Abstract: Logical address space portions and virtual layer blocks (VLBs) can be partitioned into multiple sets. Each of multiple nodes in a system can be assigned exclusive ownership of one of the multiple sets. In at least one embodiment, for a read I/O which is received at a first node and directed to a logical address LA1 that is owned by a second node, the first node can request that the second owning node perform resolution processing for LA1. The second node can return either a VLB address or a PLB address based on whether the second node owns a VLB used in mapping LA1 to a corresponding physical location PA1 which includes content C1 stored at LA1. The second node can set a flag in its response to indicate whether a returned address is a VLB address or a PLB address.

Abstract: Techniques for resynchronizing storage resources of two sites configured for synchronous replication can include tracking in-progress write requests in a map. Responsive to a site failure or a replication link failure resulting in failure or fracture of the synchronous replication, processing can be performed to resynchronize impacted resources of the two sites configured for synchronous replication. The processing can use the in-progress write requests in combination with resource snapshots and snapshot differences to resynchronize the impacted resource of the two sites. In at least one embodiment, the synchronous replication configuration can include active paths between both sites and a host. In at least one embodiment, the synchronous replication configuration can include an active path between the host and one site, and a passive path between the host and the second site. The synchronous replication can be bi-directional or two-way synchronous replication between the two sites.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, one or more audio speakers configured to play back audible audio signals, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) comprising a program of instructions comprising boot firmware configured to be the first code executed by the processor when the information handling system is booted or powered on in order to initialize the information handling system for operation. The BIOS may be further configured to monitor for an error occurring during execution of the BIOS and responsive to an error occurring during execution of the BIOS, cause the one or more audio speakers to play back a sequence of one or more multi-frequency audio signals encoding an identity of the error.

Abstract: A floating open compute project retention system. The floating open compute project retention system includes a floating open compute project component guide device and a floating open compute project component retention device, the floating open compute project component retention device providing access to the floating open compute project component guide device when in an open position and fixedly mounting a floating open compute project receiving assembly within an open compute project mounting bay when in a closed position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically pairing an Information Handling System (IHS) to a selected one of a plurality of Workspace Managing Devices (WMDs) in a shared work environment are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include an Embedded Controller (EC) and a memory coupled to the EC, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the EC, cause the IHS to: perform a first wireless communication with a charging mat coupled to one of a plurality of WMDs disposed in a shared work environment, and establish a wireless connection with the WMD based, at least in part, upon first information exchanged over the first wireless communication.

Abstract: A disclosed fail-safe boot block method leverages embedded controller (EC) functionality to monitor power on self-test (POST) messages and, in response to detecting a POST error message, execute a sequence of main basic input/output system (BIOS) recovery operations including, in at least some embodiments, performing top-block swap recovery features supported by the platform. If the main BIOS recovery operations fail to resolve the POST error issue, e.g., fail to resolve a No Boot/No Post/No Video (NB/NP/NV) state of the platform, a resiliency boot block bit is set and a reset is executed to boot the platform, via a fail-safe boot block, into the safe BIOS mode for error analysis and corrective action. The fail safe boot block and the safe BIOS firmware may reside in a flash partition that is factory-programmed and sealed to prevent substantially any subsequent programming and/or of the storage device. Additional benefit of the fail-safe boot features are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Memory management processes allocate and recycle pages of replication data pointer (RDP) metadata space in shared memory. When the RDP page currently allocated to an IO thread becomes full, that RDP page is released, and a new RDP page is allocated to the IO thread. The released page eventually becomes fragmented and is added to a list of RDP pages that are ranked based on partial fullness. An IO thread that needs a new RDP page is allocated a mostly empty RDP page from the ranked list, if such a page is available. Otherwise, a new completely empty RDP page is allocated to the IO thread. Use of the ranked lists reduces latency associated with allocation of new RDP pages. Contention between IO threads for RDP metadata space is reduced because each IO thread has exclusive rights to the free RDP metadata space in its currently allocated page.

Abstract: An operating system (OS) software service detects an accessibility change event and takes a snapshot of the accessibility settings before sending and receiving memory-mapped input/output (MMIO) commands with an embedded controller (EC) to establish trust using existing security hardening methods. The software service may send an MMIO command that includes the profile as a payload to the EC. The EC extracts the profile payload and saves it to an NVRAM variable before signaling a basic input/output system (BIOS) during early boot of an available accessibility profile. The EC publishes an accessibility profile presence to a BIOS pre-EFI initialization (PEI) layer, which sends a command to the EC to return the response.

Abstract: Storage processes are described. For instance, dumping of cache data in a memory table at a source directory table partition in a source container group is stopped in response to receiving a close signal. A notification for creating a target directory table partition is sent to a target container group, the notification including a checkpoint at the source directory table partition. The cache data in the memory table is sent to the target container group, and the source container group is closed in response to a determination that an ownership of the target directory table partition is updated to the target container group. A rescheduling and/or upgrading solution is thus proposed for a source container group, so that the source container group is still in a service state during the rescheduling and/or upgrading solution, which improves the performance of storage services and reduces the data unavailable time.

Abstract: Embodiments may be generally directed to a system for generating reactive acoustic energy for reducing acoustic noise in a chassis of an information handling system. A set of acoustically reactive elements may be positioned relative to a backplane comprising a plurality of backplane openings. Each acoustically reactive element comprises a plurality of walls and an acoustical energy reducing opening. The plurality of walls define an internal volume, wherein at least one wall is aligned parallel with a direction of airflow. The acoustical energy reducing opening may be oriented substantially parallel with the direction of the airflow and configured for the airflow passing the acoustically reactive element to pass the acoustical energy reducing opening to generate acoustic energy at a frequency based on the set of parameters of the acoustically reactive element.

Abstract: Systems and methods for battery management in heterogenous computing platforms. In a non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System may include a heterogeneous computing platform having a plurality of devices and a memory coupled to the platform, where the memory includes a plurality of sets of firmware instructions, each of the sets of firmware instructions, upon execution by a respective device among the plurality of devices, enables the respective device to provide a corresponding firmware service, and at least one of the plurality of devices operates as an orchestrator configured to: receive context or telemetry data from at least a subset of the plurality of devices; and execute or instruct one or more selected devices among the plurality of devices to execute one or more Artificial Intelligence models usable to manage a charging or discharging operation of a battery based, at least in part, upon the context or telemetry data.

Abstract: A data storage system can include a deduplicated data cache used to store unique deduplicated data portions. Data portions can be promoted to the deduplicated data cache in connection with servicing I/O operations. Servicing the I/O operation that reads data from, or writes data to, a logical address can include determining whether a data portion stored at the logical address meets criteria for promoting the data portion to a deduplicated data cache. The criteria can include a condition that the data portion is a duplicate of content stored at multiple logical addresses, and can include a condition that the data portion has a reference count that is at least a minimum threshold where the reference count denotes a number of logical addresses at which the data portion is stored. Responsive to determining the data portion meets the criteria, the data portion can be stored in the deduplicated data cache.

Abstract: A method for efficient file-based backups and recoveries. The method includes: receiving, to initiate a backup session, a file-system backup instruction identifying a host file-system; obtaining at least one clone logical cluster number (LCN) corresponding to a file managed by the host file-system, and a region LCN corresponding to a file region of the file; based on a determination that the region LCN matches a clone LCN of the at least one clone LCN: querying a cluster-offset tracking data structure using the region LCN to identify a cluster-offset tracking entry including the region LCN and a container offset; writing, as a session metadata record stored in backup session metadata for the backup session, file metadata describing the file and including the container offset; and transmitting, to a backup target, an information tuple including a backup session identifier generated for the backup session, and the backup session metadata.

Abstract: A computing chassis, including hard disk drives positioned at a first end of the chassis; a fan module positioned at a second end of the chassis; a first baffle having acoustic absorbing material, the first baffle extending between a first and a second side of the chassis, wherein the first and second sides of the chassis extend between the first and the second ends of the chassis, the first baffle spaced-apart from the fan module a first distance; a second baffle having acoustic absorbing material, the second baffle extending between the first and the second side of the chassis, the second baffle spaced-apart from the fan module a second distance greater than the first distance, wherein the first and the second baffle extend between the first and second sides of the chassis perpendicular to an airflow, and the acoustic absorbing material of the baffles attenuate acoustic waves.

Abstract: A method and system for supplying power at a voltage selected from a plurality of voltages. Power is initially received at a first voltage. Embodiments communicate with an AC adapter to get device identification and see if the AC adapter supports other voltages. If so, embodiments communicate with the AC adapter to get more information about the adapter and identify what voltages the adapter is capable of providing. If one of the voltages would allow an information handling system to operate more efficiently, embodiments negotiate a power supply contract to operate at a second voltage. When the information handling system powers down, the system resets to operation at the initial voltage.

Abstract: A camera integrates a magnet at one end of a housing to magnetically attract and attach the camera to a front side of a peripheral display, such as to support a video conference through an information handling system interfaced with the display. Camera position movement at a display panel front face is detected, such as with a touchscreen of the display panel, and accelerometer or an infrared curtain presented from the camera dock along the display panel front face. Audio and visual information communicated from the camera is altered when movement is detected at the camera, such as muting a microphone of the camera and cutting off capture of visual images by the camera module.

Abstract: A reverse cache for inserting data into a main cache is disclosed. The reverse cache is configured to identify candidates for insertion into a main cache. The reverse cache stores entries such as fingerprints, which are representations of data. When the entry has been accessed multiple times or is a candidate for promotion based on operation of the reverse cache, data corresponding to the entry is promoted to the main cache.

Abstract: Communications are exchanged with a copy service of a host to identify writers associated with the copy service. The identification includes a type of a writer as being a system or application writer. Writers identified as system writers are added to a list of writers that should participate in a backup operation. For writers identified as application writers, components of an application writer are iterated through to determine whether a component of the application writer has a name or logical path that includes a name of a system service. When any component has the name or logical path that includes the name of the system service, the application writer is promoted to be of type system writer by adding the application writer to the list of writers that should participate in the backup operation. Components of each writer listed in the list of writers are backed up.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing consumption of alternating-current (AC) power by an Information Handling System (IHS). In a non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include: a heterogeneous computing platform comprising a plurality of devices and a memory, the memory having a plurality of sets of firmware instructions, where each of the sets, upon execution by a respective device, enables that device to provide a corresponding firmware service, and where at least one of the devices operates as an orchestrator configured to: execute or instruct one or more devices to execute one or more Artificial Intelligence models usable to characterize usage profiles based, at least in part, upon context or telemetry data received from at least a subset of the plurality of devices; and, based upon the usage profiles, determine whether to allow a battery to power the IHS at least partially while the IHS is coupled to an AC power source.