Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for the automated configuration of storage pools are disclosed. An example method includes determining, as available storage devices, storage devices within a storage system that have availability to be placed into a storage pool and first filtering, based on a first portion of storage requirement information received from a third-party, the available storage devices to eliminate a first set of the available storage devices and determine remaining storage devices. The method also includes second filtering, based on a second portion of the storage requirement information, the remaining storage devices after the first filtering to eliminate a second set of the remaining storage device. The method further includes designating the storage devices remaining after the first and second filtering as identified storage devices and creating the storage pool based on the storage requirement information using at least one of the identified storage devices.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for managing and graphically representing a Layer-2 storage service are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a node manager processor configured to receive information indicating a configuration of a storage resource from a third-party service provider of the storage resource and make the storage resource available to users of a Layer-2 storage system. The apparatus also includes a platform processor configured to receive a request from a user to create a Layer-2 storage service that specifies the storage resource for inclusion within the Layer-2 storage service. Responsive to the request, the platform processor is configured to create the Layer-2 storage service that includes an instance of the storage resource as configured by the third-party service provider. The platform processor is also configured to create a graphical representation of the storage service including the storage resource.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for providing multilayered storage are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a virtual storage node and a data services node. The virtual storage node includes a first physical storage device including a first storage pool configured to have a first storage configuration and partitioned into individually addressable logical unit numbers (“LUs”) and a second storage pool configured to have a second storage configuration and partitioned into individually addressable LUs. The data services node includes a service pool configured to have a data services configuration specifying how data is stored to a logical volume from the virtual storage node, the logical volume including at least a first set of LUs from the first storage pool and second of LUs from the second storage pool.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that maintain an access history of a file allocated with allocation blocks in storage devices are described. In response to receiving a usage request to allocate additional space for the file, an allocation block size may be adjusted or adapted based on the access history. The storage devices may be allocated with one or more allocation blocks using the adapted allocation block size to provide requested space for the file.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention receive a search query from a user. In response to the search query, a snapshot of the file system in its current state is taken. A coherent search of the snapshot is performed using the search query. Results of the search are presented to a user. In other embodiments, a subsequent snapshot of the file system is taken after the first search is finished. A difference between the first snapshot and the subsequent snapshot is computed, and this difference is searched using the search query. Results of both searches are merged and results are presented to a user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that maintain an access history of a file allocated with allocation blocks in storage devices are described. In response to receiving a usage request to allocate additional space for the file, an allocation block size may be adjusted or adapted based on the access history. The storage devices may be allocated with one or more allocation blocks using the adapted allocation block size to provide requested space for the file.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention receive a search query from a user. In response to the search query, a snapshot of the file system in its current state is taken. A coherent search of the snapshot is performed using the search query. Results of the search are presented to a user. In other embodiments, a subsequent snapshot of the file system is taken after the first search is finished. A difference between the first snapshot and the subsequent snapshot is computed, and this difference is searched using the search query. Results of both searches are merged and results are presented to a user.