Abstract: Moving data among a plurality of non-volatile storage devices of a storage device includes accumulating credits at each of a plurality of periodic intervals for separate portions of the devices, wherein the credits correspond to a wear rating for each of the devices, reducing credits for each of the portions at each of the periodic intervals based on an amount of data written to each of the portions during each of the intervals, on the wear rating for each of the devices, and on a percent life used for the devices, and moving data from a first one of the portions having a relatively low amount of credits to a second one of the portions having a relatively high amount of credits. The devices may be solid state drives. The wear rating may be a drive writes per day rating provided by a manufacture of the solid state drive.

Abstract: Software Defined Network Attached Storage data backup is implemented using storage array synchronous data replication. A TLU is created for each user filesystem managed by a Virtual Data Mover (VDM). A VDM configuration filesystem is also created containing metadata describing a mapping of user file system TLU to physical storage resources on the storage array. Both the user filesystem TLUs and the VDM configuration filesystem are mapped to an asynchronous Remote Data Forwarding (RDF) group of the storage array, which is used by the storage array to replicate both the user filesystem TLUs and VDM configuration filesystem. Filesystem ID and export path information are reserved on the primary storage array and backup storage array when the RDF group is set up, to enable transparent failover from the primary to the backup node of selected VDMs.

Abstract: An information processing system comprises one or more processing platforms and implements a centralized storage provisioning and management system and a plurality of service provider storage systems coupled to the centralized storage provisioning and management system. The centralized storage provisioning and management system is configured to control provisioning and management of the service provider storage systems utilizing information collected from the service provider storage systems. The service provider storage systems may comprise respective service provider data centers, and the centralized storage provisioning and management system may comprise an additional data center separate from the service provider data centers. The centralized storage provisioning and management system may comprise a centralized control path implemented apart from the service provider storage systems.

Abstract: A method for managing data includes obtaining, by a hypervisor on a host computing device, a write request for storing first data, and in response to the write request: identifying a first set of memory segments associated with the first data using a memory mapper, wherein the first set of memory segments is associated with a memory device, making a first determination that the memory device is local to the host computing device, and in response to the first determination: storing the first data in the first set of memory segments.

Abstract: A backup data storage system includes non-volatile memory units, a disk interface coupled to at least some of the non-volatile memory units, a connection component that facilitates exchanging data with the backup data storage system, and a smart network interface controller, coupled to the disk interface and the connection component to provide tape emulation to a host coupled to the backup data storage system. The disk interface, the connection component, and the smart network interface controller may be coupled using a PCIe bus. Tape data written to the backup storage device may be stored on the non-volatile memory units. A processor coupled to the smart network interface controller and the disk interface may receive the data from the smart network interface controller and may provide the data to the disk interface to store the data on the non-volatile memory units. The connection component may be a FICON connection component.

Abstract: A first Software Defined Network Attached Storage (SDNAS) process on a first storage system forwards snapshots of a file system provided by the first storage system to a second SDNAS process on a second storage system. The snapshots are forwarded by the first SDNAS process on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to enable the first and second SDNAS processes to maintain redundant access to data of the file system without requiring the first storage system and second storage system to be interoperable. The initial snapshot includes a full version of the file system and subsequent snapshots include changed portions of the file system. Where the snapshot identifies changed portions at the extent level of granularity, the first SDNAS process subdivides the extents into sub-blocks, and only transmits changed sub-blocks of the extents on the IP network.

Abstract: Telemetry data gathered from active deployed SAN nodes is used to create a machine learning model that predicts storage system performance, e.g. in terms of response time. The telemetry data may be filtered to remove outlier values and less relevant information before creating the training dataset. Engineered features may be created that include types of data that are not present in the telemetry data. For example, data types from the telemetry data may be combined to create engineered features that are more relevant than the individual data types. The engineered features are included in the training dataset. The machine learning model may be used to test possible configurations for a planned SAN node based on expected workload and performance requirements. Outputted data may include satisfactory configurations for a planned storage system.

Abstract: A storage cluster includes a group of data nodes having concurrent access to a shared filesystem. The shared filesystem is assigned to a first TLU of a first storage group. Other filesystems of the data nodes associated with the shared filesystem, such as snapshot copies of the shared filesystems and the root/configuration filesystems of the data nodes are assigned to TLUs of a second set of storage groups. The first storage group and the second set of storage groups are all associated with a Remote Data Replication (RDR) group for the storage cluster. An RDR facility is created between a storage array storing the shared filesystem and a backup storage array. The concurrently accessed shared filesystem and the filesystems of all data nodes accessing shared filesystem are replicated on the RDR facility to the backup storage array to enable failover of the storage cluster between sites.

Abstract: Service level objectives (SLOs) defined for a storage system are associated with virtual machines running on hosts. For an I/O operation for a virtual machine (VM) running on a host system, storage processing is performed on the I/O operation in accordance with the SLO defined for the VM. The same storage system-defined SLOs may be applied to VMs running on multiple host systems. SLOs may be maintained by the storage array and shared with one or more host systems in I/O communication with the storage system. SLOs may be defined using a user interface of a storage system, host system, virtualizer control station or other component of a storage network, and communicated to the storage system, which may maintain the SLOs, and may disseminate them to one or more hosts. The SLOs then may be associated with VMs running on the hosts and tagged to I/O communications corresponding to the VMs.

Abstract: Service level objectives (SLOs) defined for a storage system are associated with VMs running on hosts. For an I/O operation for a virtual machine (VM) running on a host system, storage processing is performed on the I/O operation in accordance with the SLO defined for the VM. The same storage system-defined SLOs may be applied to VMs running on multiple host systems. SLOs may be maintained by the storage array and shared with one or more host systems in I/O communication with the storage system. SLOs may be defined using a user interface of a storage system, host system, virtualizer control station or other component of a storage network, and communicated to the storage system, which may maintain the SLOs, and may disseminate them to one or more hosts. The SLOs then may be associated with VMs running on the hosts and tagged to I/O communications corresponding to the VMs.

Abstract: A storage node that maintains a replica of a logical volume for use in response to a failover trigger includes a data node with volatile memory in which a filesystem and its metadata and a VDM and its metadata associated with the replica are maintained prior to the failover trigger. The storage node also includes a SAN node in which data associated with the replica is maintained. The data is maintained in a RW (read-write) state by the SAN node prior to the failover trigger. However, the replica is presented in a RO (read-only) state by the storage node prior to the failover trigger. The storage node changes the in-memory state of the filesystem and VDM to RW responsive to the failover trigger. Because the filesystem and its metadata and VDM and its metadata are already in memory and the data is in a RW state in block storage the failover is completed relatively quickly.

Abstract: A method of dynamic binding and unbinding thin logical storage volumes to data volumes stored in a storage array includes creating a snapshot copy of a user file system, storing the snapshot copy of the user file system in a data volume in the storage array, and binding a logical storage volume to the data volume. The logical storage volume is then used, by a snapshot file system, to access the data volume. If the data volume is not accessed for a period of time, the logical storage volume is unbound from the data volume while maintaining the snapshot copy of the user file system in the data volume. If an access event later occurs on the data volume, a second logical storage volume is bound to the data volume and used by the snapshot file system to access the data volume in connection with the access event.

Abstract: A catalog of services defines which storage-related services are applied to each service level of storage where storage capacity is managed and allocated in terms of chunks of capacity at different service levels. Each service level is defined based on one or more of tiered storage policy settings, drive size, drive speed, drive count, RAID protection, engine fractions, bandwidth and availability and characterized by one or more performance capabilities. Examples of services in the catalog include but are not limited to mobility, availability, continuity, and recovery services. Any combination of services, or no services at all, can be associated with a given service level of storage. Services may be performed at different performance levels. Further, services may be provided on-demand and billed on a usage basis.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system includes first and second data storage systems (DSSs) at respective sites and a cloud gateway at a third. The first DSS remotely mirrors data using synchronous and asynchronous channels both employing a block-based protocol (e.g., SCSI). The second DSS is connected to the synchronous channel to provide synchronous backup to the first DSS. The cloud gateway is connected to the asynchronous channel and has a cloud storage connection to a cloud storage system, the cloud storage connection using a wide area network interface and employing an object-based protocol. The cloud gateway (1) provides asynchronous backup to the first DSS via the asynchronous channel, and (2) uses the cloud storage connection to access object-based cloud data storage to store data of the asynchronous backup. The use of the cloud gateway and cloud storage system for an asynchronous third mirror enhances reliability/resiliency in a cost-effective manner.

Abstract: Techniques for performing a restoration may include: creating a first snapshot of a primary file system at a first point in time; and at a second point in time, performing first processing to restore at least a portion of the primary file system from the first point in time. The first processing may include: creating a second snapshot of the first snapshot of the primary file system; exporting the second snapshot as a first target device; mounting the first target device as a read-write checkpoint file system; performing file system consistency processing on the read-write checkpoint file system; and subsequent to performing the file system consistency processing on the read-write checkpoint file system, restoring at least a portion of the primary file system from the second snapshot using the read-write checkpoint file system. The file system consistency processing may include correcting metadata inconsistencies of the read-write checkpoint file system.

Abstract: Techniques for processing I/O operations may include: randomly assigning extent identifiers of extents to RAID groups; receiving write activity information for the extents for a sampling period; for each of the RAID groups, performing stream detection processing in accordance with the first write activity information and determining stream groups, wherein each stream group of one of the RAID groups includes extents of the RAID group belonging to a same write stream in the RAID group, wherein stream groups across all RAID groups are uniquely identified using stream group identifiers; tagging a write operation directed to one of the extents with a first stream group identifier denoting a stream group including the one extent; and issuing the write operation to a solid state drive of one of the RAID groups. Stream detection may use K-Means clustering algorithm. An aggregate address range of logical devices is mapped to the extent identifiers.

Abstract: Described is storage system and method for reducing power consumption. The storage system has first and second physical disks configured to provide mirroring. The first physical disk is placed into a power-saving mode of operation, while the second physical disk is in an active mode of operation responding to read and write requests. The first physical disk transitions from the power-saving mode of operation to an active mode of operation for destaging writes pending from cache to the first physical disk, while the second physical disk responds to read and write requests. The second physical disk transitions from the active mode of operation to the power-saving mode of operation, while the first physical disk responds to read and write requests.

Abstract: Disaster recovery is provided for Software Defined Network Attached Storage where the data backup is implemented synchronous data replication. A synchronous replication remote data facility is created between a primary storage array and a backup storage array. User filesystems being handled by a virtual data mover (VDM) and a configuration filesystem describing the location of the user filesystems on the primary storage array are replicated on the remote data facility to the backup storage array. Individual filesystems, individual VDMs, or groups of VDMs may be selectively failed over from the primary storage array to the backup storage array.

Abstract: Disaster recovery is provided for Software Defined Network Attached Storage where the data backup is implemented using asynchronous remote data replication. An asynchronous replication facility is created between a primary storage array and a backup storage array. User filesystems being handled by a virtual data mover (VDM) and a configuration filesystem describing the location of the user filesystems on the primary storage array are replicated on the remote data facility to the backup storage array. During failover, all filesystems associated with the asynchronous remote data facility are failed over from a primary storage system associated with the primary storage array to a backup storage system associated with the backup storage array. Where an individual filesystem or individual VDM is to be failed over to the backup storage system, a separate asynchronous replication remote data facility is created to separately replicate data for the aspect to be individually failed over.

Abstract: Non-volatile cache in a host computer provides a storage tier in a system that includes at least one other tier of storage in a storage array. Selected data of a host device that represents a storage array production volume is stored in non-volatile cache. An MPIO driver in the host computer accesses the non-volatile cache or the storage array in response to an IO from a host application to the host device. A tiering engine in either the host computer or the storage array uses data access statistics to calculate which data should be promoted or demoted to non-volatile cache. Data access statistics indicative of access to non-volatile cache may be provided to the storage array by the host computer. Data changes may be aggregated by the host computer and asynchronously destaged to the storage array. Data changes or dirty data discard messages may be exchanged by peer host computer synchronously with a write operation.