Abstract: A method, a computing device, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium for booting a virtual machine. In response to a launch or initialization of a virtual machine, the virtual machine may attach a boot volume within a cloud-associated storage system. The boot volume contains a boot program. The boot program is loaded to the virtual machine from the boot volume. The virtual machine uses the boot program to acquire a boot configuration that includes a set of parameters and one or more commands for interfacing with a networked storage system and attaching a root volume within the networked storage system using a network-based storage interface protocol. The virtual machine boots its operating system from the root volume within the networked storage system.

Abstract: Codified graphical user experience design includes finite state machine (FSM) metadata, logic describing the graphical aspects of the user experience design, and logic describing states of the user experience design and transitions between states. A GUI to API/CLI translator uses the codified graphical user experience design to automatically create corresponding CLI packages and API playbooks. The translator walks the FSM. For each visited state, a state based functional intermediate code package is created including the one or more API call basic blocks associated with API calls to be implemented at that state, and parameter definitions for each API call at that state. For each state transition, conditional intermediate code is created and attached to the API call basic blocks. The state based functional intermediate code packages with attached conditional intermediate code are used to create a CLI package or an API playbook based on the codified graphical user experience design.

Abstract: A method, a computing device, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium for booting a virtual machine. In response to a launch or initialization of a virtual machine, the virtual machine may attach a boot volume within a cloud-associated storage system. The boot volume contains a boot program. The boot program is loaded to the virtual machine from the boot volume. The virtual machine uses the boot program to acquire a boot configuration that includes a set of parameters and one or more commands for interfacing with a networked storage system and attaching a root volume within the networked storage system using a network-based storage interface protocol. The virtual machine boots its operating system from the root volume within the networked storage system.

Abstract: The techniques introduced herein provide for systems and methods for creating and managing a contention-free multi-path access to a distributed data set in a distributed processing system. In one embodiment, a distributed processing system comprises a plurality of compute nodes. The compute nodes are assembled into compute groups and configured such that each compute group has an attached or local storage system. Various data segments of the distributed data set are stored in data storage objects on the local storage system. The data storage objects are cross-mapped into each of the compute nodes in the compute group so that any compute node in the group can access any of the data segments stored in the local storage system via the respective data storage object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a plurality of computers is disclosed. A file is maintained on a selected computer of the plurality of computers. An open request for the file is sent by a first computer of the plurality of computers to the selected computer, the open request including a first token. The file is opened for the first computer in response to the open request. An open request is sent for the file by a second computer to the selected computer, the open request including a second token. The first token is compared with the second token. If the first token and the second token match, opening the file for the second computer, and if the first token and the second token do not match, not opening the file for the second computer.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlled sharing of files by clustered applications is provided. The mechanism expands a distributed file access protocol, such as the direct access file system protocol, by including an open with share token command and an open_downgrade operation to adjust the access and deny levels for a given resource.

Abstract: A system and method enabling transparent access to blocks, such as virtual disks, stored on a storage system using a file-based protocol. The system and method traps in-coming file-based protocol open commands to check for a predetermined modification to the file name. If the system and method detects the predetermined modification, then the virtual disk associated with the file name is exported to the client issuing the open command and the client receives a response from the storage system. The client, in response to receiving the response to the open command, creates a new device instantiation for reading and writing raw data to the virtual disk.

Abstract: A mechanism enables distributed atomic creation of client-private files using a distributed file system protocol. The mechanism provides an unlinked open operation that enables the distributed atomic creation of a client-private file that is not accessible by other clients. That is, the unlinked open operation creates a file, but does not generate a path name to the file within a file system. The unlinked open operation thus permits clients utilizing the file system protocol to create temporary or “scratch files” that are not accessible by other clients.

Abstract: A system and method proxies data access commands acrossed a cluster interconnect between storage appliances and a cluster using a file-level protocol. Each storage appliance activates two ports per data access, a local port for data access requests directed to clients of the storage appliance and a proxy port for data access requests directed to the partner storage appliance. Clients utilizing multi-pathing software may send data access requests to either the local port of the storage appliance or the proxy port of the storage appliance. The system and method improves high availability, especially during a loss of connectivity due to non-storage appliance hardware failure.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a storage network utilizing one or more storage appliances to utilize the multi-block based protocol nature of the storage appliances. By configuring the storage network, data served by the storage appliance may be accessed by a plurality of protocols simultaneously. Illustratively, a virtual disk (vdisk) may be access by clients using the FCP protocol over a FC network while other clients access the vdisk using the iSCSI protocol over a TCP/IP network.

Abstract: A storage system includes a communication port, the mode of operation of which can be dynamically switched by a user between a target mode and an initiator mode. The port may be a Fibre Channel port. The storage system may be a unified storage system operable to provide file-level access and block-level access to stored data.