Abstract: A volume translation apparatus and method are provided. The volume translation apparatus resides between host machines and the physical storage devices accessed by the host machines. This volume translation apparatus may perform volume translation for the control path and optionally the data path of input/output (I/O) requests sent by the host machines to the physical storage devices. Control path translation ensures that the correct physical volumes are mounted for accessing by the I/O request. Because the physical volume may be different from that requested by the host machine application, the translation device includes a mapping that represents which physical volumes represent copies of the virtual volume used by the host machine application.

Abstract: A data processing system, method, and product are disclosed for maintaining a database of usage information of multiple, different physical devices. A virtualization system is provided interposed between a host computer system and the physical devices. The host computer system is capable of accessing only virtual interfaces and is incapable of directly accessing any of the physical devices. A relational database is established within the virtualization system for storing information. Information is stored in the database about transactions processed by the virtualization system utilizing the physical devices. The information stored in the database includes error information and information about the usage of the physical devices. The information in the database may be accessed by the host computer system.

Abstract: A system and method for synchronizing managed data stored by at least two computing devices include establishing a communication link between first and second computing devices, automatically identifying the managed data stored on the first computing device for synchronization, automatically transferring synchronization information associated with the managed data stored on the first computing device to the second computing device over the communication link, reconciling differences in the managed data stored on the first and second computing devices based on the synchronization information to generate reconciliation information, and transferring the reconciliation information from the second computing device to the first computing device to synchronize the managed data. In one embodiment, a plurality of mobile computing devices which communicate with a stationary device via a wireless network with the communication link and data synchronization automatically established based on proximity of the devices.

Abstract: A volume translation apparatus and method are provided. The volume translation apparatus resides between host machines and the physical storage devices accessed by the host machines. This volume translation apparatus may perform volume translation for the control path and optionally the data path of input/output (I/O) requests sent by the host machines to the physical storage devices. Control path translation ensures that the correct physical volumes are mounted for accessing by the I/O request. Because the physical volume may be different from that requested by the host machine application, the translation device includes a mapping that represents which physical volumes represent copies of the virtual volume used by the host machine application.