Abstract: In one embodiment, a file system of a computing device may receive from a first application a write request to write a file to a storage device of the computing device. The request may include a privacy preference for the file. In response to the write request, the file system may generate privacy metadata corresponding to the privacy preference, associate the privacy metadata to the file, and write the file and the associated privacy metadata to the storage device. The file system may receive from a second application a read request to read the file from the storage device. In response to receiving the read request, the file system may provide the second application access to the file and the associated privacy metadata. The privacy metadata can be configured to be used by the second application to select a distribution policy for the file.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a file system of a computing device may receive from a first application a write request to write a file to a storage device of the computing device. The request may include a privacy preference for the file. In response to the write request, the file system may generate privacy metadata corresponding to the privacy preference, associate the privacy metadata to the file, and write the file and the associated privacy metadata to the storage device. The file system may receive from a second application a read request to read the file from the storage device. In response to receiving the read request, the file system may provide the second application access to the file and the associated privacy metadata. The privacy metadata can be configured to be used by the second application to select a distribution policy for the file.

Abstract: Generating a virtual storage area network (VSAN) is disclosed. From the perspective of a customer's virtual machine, the VSAN is a logical network of storage devices that provide features that are typically associated with a physical storage access network, such as block level data storage; logical disk arrays; tape libraries; optical jukeboxes; quality of service; disk mirroring, backup and restoration services; archival and retrieval of archived data; data migration from one virtual storage device to another; sharing of data among different virtual machines in a network; and the incorporation of virtual subnetworks.

Abstract: A data storage array may be made up of several storage devices, each of which may contain array metadata that may allow portions of the storage array to be used. A system may have a file system manager that may receive and respond to file system commands and a storage device manager that may store data on the several storage devices. Array metadata defining where data is stored within the storage array is stored on each device within the array. A policy engine may identify data to be stored on the array and determine if the data contains array metadata or other types of data and may store the data on every device, devices having specific characteristics, two or more devices, or one device.

Abstract: Generating a virtual storage area network (VSAN) is disclosed. From the perspective of a customer's virtual machine, the VSAN is a logical network of storage devices that provide features that are typically associated with a physical storage access network, such as block level data storage; logical disk arrays; tape libraries; optical jukeboxes; quality of service; disk mirroring, backup and restoration services; archival and retrieval of archived data; data migration from one virtual storage device to another; sharing of data among different virtual machines in a network; and the incorporation of virtual subnetworks.

Abstract: A data storage array may be made up of several storage devices, each of which may contain array metadata that may allow portions of the storage array to be used. A system may have a file system manager that may receive and respond to file system commands and a storage device manager that may store data on the several storage devices. Array metadata defining where data is stored within the storage array is stored on each device within the array. A policy engine may identify data to be stored on the array and determine if the data contains array metadata or other types of data and may store the data on every device, devices having specific characteristics, two or more devices, or one device.

Abstract: A data storage array may be made up of several storage devices, each of which may contain array metadata that may allow portions of the storage array to be used. A system may have a file system manager that may receive and respond to file system commands and a storage device manager that may store data on the several storage devices. Array metadata defining where data is stored within the storage array is stored on each device within the array. A policy engine may identify data to be stored on the array and determine if the data contains array metadata or other types of data and may store the data on every device, devices having specific characteristics, two or more devices, or one device.

Abstract: A storage monitoring system may reside between a file system and a storage system in a thin provisioned storage system. The storage monitoring system may create space holder files within a volume, where the space holder files contain an address space not backed up with physical storage. As requests for storage space are received from a file system, the storage monitoring system may allocate physical space to the volume by provisioning portions of the physical storage device to the volume and by removing one of the space holder files. The storage monitoring system may present alerts when physical storage space is low, as well as return an amount of physical space available to a volume size request.

Abstract: A thin provisioned storage system may have a file system manager that presents a logical storage system to a user and a storage management system that manages physical storage devices. When a block of data is freed at the logical layer, the file system manager may identify the freed block and send a command to the physical layer. The physical layer may identify the corresponding physical block or blocks and free those blocks on the physical layer. The storage management system may use a table to manage the location of blocks of data across multiple physical storage devices.

Abstract: A storage monitoring system may reside between a file system and a storage system in a thin provisioned storage system. The storage monitoring system may create space holder files within a volume, where the space holder files contain an address space not backed up with physical storage. As requests for storage space are received from a file system, the storage monitoring system may allocate physical space to the volume by provisioning portions of the physical storage device to the volume and by removing one of the space holder files. The storage monitoring system may present alerts when physical storage space is low, as well as return an amount of physical space available to a volume size request.

Abstract: A data storage array may be made up of several storage devices, each of which may contain array metadata that may allow portions of the storage array to be used. A system may have a file system manager that may receive and respond to file system commands and a storage device manager that may store data on the several storage devices. Array metadata defining where data is stored within the storage array is stored on each device within the array. A policy engine may identify data to be stored on the array and determine if the data contains array metadata or other types of data and may store the data on every device, devices having specific characteristics, two or more devices, or one device.

Abstract: A thin provisioned storage system may have a file system manager that presents a logical storage system to a user and a storage management system that manages physical storage devices. When a block of data is freed at the logical layer, the file system manager may identify the freed block and send a command to the physical layer. The physical layer may identify the corresponding physical block or blocks and free those blocks on the physical layer. The storage management system may use a table to manage the location of blocks of data across multiple physical storage devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an extensible grouping mechanism for security applications for use in a computer system. Groups may be established and maintained by non-system administrators and used to control actions that are taken with respect to objects, such as files and other resources. The groups and associated security functions may be implemented across a plurality of different software products and optionally integrated into an existing security mechanism maintained by system administrators. Software products used in the system may be arranged to request authorization to perform requested actions with respect to objects access to which is not controlled by a systems administrator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an extensible grouping mechanism for security applications for use in a computer system. Groups may be established and maintained by non-system administrators and used to control actions that are taken with respect to objects, such as files and other resources. The groups and associated security functions may be implemented across a plurality of different software products and optionally integrated into an existing security mechanism maintained by system administrators. Software products used in the system may be arranged to request authorization to perform requested actions with respect to objects access to which is not controlled by a systems administrator, and/or provide information specifying an object or object type and actions that are performable with respect to the object or object type by the respective software product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an extensible grouping mechanism for security applications for use in a computer system. Groups may be established and maintained by non-system administrators and used to control actions that are taken with respect to objects, such as files and other resources. The groups and associated security functions may be implemented across a plurality of different software products and optionally integrated into an existing security mechanism maintained by system administrators. Software products used in the system may be arranged to request authorization to perform requested actions with respect to objects access to which is not controlled by a systems administrator. Permission information used to determine the authorization for a user to perform a requested action may be stored for a plurality of software products in a common location.