Abstract: Providing authorization and authentication in a cloud for a user of a storage array includes: receiving, by a storage array access module from a client-side array services module, a token representing authentication of user credentials and authorized access privileges defining one or more storage array services accessible by the user, where the token is generated by a cloud-based security module upon authentication of the user credentials and identification of authorized access privileges for the user; receiving, by the storage array access module from the user, a user access request to one or more storage array services; and determining, by the storage array access module, whether to grant the user access request in dependence upon the authorized access privileges represented by the token.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for performing remote replication including receiving, by a target storage system, an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the target storage system; identifying, by the target storage system, portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system; and initiating, by the target storage system, replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from a source other than the source storage system.

Abstract: An illustrative apparatus is configured to carry out the steps of: comparing one or more performance metrics of a particular storage array in a plurality of storage arrays to one or more corresponding performance metrics of one or more other storage arrays; identifying, based on the comparing, one or more actions for improving one or more conditions of the particular storage array; and presenting one or more projected effects of implementing the one or more actions on the storage array.

Abstract: Locally providing cloud storage array services for a plurality of storage systems within a data center by: receiving a request for storage resources from an operating system level virtualization service; determining, among the plurality of storage systems; an implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service; and providing storage resources to the operating system level virtualization service in accordance with the implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for replicating data to the cloud. A first dataset is replicated from a first storage subsystem to the cloud, with only the changes made to the first dataset since a previous replication event being replicated to the cloud. Additionally, the data may be deduplicated and compressed before being replicated from the first storage subsystem to the cloud. In some cases, the first dataset may be replicated to the cloud in a stream format which is not directly usable and then, at a later point in time, loaded onto a second storage subsystem from the cloud.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for emulating a local interface to a remotely managed storage system, including: receiving a request for remote access a storage system, wherein access is provided using a user interface (‘UI’); identifying, for a user profile, a version of the UI that is utilized when locally accessing the storage system; and presenting, a remote UI for the storage system, wherein a version of the remote UI matches the version of the UI that is utilized when the user locally accesses the storage system, wherein the remote UI provides read-only access to the storage system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for replicating data to the cloud. A first dataset is replicated from a first storage subsystem to the cloud, with only the changes made to the first dataset since a previous replication event being replicated to the cloud. Additionally, the data may be deduplicated and compressed before being replicated from the first storage subsystem to the cloud. In some cases, the first dataset may be replicated to the cloud in a stream format which is not directly usable and then, at a later point in time, loaded onto a second storage subsystem from the cloud.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for performing remote replication including receiving, by a target storage system, an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the target storage system; identifying, by the target storage system, portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system; and initiating, by the target storage system, replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from a source other than the source storage system.

Abstract: Locally providing cloud storage array services for a plurality of storage systems within a data center by: receiving a request for storage resources from an operating system level virtualization service; determining, among the plurality of storage systems; an implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service; and providing storage resources to the operating system level virtualization service in accordance with the implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service.

Abstract: Providing authorization and authentication in a cloud for a user of a storage array includes: receiving, by a storage array access module from a client-side array services module, a token representing authentication of user credentials and authorized access privileges defining one or more storage array services accessible by the user, where the token is generated by a cloud-based security module upon authentication of the user credentials and identification of authorized access privileges for the user; receiving, by the storage array access module from the user, a user access request to one or more storage array services; and determining, by the storage array access module, whether to grant the user access request in dependence upon the authorized access privileges represented by the token.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for emulating a local interface to a remotely managed storage system, including: receiving a request for remote access a storage system, wherein access is provided using a user interface (‘UI’); identifying, for a user profile, a version of the UI that is utilized when locally accessing the storage system; and presenting, a remote UI for the storage system, wherein a version of the remote UI matches the version of the UI that is utilized when the user locally accesses the storage system, wherein the remote UI provides read-only access to the storage system.

Abstract: Fingerprint-based database container deployment, including: identifying, in dependence upon data collected from one or more storage systems in a storage environment, characteristics of a plurality of database workloads on the one or more storage systems; identifying, in dependence upon the characteristics, fingerprint information for a plurality of database workload types; and deploying, in dependence upon the fingerprint information for a particular database workload type, a database container for the particular database workload type in the storage environment.

Abstract: Providing authorization and authentication in a cloud for a user of a storage array includes: receiving, by a storage array access module from a client-side array services module, a token representing authentication of user credentials and authorized access privileges defining one or more storage array services accessible by the user, where the token is generated by a cloud-based security module upon authentication of the user credentials and identification of authorized access privileges for the user; receiving, by the storage array access module from the user, a user access request to one or more storage array services; and determining, by the storage array access module, whether to grant the user access request in dependence upon the authorized access privileges represented by the token.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for using a cloud assist service to generate a read-only GUI to view the status of a storage system. An authorized user can login remotely to the cloud assist service to view the read-only GUI of the storage system. The read-only GUI will present a view of the status of the storage system that is similar to a local GUI available to users connecting directly to the storage system. Responses used to generate the local GUI are recorded and simulated by the cloud assist service to create a familiar read-only GUI.

Abstract: An example method of optimizing a storage system includes: generating, by a computer system, a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems monitored by the computer system; selecting a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems; determining an update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and applying the update to the selected problem storage system.

Abstract: Proactively optimizing a storage system, including: generating, at a storage system services provider, a list of problem storage systems among a group of storage systems monitored by the storage system services provider; selecting a problem storage system from the list of problem storage systems based on two or more criteria; determining a system update for the selected problem storage system to address a problem with the selected problem storage system; and applying the system update to the selected problem storage system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for snapshot-based hydration of a cloud-based storage system, including: storing, in a cloud computing environment, a snapshot of a dataset that is stored on a separate storage system, wherein the snapshot includes a self-described copy of the dataset such that the dataset can be reconstructed without accessing the separate storage system; creating, in a cloud computing environment, at least a portion of a cloud-based storage system; and populating, from the snapshot that is stored in the cloud computing environment, at least a portion of a storage layer within the cloud-based storage system, wherein the cloud-based storage system can service I/O operations to the dataset after the storage layer has been populated.

Abstract: Locally providing cloud storage array services for a plurality of storage systems within a data center by: receiving a request for storage resources from an operating system level virtualization service; determining, among the plurality of storage systems; an implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service; and providing storage resources to the operating system level virtualization service in accordance with the implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for performing remote replication including receiving, by a target storage system, an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the target storage system; identifying, by the target storage system, portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system; and initiating, by the target storage system, replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from a source other than the source storage system.

Abstract: Locally providing cloud storage array services for a plurality of storage systems within a data center by receiving a request from an operating system level virtualization service; and determining, among the plurality of storage systems, an implementation of the request from the operating system level virtualization service, among the plurality of storage systems.