Abstract: A system and method for performing File System checKing (FSCK) allows a file system to be accessed while the file system is being checked for consistency in the background. In the event that a file is accessed prior to having been checked for consistency by the background FSCK process, the background FSCK process is interrupted, and an in-context FSCK is performed on the accessed file. In addition, an in-context FSCK method and system is described which uses a snapshot block bitmap, FSCK block bitmap and FS block bitmap to check block consistency in the context of handling a block access to handle consistency and corruption issues as part of the file access.

Abstract: This invention is a system and method related to restoring data in a data storage environment and includes program logic.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for the identification or discovery for properties of MPLS networks through a modeling technique. Aspects of the present invention provide for discovering or identifying the Label Switched Paths in MPLS networks. The method comprises the steps of representing a network by a model comprising a plurality of configuration non-specific first object classes that are representations of types of components associated with the network components, and a plurality of configuration non-specific second object classes that are representations of relationships among the representation of types of component, identifying instances of a first one and a second one of the types of components object class, and identifying the label switch path by traversing the instances of the first and second types of components object classes through select ones of the relationship object classes associated with the first and second type of components object classes.

Abstract: A data transmission system includes a first data transmission device for receiving commands from a host; a second data transmission device for transmitting commands to a memory device; and a crossbar device for receiving commands from the first data transmission device over a first link and transmitting the commands to the second data transmission device over a second link. The crossbar device includes status logic to detect a command transmission error on the first link from the first data transmission device and transmits a retry command to prompt the first data transmission device to retry the transmission of the command over the first link. The second data transmission device reports a transmission error on the second link to the status logic of the crossbar device and the status logic of the crossbar device transmits the retry command to prompt the first data transmission device to retry the transmission of the command over the first link.

Abstract: A network attached storage system includes at least one data moving device coupled to a control station for receiving commands from the control station, each of the at least one data moving devices including a board having mounted thereon a file server portion and a power control portion, wherein the power control portion receives a continuous power supply and controls the application of power to the file server portion based on commands from the control station.

Abstract: An error checking system includes an input device for receiving a data element including parity information; a parity check device for checking the parity information of the data element to determine whether the data element is valid; a CRC generator coupled to the parity check device for generating a CRC for the data element; and an output device for transmitting the data element with the parity information and CRC to a downstream device over a transmission link. The parity check device is operative to output a corruption signal to the CRC generator if the parity check device determines that the data element is invalid, to instruct the CRC generator to corrupt the CRC generation for that data element.

Abstract: This invention is a system and method for assisting the performance of incremental copying of data in a data storage environment and includes a tracking mechanism. In one embodiment, the tracking mechanism is implemented in such a way that it is able to track changes while allowing access to production data by carrying out unique methodology. In other embodiments, implementations include a system, a computer program product, or an apparatus, wherein each embodiment is configured for carrying out the steps involved in the methodology.

Abstract: A method, device and computer product suitable for performing an analysis on a Grid Computer Network (GCN) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of representing selected ones of a plurality of components and a relationship among the components in the GCN, providing a mapping between a plurality of events and a plurality of observable events occurring among the components, wherein the mapping is represented as a value associating each event with each observable event, and determining at least one likely causing event based on at least one of the plurality of observable events by determining a measure between each of a plurality of values associated with the plurality of observable events and the plurality of causing events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for specifying the identification and classification of at least one application having components distributed over selected nodes of a network system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of creating a first section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for discovering characteristics of the application, creating a second section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for storing the discovered characteristics, and creating a third section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for testing the discovered characteristics.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to the deletion of content units from a storage system. When a content unit is deleted, a reflection may be created and stored on the storage system. The reflection identifies the deleted content unit and may include additional information, such as a portion of the content of the content unit and audit information regarding the deletion of the content unit.

Abstract: A disk drive management system includes a data storage device including an array of disk drives and a host computer for controlling the operation of the data storage device. The array of disk drives includes an operational drive pool including a number of online disk drives having data written to and read from by the host computer; a spares drive pool including a number of disk drives that are configured to be included in the operational drive group, but are offline while in the spares group; and a maintenance drive pool including a maintenance manager for testing faulty disk drives from the operational drive pool. When a faulty drive is transitioned from the operational drive pool upon the occurrence of a particular error, a disk drive from the spares drive pool is transitioned to the operational drive pool to take the place of the faulty drive.

Abstract: A data flow management system and method in which an application and its clients are made aware of the available credits for each type of transfer before the transfer is attempted. This enables the clients to transmit packets only when the RX side has issued a sufficient number of credits to insure that the transmission will not be stalled. The invention eliminates the need for FIFO buffers in the PCI-Express core, since the application will not transmit packets to the core until the required number of credits for the particular transfer type is available. Therefore, packet transmissions do not require buffering in the core, as they are only sent when they can be sent all the way through the core to the link.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for identifying exceptional behavior of a hardware or software component. According to one embodiment, the system comprises an operational metric calculator that is operative to sample a first behavior of an operational metric and a second behavior of the operational metric. The operational metric may be any metric that quantifies the operation of a hardware or software component, as well as combinations thereof. A baseline threshold calculator is operative to calculate a baseline threshold on the basis of the first sampled behavior of the operational metric. The baseline threshold is applied by a baseline threshold analyzer to the second operational metric to generate an alarm when the second sampled behavior of the operational metric deviates from the baseline threshold.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a first storage processor for storing and retrieving data from a data storage array for at least one host computer; a second storage processor, coupled to the first storage processor by a communication link, for storing and retrieving data from the data storage array for the at least one host computer; a number M of multiplexers, M being greater than one, each of the multiplexers being coupled to the first storage processor and the second storage processor for receiving data signals from the first storage processor and the second storage processor and transmitting the data signals to a disk drive device; a number A of arbiters, each being coupled to the first storage processor, the second storage processor and a number N of the plurality of multiplexers, for receiving arbiter control signals from the first storage processor and the second storage processor and transmitting multiplexer control signals to each of the number N of the plurality of multiplexers; and a midplane device

Abstract: This invention is a system and method for configuring a data storage system based on workload, response time, or utilization requirements. The method includes the steps of receiving workload, utilization or response time data, analyzing the respective received data, determining a configuration for a data storage system which may be available in report form to a user.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a computer system that includes primary and secondary storage systems. When a request to store a content unit is received, it may be determined whether to store the content unit on the primary storage system or the secondary storage system. In another embodiment, a computer may store information relating to an action to be performed in one of the directories of a file system that corresponds to a period of time. When the period of time to which the directory corresponds arrives, the action may be performed. In another embodiment, a content unit stored on a primary storage system may be copied to a secondary storage system in a computer system. After the content unit has been copied, the secondary storage system may send a delete request to the primary storage system to delete the content unit from the primary storage system.

Abstract: A system and method for providing continuous availability of information that is normally transported via a network is provided. The system and method uses a process that is used with each computer in a system to simulate the functionality of a network interface card wherein upon the unavailability of the network, transmission packets containing a unique header are send by one application in the system through the process, which stores the transmission packets in queue, and upon filling of the queue writes filled queue to a send volume contained on a storage system. The storage system then copies the data to a second volume, which can be read by a second application. The first and second volumes can either be remotely dispersed or local to one another.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to sharing content stored on an object addressable storage (OAS) system among a plurality of users of the OAS system and authenticating users to an OAS system. In some embodiments, a user may store content units on the OAS system and control access by other users to these content units. In some embodiments, when a user grants one or more other users access to a content unit stored on the OAS system, the OAS system may send a notification of grant of access to the other user(s).

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing a data storage configuration request for an application A first user level of a plurality of user levels at which said data storage configuration request is made is determined. One or more rule sets defining mappings between different ones of said plurality of user levels are provided. Each of the different user levels is associated with a different level of abstraction with respect to processing performed in the data storage system for implementing the data storage configuration request. One of the rule sets is selected in accordance with the application, a data service requested in said data storage configuration request, and a user grouping including said plurality of user levels. The data storage configuration request is serviced using rules of the selected rule set.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the performance of components of a distributed network is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining for each of the components, a range as a function of a time-based parameter associated with the components and a known tolerance value, wherein the value of the parameter associated with one selected component is excluded from the determination and determining whether the value of the parameter associated with the excluded component is within the determined range.