Abstract: A system and method for exposing volumes with underlying read-write mediums to user operations. When a medium is in the process of being migrated to a storage array, a volume which relies on the medium can be exposed to user operations (e.g., snapshots, read and write operations) once the portions of the medium which underlie the volume have been migrated. The volume can be exposed to user operations while one or more other portions of the medium are unfilled and while the medium is in an intermediate read-write state.

Abstract: Managing input/output (‘I/O’) queues in a data storage system, including: receiving, by a host that is coupled to a plurality of storage devices via a storage network, a plurality of I/O operations to be serviced by a target storage device; determining, for each of a plurality of paths between the host and the target storage device, a data transfer maximum associated with the path; determining, for one or more of the plurality of paths, a cumulative amount of data to be transferred by I/O operations pending on the path; and selecting a target path for transmitting one or more of the plurality of I/O operations to the target storage device in dependence upon the cumulative amount of data to be transferred by I/O operations pending on the path and the data transfer maximum associated with the path.

Abstract: Storage efficiency driven migration includes: determining a level of similarity between first data stored on a first storage system and second data stored on a second storage system; determining, in dependence upon the level of similarity, that an expected amount of storage space reduction from migrating similar data exceeds a threshold level; and responsive to determining that the expected amount of storage space reduction exceeds the threshold level, initiating a migration of one or more portions of the first data from the first storage system to the second storage system.

Abstract: Evaluating recommended changes to a storage system, including: identifying, using predicted characteristics of workloads executing on the storage system, a preferred configuration change to the storage system that would improve the operation of the storage system; evaluating the predicted characteristics of workloads executing on the storage system and the preferred configuration change according to indicators; and recommending the preferred configuration change in accordance with the indicators.

Abstract: A method includes determining a change to storage parameters associated with storage of data objects in a storage network, where a data segment of the data objects is dispersed storage error encoded into a set of encoded data slices based on dispersed storage error encoding parameters, and where the set of encoded data slices is stored in the set of storage units. The method also includes determining a storage modification process for the set of encoded data slices based on the change to the storage parameters. The method also includes executing the storage modification process such that the set of encoded data slices are stored in the storage network in accordance with the changed storage parameters.

Abstract: Data transformation caching in an artificial intelligence infrastructure that includes one or more storage systems and one or more graphical processing unit (‘GPU’) servers, including: identifying, in dependence upon one or more machine learning models to be executed on the GPU servers, one or more transformations to apply to a dataset; generating, in dependence upon the one or more transformations, a transformed dataset; storing, within one or more of the storage systems, the transformed dataset; receiving a plurality of requests to transmit the transformed dataset to one or more of the GPU servers; and responsive to each request, transmitting, from the one or more storage systems to the one or more GPU servers without re-performing the one or more transformations on the dataset, the transformed dataset.

Abstract: A processing system of a storage network operates by: sending, to at least one storage unit of the storage network, at least one read request corresponding to at least a read threshold number of a set of encoded data slices to be retrieved, wherein the set of encoded data slices correspond to a data segment, wherein the data segment is coded in accordance with dispersed error coding parameters that include a write threshold number and the read threshold number, wherein the write threshold number is a number of encoded data slices in the set of encoded data slices and wherein the read threshold number is a number of the set of slices that is required to decode the data segment; receiving, via the at least one processing circuit and from the at least one storage unit, a first subset of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, wherein the first subset of encoded data slices is missing at least one missing encoded data slice that was not received from the at least one storage unit in response to the

Abstract: A method for administration through files in a storage cluster is provided. The method includes distributing user data, including files, throughout a plurality of storage nodes having non-volatile solid-state memory, through erasure coding. The plurality of storage nodes are housed within a single chassis that couples the storage nodes as the storage cluster. The method includes receiving at the storage cluster a command to write a file or read a file, the file having a filename. The method includes determining whether the filename is reserved and determining an administrative action according to the file, responsive to determining that the filename is reserved. The method includes initiating the administrative action. A storage system is also provided.

Abstract: Efficiently transferring data between tiers in a virtual storage system, including: receiving, by the virtual storage system, a request to write data to the virtual storage system; transforming, within storage provided by a first tier of storage of the virtual storage system, the data to generate transformed data; and migrating, from the first tier of storage to a second tier of storage that is more durable than the first tier of storage of the virtual storage system, at least a portion of the transformed data.

Abstract: A list of a available zones across respective SSD storage portions of a plurality of zoned storage devices of a storage system is maintained. Data is received from multiple sources, wherein the data is associated with processing a dataset, the dataset including multiple volumes and associated metadata. Shards of the data are determined such that each shard is capable of being written in parallel with the remaining shards. The shards are mapped to a subset of the available zones, respectively. The shards are written to the subset of the available zones in parallel.

Abstract: A method of operating a storage system is disclosed. The method includes determining a storage cluster among storage arrays of the storage system. Each storage array includes at least two controllers and at least one storage shelf. The at least two controllers are configured to function as both a primary controller for a first storage array and a secondary controller for a second storage array.

Abstract: A method for determining a storage location includes one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a storage network (SN) receiving a data object to store in a storage network (SN) and determining whether the data object is subject to a legal restriction, where a data object is subject to a legal restriction based on the data object requiring storage in a jurisdiction that subjects the data object to a retention policy. The method continues by determining one or more attributes of a first storage location of a plurality of storage locations and based on a determination that the data object is subject to a legal restriction and at least one attribute of the one or more attributes of the first storage location, transmitting a write threshold number of write requests to a plurality of SUs at the first storage location.

Abstract: A storage system operates by generating system messages, in accordance with the system-level message processing parameters, the system messages including status information, performance information and alarms, each having one of a plurality of priorities. The generating includes: generating a first message of the system messages corresponding to a first of the storage nodes based on the system-level message processing parameters, the first message including a first alarm of the alarms having a first message priority of the plurality of priorities; and generating a second message of the system messages corresponding to a second of the storage nodes based on the system-level message processing parameters, the second message including a second alarm of the alarms having a second message priority of the plurality of priorities.

Abstract: A method for adjustable error correction in a storage cluster is provided. The method includes determining health of a non-volatile memory of a non-volatile solid-state storage unit of each of a plurality of storage nodes in a storage cluster on a basis of per flash package, per flash die, per flash plane, per flash block, or per flash page. The determining is performed by the storage cluster. The plurality of storage nodes is housed within a chassis that couples the storage nodes as the storage cluster. The method includes adjusting erasure coding across the plurality of storage nodes based on the health of the non-volatile memory and distributing user data throughout the plurality of storage nodes through the erasure coding. The user data is accessible via the erasure coding from a remainder of the plurality of storage nodes if any of the plurality of storage nodes are unreachable.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a data retrieval request. A plurality of identifiers are determined in accordance with the data retrieval request. Integrity information is generated based on determining the plurality of identifiers by performing a cyclic redundancy check. Stored integrity information corresponding to the data retrieval request is compared with the integrity information, where the stored integrity information was previously generated by performing the cyclic redundancy check. When the stored integrity information compares unfavorably with the integrity information, corruption associated with the plurality of identifiers is determined.

Abstract: A method begins by a load balancing module of a distributed storage network (DSN) determining availability of a plurality of DSN processing units of a set of DSN processing units based on availability information associated with the plurality of DSN processing units and in response to determined availability, selecting a DSN processing unit form the set to process a data access request. The method continues with the load balancing module receiving an indication that the DSN processing unit is no longer available from the DSN processing unit while the DSN processing unit continues to process previously pending data access requests. The method continues with the load balancing module cancelling selection of the DSN processing unit to process the data access request; and receiving a second indication from the DSN processing unit indication that the DSN processing unit is available.

Abstract: A method includes determining whether an encoded data slice (EDS) of an “x” number of EDSs associated with a set of EDSs requires rebuilding, where the “x” number of EDSs is stored in a set of storage units of the storage network and the encoded data slice is stored in a first storage unit of the set of storage units. When the encoded data slice requires rebuilding, the method continues by identifying one of a “z” number of EDSs to replace the encoded data slice, where the “z” number of EDSs are not currently stored in the set of storage units. The method continues by constructing the one of the “z” number of EDSs from a decode threshold number of EDSs of the “x” number of EDSs and sending the one of the “z” number of EDSs to a second storage unit of the set of storage units.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method includes identifying a first content-dependent feature associated with a data sector. The method further includes determining a baseline data sector associated with the data sector. The method further includes determining, by a processing device, a content-dependent delta between the first content-dependent feature and a second content-dependent feature of the baseline data sector. The method further includes providing the content-dependent delta and an indicator to the baseline data sector for storage on a plurality of storage devices.

Abstract: A method includes, responsive to receiving a modified first reservation command from a storage controller, identifying, by a storage drive, a first range of storage based on a first range identifier of the modified reservation command. The method also includes granting, by the storage drive, a reservation for access to the storage drive on behalf of a first host controller by associating the reservation for the first range with a second range of storage.

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit includes obtaining audit records for an audit object and determining when the audit object is complete. When the audit object is complete, aggregating the audit records of the audit object within the audit object by generating the audit object to include the audit records; generating identifier (ID) information and generating integrity information. Fields of the audit object are populated with the audit records, the ID information, and the integrity information and a name of the audit object is determined for storage of the audit object and the name of the audit object in a dispersed storage network (DSN).