Abstract: Systems for application configuration backup and restore. Techniques establish high frequency restore points of application configuration metadata. Processing commences upon receiving instructions to periodically take snapshots of application configuration metadata. To avoid incurring unnecessary costs to process snapshots of application configuration metadata when the application configuration metadata is slow-changing, the method performs a low-cost check to get the latest update time of the application configuration metadata. That time is compared to the time of the most recent snapshot of the application configuration metadata. When the time of the latest update time of the application configuration metadata is equal to the time of the most recent snapshot of the application configuration metadata, then rather than incurring the cost of generating a duplicate snapshot, the method waits for a duration without generating a new snapshot.

Abstract: In accordance with at least some aspects of the present disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a processor and a memory. In some embodiments, the memory includes programmed instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to receive a snapshot of a virtual object running on a first node, determine an original configuration associated with the virtual object from the snapshot of the virtual object, determine a resource need for the virtual object from the original configuration, determine that an available resource at the recovery node is insufficient to meet the resource need of the virtual object, generate a reconfigured configuration from the original configuration based at least on the resource need, and recover the virtual object at the recovery node based on the reconfigured configuration.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for selection of a witness during virtualization system recovery after a disaster event. A recovery plan is configured to identify a witness that is then used to elect a leader to implement the recovery. Various system, and/or network, and/or component failures and/or various loss of function of components of the virtualization system can trigger initiation of the recovery plan. Based on the particular recovery plan that is invoked upon a determination of a network outage, or component failure or loss of function of a component of the virtualization system, a particular witness corresponding to a subset of entities of the particular recovery plan is selected. The witness is used to elect the leader, and the leader initiates actions of the recovery plan. The implementation of the recovery plan includes consideration of the health of components that would potentially be involved in the recovery actions.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for data protection across computing infrastructure comprising a plurality of geographically distant computing clusters. The geographically distant computing clusters form a distributed system comprising clusters that are assigned into availability zones. Disaster recovery policies are maintained in each of the availability zones. A first cluster detects a modification of a disaster recovery policy. The modification of the disaster recovery policy that occurred at the first cluster is to be communicated over a wide area network. Synchronization of the disaster recovery policy is accomplished by carrying out a peer-to-peer communication protocol over the wide area network.

Abstract: The disclosed systems emulate high-frequency application-consistent snapshots by forming restore point data sets based on remote site replay of I/O commands. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a primary computing site and a secondary computing site, then identifying an application to be restored from the secondary computing site after a disaster. Prior to the disaster, a group of computing entities of the application to be restored from the secondary computing site are identified. Input/output operations that are performed over any of the computing entities at the primary site are streamed to the secondary site where they are stored. An I/O map that associates a time with an indication of a last received I/O command that had been performed over a changing set of computing entities is sent to the secondary site. An agent at the secondary site accesses the I/O map and the streamed-over I/Os to construct recovery data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for moving a container-based application from a source HCI cluster to a target HCI cluster. An HCI storage cluster data replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from a plurality of storage devices that constitute a storage pool of the source HCI cluster. A container-based application replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from an executable container that is running on a node of the source HCI cluster. Periodically (1) the state of the container-based application is saved using the container-based application replication mechanism, and (2) the state of the storage cluster data of the HCI storage cluster is saved using the HCI storage cluster data replication mechanism. The saved state of the container-based application including its application data and metadata are combined with the saved state of the storage cluster data to bring-up the container-based application at the target HCI cluster.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for selection of a witness during virtualization system recovery after a disaster event. A recovery plan is configured to identify a witness that is then used to elect a leader to implement the recovery. Various system, and/or network, and/or component failures and/or various loss of function of components of the virtualization system can trigger initiation of the recovery plan. Based on the particular recovery plan that is invoked upon a determination of a network outage, or component failure or loss of function of a component of the virtualization system, a particular witness corresponding to a subset of entities of the particular recovery plan is selected. The witness is used to elect the leader, and the leader initiates actions of the recovery plan. The implementation of the recovery plan includes consideration of the health of components that would potentially be involved in the recovery actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling storage management tasks over predicted user tasks in a distributed storage system. A method commences upon receiving a set of historical stimulus records that characterize management tasks that are run in the storage system. A corresponding set of historical response records comprising system metrics associated with execution of the system tasks is also received. A learning model is formed from the stimulus records and the response records and formatted to be used as a predictor. A set of forecasted user tasks is input as new stimulus records to the predictor to determine a set of forecasted system metrics that would result from running the forecasted user tasks. Management tasks are selected so as not to impact the forecasted user tasks. Management tasks can be selected based on non-contentions resource usage between historical management task resource usage and predictions of resource usage by the user tasks.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for moving a container-based application from a source HCl cluster to a target HCl cluster. An HCl storage cluster data replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from a plurality of storage devices that constitute a storage pool of the source HCl cluster. A container-based application replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from an executable container that is running on a node of the source HCl cluster. Periodically (1) the state of the container-based application is saved using the container-based application replication mechanism, and (2) the state of the storage cluster data of the HCl storage cluster is saved using the HCl storage cluster data replication mechanism. The saved state of the container-based application including its application data and metadata are combined with the saved state of the storage cluster data to bring-up the container-based application at the target HCl cluster.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for data protection across computing infrastructure comprising a plurality of geographically distant computing clusters. The geographically distant computing clusters form a distributed system comprising clusters that are assigned into availability zones. Disaster recovery policies are maintained in each of the availability zones. A first cluster detects a modification of a disaster recovery policy. The modification of the disaster recovery policy that occurred at the first cluster is to be communicated over a wide area network. Synchronization of the disaster recovery policy is accomplished by carrying out a peer-to-peer communication protocol over the wide area network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for moving a container-based application from a source HCI cluster to a target HCI cluster. An HCI storage cluster data replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from a plurality of storage devices that constitute a storage pool of the source HCI cluster. A container-based application replication mechanism operates to copy data and metadata from an executable container that is running on a node of the source HCI cluster. Periodically (1) the state of the container-based application is saved using the container-based application replication mechanism, and (2) the state of the storage cluster data of the HCI storage cluster is saved using the HCI storage cluster data replication mechanism. The saved state of the container-based application including its application data and metadata are combined with the saved state of the storage cluster data to bring-up the container-based application at the target HCI cluster.

Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling storage management tasks over predicted user tasks in a distributed storage system. A method commences upon receiving a set of historical stimulus records that characterize management tasks that are run in the storage system. A corresponding set of historical response records comprising system metrics associated with execution of the system tasks is also received. A learning model is formed from the stimulus records and the response records and formatted to be used as a predictor. A set of forecasted user tasks is input as new stimulus records to the predictor to determine a set of forecasted system metrics that would result from running the forecasted user tasks. Management tasks are selected so as not to impact the forecasted user tasks. Management tasks can be selected based on non-contentions resource usage between historical management task resource usage and predictions of resource usage by the user tasks.

Abstract: Systems for high performance restore of data to storage devices. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a plurality of virtual disks to be grouped together into one or more consistency sets. Storage I/O commands for the plurality of virtual disks of the consistency sets are captured into multiple levels of backup data. On a time schedule, multiple levels of backup data for the virtual disks are cascaded by processing data from one or more higher granularity levels of backup data to one or more lower granularity levels of backup data. A restore operation can access the multiple levels of backup data to construct a restore set that is consistent to a designated point in time or to a designated state. Multiple staging areas can be maintained using lightweight snapshot data structures that each comprise a series of captured I/Os to be replayed over other datasets to generate a restore set.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for selection of a witness during virtualization system recovery after a disaster event. A recovery plan is configured to identify a witness that is then used to elect a leader to implement the recovery. Various system, and/or network, and/or component failures and/or various loss of function of components of the virtualization system can trigger initiation of the recovery plan. Based on the particular recovery plan that is invoked upon a determination of a network outage, or component failure or loss of function of a component of the virtualization system, a particular witness corresponding to a subset of entities of the particular recovery plan is selected. The witness is used to elect the leader, and the leader initiates actions of the recovery plan. The implementation of the recovery plan includes consideration of the health of components that would potentially be involved in the recovery actions.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for data protection across computing infrastructure comprising a plurality of geographically distant computing clusters. The geographically distant computing clusters form a distributed system comprising clusters that are assigned into availability zones. Disaster recovery policies are maintained in each of the availability zones. A first cluster detects a modification of a disaster recovery policy. The modification of the disaster recovery policy that occurred at the first cluster is to be communicated over a wide area network. Synchronization of the disaster recovery policy is accomplished by carrying out a peer-to-peer communication protocol over the wide area network.

Abstract: Systems for high performance restore of data to storage devices. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a plurality of virtual disks to be grouped together into one or more consistency sets. Storage I/O commands for the plurality of virtual disks of the consistency sets are captured into multiple levels of backup data. On a time schedule, multiple levels of backup data for the virtual disks are cascaded by processing data from one or more higher granularity levels of backup data to one or more lower granularity levels of backup data. A restore operation can access the multiple levels of backup data to construct a restore set that is consistent to a designated point in time or to a designated state. Multiple staging areas can be maintained using lightweight snapshot data structures that each comprise a series of captured I/Os to be replayed over other datasets to generate a restore set.

Abstract: In accordance with at least some aspects of the present disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a processor and a memory. In some embodiments, the memory includes programmed instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to receive a snapshot of a virtual object running on a first node, determine an original configuration associated with the virtual object from the snapshot of the virtual object, determine a resource need for the virtual object from the original configuration, determine that an available resource at the recovery node is insufficient to meet the resource need of the virtual object, generate a reconfigured configuration from the original configuration based at least on the resource need, and recover the virtual object at the recovery node based on the reconfigured configuration.

Abstract: The disclosed systems emulate high-frequency application-consistent snapshots by forming restore point data sets based on remote site replay of I/O commands. A method embodiment commences upon identifying a primary computing site and a secondary computing site, then identifying an application to be restored from the secondary computing site after a disaster. Prior to the disaster, a group of computing entities of the application to be restored from the secondary computing site are identified. Input/output operations that are performed over any of the computing entities at the primary site are streamed to the secondary site where they are stored. An I/O map that associates a time with an indication of a last received I/O command that had been performed over a changing set of computing entities is sent to the secondary site. An agent at the secondary site accesses the I/O map and the streamed-over I/Os to construct recovery data.

Abstract: Methods, system, and computer program product for implementing an address translation service that uses nondenominational address handles instead of IP addresses between private cloud domain and public cloud domains. The address translation service can be implemented to enable a data-center running in a private cloud domain to communicate with the public cloud domain data-center over load balancers. In addition, the address translation service ensures that all services that need to communicate across data-centers can be reached over load balancers. As such, to avoid conflicting subnets used by a data center from the private cloud domain and the public cloud domain, services in the public cloud domain use a private cloud load balancer to connect with the services in a private cloud domain. Similarly, a public cloud load balancer is used to connect with services in the private cloud domain.

Abstract: A system and method include reconfiguring original configuration parameters of virtual objects when restoring the virtual objects on a different node. Snapshots of virtual objects running on a first node can be stored on a second node. Upon failure of the first node, the virtual objects can be restored on the second node based on the snapshots. The snapshots can include configuration information of the virtual objects specifying the resource need of the virtual objects. The second node can determine whether the available resources meet the resource needs of the virtual objects being restored. If the resource needs of the virtual objects exceed the available resources, the second node can reconfigure the original configuration parameters of the virtual objects to ensure the virtual objects can be restored and run on the second node.