Abstract: A method is described that includes deciding to enter a lower power state, and, shutting down a memory channel in a computer system in response where thereafter other memory channels in the computer system remain active so that computer remains operative while the memory channel is shutdown.

Abstract: A system receives a request to transfer an object, and transfers the object without placing a lock on the object such that the object can still be processed by a service or a function during the transfer. Upon completion of the transfer of the object, the system determines if the object was modified by the processing during the transfer, and the system re-transfers the object when the object was modified by the processing during the transfer.

Abstract: In one form, scheduling data migration comprises determining whether the data is likely to be used by an input/output (I/O) device, the data being at a location remote to the I/O device; and scheduling the data for migration from the remote location to a location local to the I/O device in response to determining that the data is likely to be used by the I/O device.

Abstract: A database system is provided with user-directed application-side storage tiering control functionality. A database node of a database system comprises a daemon to communicate with a plurality of storage devices on a plurality of storage tiers of the database system; the daemon further configured to implement storage tiering control functionality based on a user-specified data selection and tier imperative for at least first and second storage tiers comprising respective disjoint subsets of the plurality of storage tiers. An application executing on the database node provides the user-specified data selection and tier imperative to the daemon for processing in response to a predefined keyword. The daemon performs the storage tiering control functionality in response to a programmatic call comprising one or more predefined keywords, such as predefined base command verbs, tier imperative keywords and/or environmental qualifiers.

Abstract: A system has a virtual overlay infrastructure mapped onto physical resources for processing, storage and network communications, the virtual infrastructure having virtual entities for processing, storage and network communications. Virtual infrastructures of different users share physical resources but are isolated. Each infrastructure has its own infrastructure controller to create and configure the infrastructure. It has a user accessible part (CFC) for configuration of that user's infrastructure, and a user inaccessible part (UFC) able to access the mapping and the physical resources. This increases user control to ease system administration, while maintaining security by limiting access to the mapping.

Abstract: An operable mechanism implements a stub utility to facilitate the migration of stub files, where the stub utility is integrated with a data storage product and a data storage technique of an existing storage site containing the stub files. The stub utility identifies the stub files and uses virtualization to migrate the stub files to a new storage site without concomitantly recalling or accessing source files linked to the stub files.

Abstract: Metadata for a plurality of database storage regions within memory are merged, where the metadata for each storage region comprises an interval including first and second interval values indicating a value range for values within that storage region. The first and second interval values are examined to identify overlapping storage regions and produce a sum of overlapped storage regions. The sum of overlapped storage regions is compared to a threshold and the metadata of the overlapped storage regions are merged based on the comparison.

Abstract: One of first and second computers computes a first time taken to transfer first data, which is stored by an application process that is executed and suspended by the second computer and to be executed by the first computer, from the second computer to the first computer. The one computes a second time on basis of a transfer time and an elapsed execution time. The transfer time is taken to transfer second data from a storage area to the first computer. The second data is used to execute the process from beginning. The elapsed execution time is taken to execute the process up to a suspend point. The one determines to resume the process from the suspend point when the first time is shorter than the second time, and re-execute the process from the beginning when the second time is shorter than the first time.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for performing a live update of an operating system. The mechanisms receive an update to an operating system and clone a root volume group associated with an operating system instance executing in a first logical partition of the data processing system to generate a cloned root volume group. The mechanisms apply the update to the cloned root volume group to generate an updated and cloned root volume group and boot a second logical partition of the data processing system using the updated and cloned root volume group. Moreover, the mechanisms mirror the original root volume group associated with an operating system instance executing in a first logical partition and import the mirrored root volume group into the second logical partition. The mechanisms migrate application instances to the second logical partition by restarting the application instances in the second logical partition using the mirrored root volume group.

Abstract: Provided is a computer system that requires only a server administrator for construction thereof arid configuration change thereof.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing resources in a storage system are provided. The methods include tracking performance of a plurality of resources used for reading and writing information at storage devices in a networked storage system, each resource represented by a logical object in a hierarchical structure and performance data associated with each logical object is maintained by a processor executing a management application out of a memory device; identifying a root object associated with a resource having a performance issue as indicated by a threshold violation for the resource; selecting a related object associated with a resource similar to the resource of the root object by the management application for comparing performance data of the root object with the related object; and using the comparison to verify that the root object is a root cause of the performance issue.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for monitoring temporal usage of a data portion within a storage system over a defined monitoring period. The storage system includes a plurality of data tiers. A temporal-usage pattern for the data portion is defined. The data portion is retiered amongst the plurality of data tiers based, at least in part, upon the temporal usage pattern.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. The controller is configured to store a first sequence of addresses based on a first sequence of read instructions received from a host device. Subsequent to storing the first sequence of addresses, the controller is configured to receive a second sequence of read instructions from the host device and to determine whether a second sequence of addresses that is based on the second sequence of read instructions matches the first sequence of addresses. The controller is configured to relocate at least one page of the non-volatile memory at least partially based on the second sequence of addresses matching the first sequence of addresses.

Abstract: A tiled storage array provides reduction in access latency for frequently-accessed values by re-organizing to always move a requested value to a front-most storage element of array. The previous occupant of the front-most location is moved backward according to a systolic pulse, and the new occupant is moved forward according to the systolic pulse, preserving the uniqueness of the stored values within the array, and providing for multiple in-flight access requests within the array. The placement heuristic that moves the values according to the systolic pulse can be implemented by control logic within identical tiles, so that the placement heuristic moves the values according to the position of the tiles within the array. The movement of the values can be performed via only next-neighbor connections of adjacent tiles within the array.

Abstract: A system for providing bound checking to insure memory accessed, including indirect object access through pointers, is within a range of defined object bounds is disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide hardware and software methodology for bound checking, where bound checking is performed in hardware and in parallel with the execution of the memory accesses using dedicated hardware. There is reduced overhead associated with the enforcement of bound checking, and hardware is modified to include new registers and/or instructions for bound checking support. An exception is raised when an out of bound violation is detected. According to some embodiments, a compiler extracts bound information from the respective programming language (e.g. C/C++, Java) and generates tables with special APIs known to the hardware that enables both execution of the program and bound checking to be performed simultaneously.

Abstract: A method, and corresponding apparatus, of managing processing thread migrations within a plurality of memory clusters, includes embedding, in memory components of the plurality of memory clusters, instructions indicative of processing thread migrations; storing, in one or more memory components of a particular memory cluster among the plurality of memory clusters, data configured to designate the particular memory cluster as a sink memory cluster, the sink memory cluster preventing an incoming migrated processing thread from migrating out of the sink memory cluster; and processing one or more processing threads, in one or more of the plurality of memory clusters, in accordance with at least one of the embedded migration instructions and the data stored in the one or more memory components of the sink memory cluster.

Abstract: A method provides data to a client by a server and comprises receiving a data update; sending a duplicate of the data update to the client; incorporating the data update into a revolving data carousel for holding the data, the data comprising a plurality of data items; and sending a data item on the data carousel to the client.

Abstract: A technique provides mobility to VSPs. The technique involves receiving, by processing circuitry, a VSP move command from a user. The VSP move command specifies a source VSP and a destination. The technique further involves identifying, by the processing circuitry and in response to the VSP move command, multiple source data objects which are configured to store data from the context of the source VSP. The multiple source data objects reside in a source storage pool. The technique further involves, after the multiple source data objects are identified, transforming the multiple source data objects into multiple destination data objects which are configured to store data from the context of a destination VSP at the destination. The multiple destination data objects reside in a destination storage pool which is different from the source storage pool. Such operation effectively provides VSP migration from source to destination.

Abstract: A file storage system may be implemented by coordinating non-exhaustible and exhaustible storage devices. The exhaustible storage devices may be lower grade flash based storage devices. The non-exhaustible storage devices may be storage devices based on magnetic recording mechanisms or higher grade flash storage. The file storage system may store received content items on the exhaustible storage devices. The file storage system may additionally store metadata for the content items and/or the file storage system on the non-exhaustible storage devices. During operation, the file storage system may globally optimize the content items on the exhaustible storage devices such that more heavily accessed items are moved to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced relatively few data operations. The file storage system can move less frequently accessed content items to exhaustible storage devices that have experienced a relatively large number of data operations.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a communication is received from a software tool. The communication may be intended for a virtual machine and may contain an identification of a virtual file. A virtual file can then be retrieved using the identification. The virtual file defines a file socket, the file socket providing a communications channel for stream-based communications. Then the file socket can be established as a communications channel between the software tool and the virtual machine based on the virtual file.

Abstract: A storage control method is characterized by receiving a write signal from an external transmission source, transmitting write data included in the write signal to a transmission destination, storing the write data temporarily, monitoring a temporary stored data amount that is an amount of the write data temporarily stored, transmitting a control signal, based on a result of the monitoring, to the transmission source which performs execution of the first processing, selecting second processing, based on the control signal, which is subject to be suppression of the execution from among the first processing according to a predetermined condition, outputting a suppression signal which suppresses the second processing, and suppressing execution of the second processing based on the suppression signal.

Abstract: At a migration server separate from a first server, a plurality of incoming internet protocol, IP, packets directed at an IP address associated with an IP service are received. On the basis of one or more source characteristics associated with IP packets in the plurality, it is determined that a first subset of packets in the plurality originated from one or more client devices which have not been migrated to a second server and that a second subset in the plurality originated from one or more client devices which have been migrated to the second server. IP packets determined to be in the first subset are forwarded to a first physical address associated with the first server for processing at the first server. IP packets determined to be in the second subset are processed at the second server.

Abstract: A flash memory control method, storing a logical-to-physical address mapping relationship between a host and a flash memory and a root table in the flash memory and providing a non-volatile storage area storing a root table pointer. A mapping relationship pointer is set forth in the root table to show where the logical-to-physical address mapping relationship is stored in the flash memory. The root table pointer points to the root table stored in the flash memory. In response to a power restoration request issued from the host, the flash memory is accessed based on the root table pointer and thereby the root table is read and the logical-to-physical address mapping relationship is retrieved from the flash memory based on the mapping relationship pointer set forth in the root table.

Abstract: Exemplary methods for monitoring and improving performance at a storage system include analyzing storage performance statistics collected during operations of a storage system. In one embodiment, the methods include in response to determining storage performance satisfies a predetermined condition based on the analyzed storage performance statistics, determining one or more storage configuration suggestions that will likely improve the storage performance based on the analysis. In one embodiment, the methods include transmitting a first set of alerts to a user of the storage system indicating storage performance is poor under a current set of configurations based on the analysis, wherein at least one or more of the first set of alerts includes the one or more storage configuration suggestions to allow the user of the storage system to modify the current set of configurations in an attempt to improve the storage performance of the storage system.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying an identifier of a command. The method includes receiving an incoming command and sending a first alert to auto-logging hardware, wherein the auto-logging hardware sends a fetch instruction in response to receiving the first alert; retrieving an identifier of the incoming command in response to the fetch instruction and sending a second alert to the auto-logging hardware, wherein the auto-logging hardware sends a search instruction in response to receiving the second alert; and searching for the identifier of the incoming command in a table in response to the search instruction, the table storing identifiers previously assigned to other commands, wherein the incoming command is logged into the search table and marked as a searched command after the search for the first identifier in the table has completed successfully.

Abstract: A method, a computer, and an apparatus for migrating memory data. After receiving a first trigger instruction, a processor can exit an operating system and execute a memory data migration instruction of a basic input/output system, where the memory data migration instruction of the basic input/output system enables the processor to determine a source memory card of to-be-migrated memory data, determine a backup memory card for the source memory card, and instruct a memory controller of the source memory card to migrate the memory data, so as to enable the memory controller of the source memory card to read the memory data of the source memory card and write the read memory data of the source memory card into the backup memory card according to an instruction of the processor.

Abstract: For performing efficient management of tracks in an asynchronous Peer-to-Peer Redundant Copy (PPRC) operation in a computing storage environment, a correct status of a sequential bit is determined by performing one of: (1) examining a primary cache, where if data being transferred pursuant to the PPRC operation in a primary track remains in the primary cache, the sequential bit setting found therein is used, and (2) an Out-Of-Sync (OOS) bitmap is examined to determine if the sequential bit is set.

Abstract: A method of memory management can include creating an initial root set of pointers for a program during execution of the program and performing a marking process by iteratively marking referred objects of each pointer of the root set and expanding the root set with filtered, encoded pointers. The method also can include identifying each non-live object for any marked object as red-marked and performing, using a processor, a re-marking process on the root set in which red-marked objects are excluded. Each object of the root set not marked can be designated as including a memory leak.

Abstract: A method is used in managing data inconsistencies in storage systems. A data inconsistency is detected in a portion of a file system. The portion of the file system includes a set of file system data blocks. The portion of the file system is recovered. The portion of the file system is validated by using information stored in a set of mapping pointers associated with the set of file system data blocks.

Abstract: A network attached storage (NAS) caching appliance, system, and associated method of operation for caching a networked file system. Still further, some embodiments provide for a cache system that implements a mufti-tiered, policy-influenced block replacement algorithm.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for preemptively migrating a failing extent includes receiving information of one or more failure conditions associated with an extent stored in a first storage portion of a first storage tier; predicting a failure of the extent based on the information; selecting a second storage portion located in the first storage tier, a higher storage tier, and/or a lower storage tier; and migrating the extent to the selected second storage portion.

Abstract: A method includes segmenting a data object into data segments based on segmenting information. For a first data segment, the method further includes dispersed storage error encoding the first data segment. The method further includes identifying a first set of storage units from a pool of storage units. The method further includes issuing a first set of write requests to the first set of storage units. The method further includes receiving write responses from the first set of storage units. The method further includes, when a write threshold number of favorable write responses have been received, generating a first DSN addresses for encode data slices based on Internet addresses of storage units that provided the favorable write responses and based on the temporary slice names of the encoded data slices. The method further includes storing an association of the first DSN addresses and the first encode data slices.

Abstract: System and methods are provided for dynamically determining accesses to memory areas in a memory system. An example system includes a first plurality of tracking units, a second plurality of tracking units, and a controller. The first plurality of tracking units are configured to determine accesses to multiple memory areas during a first time period and select one of the memory areas based at least in part on the determined accesses to the memory areas, a memory area including multiple sub-areas. The second plurality of tracking units are configured to determine accesses to the sub-areas of the selected memory area during a second time period. The controller is configured to generate information related to the determined accesses to the memory areas and the sub-areas in the selected memory area for memory management.

Abstract: A system and techniques are provided for evaluating front end activity of a storage device in connection with storage tiering and management operations at the back end without the need to collect new sub-LUN metrics/statistics on the front end or querying the front end. The system avoids demotions of extents that are hot on the front end even when seemingly cool on the back end. The result is improved system performance since data that is hot on the front end will not be demoted to a lower storage tier. The system provides that there is little to no additional performance impact on the front end because there is no requirement to collect any new front end statistics or query the front end, and there is no increase in the meta data collected by the automated tiering system as there is no new sub-LUN metrics collected on the front end.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage apparatus including a plurality of solid state drives (SSDs) and a processor. The SSDs store data in a redundant manner. The processor controls a reading process of reading data from an SSD and a writing process of writing data into an SSD. The processor controls an internal process, which is performed during the writing process, to be performed in each of the SSDs when any one of the SSDs satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: In order to eliminate I/O performance bottleneck of a path in a disk array system, one expander is composed of two internal expanders connected to each other, and when the path falls in a bottleneck, connection of two internal expanders in a designated expander is cut off, and the cut-off internal expanders are connected to a new path to change access route to the disk drive. A device management table managing individual disk drives and a routing table managing access routes of respective paths are updated according to the switching of the access route.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an external device includes a switching module configured to switch an external display, which is to be connected to a port of a display control circuit in an information processing device, between first and second external displays connected to the external device. A controller detects a state of a first detection signal representing whether or not a first external display is connected to the external device and a state of a second detection signal representing whether or not a second external display is connected to the external device. The controller controls the switching module based on the detected states of the first and second detection signals and a display priority.

Abstract: A method for uploading an object into a distributed storage system is implemented at a computing device The computing device splits an object into one or more chunks and uploads the one or more chunks into the distributed storage system. For each uploaded chunk, the computing device receives a write token from the distributed storage system, inserts an entry into an extents table of the object for the chunk in accordance with the received write token and the chunk ID, chunk offset, and chunk size of the chunk, generates a digest of the extents table, the digest representing the one or more chunks that the client expects to be within the distributed storage system, and sends the digest of the extents table to the distributed storage system. The distributed storage system is configured to use the digest to determine whether it has each of the one or more client-expected chunks.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for modeling workload information for a primary storage and a secondary storage. A determination is made of: a first type and second type of Input/Output (I/O) operations with respect to extents configured in the primary storage; a cumulative I/O workload for the primary storage based on a first type and a second type of I/O operations at different cumulative storage amounts of the primary storage indicating a concentration of the I/O workload on the primary storage; and cumulative I/O workload for the secondary storage based on the first type and the second type of I/O operations at different storage amounts indicating a concentration of the I/O workload of the first type of I/O operations on the secondary storage. A performance gap is determined based on the cumulative I/O workloads for the primary and secondary storages at one of the storage amounts.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, by a computing device, a key, wherein the key includes at least one of an encryption key and an authentication key. One or more credentials may be generated to access a Secure KeyStore storing the key, wherein the one or more credentials may include one or more stable system values, and wherein the one or more stable system values may include one or more virtual values and one or more hardware values. The one or more stable system values may be provided to the Secure KeyStore to retrieve the key.

Abstract: In a data storage system including a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) array, a page is a smallest granularity of the NVRAM array that can be accessed by read and write operations, and a memory block containing multiple pages is a smallest granularity of the NVRAM array that can be erased. Data are stored in the NVRAM array in page stripes distributed across multiple memory blocks. In response to detection of an error in a particular page of a particular block of the NVRAM array, only the particular page of the particular block is retired, such that at least two of the multiple memory blocks across which a particular one of the page stripes is distributed include differing numbers of active (non-retired) pages.

Abstract: A storage controller including a processor, wherein the processor: performs a copy process in which a destination virtual volume is created by copying a source virtual volume in accordance with a copy instruction, performs a release process in which allocation of a destination storage area to a corresponding area of the destination virtual volume that corresponds to an unallocated area to which a source storage area is not allocated, among areas of the source virtual volume at a time point when the copy instruction is received is released in the copy process, specifies a corresponding area that is an unallocated area including one or more update areas updated before the copy process and the release process after the copy instruction among one or more unallocated areas of the source virtual volume, and suppresses the release relating to the corresponding area that corresponds to the specified unallocated area.

Abstract: A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM). Access commands are received from a host including disk read commands. When a high workload of disk access commands is detected, data of at least one disk read command is migrated to the NVSM.

Abstract: When a plurality of applications operating in a host computer or a storage system uses a same pool, actual data constantly allocated to an upper tier drive satisfying the required response performance will continue to increase. Therefore, when data is migrated by IOPS in page units, the access performance such as the response speed may not be satisfied. Therefore, according to the present invention, multiple virtual volumes used in applications are subjected to grouping. Relocation conditions corresponding to performances required for each group are set in advance, and reallocation of tiers according to the relocation conditions is performed.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently powering down banks in a cache memory for reducing power consumption. A computing system includes a cache array and a corresponding cache controller. The cache array includes multiple banks, each comprising multiple cache sets. In response to a request to power down a first bank of the multiple banks in the cache array, the cache controller selects a cache line of a given type in the first bank and determines whether a respective locality of reference for the selected cache line exceeds a threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, then the selected cache line is migrated to a second bank in the cache array. If the threshold is not exceeded, then the selected cache line is written back to lower-level memory.

Abstract: An indication is received that a word line has been read. The word line is part of a plurality of word lines (in solid state storage) which is divided into a plurality of groups. It is determined which group is associated with the read. A count of consecutive, at least potentially uninformative reads is updated based at least in part on the group associated with the read and a group associated with a prior read. It is determining if the count is greater than a threshold and in the event it is determined the count is greater than the threshold, a read disturb check is triggered.

Abstract: An apparatus having a processor and an interface to a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of blocks is disclosed. The processor is configured to (i) monitor a number of reads since a respective erase in at least one of the blocks in the nonvolatile memory, (ii) move a page from a first block to a second block in response to the number of reads exceeding a first threshold where the first block is partially programmed and (iii) move the page from the first block to the second block in response to the number of reads exceeding a second threshold where the first block is fully programmed. The first threshold is less than the second threshold.

Abstract: An improved technique migrating data from a source LUN (logical unit) to a target LUN manages control I/O's in a manner that depends on the current state of data migration and on whether the control I/O's specify that reservation information for a LUN is to be set or queried. Control I/O's specifying reservation settings during the different states of migration are treated the same way as data WRITEs during those respective states, and control I/O's specifying reservation queries during different migration states are treated the same way as data READs during those respective states.

Abstract: A method includes storing tasks in a task queue. The method continues with computing devices retrieving at least some of the plurality of tasks for execution. The method includes a computing device issuing read requests and initiate delete requests to storage units regarding an unassigned task, wherein the initiate delete requests instruct the storage units to flag for deletion, but not execute deletion, of a set of encoded task slices corresponding to the unassigned task. The method continues with the computing device receiving responses. When the responses include encoded task slices, the method continues with the computing device decoding them to recover the unassigned task. The method continues with the computing device executing the recovered task and, when execution is successful, issuing commit delete requests to the storage units that instruct the storage units to delete the set of encoded task slices for the unassigned task.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data from a buffer of a non-volatile memory is described. An error correction coding (ECC) operation is initiated at a controller to correct bit errors in the data. Correction data is sent from the controller to the buffer of the non-volatile memory to correct the bit errors in the data; the correction data may correspond to a portion of the data in the buffer.