Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for managing a virtualization environment includes a set of host machines, each of which includes a hypervisor, virtual machines, and a virtual machine controller, one or more virtual disks comprising a plurality of storage devices and accessible by the virtual machine controllers, and a deployment system configured to receive a request to upgrade a virtualized file server on a plurality of host machines from a first program code version to a second program code version, and, for each host machine, request an upgrade token. When the host machine acquires the upgrade token, the deployment system is configured to generate a snapshot of a code image associated with the second program code version, and provide the snapshot to the host machine via the virtual disk. The virtual machine controller located on the host machine stores the snapshot on a storage device associated with the host machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a durable low latency system architecture. The method includes providing an apparatus that includes a battery backup electrically coupled to a motherboard, and to a non-volatile storage device (either through additional circuitry to through the motherboard itself). The process leverages the battery backup to allow for durably maintaining write requests in volatile memory while the system is operating on standard input power. When the system switches to battery power the write requests maintained in the volatile memory are persisted in a non-volatile storage device using the battery power. Thus, the write requests are durably maintained in a RAM where they are only copied to a persistent storage location that is not the write request target location when there is a failure of the power input to the system.

Abstract: A hyper-converged computing system may include multiple computing nodes and a power management system. Each computing node may have a processor operating at a power state. Each computing node may receive a power budget from the power management system, determine an instant power consumption in the node and determine whether the instant power consumption is approaching the power budget. If the instant power consumption is approaching the power budget, the computing node may adjust the power consumption of the node. The power management system may determine an initial power budget rule for each computing node and transmit the initial power budget rule to each respective computing node. The power management system may also obtain various provisioning and status from the multiple computing nodes and use the provisioning and status to update the power budget rules for each respective computing node.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating communication between one or more of a plurality of user virtual machines and external devices is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of uplink bridges configured to facilitate communication between the plurality of user virtual machines and the external devices, a plurality of local bridges, with each of the plurality of user virtual machines being connected to one or more of the plurality of local bridges, and a first multiplexing bridge connected to the plurality of local bridges. The first multiplexing bridge is configured to direct data between the plurality of user virtual machines and the plurality of uplink bridges. The system also includes a second multiplexing bridge connected to the first multiplexing bridge and the plurality of uplink bridges. The second multiplexing bridge is configured to direct the data between the first multiplexing bridge and the plurality of uplink bridges.

Abstract: A system and method include receiving, by an object store virtual machine of a virtual object storage system, a user request for updating an element of an object store. The user request includes a first compare and swap value. The system and method also include updating the first compare and swap value from the second user request for obtaining an updated compare and swap value, comparing the updated compare and swap value with a current compare and swap value of the element, and updating the element upon determining that the updated compare and swap value is greater than the current swap and compare value. Updating the element comprises one of creating a new version of the element and overwriting a previous version of the element. The system and method further include replacing the current compare and swap value with the updated compare and swap value.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure facilitates validating live metering service in a cloud infrastructure. In one embodiment, a testing server receives a request to validate metering of a specific cloud (hosted in a cloud infrastructure) during processing of user requests, and in response collects from a metering service of the cloud infrastructure, measured values representing the actual resources consumed by a reference cloud provisioned in the cloud infrastructure in corresponding durations. The testing server compares the measured values with corresponding reference values expected during the operation of the reference cloud in the corresponding durations and sends a response to the request based on a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A method and system for managing communication connections in a virtualization environment implemented by a cluster of host machines, each of the host machines comprises a hypervisor, at least one user virtual machine (UVM), a connection manager, and an I/O controller. The system includes a virtual disk accessible by all of the I/O controllers and comprising a plurality of storage devices. The system includes a first host machine of the host machines designated as a leader node, wherein the leader node configured to confirm a second one of the host machines is unreachable; and transmit, in response to the confirmation, an update message to other host machines in the cluster. The update message identifies the unreachable host machine and causes the other host machines to block messages from the unreachable host machine and send an acknowledgement of the update message back to the leader node.

Abstract: Particular embodiments provide a system comprising a cluster of host machines for managing communications in a virtualization environment. Each of the host machines may comprise a hypervisor, a user virtual machine (UVM), and an I/O controller. A virtual disk accessible by all of the I/O controllers may comprise multiple storage devices, wherein the I/O controllers conduct I/O transactions with the virtual disk based on I/O requests received from the UVMs. A management module may implement a monitoring policy of rules associated with an operating status of components of the virtualization environment. The management module may receive data associated with the operating status of the components. In response to determining that the data associated with the operating status of the components satisfies one or more of the rules in the monitoring policy, the management module may initiate an alert.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and using a hybrid system include determining, by a capacity allocation system associated with a virtual computing system, capacity of a reserve portion and capacity of an allocation portion of a first site based upon a probability of failure associated with a plurality of second sites. The systems and methods also include allocating, by the capacity allocation system, the capacity of the allocation portion among the plurality of second sites for operating a portion of the plurality of second sites from the first site, determining, by the capacity allocation system, that a number of failures at the plurality of second sites exceeds a first pre-determined threshold, and dynamically adjusting, by the capacity allocation system, the capacity of the reserve portion and the capacity of the allocation portion of the first site based upon the number of the failures.

Abstract: A system and method for using a local virtual disk for a virtual machine may include establishing a local virtual disk on a storage device of a host machine. The system and method include creating an access table and a location table. The access table includes access values indicative of data being accessed. The location table includes location values indicative of a location of the data in the local virtual disk or a shared storage space. A transfer of data between the local virtual disk and the shared storage space is done using the access table and the location table. The data is accessible in both the local virtual disk and the shared storage space based on the one or more location values of the location table and access to the data is based on the one or more access values of the access table.

Abstract: A system and method include receiving a request to transfer data from a first storage space to a second storage space. The system and method also include creating an access table and a location table. The access table includes one or more access values indicative of data being accessed. The location table includes one or more location values indicative of a location of the data in the first storage space or the second storage space. The system and method also include transferring data between the first storage space and the second storage space using the access table and the location table. The data is accessible on both the first storage device the second storage device based on the one or more location values of the location table and access to the data is based on the one or more access values of the access table.

Abstract: Systems for high-performance distributed computing. The systems include techniques for managing data and metadata across multiple nodes. A method embodiment commences by storing data at a node using a first storage mechanism that is local to the node. A first set of metadata is configured to identify a storage location for the stored data. The first set of metadata is stored using the same first storage mechanism that is local to the node. For accessing the first set of metadata, a second set of metadata is configured to identify a storage location for the first set of metadata. The second set of metadata is stored using a second storage mechanism that comprises a distributed metadata storage facility that stores metadata across multiple storage locations having at least one of the multiple storage locations that is not local to the node that stores data and metadata using the first storage mechanism.

Abstract: Systems for cooperative management of multiple types of memory. A method embodiment implements cooperative management of multiple types of memory among virtual machines running in a host computing system. The method commences upon identifying virtual machines and a hypervisor that runs in the host computing system. The hypervisor is configured to respond to memory allocation requests from the virtual machines. Upon receiving (a) a first memory allocation request for a first memory type having a first set of characteristics and (b) a second memory allocation request for a second memory type having a second set of characteristics, the hypervisor responds to the requestor with allocations from the first memory type and allocations from the second memory type. Different pools of memory are formed of the different types of memory devices. A multi-memory pool type combines memory devices of a first memory type and memory devices of a second memory type.

Abstract: Systems and methods for aggregating policies to enforce on computing entities of a computing system. A method embodiment commences upon administrative definition of a set of named policy associations that are applicable to various types of such computing entities. The occurrence of two or more named policy associations that are associated with a particular computing entity cause the policies to be processed to detect and reconcile possible conflicts. Reconciliation is accomplished by applying a set of conflict resolution rules. The result of detection and reconciliation of conflicts is a policy aggregate that comprises two or more non-conflicting policy subcomponents. During ongoing uses of the computing entities, policy actions are taken so as to enforce the semantics of the policy subcomponents onto the computing entity.

Abstract: Communication between VMs running in a clustered virtualization environment and a distributed storage system is managed. The distributed storage system consists of multiple storage/compute nodes. A hypervisor communicates with a controller in a local node on behalf of a VM. The controller will redirect a connection to a second controller on different node. The controller to which the connection is redirected is selected so as to distribute the load evenly across the cluster.

Abstract: A machine learning model is trained to quantify the relationship of specific terms or groups of terms to the outcome of an event. To train the model, a set of data including structured and unstructured data and information describing previous outcomes of the event is received. The unstructured data is analyzed and features corresponding to one or more terms are identified, extracted, and merged together with features extracted from the structured data. The model is trained based at least in part on a set of the merged features, each of which is associated with a value quantifying a relationship of the feature to the outcome of the event. An output is generated based at least in part on a likelihood of the outcome of the event that is predicted using the model and input values corresponding to at least some of the set of features used to train the model.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, apparatus, and computer program product for generating consistent snapshots without quiescing applications. The snapshots correspond to consistency groups that in turn correspond to one or more vDisks on one or more nodes. Some embodiments of the present disclosure address the problem of generating consistent backup snapshots that cover cases of multiple virtual machines (VMs) that operate in a multi-node distributed computing environment (e.g., in clusters) without quiescing the accessing entity(ies). In some embodiments, the process includes identification of a triggering snapshot event, disabling of write complete responses to requesting entities for the resources corresponding to the snapshot to be generated, generating snapshots while one or more additional write requests are received, and using one or more techniques to insure that all actions corresponding to the snapshotting function do not occur outside of a specified time frame.

Abstract: A memory subsystem is interfaced to a CPU through memory controllers. The memory subsystem is composed of a first tier of first memory devices having a first set of performance characteristics and a second tier of second memory devices having a second set of performance characteristics that are different from the first set of performance characteristics. A content addressable memory stores the memory addresses that are used to access the first memory devices and/or second memory devices. Logic is provided that updates one or more registers or memory structures to count the frequency and timing of occurrences of the memory address accesses. Both the content addressable memory and logic can be implemented on the same semiconductor substrate. The content addressable memory may be interfaced to a random access memory that stores counters. The logic may comprise one or more state machines implemented on the same semiconductor substrate as the CPU.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring computing resource usage and computing task progression. The monitoring includes displaying computing system metrics by animating curved bands in a display screen. A method embodiment commences upon identifying computing system metrics that are associated with computing resource usage metrics and/or computing task progression metrics, then assigning one or more curved bands to the computing resource usage and/or computing task progression metrics. The curved bands are configured to be displayed in a user interface. The curved band configuration includes determining graphical characteristics of the curved bands, where the graphical characteristics are determined based on aspects of the system metrics. State parameter values corresponding to the system metrics change over time, which changes are animated by displaying changes via the graphical characteristics of the one or more curved bands to visually indicate usage and/or progress.