Abstract: A data storage system having protocol controller for converting packets between PCIE format used by a storage processor and Rapid IO format used by a packet switching network. The controller includes a PCIE end point for transferring atomic operation (DSA) requests, a data pipe section having a plurality of data pipes for passing user data; and a message engine section for passing messages among the plurality of storage processors. An acceleration path controller bypasses a DSA buffer in the absence of congestion on the network. Packets fed to the PCIE end point include an address portion having code indicating an atomic operation. An encoder converts the code from a PCIE format into the same atomic operation in SRIO format. Each one of a plurality of CPUs is adapted to perform a second DSA request during execution of a first DSA request.

Abstract: Storage system(s) for providing storing data in physical storage in a recurring manner, method(s) of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program product(s). For example, a possible method can include for each recurrence: generating a snapshot of at least one logical volume; destaging all data corresponding to the snapshot which was accommodated in the cache memory prior to a time of generating the snapshot and which was dirty at the time of generating said snapshot, thus giving rise to destaged data group; and after the destaged data group has been successfully destaged, registering an indication that the snapshot is associated with an order preservation consistency condition for the at least one logical volume, thus giving rise to a consistency snapshot.

Abstract: There is provided a storage arrangement and a method of operating thereof. The storage arrangement comprises a first storage system and one or more second storage systems operatively coupled to the first storage system. First control layer is operable to handle a first logical address space comprising a first logical group characterized by a plurality of logical block addresses; first control layer comprises a first mapping module handling a first mapping structure associated with first logical group. Each second control layer comprises, respectively, a second mapping module handling a second mapping structure associated with first logical group.

Abstract: Storage system(s) for storing data in physical storage in a recurring manner, method(s) of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program product(s).

Abstract: Described are techniques for servicing data requests in a data storage system. One or more data requests from an application executing on the host are received. The data storage system allocates a first amount of resources for use in servicing data requests from the application. Behavior of the host is monitored for occurrences of I/O failure. In accordance with criteria and the occurrences of I/O failure, it is determined whether at least one of the host or the application is in a state of pending failure. If it is determined that at least one of the host or the application is in a state of pending failure, a second amount of resources larger than the first amount are allocated for a time period when servicing data requests from the application. After the time period, data requests from the application are serviced in accordance with the first amount of resources.

Abstract: A method of migrating data from a source storage resource to a destination storage resource involves selecting a source volume in the source storage resource; configuring in the destination storage resource a destination volume corresponding to the source volume and having the same properties; and redirecting I/O requests from an application running on a host to the destination volume instead of the source volume, whilst migrating data stored in the source volume to the destination volume. A storage system is operable as a destination storage system for migrating data from a source storage system, including means for configuring a destination volume corresponding to a source volume in the source storage system and a migration module having a non-transitory computer useable medium and operable to initiate read requests addressed to the source volume thereby enabling a background process of migrating data stored in the source volume to the destination volume.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter includes a system and method for protecting data stored in a physical storage space of a storage system. According to the teachings disclosed herein, a block key is provided together with a read and a write request and is applied on data, which is related to a logical data block, for calculating a data block signature. A read request according to the presently disclosed subject matter includes, in addition to data indicative of a requested data block, a block key for the purpose of verifying the data block signature that was stored upon the last write of the requested data block. A write request according to the presently disclosed subject matter includes, in addition to data indicative of a data block to be written, a block key for generating a respective data block signature.

Abstract: A method of operating a storage system includes: configuring the address space so that each LBA is assigned to at least two servers among a plurality of at least three servers in a control grid: to a primary server with a primary responsibility for handling requests corresponding to said LBA, and to a secondary server with a secondary responsibility for handling requests corresponding to said LBA. In response to a request corresponding to a certain LBA range, generating by a data server having primary responsibility over the certain LBA range, a primary cache object; identifying a data server configured as a secondary data server with regard to the certain LBA range; and generating a redundancy cache object corresponding to the primary cache object only at the identified secondary data server, the redundancy cache object to be used by the identified secondary data server when taking the primary responsibility.

Abstract: A storage system and method are provided including physical storage devices controlled by storage control devices constituting a storage control layer operatively coupled to the physical storage devices and hosts. The storage control layer includes: a first virtual layer interfacing with the hosts, operable to represent a logical address space characterized by logical block addresses, characterized by an Internal Virtual Address Space (IVAS) and operable, responsive to I/O requests addressed to logical block addresses, to provide protocol-dependent translation of said logical block addresses into IVAS addresses; and a second virtual layer interfacing with the physical storage space, and operable to represent available physical space to said hosts and characterized by a Physical Virtual Address Space (PVAS). Each address in PVAS having a corresponding address in IVAS.

Abstract: A storage system and method is provided including physical storage devices controlled by storage control devices constituting a storage control layer operatively coupled to the physical storage devices and hosts. The storage control layer includes a first virtual layer interfacing with the hosts, operable to represent a logical address space available to said hosts and characterized by an Internal Virtual Address Space (IVAS); a second virtual layer characterized by a Physical Virtual Address Space (PVAS), interfacing with the physical storage devices, and operable to represent an available storage space; and an allocation module operatively coupled to the first and second virtual layers and providing mapping between IVAP and PVAS. Each address in PVAS is configured to have a corresponding address in IVAS. The allocation module facilitates management of IVAS and PVAS, enabling separation of a process of deleting certain logical object into processes performing changes in IVAS and PVAS, respectively.

Abstract: According to the teaching disclosed herein there is provided at least a method, system and device for managing a cache memory of a storage system. The storage system is associated with at least one physical storage device and, responsive to a read request, comprising information indicative of a logical address of at least one requested data unit, to obtain a storage physical address associated with the logical address, search the cache memory for a data unit associated with the storage physical address and service the request from the cache in case the data unit to is found in the cache memory.

Abstract: Storage systems which allow atomic write operations, methods of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program products. By way of non-limiting example, a possible method includes: receiving indication of a transaction, where a plurality of blocks directed to at least one destination logical volume and relating to at least one command is to be written as an atomic write operation; generating a transaction identifier number for the transaction; enabling tracking of the transaction at least partly based on the transaction identifier number, including temporary location of any one of the plurality of blocks; accommodating at least one block of the plurality temporarily in the storage system; and upon receiving an indication that all blocks in the plurality have been successfully temporarily accommodated in the storage system, enabling data corresponding to the plurality of blocks to subsequently be stored in the at least destination logical volume and discontinuing tracking of the transaction.

Abstract: Storage systems which allow atomic write operations, methods of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program products. By way of non-limiting example, a possible method includes: configuring volatile memory into cache memory and pre-cache memory; receiving an indication that a plurality of blocks relating to a command is to be written as an atomic write operation; enabling tracking of the atomic write operation; caching at least one block from the plurality in the pre-cache memory; and upon receiving an indication that all blocks in the plurality have been successfully accommodated in the pre-cache memory, enabling data corresponding to the plurality of blocks to subsequently be cached in the cache memory and discontinuing tracking of the atomic write operation.

Abstract: A method for a takeover in a case of a failure of a server in a storage system includes: a) configuring each virtual partition (VP) to be controlled by a primary data server and a secondary data server b) configuring each data server to have primary responsibility over all logical block addresses (LBAs) corresponding to at least two virtual partitions and to have secondary responsibility over all LBAs corresponding to at least two other virtual partitions; c) responsive to a failure of a data server, i) re-configuring primary responsibility over each VP previously primary controlled by the failed server such that it becomes primary controlled by a server previously configured as a secondary server with respect to this VP; and ii) re-allocating secondary responsibility over each VP previously secondary controlled by the failed server in a manner that each such VP becomes secondary controlled by a server other than the newly assigned server with primary responsibility.

Abstract: A method for pre-fetching database records from a database includes identifying an index record containing index entries that identify those database records. This information is then retrieved from the index entries and used to pre-fetch the database records.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for storage optimization. Data parts and metadata within a source data unit are identified and the data parts are compared with data which is already stored in the physical storage space. In case identical data parts are found within the physical storage, the data parts from the source data unit are linked to the identified data, while the data parts can be discarded, thereby reducing the required storage capacity. The metadata parts can be separately stored in a designated storage area.

Abstract: A method for hot backward compatible upgrade of a storage system includes: a) configuring each virtual partition (VP) to be controlled by a primary data server and a secondary data server b) configuring each data server to have primary responsibility over all logical block addresses (LBAs) corresponding to at least two virtual partitions and to have secondary responsibility over all LBAs corresponding to at least two other virtual partitions; c) responsive to a shut-down of a data server, i) re-configuring primary responsibility over each VP previously primary controlled by the shut-down server such that it becomes primary controlled by a server previously configured as a secondary server with respect to this VP; ii) re-allocating secondary responsibility over each VP previously secondary controlled by the shut-down server in a manner that each such VP becomes secondary controlled by a server other than the newly assigned server with primary responsibility.

Abstract: The is provided a storage system comprising a plurality of disk units adapted to store data at respective ranges of logical block addresses (LBAs), said addresses constituting an entire address space, and a storage control grid operatively connected to the plurality of disk units and comprising a plurality of data servers.

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing a data operation in a data storage system. A front-end component receives the data operation to read a data portion. In response to receiving the data operation, the front-end component performs first processing. The first processing includes determining whether the data operation is a read operation resulting in a cache hit to a prefetched data portion of a sequential stream, and if said determining determines that said data operation results in a cache hit to a prefetched data portion, performing processing in connection with prefetching additional data for said sequential stream. The processing includes determining whether to prefetch additional data for said sequential stream and, if so, an amount of additional data to prefetch. The processing uses one or more criteria to determine one or more of an amount of data to prefetch in a single prefetch request and a track ahead parameter.

Abstract: A method and a storage system for managing logical objects, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of control servers and the method includes: (i) defining a plurality of object pools and associating each logical object, hosted in the storage system, with one of the plurality of object pools; (ii) configuring each control server to have a primary responsibility over at least two of the object pools, such that each object pool is controlled by one primary control server, configured to handle requests directed to logical objects associated with the object pool; and (iii) in response to a failure of one of the plurality of control servers, configuring each operational server of the plurality of control servers to take over primary responsibility for at least one object pool, originally defined under the primary responsibility of the failed control server.