Abstract: Systems, methods, and related technologies for application-centric object storage and virtual data objects are described. In certain aspects, a processing device can process a first data object in a first format to generate a virtual data object, the virtual data object including a representation of the first data object in a second format. The processing device can receive a request with respect to the first data object from an application that is configured with respect to the second format. The processing device can complete the request with respect to the first data object and the application via the virtual data object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and related technologies for application-centric object storage and interfaces. In certain aspects, a processing device receives, from a first application, one or more requests with respect to a data object. The processing device processes the one or more requests to identify one or more substructures of the data object. Based on an identification of the one or more substructures of the data object, the processing device defines a storage structure for the data object. The processing device defines an interface through which the first application can provide data access commands to the data object as stored in the defined storage structure.

Abstract: A method or system of managing data with high granularity, comprises identifying data objects and an associated data management policy. The policy uses features and a common semantic to define a feature-based sequence of data management actions of a data management operation that varies for different objects depending on respective features. Features of the data objects are obtained and then used to associate a data management action with the object using the policy so that the object is managed individually according to its own features, thus achieving high granularity of data management precision and also high flexibility.

Abstract: A method of managing data with high granularity, comprises identifying data objects and an associated data management policy. The policy uses features and a common semantic to define a feature-based sequence of data management actions of a data management operation that varies for different objects depending on respective features. Features of the data objects are obtained and then used to associate a data management action with the object using the policy so that the object is managed individually according to its own features, thus achieving high granularity of data management precision and also high flexibility.

Abstract: A first storage system is configured as a proxy for a logical volume stored on a second storage system. Upon receiving a response from a second storage system verifying an availability of a logical volume for an input/output (I/O) request, the I/O request is conveyed to an identified port, a result of the I/O request is received from the identified port, the result is conveyed to a host computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include a storage device configured to store a logical volume mapped between a host computer and a computer having multiple initiator ports, and a processor configured to detect a unit attention condition for the logical volume. Examples of unit attention conditions for the logical volume include management operations on the logical volume and host requests for the logical volume. Upon determining, based on the unique serial number, that the processor has previously conveyed the unit attention code to any of the multiple initiator ports, to reconvey an input/output (I/O) request, receive a response for the I/O request, and convey the result to the host computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include defining a source data volume including a first multiple of source snapshots, and storing the first multiple of the source snapshots in a first storage pool including a second multiple of storage regions having respective identifiers. Upon receiving a request to copy the source data volume to a target data volume in a second storage pool, a first given source snapshot including a first set of the storage regions is accessed, and a second given source snapshot preceding the first given source snapshot is identified, the second given source snapshot including a second set of the storage regions. A set difference of the second and the first sets of the storage regions is identified, and respective identifiers of the set difference are stored to the target volume.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include ascertaining, by a first storage system, a respective port identifier for each of one or more host ports defined to the first storage system for a logical volume stored on a second storage system. Examples of the port identifiers include WWPN and iSCSI iQN identifiers. A respective unique identifier is assigned to each of the ascertained one or more host ports, and for each of the one or more host ports, the respective port identifier and the assigned respective unique identifier are conveyed to the second storage system. Upon receiving, from one of the one or more host ports, an input/output (I/O) request for the logical volume, I/O request with the respective unique identifier of the one of the one or more host ports is conveyed to the second storage system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include defining a source data volume including a first multiple of source snapshots, and storing the first multiple of the source snapshots in a first storage pool including a second multiple of storage regions having respective identifiers. Upon receiving a request to copy the source data volume to a target data volume in a second storage pool, a first given source snapshot including a first set of the storage regions is accessed, and a second given source snapshot preceding the first given source snapshot is identified, the second given source snapshot including a second set of the storage regions. A set difference of the second and the first sets of the storage regions is identified, respective identifiers of the set difference are stored to the target volume, and a target snapshot is created for the target volume.

Abstract: A first storage system is configured as a proxy for a logical volume stored on a second storage system. A probe request verifying availability of the logical volume is conveyed to an identified port, and upon receiving a response from a second storage system verifying the availability of the logical volume for an I/O request, the I/O request is conveyed to the identified port, a result of the I/O request is received from the identified port, the result is conveyed to the host computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include a storage device configured to store a logical volume mapped between a host computer and a computer having multiple initiator ports, and a processor configured to detect a unit attention condition for the logical volume. Examples of unit attention conditions for the logical volume include management operations on the logical volume and host requests for the logical volume. Upon detecting a unit attention condition, the processor can to generate a unit attention code and a respective unique serial number in response to detecting the unit attention condition, and upon receiving an input/output (I/O) request for the logical volume from a given initiator port, the processor can convey, to the given initiator port, the unit attention code and the respective unique serial number in response to the I/O request.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include ascertaining, by a first storage system, a respective port identifier for each of one or more host ports defined to the first storage system for a logical volume stored on a second storage system. Examples of the port identifiers include WWPN and iSCSI iQN identifiers. A respective unique identifier is assigned to each of the ascertained one or more host ports, and for each of the one or more host ports, the respective port identifier and the assigned respective unique identifier are conveyed to the second storage system. Upon receiving, from one of the one or more host ports, an input/output (I/O) request for the logical volume, I/O request with the respective unique identifier of the one of the one or more host ports is conveyed to the second storage system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring one or more storage devices as a plurality of physical storage units, each of the physical storage units having a storage granularity, and configuring, on the one or more storage devices, a thin provisioned storage pool having a physical number of the physical storage units and a logical number of logical storage units. Upon receiving a request to create a thick data volume having a requested number of the physical storage units, an available number of the physical storage units that are available in the thin provisioned pool can be identified. A certain number of physical storage units are then allocated based upon a determination of the identifying.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring one or more storage devices as a plurality of physical storage units, each of the physical storage units having a storage granularity, and configuring, on the one or more storage devices, a thin provisioned storage pool having a physical number of the physical storage units and a logical number of logical storage units, the physical number being less than the logical number. Upon receiving a request to create a thick data volume having a requested number of the physical storage units, an available number of the physical storage units that are available in the thin provisioned pool can be identified.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring one or more storage devices as a plurality of physical storage units, each of the physical storage units having a storage granularity, and configuring, on the one or more storage devices, a thin provisioned storage pool having a physical number of the physical storage units and a logical number of logical storage units, the physical number being less than the logical number. Upon receiving a request to create a thick data volume having a requested number of the physical storage units, an available number of the physical storage units that are available in the thin provisioned pool can be identified.

Abstract: A fast snapshot is configured to store a state of a computing environment at a point in time. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation and a deletion time.

Abstract: A fast snapshot is configured to determine if a snapshot is utilized for asynchronous mirroring. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of the one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation time and a deletion time when the snapshot is utilized for asynchronous mirroring.

Abstract: A fast snapshot is configured to store a state of a computing environment at a point in time. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation and a deletion time.

Abstract: A fast snapshot is configured to store a state of a computing environment at a point in time. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation and a deletion time.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include conveying first data from local regions of a local volume of a local storage system to a remote storage system having a remote volume with remote regions in a one-to-one correspondence with the local regions. While conveying the first data, a request is received to update a given local region, and the given local region is marked.