Abstract: Providing a service in a storage system includes using a predicate that corresponds to a subset of storage objects in a set of storage objects stored in the storage system. The predicate is used to select or reject the objects to which the service is to be provided. The predicate is applied to the set of storage objects to obtain the subset of storage objects. The service is then invoked for the subset of storage objects selected according to the predicate. A trigger event causes invocation of the service. The trigger event may be periodic and/or may be a storage object lifecycle event, a storage object access related event, an event corresponding to a state change of the storage system, or an event that is external to the storage system. The trigger event may include the predicate being modified.

Abstract: Providing a snapshot copy of data includes selectively collecting a plurality of data objects based on evaluation of a predicate associated with each of the data objects and performing a snapshot operation in connection with modifying at least one of the plurality of data objects. The snapshot operation may be performed prior to modifying the at least one of the plurality of data objects. The snapshot operation may be a copy on write operation. Providing a snapshot copy of data may also include providing a data structure that maintains a plurality of snapshot instances. The data structure may be a table. Each of the snapshot instances may include at least one of: an object set description, a timestamp indicating when the snapshot was initiated, a snapshot name and a handling policy.

Abstract: Determining at least one resource node for deployment of an application in a system having a plurality of compute and storage resource nodes includes determining criteria for nodes based on a policy provided for the application, pruning nodes that do not meet a criteria for deploying the application to provide a plurality of remaining nodes, determining a cost of deploying the application on each of the plurality of remaining nodes, where the cost is based on a metric associated with the application, and selecting for deployment a node having a lowest cost. The application may be a vApp that includes a plurality of virtual machine images. The nodes may be interconnected by communication links having associated therewith costs of moving the application from one node to another.

Abstract: Providing a snapshot copy of data includes selectively collecting a plurality of data objects based on evaluation of a predicate associated with each of the data objects and performing a snapshot operation in connection with modifying at least one of the plurality of data objects. The snapshot operation may be performed prior to modifying the at least one of the plurality of data objects. The snapshot operation may be a copy on write operation. Providing a snapshot copy of data may also include providing a data structure that maintains a plurality of snapshot instances. The data structure may be a table. Each of the snapshot instances may include at least one of: an object set description, a timestamp indicating when the snapshot was initiated, a snapshot name and a handling policy.