Abstract: Described is a system and method for allowing applications to interact with a common backup program in a uniform way. The system and method provides a communication mechanism for one or more applications to exchange information with the backup program regarding components of the applications. The information exchanged may include an identification of the components of each application. A component may be considered a group of files or resources that should be backed up or restored together. In this way, when a backup operation is initiated, each application may provide to the common backup program instructions describing the specific components to be backed up. In addition, each application may add other application-specific information useful during a restore of the backed up data.

Abstract: A system and method of transporting volumes of information from one host computer system to another using point-in-time copies of LUNs but wherein the hardware provider does not necessarily understand the volume configuration of the data. The system and method involves an intermediate layer, i.e., a point-in-time copy interface layer that communicates with both a requesting host computer system and a hardware provider to enable the transfer of volumes of information without requiring that the hardware provider understand the volume information.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for allowing applications to interact with a common backup program in a uniform way. The system and method provides a communication mechanism for one or more applications to exchange information with the backup program regarding components of the applications. The information exchanged may include an identification of the components of each application. A component may be considered a group of files or resources that should be backed up or restored together. In this way, when a backup operation is initiated, each application may provide to the common backup program instructions describing the specific components to be backed up. In addition, each application may add other application-specific information useful during a restore of the backed up data.

Abstract: Volume configuration data management systems and methods are described. A logical volume provider maintains an epoch number on each of the extents comprising a volume. Upon each change in the configuration of the volume, the epoch number on each of the currently online extents is updated. When a volume is discovered and a request is made to bring the volume online, the logical volume provider can compare the epoch numbers on the extents to determine if the volume data is consistent across each of the extents, or if an extent contains stale data due to a transitory outage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing an on-demand determination of a correct set of volumes to be exported are described. A disk platter is defined to be the unit of volume migration. Volumes are added to the platter based on whether or not the volume coexists on a disk containing a volume to be exported.

Abstract: Volume configuration data management systems and methods are described. A logical volume provider maintains an epoch number on each of the extents comprising a volume. Upon each change in the configuration of the volume, the epoch number on each of the currently online extents is updated. When a volume is discovered and a request is made to bring the volume online, the logical volume provider can compare the epoch numbers on the extents to determine if the volume data is consistent across each of the extents, or if an extent contains stale data due to a transitory outage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing an on-demand determination of a correct set of volumes to be exported are described. A disk platter is defined to be the unit of volume migration. Volumes are added to the platter based on whether or not the volume coexists on a disk containing a volume to be exported.

Abstract: A storage management system in which a plurality of volume providers maps logical storage volumes onto one or more storage devices within a stand-alone computer or within a storage network. A common volume manager executing on a computer within the storage network selectively communicates commands to one or more of the volume providers in order to control the storage devices. The inventive storage management system seamlessly integrates management of the vendor-specific volume providers. The common volume manager provides a common application programming interface (API) by which applications are able to control and monitor hardware and software volume providers without requiring detailed knowledge of the volume providers or the underlying storage devices. The common volume manager aggregates response information from the volume providers and communicates the aggregated information to the software application that issued the storage management request.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and maintaining a stacked volume using one more volumes or extents of a storage subsystem is disclosed. The systems and methods define a hierarchy of operations and components that process operations. The hierarchy includes plex operations for an entire volume, mapping operations that concatenate volumes and/or extents, plex operations for a volume or extent that is a sub-component of a stacked volume. The hierarchy also includes striping operations that create and maintain storage volume stripes comprising sub-volumes and/or extents. In addition, the hierarchy includes configuration operations that operate directly on a storage volume through a hardware or software volume provider. Together, the hierarchy defined allows a flexible, extensible mechanism to build stacked volumes that provide for increase performance, fault tolerance, and/or aggregate volume size, while elimination volume combinations that can cause performance problems.

Abstract: Volume configuration data management systems and methods are described. A logical volume provider maintains an epoch number on each of the extents comprising a volume. Upon each change in the configuration of the volume, the epoch number on each of the currently online extents is updated. When a volume is discovered and a request is made to bring the volume online, the logical volume provider can compare the epoch numbers on the extents to determine if the volume data is consistent across each of the extents, or if an extent contains stale data due to a transitory outage.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for arbitrating for ownership of a logical quorum resource, such as a logical quorum volume, comprising one or more physical quorum resources so as to form a storage network having a plurality of storage devices. Arbitration and volume management responsibilities are cleanly divided between cluster management software and volume management software. The cluster management software handles the arbitration process without knowing the details of how the logical quorum resource is formed. The volume management software handles the formation and management of the logical quorum volume without having details of the arbitration process.

Abstract: A system and method of transporting volumes of information from one host computer system to another using point-in-time copies of LUNs but wherein the hardware provider does not necessarily understand the volume configuration of the data. The system and method involves an intermediate layer, i.e., a point-in-time copy interface layer that communicates with both a requesting host computer system and a hardware provider to enable the transfer of volumes of information without requiring that the hardware provider understand the volume information.

Abstract: Volume configuration data management systems and methods are described. A logical volume provider maintains an epoch number on each of the extents comprising a volume. Upon each change in the configuration of the volume, the epoch number on each of the currently online extents is updated. When a volume is discovered and a request is made to bring the volume online, the logical volume provider can compare the epoch numbers on the extents to determine if the volume data is consistent across each of the extents, or if an extent contains stale data due to a transitory outage.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for allowing applications to interact with a common backup program in a uniform way. The system and method provides a communication mechanism for one or more applications to exchange information with the backup program regarding components of the applications. The information exchanged may include an identification of the components of each application. A component may be considered a group of files or resources that should be backed up or restored together. In this way, when a backup operation is initiated, each application may provide to the common backup program instructions describing the specific components to be backed up. In addition, each application may add other application-specific information useful during a restore of the backed up data.

Abstract: A dual addressing arrangement comprises a complex address pointer within entries of a communication queue used by a port driver and an port adapter when exchanging information in a host computer. The complex address pointer comprises a virtual address portion and a physical address portion. The port driver uses the virtual address portion to ascertain the location of entry structures, while the port adapter uses the physical address portion to locate the structures in a host memory. The arrangement and interpretation of the address portions of the complex pointers within an entry depend upon the direction of information flow, i.e., the passing of messages from the port driver to the port adapter using a driver-to adapter queue or the passing of responses from the adapter to the driver using an adapter-to-driver queue.

Abstract: A communication interface between a port driver and an port adapter of a host computer includes a singly-linked queue resident in a host memory of the computer. The queue includes a header element and a stopper element with message entries linked therebetween. The message entries contain information to be exchanged between the port driver and port adapter. Each message entry includes at least a carrier that contains a forward link pointer to the next entry in the queue and message/response specific control information. The stopper element identifies the end of the queue and is distinguishable from a message entry by a valid indicator, e.g., the state of at least one bit of the forward link pointer. Functionally, the stopper entry allows the port driver and port adapter to concurrently insert and remove message entries of the singly-linked queue in a reliable manner without the use of any external synchronization mechanism.

Abstract: A memory mapping system for use by a port adapter in a computer facilitates access to named data buffers in host memory. The system generally comprises a mechanism that enables the adapter to efficiently translate the data buffer name to physical address locations in host memory without knowledge of the memory management policies of the computer. Specifically, the system includes various data structures and pointers that allow the port adapter to view host memory in "port pages" when accessing memory locations of a named data buffer. The data locations are virtually, but not physically, contiguous and the invention provides efficient identification of the physical addresses of the locations.