Abstract: An approach for automatic storage planning and provisioning within a clustered computing environment is provided. Planning input for a set of storage area network volume controllers (SVCs) will be received within the clustered computing environment, the planning input indicating a potential load on the SVCs and its associated components. Analytical models (e.g., from vendors) can be also used that allow for a load to be accurately estimated on the storage components. Configuration data for a set of storage components (i.e., the set of SVCs, a set of managed disk (Mdisk) groups associated with the set of SVCs, and a set of backend storage systems) will also be collected. Based on this configuration data, the set of storage components will be filtered to identify candidate storage components capable of addressing the potential load. Then, performance data for the candidate storage components will be analyzed to identify an SVC and an Mdisk group to address the potential load.

Abstract: An instruction is provided to perform invalidation of an instruction specified range of segment table entries or region table entries. The instruction can be implemented by software emulation, hardware, firmware or some combination thereof.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving a command for storing data to a plurality of data storage resources, storing the data in a set of buffer storage locations, defining a plurality of jobs for the command, each of the plurality of jobs having an associated data operation with at least one of the data storage resources, and reallocating a subset of the buffer storage locations that stored the data for a completed job prior to completion of at least one other job.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a translation lookaside buffer, a request to load a page table entry into the microprocessor generated in response to a miss of a virtual address in the translation lookaside buffer, and a prefetch unit. The prefetch unit receives a physical address of a first cache line that includes the requested page table entry and responsively generates a request to prefetch into the microprocessor a second cache line that is the next physically sequential cache line to the first cache line.

Abstract: A system and computer program product for automatically managing copies of source data volumes are provided. A copy management agent receives a message that target volume copies of source volumes are available. The copy management agent accesses the target volume copies of the source volumes. The copy management agent analyzes metadata for the target volume copies. The copy management agent determines whether any of the target volume copies is a boot volume copy based on the analyzed metadata. In response to a determination that one of the target volume copies is a boot volume copy, the copy management agent directs a provisioning agent to provision a new host for the target volume copies. The copy management agent directs the storage subsystem to present the target volume copies to a storage area network port associated with the new host. Then, the new host is booted using the boot volume copy.

Abstract: A request is received from a client machine via a web interface for content presented on a web page. A globally unique identifier (GUID) that is associated with the user is accessed and a number is generated based on the GUID. The generated number is utilized as an index to locate the storage device from the number of storage devices. Here, the storage device stores a user profile associated with the user. The user profile is read from the located storage device and the web page is personalized based on this user profile. The personalized web page is then communicated to the client machine. Other techniques for locating a storage device are also described.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for automatically managing copies of source data volumes is provided. A copy management agent receives a message that target volume copies of source volumes are available. The copy management agent accesses the target volume copies of the source volumes. The copy management agent analyzes metadata for the target volume copies. The copy management agent determines whether any of the target volume copies is a boot volume copy based on the analyzed metadata. In response to a determination that one of the target volume copies is a boot volume copy, the copy management agent directs a provisioning agent to provision a new host for the target volume copies. The copy management agent directs the storage subsystem to present the target volume copies to a storage area network port associated with the new host. Then, the new host is booted using the boot volume copy.

Abstract: A memory controller includes a sorting determination circuit which activates a sorting signal when an access request address for wrapping access to at least one memory block of a semiconductor memory is different from a first leading address of the at least one memory block, an address conversion circuit which sets the first leading address to an access starting address when the sorting signal is activated, a first data sorting circuit which sorts, when the sorting signal is activated, data sequentially read from the semiconductor memory in accordance with the access starting address starting from data corresponding to the access request address and a first output circuit which outputs the sorted data to an external bus.

Abstract: An atomic memory operation cache comprises a cache memory operable to cache atomic memory operation data, a write timer, and a cache controller. The cache controller is operable to update main memory with one or more dirty atomic memory operation cache entries stored in the cache memory upon expiration of the write timer, and is further operable to update main memory with one or more dirty atomic memory operation cache entries stored in the cache memory upon eviction of the one or more dirty atomic memory operation cache entries from the cache memory.

Abstract: The invention provides a flash storage device. In one embodiment, the flash storage device comprises a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory comprises a plurality of storage units for data storage, wherein the total capacity of each of the storage units is equal to a storage unit capacity. When the flash storage device receives a read capacity command from a host, the controller determines the size of a logical block to be a specific multiple of the storage unit capacity, and sends information about the logical block size to the host in response to the read capacity command, wherein the specific multiple is a natural number. After the host receives the information from the flash storage device, the host retrieves the logical block size from the information, and sends only write data with an amount equal to a multiple of the logical block size to the flash storage device.

Abstract: When a write command is issued, new data is written into a free physical block of a nonvolatile memory (110). Here, if data of the same logical block has been written already, the block is erased and a recording state is judged by a recording state judgment unit (126). A physical block is swapped according to the number of write processes performed. Thus, it is possible to effectively perform a swap without increasing the number of write processes in a particular area, thereby increasing the lifetime of a nonvolatile storage module.

Abstract: The present application includes methods and system for managing a storage device. In one implementation, a storage allocator that is present in a host or a storage device receives a request to store a file in a storage area of the storage device. The storage allocator marks the file as discardable in a file system structure associated with the storage device and updates a primary file allocation table (“FAT”) to associate a cluster chain that is allocated to the file with the file. The storage allocator additionally updates a discardable FAT or a database to reflect a physical location of the file, or may generate one or more location files that store the physical location of the file. The storage allocator then manages the storage area device based on the FAT and a discardable FAT, database, or one more location files indicating the physical location of the file.

Abstract: A host computer is coupled to a first fabric, a source storage apparatus is coupled to a second fabric, and a destination storage apparatus is coupled to a third fabric. A destination port of the destination storage apparatus comprises a same WWPN as a WWPN of a source port, and is logged in to the fabric beforehand. Duplicate WWPNs are allowed to exist because an inter fabric router separately manages the second fabric and the third fabric. When a switchover is instructed, the inter fabric router switches a coupling destination of the host computer to the destination storage apparatus.

Abstract: A virtualization system, upon judging that a write operation from a higher-level device is an operation to write in the format of the virtual volume, even when the write position of the write operation is in a virtual area different from a virtual area to which an allocated actual area has been allocated, if there is an unused area in the allocated actual area, writes management information to the unused area according to the write operation, and if there is no unused area in the allocated actual area, newly allocates an unallocated actual area, and writes management information to the newly allocated actual area according to the write operation.

Abstract: A method for memory management in a mass storage device, comprising the steps of providing a managed memory area (stockling) of s blocks that can be moved and stored in two parts to prevent fragmentation; repeatedly moving each of stockpiles 1,2, . . . , i-1 one block to the right until all stockpiles to the right of stockpile i have moved si blocks, or the left part of the rightmost stockling to the end of the free area (without changing the order between the blocks); returning the contiguous si blocks area beginning where the rightmost stockling began before its leftmost part was moved; locating the rightmost stockling that is stored in one piece (it is either the rightmost stockling itself or the stockling to the left of the rightmost stockling) and moving it to the location of the stockling to be deallocated, and reversing the allocation procedure.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to non-volatile memory. Systems and techniques can include obtaining information to store in a non-volatile memory, the information including a data segment, compressing data within the data segment, including pad data in one or more portions of the data segment based on a compression result attained by the compression, and writing data of the data segment.

Abstract: A technique of accessing a resource includes receiving, at a master scheduler, resource access requests. The resource access requests are translated into respective slave state machine work orders that each include one or more respective commands. The respective commands are assigned, for execution, to command streams associated with respective slave state machines. The respective commands are then executed responsive to the respective slave state machines.

Abstract: Mechanisms for accessing a set associative cache of a data processing system are provided. A set of cache lines, in the set associative cache, associated with an address of a request are identified. Based on a determined mode of operation for the set, the following may be performed: determining if a cache hit occurs in a preferred cache line without accessing other cache lines in the set of cache lines; retrieving data from the preferred cache line without accessing the other cache lines in the set of cache lines, if it is determined that there is a cache hit in the preferred cache line; and accessing each of the other cache lines in the set of cache lines to determine if there is a cache hit in any of these other cache lines only in response to there being a cache miss in the preferred cache line(s).

Abstract: An error message handling buffer comprises a first buffer and a second buffer. A first index is associated with the first buffer and a second index is associated with the second buffer. A buffer controller is operable to write and read messages in the buffer, such that messages are written to the buffer of the first and second buffers that has a buffer index value lesser than the buffer size, and read from the other of the first and second buffers, the other buffer having an index value greater than or equal to the buffer size.

Abstract: Virtual machine optimization and/or storage reclamation solutions are disclosed that manage virtual machine sprawl and/or growing enterprise storage costs. For instance, certain solutions receive recommendations based on one or more rules, policies and/or user preferences that identify storage and/or alignment criteria for virtual machine disk (VMDK) partition(s). In certain examples, a resize tool that operates within a host operating system of a host server dynamically resizes and/or aligns one or more VMDK partitions of a powered-down virtual machine. For instance, the resize tool can be injected to the host server from a remote management server and can resize and/or align the VMDK partitions without requiring contents of the VMDK to be copied to another VMDK. By reallocating storage and/or aligning the VMDK partitions, embodiments of the invention can increase virtual machine performance and improve storage management.