Abstract: A cloud computing system includes a first set of network computers providing a pool of virtual-enterprise resources integrated from lower-level cloud infrastructure including software as a service, platform as a service and infrastructure as a service. A second set of network computers form a soft gate providing access to the pool of virtual-enterprise resources by enterprise users accessing the cloud computing system via an external network. A third set of network computers form a business box providing for creation, management and use of certification cards to define the virtual-enterprise resources and to control use of the virtual-enterprise resources by the enterprise users. The soft gate and business box implement a card-creation flow that creates customized certification cards, and a card-usage flow that validates user privileges based on presentation of certification cards as a condition to granting access to virtual-enterprise resources.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method, a computer [program product and apparatus for a soft-switch in a storage system, by setting data in a source of the soft-switch to be read-only and starting a replication process of the data to a destination of the soft-switch in response to a soft-switch request; recording at the source an update operation for the data during the replication process and synchronously recording the update operation into the destination; updating the replicated data at the destination with the synchronously recorded update operation in response to the completion of the replication process; and disabling a data access to the source and enabling a data access to the destination.

Abstract: Techniques for providing data protection in high availability cluster environments. The techniques employ multiple layers of data protection, including a first layer that provides full data protection for a source storage system at a first-layer destination storage system, and a second layer of data protection that provides distributed data protection for the source storage system among a cluster of second-layer destination storage systems.

Abstract: Techniques provide for specifying priorities and thresholds used for cache promotion and flushing on a per pool basis. The thresholds may include a promotion threshold and a flushing threshold. The promotion threshold is used to determine whether data portions of the pool are promoted to a secondary cache. The flushing threshold is used to determine whether any data portions of the pool currently stored in the secondary cache are flushed to non-volatile physical storage. Each of the promotion threshold and the flushing threshold for the pool may be determined in accordance with the priority specified for the pool. For remaining data portions that are included in a pool for which a pool specific priority is not specified, a default technique may be used, for example, which uses the same promotion threshold and the same flushing threshold for all pools for which a pool specific priority is not specified.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for dynamic storage tiering by calculating a density of data according to a temperature of the data, and making the density of data with a higher temperature smaller; obtaining density threshold of each of the tiers, wherein the density threshold of an upper tier is smaller than that of a lower tier; comparing the density of the data with the density threshold of each of the tiers to determine which tier the data should be moved to; and moving the data to the determined tier. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to provide a dynamic storage tiering scheme with higher flexibility and scalability.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses and computer program products for managing a storage system. The storage system comprises a plurality of cache devices and a bottom storage device, and the plurality of cache devices comprise a first cache device group and a second cache device group. The method according to an aspect of the present disclosure comprises: receiving an input/output (I/O) request for the storage device; in response to determining that the I/O request triggers caching of target data, storing the target data from the storage device into the first cache device group if the I/O request is a read request:, and storing the target data into the second cache device group if the I/O request is a write request.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method, a computer [program product and apparatus for a soft-switch in a storage system, by setting data in a source of the soft-switch to be read-only and starting a replication process of the data to a destination of the soft-switch in response to a soft-switch request; recording at the source an update operation for the data during the replication process and synchronously recording the update operation into the destination; updating the replicated data at the destination with the synchronously recorded update operation in response to the completion of the replication process; and disabling a data access to the source and enabling a data access to the destination.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for dynamic storage tiering by calculating a density of data according to a temperature of the data, and making the density of data with a higher temperature smaller; obtaining density threshold of each of the tiers, wherein the density threshold of an upper tier is smaller than that of a lower tier; comparing the density of the data with the density threshold of each of the tiers to determine which tier the data should be moved to; and moving the data to the determined tier. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to provide a dynamic storage tiering scheme with higher flexibility and scalability.