Abstract: A plasma generating device comprising: a cylindrical rotational electrode situated lengthwise on a rotating shaft connected to a motor, the rotational electrode disposed over a reservoir and having a contact portion extending into the reservoir; one or more static electrodes held in proximity to the rotational electrode to generate a plasma therebetween when a sufficient voltage difference exists between the static electrodes and the rotational electrode, the sufficient voltage difference created by a high voltage generator connected directly or indirectly to the static electrodes, the rotational electrode, or both; and a dielectric material situated between the rotational electrode and the static electrodes, the dielectric material having a sufficient thickness to prevent a short-circuit between the rotational electrode and the static electrodes yet a minimal thickness to allow the plasma to be generated between the rotational electrode and the static electrodes.

Abstract: Techniques for managing sequencing requests for storage node operations based on types of operations being sequenced. The techniques manage sequencing requests for different types of operations, such as backup and recovery operations, replication operations, migration operations, and so on, in a manner that avoids overwhelming storage node capacity. The techniques include receiving a sequencing request for an operation of a specified operation type at a request manager of a storage node and determining whether a capacity of the storage node is available for running the operation by a capacity manager for the specified operation type, in which the capacity manager is provided by a storage client and implemented on the storage node separate from the request manager. In this way, throttling, limiting, and/or prioritization requirements of the operation of the specified operation type can be defined by the storage client in a manner agnostic to the request manager.

Abstract: A device for creating reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species comprising: a plasma generator comprising at least one electrode positioned within an open-ended chamber and a centrifugal mixing chamber in fluid communication with the plasma generator, said centrifugal mixing chamber comprising a mixing chamber side wall and a blade, said blade oriented to allow passage of air in a circular motion around a central post of said centrifugal mixing chamber, and an exit nozzle on an opposing end of said centrifugal mixing chamber.

Abstract: Techniques for managing sequencing requests for storage node operations based on types of operations being sequenced. The techniques manage sequencing requests for different types of operations, such as backup and recovery operations, replication operations, migration operations, and so on, in a manner that avoids overwhelming storage node capacity. The techniques include receiving a sequencing request for an operation of a specified operation type at a request manager of a storage node and determining whether a capacity of the storage node is available for running the operation by a capacity manager for the specified operation type, in which the capacity manager is provided by a storage client and implemented on the storage node separate from the request manager. In this way, throttling, limiting, and/or prioritization requirements of the operation of the specified operation type can be defined by the storage client in a manner agnostic to the request manager.

Abstract: Animal litter boxes are provided which include a sensor to detect a change in an environment within an interior of its housing and an odor removal device (ORD) operationally connected to the sensor such that the ORD is activated in response to a signal from the sensor. In some cases, the ORD is configured to operate in different manners based on respectively different signals from the sensor. In addition or alternatively, the litter boxes may include a timer configured with the sensor for activating and periodically reactivating the ORD at preset time intervals in response to a sensor signal. In yet other embodiments, the litter boxes may additionally or alternatively include a timer having user adjustable settings of different time periods at which to initiate activation of the ORD and/or user adjustable settings of different durations at which to operate the ORD, both in response from a sensor signal.

Abstract: Cassandra SSTable data is transformed to provide data rows that are a consistent size such that data in each row has a length that is contained within a selected fixed sized kilobyte segment for deduplication. Tables of a Cassandra cluster node are translated in parallel to JSON format using Cassandra SSTableDump and the table rows are parsed to provide data rows corresponding to the data in each table row. Each row of data is padded with a predictable pattern of bits such that the data row has a length corresponding to the selected fixed segment size and has boundary locations that correspond to multiple of the selected segment size. Since each row of data starts on a segment boundary, duplicate rows of data will be identified wherever they move within a table.

Abstract: Cassandra SSTable data is transformed to provide data rows that are a consistent size such that data in each row has a length that is contained within a selected fixed sized kilobyte segment for deduplication. Tables of a Cassandra cluster node are translated in parallel to JSON format using Cassandra SSTableDump and the table rows are parsed to provide data rows corresponding to the data in each table row. Each row of data is padded with a predictable pattern of bits such that the data row has a length corresponding to the selected fixed segment size and has boundary locations that correspond to multiple of the selected segment size. Since each row of data starts on a segment boundary, duplicate rows of data will be identified wherever they move within a table.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing storage object recovery. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a technique comprising allocating a scratch space to support recovery of a storage object, wherein the storage object comprises a set of slices and the scratch space is distinct with respect to the set of slices such that a slice allocator for allocating slices to and/or from the storage object is unaware of the existence of the scratch space. The technique also comprises taking offline the storage object for facilitating recovery of the storage object after at least a portion of the set of slices have been allocated. The technique further comprises performing a storage object recovery procedure to recover the storage object while the storage object is offline. The storage object recovery procedure utilizing the scratch space that was allocated to support the storage object recovery.

Abstract: There is disclosed a computer-implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for use in storage object recovery. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining that a storage object requires recovery, wherein the storage object comprises a dedicated recovery area at a fixed location. The method further comprises taking offline the storage object in response to determining that the storage object requires recovery. The method still further comprises performing a recovery procedure to recover the storage object, the recovery procedure utilizing the dedicated recovery area to support storage object recovery.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable medium for optimizing storage allocations based on system resources are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for dynamic, policy-based allocation of system resources. The method includes maintaining statistics in connection with like system resources. Each of the system resources having associated statistics that are suitable for describing a relationship with an allocatable class of resource. A request is received for a resource. In response to receiving the request, one of the like system resources is selected, based on the statistics and a policy, as a best system resource in connection with the allocatable class of resource.

Abstract: A method is used in selecting physical storage in data storage systems. A request for allocation of a portion of storage area of a data storage system is received from a requesting entity. The data storage system is comprised of a set of storage entities and a set of data buses for transferring data to and from the set of storage entities. The set of storage entities are organized into a set of logical units. Each logical unit of the set of logical units is subdivided into a set of slices. A slice is selected from a logical unit of the set of logical units for allocation for use by the requesting entity in response to receiving the request for allocation. The selection is based on an optimum value indicating physical location of the logical unit within the set of storage entities during access to data to be stored in the data storage system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable medium for allocating physical storage in a disk array are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for allocating portions of storage area of a storage array. The method includes receiving, from a requesting entity, a request for allocation of a portion of storage area of a storage array, the storage array comprising a plurality of storage entities and a plurality of data buses for transferring data to and from the plurality of storage entities, wherein the plurality of storage entities are organized into at least one logical unit, wherein each logical unit is subdivided into at least one slice. In response to receiving the request for allocation, at least one slice is selected for allocation for use by the requesting entity, based on anticipated system resource utilization during access to data to be stored in the storage array.

Abstract: A system for performance optimization of storage allocation to virtual logical units includes a storage entity having data storage space divided into slices for storing data. A slice allocation table stores slice allocation status. A memory stores statistics regarding the allocation of slices to logical units. A management database stores information regarding the allocation of slices to logical units. An allocation module performs an allocation process in response to receiving an I/O write request. A management module performs scheduled post-I/O management processes asynchronously with allocation processes, including updating the management database to reflect the allocation of the selected slice, and updating the status of the selected slice in the slice allocation table to indicate that the post-I/O management process for the selected slice has been performed.

Abstract: A method is used in selecting physical storage in data storage systems. A request for allocation of a portion of storage area of a data storage system is received from a requesting entity. The data storage system is comprised of a set of storage entities and a set of data buses for transferring data to and from the set of storage entities. The set of storage entities are organized into a set of logical units. Each logical unit of the set of logical units is subdivided into a set of slices. A slice is selected from a logical unit of the set of logical units for allocation for use by the requesting entity in response to receiving the request for allocation. The selection is based on an optimum value indicating physical location of the logical unit within the set of storage entities during access to data to be stored in the data storage system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for tracking storage pool reservations are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a system for tracking storage pool reservations. The system includes a storage entity having data storage space for storing data, the data storage space being divided into a plurality of slices. The system also includes one or more portions of non-volatile memory, different from the data storage space, for storing slice reservation statistics and information about requests that affect slice reservation statistics, wherein storing information in the portion of non-volatile memory is an atomic operation. The system further includes a control module for receiving a request that affect slice reservation statistics, storing information about the request in the portion of non-volatile memory, performing the request, and updating the slice reservation statistics and clearing the information about the request in the portion of non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable medium for optimizing storage allocations based on system resources are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for dynamic, policy-based allocation of system resources. The method includes specifying a plurality of system resource collections for representing sets of like system resources and their dependencies. An order in which the collections are to be evaluated during selection of a resource is also specified. A policy for determining the best resource within each collection is also specified. Statistics about the system resources in the collections are maintained. A request for a resource is received. In response to receiving the request, the collections are evaluated in the specified order. The best resource is selected from each collection based on the dependencies, prior selections, and statistics to implement the policy.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for tier-based slice allocation and data relocation in a data storage array. The method is performed at a data storage array including physical data storage capacity being logically divided into one or more logical units (LUs) and each of the one or more LUs being further subdivided into one or more slices, where the data storage array includes a resource pool being divided into a plurality of resource groupings, where each resource grouping includes one or more resources of a common type. The method includes receiving a slice allocation request for allocating a slice from the data storage array, where the slice allocation request includes at least one constraint. In response to receiving the slice allocation request, a slice that honors the at least one constraint is allocated.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for optimizing the number of data writes to virtually provisioned logical units of a physical data storage array. The method is performed at a virtual provisioning layer associated with a physical storage array and includes receiving, from a client, a first write request for writing data to a first portion of a first data block of a virtually provisioned logical unit (VLUN) of the physical data storage array, wherein the size of the first portion is less than the size of the first data block. In response to receiving the first write request, a combined write request is generated from the virtual provisioning layer, where the combined write request is for writing the first portion of the data from the received write request and a second portion of fill data such that a size of the first portion and the second portion is equal to a size of the first data block.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for providing snapshots of data at different times and for performing rollbacks to a selected snapshot that does not result in any subsequent snapshots being rendered unusable. The method includes a mapping mechanism wherein when a map entry for a block being written to for the first time during a session exists, then another map entry is created and all later sessions are applied to it. When a map entry for the block does not exist, a new map entry is provided and all prior sessions are applied to it.