state drives. The architecture of the invention provides high availability against any type of failure, including disk or node failures. In addition, the invention provides high performance by making I/O access local, leveraging solid-state drives and employing a series of patent-pending performance optimizations.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for managing updates to metadata for a virtualization environment. According to some embodiments, a compare and swap approach is taken to manage updates and to handle possible inconsistencies.

Abstract: A method and system for managing de-deduplication of data in a virtualization environment, including receiving a write request for an item of data from a virtual user machine, determining whether de-duplication is enabled, upon determination de-duplication is enabled and a copy of the item of data exists, referencing the de-duplication extent and not creating a new extent for storing the item of data in an extent group comprising a plurality of de-duplication extents.

Abstract: Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata in leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure in the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node.

Abstract: Techniques for cloning, writing to, and reading from file system metadata. Cloning involves identifying a first set of pointers included in a first root node in a file system metadata tree structure that stores file system metadata in leaf nodes of the tree structure, creating a first copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, creating a second copy of the first root node that includes the first set of pointers, associating the first copy with a first view, and associating the second copy with a second view. Reading generally involves traversing the tree structure towards a target leaf node that contains data to be read. Writing generally involves traversing the tree structure in the same manner, but also creating copies of any nodes to be modified if those nodes are deemed to have a different treeID than a particular root node.

Abstract: A computer implemented method implemented with a processor for assigning a unique identifier for a data item initially deployed at a node of a networked environment includes determining a unique node identifier for the node of the networked environment, atomically modifying a local counter value at the node of the networked environment, and appending the unique node identifier to the atomically modified local counter value at the node of the networked environment to form a unique ID for the data item.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for storing data in a plurality of storage tiers on a computing node. A node receives a request to write data corresponding to at least a first portion of a file. The node determines whether to perform the request either as an in-place write or as an out-of-place write. Upon determining to perform the request as the in-place write, the node writes the data to a first location on a storage tier which currently stores the first portion of the file. Upon determining to perform the request as the out-of-place write, the node writes the data to a second location on one of the storage tiers, other than the first location.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide techniques for maintaining consistency in a distributed system (e.g., a distributed secondary storage system). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first set of file system objects included in performing the requested file system operation is identified in response to a request to perform a file system operation. An update intent corresponding to the requested file system operation is inserted into an inode associated with each identified file system object. Each file system object corresponding to the inode is modified as specified by the update intent in that inode. After modifying the file system object corresponding to the inode, the update intent is removed from that inode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing a consensus group in a distributed computing cluster, by determining that an instance of an authority module executing on a first node, of a consensus group of nodes in the distributed computing cluster, has failed; and adding, by an instance of the authority module on a second node of the consensus group, a new node to the consensus group to replace the first node. The new node is a node in the computing cluster that was not a member of the consensus group at the time the instance of the authority module executing on the first node is determined to have failed.

Abstract: A method for performing lockless modifications during a rolling upgrade of a column family from an old column family version to a new column family version in a NoSQL database.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing a storage system having an operation log where data writes are initially performed to a fast operation log, rather than to its permanent storage location. A distributed operation log can be employed to replicate the data to multiple locations in the storage system.

Abstract: A system for managing storage devices, includes a plurality of nodes that implement a virtualization environment, each node of the plurality of nodes comprising a hypervisor, a service virtual machine that sits above the hypervisor, and one or more user virtual machines that sit above the hypervisor; a plurality of storage devices that are accessed by the user virtual machines via the service virtual machines, wherein a first node of the plurality of nodes comprises a first hypervisor, a first service virtual machine and a first set of one or more user virtual machines, wherein a second node of the plurality of nodes comprises a second hypervisor, a second service virtual machine and a second set of one or more user virtual machines, wherein the first hypervisor and the second hypervisor are of different types, and wherein the first virtual machine and the second service virtual machine are of the same type.

Abstract: A system for implementing storage for a virtualization environment, including a plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes implements a virtualization environment, a plurality of storage devices that are accessed by virtual machines in the virtualization environment, and wherein the plurality of storage devices comprises a local storage device that is locally attached to one of the plurality of nodes, and in which the local storage device can be managed as part of a global storage space for the virtualization environment.