Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing and maintaining writable snapshots. An efficient approach is provided for implementing snapshots that can be used to immediately create snapshots without incurring any detectable delays in providing access to the new snapshots. Also described are improved metadata structures that can be used to implement and maintain the writable snapshots.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a cluster of host machines implementing a virtualization environment. Each host machine a hypervisor, a user virtual machine (UVM), a connection manager, an I/O controller, and a virtual disk. The virtual environment may include storage devices and may be accessible by all of the I/O controllers. A management module of the virtualization environment may display a graphical user interface that includes an alert rule configuration interface, which may be operable to configure one or more alert policies each associated with an operating status of a component of the virtualization environment. The management module may receive inputs associated with the alert policies. The management module may update the alert policies in accordance with the inputs.

Abstract: Systems and methods commence upon detecting certain computing system specification change events. Changes are recorded in resource usage intent specification records that characterize desired states associated with respective resources of the computing system. The change event causes generation of a data state snapshot of data stored in the computing system. A state tuple is constructed to associate the desired state with the data state. The state tuple is committed to a version control system. At any time, a user or process can select a selected system state tuple from committed tuples stored in the version control system. The tuple is analyzed to determine its associated desired state and its data state. Actions are taken to restore the data state of the tuple to the computing system, and then bringing the computing system to the state of the tuple so as to reproduce the desired system state in the computing system.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment herein is a method including comparing a cache hit rate ratio of a unified cache to a first pre-determined threshold, incrementing an alert counter in response to the cache hit rate ratio being lower than the first pre-determined threshold, comparing the alert counter to a pre-determined limit, preventing a first receipt of a type of data by the unified cache in response to the alert counter being equal to the pre-determined limit, causing a second receipt of metadata by the unified cache, comparing the cache hit rate ratio to a second pre-determined threshold, and allowing the first receipt of the type of data by the unified cache in response to the cache hit rate ratio being greater than the second pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: Snapshot data (e.g., changed blocks) resulting from operation of applications is captured in two forms: (1) in a bitmap that indicates if one or more blocks in a range of blocks has changed, and (2) as the changed block data itself. The changed blocks are sent to a remote disaster recovery location only once per snapshot period. Even through a particular block might have been changed many times during a snapshot period, only the last version of the changed block is sent to the remote disaster recovery location. The fact that a block has been changed can be parsimoniously managed by determining an address space for the source data, dividing the address space into a plurality of ranges, and indicating which blocks if any in a particular range have been changed. Such modification indicators are sent to the disaster recovery location only once per snapshot period.

Abstract: Storage device groups are formed with respect to data consistency policies and/or quantified probabilities. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a computing system having a plurality of storage devices that are accessed by a plurality of computing nodes. A user interface serves for collecting policies, data loss parameters, and data rebuild parameters. Based on the policies and/or values of the data loss parameters, and values of the data rebuild parameters, sets of storage device groups are formed to achieve particular data loss and rebuild time properties. Data storage containers such as files or virtual disks that hold persistent datasets are assigned to respective storage device groups that are appropriate to the nature of the dataset. The objective pertaining to an acceptable likelihood of data loss as well as the objective of an acceptable time for rebuild are achieved as a result of assignments of certain storage devices into a group.

Abstract: Dynamic erasure coding for computing and data storage systems. A method embodiment commences upon accessing a set of fault tolerance policy attributes associated with the computing and data storage system. The topology of the system is analyzed to form mappings between the computing nodes of the system and the availability domains of the system. Based on the fault tolerance policy attributes, the topology, and the generated mapping, a plurality of feasible erasure coding configurations are generated. The feasible erasure coding configurations are scored. One or more high-scoring feasible erasure coding configurations are selected and deployed to the computing and data storage system. The method is repeated when there is a change in the fault tolerance policy attributes or in the topology. Depending on the topology and/or the nature of a change in the topology, more than one erasure coding configurations can be deployed onto the computing and data storage system.

Abstract: Systems for rule-based data protection of virtualized computing entities. A method embodiment commences upon receiving specification parameters that correspond to one or more data protection schemes or data protection configurations such as schemes for making backups or snapshots. Based on the specification parameters and the data protection configurations, one or more resource entities associated with the data protection configurations are identified. Each of the resource entities are accessed and one or more applicable data protection administration rules that correspond to the respective resource entities are applied. The resource entities might be organized hierarchically. Determination of which data protection administration rules are applicable to the resource entities is based on the type of resource entity being considered. The combination of the resource entity type and respective applicable rules is used to generate entity-specific data protection commands.

Abstract: Systems for dynamically generating user interfaces. A method embodiment commences upon receiving one or more requests for a user interface view corresponding to a particular type of computing resource entity. A set of resource property templates are examined to identifying one or more resource properties that correspond to the particular type of computing resource entity. Processing is invoked to determine the then-current resource state(s) of the computing resource entity. Based on the then-current resource state(s) of the particular type of computing resource entity, user interface code is dynamically generated. The dynamically generated user interface code is used to render a user interface view on the requester's display. The rendered user interface view comprises one or more of the resource properties and at least one aspect of the dynamically-determined then-current resource state(s) that correspond to the one or more resource properties.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing generic access web service entry points for virtualized entities in a computing system. A method embodiment commences by identifying a code base comprising one or more arbitrarily-named entity management functions. A set of generically-named entry points are defined and exposed. A data structure that comprises mappings between generically-named entry points and respective arbitrarily-named entity management functions is defined. When a call to one of the generically-named entry points is received, characteristics of the call itself and/or the call parameters are examined. The data structure comprising the mappings is accessed to determine a corresponding set of one or more arbitrarily-named entity management functions. The corresponding set of arbitrarily-named entity management functions is executed on behalf of the caller.

Abstract: Systems for computer security. A proxy service implements methods for substituting callback uniform resource locators (URLs) when using an OAuth protocol exchange to authenticate an application. A proxy service is established at a first uniform resource locator to carry out communications between one or more identity access management servers and a plurality of application hosting sites. At least one of the plurality of application hosting sites has a second uniform resource locator that is different from the first uniform resource locator. An identity access management server will register the application and the first uniform resource locator. From any hosting site, the application is invoked, upon which invocation, the application carries out at least a portion of the OAuth protocol exchange with the IAM. The proxy service at the first uniform resource locator receives an authentication message from the IAM and then redirects the authentication message to the application hosting site.

Abstract: Synchronization techniques for computing systems that interface with external service providers. A method for accessing status and other attributes of an external service provider commences upon identifying an external service such as a firewall appliance or backup repository that provides computing-related functions to computing entities of the computing system. One or more access mechanisms such as an application programming interface is exposed to the external service. The external service is registered with the computing system to use the access mechanism. When the external service detects a change of its state, the external service can communicate that change to the computing system through a “push” operation. The computing system processes the “pushed” data from the external service by verifying the status of the registration and authorization permissions, and then modifies one or more entity attributes of the computing resource entity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for data driven and cluster specific version/update control. The apparatus includes an automated multi-clusters management apparatus that interfaces with a plurality of remote clusters to provide data driven version/update control on a cluster by cluster basis. Generally, operation includes collection/identification of cluster specific data pertaining to software, hardware, and cluster requirements. The cluster specific data is later compared/analyzed against multi-cluster data pertaining to software releases, hardware characteristics, and known bugs/issues for each. The results of the comparison/analysis can then be ranked according to various metrics to different possible solutions and to differentiate the less desirable results from the more desirable results. Thus, the automated multi-cluster management apparatus provides for selection of versions/updates that is dependent on the cluster specific data.

Abstract: Examples described herein provide for hardware interface services in virtualized systems. The hardware interface services may receive a vendor-agnostic command to control a particular hardware component. The particular hardware component may be identified, for example, by its location (e.g., physical and/or logical location or other identification) in the virtualized system. The hardware interface services described herein may identify a hardware component type (e.g., vendor, serial number, model number, etc.) based on the location provided. The hardware interface services may translate the vendor-agnostic command to a command specific for the identified hardware component.

Abstract: Computer-aided computer system configuration techniques for adding new computing resources to an existing set of computing resources. A method embodiment commences upon identifying an existing computing system having a first set of configuration parameters. A second computing system having a second set of configuration parameters is deployed. A user interface is provided to accept user input comprising a location and protocol to access the existing computing system. Syntactical and semantic differences between the configuration parameters of the existing computing system and those of the newly added set are identified. The identified differences are analyzed to generate a parameter map that relates the existing set of configuration parameters to the second set of configuration parameters and vice-versa. Relationships that are codified in the parameter map are validated through user interactions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach to implement I/O and storage device management in a virtualization environment. According to some approaches, a Service VM is employed to control and manage any type of storage device, including directly attached storage in addition to networked and cloud storage. The Service VM implements the Storage Controller logic in the user space, and can be migrated as needed from one node to another. IP-based requests are used to send I/O request to the Service VMs. The Service VM can directly implement storage and I/O optimizations within the direct data access path, without the need for add-on products.

Abstract: A system having a hardware layout wizard, and a method therefore are discussed. The system according to an embodiment includes an administration system including a user interface (UI) and configured to display a visual representation of the plurality of hardware components in accordance with their logical identification; sequentially command each of the plurality of hardware components, in accordance with their respective hardware identification, to provide an output; prompt, via a display device of the administration system UI, a user to provide an identification of a selected one of the plurality of hardware components responsive to the output; and store an association between the plurality of hardware components and a plurality of logical hardware identifiers (IDs) based on the identification.

Abstract: Examples described herein include virtualized environments including a virtualized file server. Examples of secure domain join processes are described which may facilitate joining a virtualized file server or portions thereof to a domain. In some examples, the secure domain join process itself, and/or an associated file server virtual machine, may have insufficient credentials to write objects into an active directory. The active directory credentials need not be shared with the file server virtual machine. Rather, in some examples, the secure domain join process may provide a user system with a list of actions to be performed using active directory credentials.

Abstract: Examples described herein may include management of a ROBO site. An example method includes detecting a first configuration of a first computing node cluster of a computing system over a first network, and detecting a second configuration of a second computing node cluster of the computing system over a second network. The example method further includes receiving a request to update a configuration of the computing system. The update includes an update of the first configuration of the first computing node cluster. The example method further includes determining whether the update of the first configuration of the first computing node cluster is compatible with the second configuration of the second computing node cluster, and in response to the update of the first configuration of the first computing node cluster being incompatible with the second configuration of the second computing node cluster, denying the request.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using cache size estimations for guiding hot-tier insertion decisions. The method and apparatus include an adaptive management element that determines what accesses of a resource should be logged and the parameters for logging. The determinations are used to configure an adaptive logging element to log only accesses corresponding to the selected resource(s) and to log only those accesses that match the identified parameters. The adaptive management element operates in a feedback loop: first determining what will be logged and second implementing that determination by an adaptive logging element. Upon a triggering event, the process returns to the first determination based on any then current parameters. In some embodiments, the parameters include a size estimate to achieve a given target hit rate (target hit rate size estimate) that is used in generating a score or weighting to identify the highest/best scoring/weighted disk(s) for logging.