Abstract: An apparatus for data storage management includes one or more processors, and an interface for connecting to a communication network that connects one or more servers and one or more storage devices. The one or more processors are configured to receive a configuration of the communication network, including a definition of multiple network connections that are used by the servers to access the storage devices using a remote direct memory access protocol transported over a lossy layer-2 protocol, to calculate, based on the configuration, respective maximum bandwidths for allocation to the network connections, and to reduce a likelihood of congestion in the communication network, notwithstanding the lossy layer-2 protocol, by instructing the servers and the storage devices to comply with the maximum bandwidths.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes multiple servers, multiple multi-queue storage devices and at least one storage controller that communicate over a network, storing data by the servers in a storage process that (i) caches the data in a cache memory that is accessible to the servers and to the storage devices and (ii) de-stages the cached data from the cache memory to the storage devices. A progress of the storage process is continually journaled, by the servers, in a plurality of server-specific journals residing in the cache memory. In response to a failure occurring during the storage process, the data is recovered by the storage controller based on the server-specific journals.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes multiple servers, multiple multi-queue storage devices and at least one storage controller that communicate over a network, storing data by the servers in a storage process that (i) caches the data in a cache memory that is accessible to the servers and to the storage devices and (ii) de-stages the cached data from the cache memory to the storage devices. A progress of the storage process is continually journaled, by the servers, in a plurality of server-specific journals residing in the cache memory. In response to a failure occurring during the storage process, the data is recovered by the storage controller based on the server-specific journals.

Abstract: A system for data storage includes multiple servers, which are configured to communicate over a network with multiple multi-queue storage devices and with at least one storage controller, to store on the storage devices compressed data belonging to a user volume, to specify storage locations, in which the compressed data is stored on the storage devices, in a shared data structure that is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and to coordinate access to the compressed data by the servers by querying the shared data structure, without executing code on a processor of the storage controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are provided that include executing, by a processor, a software stack received from a first boot image, and retrieving and executing, by the processor, a second software stack. A writeable boot device such as a storage device with a removable medium is detected, and the second software stack is saved by replacing, on the writeable boot device, the first boot image with a second boot image comprising the second software stack. The second software stack is saved upon detecting the boot device having no boot image.

Abstract: In an approach for election of a manger for a network, a processor detects that a first set of management tasks is not running. A processor identifies at least a first node in a network and information about the first node. A processor determines that the first node is capable of performing the first set of management tasks based on the information about the first node. A processor elects the first node as a manager in the network to perform the first set of management tasks.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention that include executing, by a processor, a software stack. A writeable boot device such as a storage device with a removable medium is detected, and a second software stack is saved by replacing, on the writeable boot device, a first boot image with a second boot image comprising a second software stack.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for upgrading a kernel or kernel module with a configured persistent memory unused by the kernel. A persistent memory space is configured in the memory to store application data from applications in user mode. A kernel executing in the memory is prevented from accessing the persistent memory space. A service is called to load an updated kernel in the memory to replace the kernel, wherein the applications have access to the persistent memory space after the updated kernel is loaded.

Abstract: In an approach for election of a manger for a network, a processor detects that a first set of management tasks is not running. A processor identifies at least a first node in a network and information about the first node. A processor determines that the first node is capable of performing the first set of management tasks based on the information about the first node. A processor elects the first node as a manager in the network to perform the first set of management tasks.

Abstract: In an approach for distributed management of a network, a processor discovers a network, wherein the network is comprised of a plurality of nodes and an at least one switch. A processor identifies a first port associated with the at least one node. A processor identifies a link between the first port and a second port within the network. A processor determines the at least one link is properly configured. A processor selects a first node of the plurality of nodes to be a master node, wherein the master node is configured to manage the network. A processor initializes a routing table, wherein the routing table contains locations of each node in the plurality of nodes and a location of the at least one switch. A processor adjusts by the first node, the routing table based on the change to the network.

Abstract: In an approach for managing read-modify-write operations within a network. Aspects of an embodiment of the present invention include an approach for managing read-modify-write operations within a network, wherein the approach includes a processor for determining that a lock associated with a component of a network is set. A processor identifies a key associated with the lock. A processor determines that the key associated with the lock has not been altered since a previous time cycle. A processor responsive to determining that the key associated with the lock has not been altered, determines that a lock timeout has expired for the key, wherein the lock timeout specifies, at least, a period of time. A processor responsive to determining that the lock timeout has expired for the key, releases the lock.

Abstract: A system for data storage includes multiple servers, which are configured to communicate over a network with multiple multi-queue storage devices and with at least one storage controller, to store on the storage devices compressed data belonging to a user volume, to specify storage locations, in which the compressed data is stored on the storage devices, in a shared data structure that is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and to coordinate access to the compressed data by the servers by querying the shared data structure, without executing code on a processor of the storage controller.

Abstract: A system for data storage includes multiple servers, which are configured to communicate over a network with multiple multi-queue storage devices and with at least one storage controller, to store on the storage devices compressed data belonging to a user volume, to specify storage locations, in which the compressed data is stored on the storage devices, in a shared data structure that is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and to coordinate access to the compressed data by the servers by querying the shared data structure, without executing code on a processor of the storage controller.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes multiple servers and multiple multi-queue storage devices that communicate over a network, accumulating data blocks by a server in a Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory (NVRAM) cache that is accessible to the servers and to the storage devices, by sending the data blocks from the server to the NVRAM cache using remote direct memory access, so as to form one or more stripes. The stripes are transferred from the NVRAM cache to respective server-specific queues on the storage devices. Another server is prevented from causing inconsistency in the data blocks, by querying a data structure, which is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and which specifies storage locations of the data blocks.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes multiple servers, multiple multi-queue storage devices and at least one storage controller that communicate over a network, storing data blocks by the servers on the storage devices. A shared data structure, which is accessible to the servers using remote direct memory access and which maps hash values calculated over the data blocks to respective storage locations of the data blocks on the storage devices, is maintained. The data blocks stored on the storage device are deduplicated, by looking-up the shared data structure by the servers without executing code on a processor of the storage controller.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes one or more storage controllers, one or more servers and one or more storage devices, defining one or more data structures that represent thinly-provisioned user volumes used by the servers in storing data on the storage devices. One or more of the data structures are shared among the storage controllers and the servers. One or more of the user volumes are accessed by the servers, using the shared data structures and without executing code on the storage controllers.

Abstract: In an approach for election of a manger for a network, a processor detects that a first set of management tasks is not running. A processor identifies at least a first node in a network and information about the first node. A processor determines that the first node is capable of performing the first set of management tasks based on the information about the first node. A processor elects the first node as a manager in the network to perform the first set of management tasks.

Abstract: A system for data storage includes multiple servers, which are configured to communicate over a network with multiple multi-queue storage devices and with at least one storage controller, to store on the storage devices compressed data belonging to a user volume, to specify storage locations, in which the compressed data is stored on the storage devices, in a shared data structure that is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and to coordinate access to the compressed data by the servers by querying the shared data structure, without executing code on a processor of the storage controller.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes multiple servers and multiple multi-queue storage devices that communicate over a network, accumulating data blocks by a server in a Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory (NVRAM) cache that is accessible to the servers and to the storage devices, by sending the data blocks from the server to the NVRAM cache using remote direct memory access, so as to form one or more stripes. The stripes are transferred from the NVRAM cache to respective server-specific queues on the storage devices. Another server is prevented from causing inconsistency in the data blocks, by querying a data structure, which is shared and modified by the servers using remote direct memory access, and which specifies storage locations of the data blocks.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a computer system comprising networked computers to self-heal from a boot failure of one of the computers. In some embodiments, upon detecting a first computer failing to successfully load a first boot image, a second computer configures the first computer to boot a second boot image. Upon power cycling, the first computer loads the second boot image.