Abstract: The invention provides for a system and methods of directly delivering excitation light to a sample by a path that avoids traveling though the objective and dichroic mirror. Certain embodiments of the system may include an excitation light source, and a series of mirrors and lenses to direct the excitation light to a diffuser unit. The diffuser unit may then generate a configurable illumination profile to evenly illuminate a sample.

Abstract: A method of managing host mappings for replication endpoints, the method including: identifying a target storage system replicating a source dataset of a source storage system, wherein a first host is mapped to the source dataset on the source storage system; providing, to the target storage system and in dependence upon a mapping of the first host to the source dataset, configuration information for connecting to a second host; and implementing, in response to a triggering event, a mapping of the second host to a replica dataset on the target storage system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transitioning a replica of a file system are described. An illustrative method includes updating a replica file system on a target data repository to be a replica of a source file system as the source file system existed on the source data repository at a point in time, where the replica file system is constructed of block objects at the target data repository that store metadata for individual files and directories of the replica file system and support access to blocks of data associated with the files and directories of the target file system at the target data repository, and where the updating includes updating the block objects of the replica file system to be replicas of block objects of the source file system as the block objects of the source file system existed on the source data repository at the point in time.

Abstract: A method of mapping equivalent hosts at distinct replication endpoints, the method including: receiving an indication that a first host mapped to a source dataset at a replication source is equivalent to a second host for a replica dataset at a replication target of the source dataset; transmitting, from the replication source to the replication target and based on an update to the source dataset received from the first host, metadata describing the update to the source dataset; and mapping, based on the indication that the first host mapped to the source dataset at the replication source is equivalent to the second host for the replica dataset at the replication target, the second host to the replica dataset at the replication target of the source dataset.

Abstract: Managing storage systems that are synchronously replicating a dataset, including: detecting a change in membership to the set of storage systems synchronously replicating the dataset; and applying one or more membership protocols to determine a new set of storage systems to synchronously replicate the dataset, wherein the one or more membership protocols include a quorum protocol, an external management protocol, or a racing protocol, and wherein one or more I/O operations directed to the dataset are applied to a new set of storage systems.

Abstract: One or more instructions are received from a power grid that provides power to a computing system. In response to receiving the one or more instructions, one or more operations being performed by the computing system that are capable of adjustment are identified. Execution of the one or more operations is adjusted to satisfy the one or more instructions.

Abstract: Continuous data protection, including sending, to a target data repository from a source data repository, metadata describing one or more updates to one or more datasets stored within the source data repository; generating, based on the metadata describing the one or more updates to the one or more datasets, an ordered log of metadata describing an ordered application of the one or more updates to the one or more datasets; and generating, on the source data repository and based on the ordered log of metadata, the one or more datasets in accordance with the one or more updates corresponding to a specified point in time.

Abstract: A storage system switching mediators within a storage system synchronously replicating data, where the switching between mediators includes determining that availability of a first mediator service has decreased to a particular level, wherein the first mediator service can provide mediation services at the particular level to a plurality of storage systems and is external to the plurality of storage systems; and based on the determination, switching from use of the first mediator service to use of a second mediator service that is external to the plurality of storage systems.

Abstract: A method of mapping equivalent hosts at distinct replication endpoints, the method including: receiving an indication that a first host mapped to a source dataset at a replication source is equivalent to a second host for a replica dataset at a replication target of the source dataset; transmitting, from the replication source to the replication target and based on an update to the source dataset received from the first host, metadata describing the update to the source dataset; and mapping, based on the indication that the first host mapped to the source dataset at the replication source is equivalent to the second host for the replica dataset at the replication target, the second host to the replica dataset at the replication target of the source dataset.

Abstract: Configurable realms to support multi-tenancy for storage resources, including: creating, in a storage array, a plurality of realms, wherein each realm comprises a logical isolation of a corresponding one or more storage resources within the storage array; and restricting access to each of the plurality of realms using one or more configurable realm-specific access controls.

Abstract: Verifying that data has been correctly replicated to a replication target, including: replicating a dataset stored at a first computing system to a second computing system; and determining, based at least on a comparison of a first hash and a second hash, validity of the dataset stored at the second computing system, wherein the first hash is generated by applying a hash function to a copy of the dataset that is stored at the first computing system and the second hash is generated by applying the hash function to a copy of the dataset that is stored at the second computing system.

Abstract: A storage system switching mediators within a storage system synchronously replicating data, where the switching between mediators includes determining that availability of a first mediator service has decreased to a particular level, wherein the first mediator service can provide mediation services at the particular level to a plurality of storage systems and is external to the plurality of storage systems; and based on the determination, switching from use of the first mediator service to use of a second mediator service that is external to the plurality of storage systems.

Abstract: A uniform model for distinct types of data replication, including receiving, at a source data repository, an update to a dataset; generating, based on the update to the dataset, both metadata describing the update to the dataset and also a metadata representation of the dataset; and initiating, based on the same metadata describing the update to the dataset and also based on the same metadata representation of the dataset, either a first type of data replication or a second type of data replication from among a plurality of types of data replication.

Abstract: Delaying deletion of a dataset, including: determining that deletion of a dataset at a storage system should be delayed by an amount of time representing a time period between a requested deletion time and a delayed deletion time; and delaying deletion of the dataset based on the determined amount of time.

Abstract: Synchronizing metadata among storage systems synchronously replicating a dataset, where synchronizing the metadata includes: receiving, at a first storage system of the storage systems, an I/O operation directed to the dataset; determining, in dependence upon the I/O operation, a metadata update describing a mapping of segments of content to a virtual address within a storage object, wherein the storage object includes the dataset; and synchronizing metadata on a second storage system of the storage systems by sending the metadata update to the second storage system to update a metadata representation on the second storage system in accordance with the metadata update.

Abstract: Initiating recovery actions when a dataset ceases to be synchronously replicated across a set of storage systems, including: receiving, by at least one storage system among a plurality of storage systems implementing a symmetric input/output model for a synchronously replicated dataset, a request to modify the dataset; identifying one or more operations associated with the request to modify the dataset that have not been applied to at least one storage system of the plurality of storage systems; and responsive to a system fault among the plurality of storage systems synchronously replicating the dataset, applying a recovery action based on recovery information that identifies one or more operations that have not been applied to the plurality of storage systems.

Abstract: A uniform model for distinct types of data replication, including receiving, at a source data repository, an update to a dataset; generating, based on the update to the dataset, both metadata describing the update to the dataset and also a metadata representation of the dataset; and initiating, based on the same metadata describing the update to the dataset and also based on the same metadata representation of the dataset, either a first type of data replication or a second type of data replication from among a plurality of types of data replication.

Abstract: Synchronizing metadata among storage systems synchronously replicating a dataset, where synchronizing the metadata includes: receiving, at a first storage system of the storage systems, an I/O operation directed to the dataset; determining, in dependence upon the I/O operation, a metadata update describing a mapping of segments of content to a virtual address within a storage object, wherein the storage object includes the dataset; and synchronizing metadata on a second storage system of the storage systems by sending the metadata update to the second storage system to update a metadata representation on the second storage system in accordance with the metadata update.

Abstract: A recovery storage system asynchronously protecting a synchronously replicated dataset, where the asynchronous protection of the synchronously replicated dataset includes: receiving, by a recovery storage system, an identifier of a synchronously replicated dataset, wherein the synchronously replicated dataset is a dataset synchronously replicated across the plurality of storage systems; asynchronously replicating, on the recovery storage system, the synchronously replicated dataset from the plurality of storage systems; detecting that each dataset in the synchronously replicated dataset on the plurality of storage systems has become unavailable; and restoring the dataset on the recovery storage system.

Abstract: Continuing to service a dataset after prevailing in mediation, including: requesting, by a first storage system, mediation from a mediation service that is configured to resolve which storage system continues to service a dataset after the triggering event, wherein the dataset is synchronously replicated by a plurality of storage systems that includes the first storage system and a second storage system; and detaching the second storage system from a plurality of storage systems synchronously replicating the dataset.