Abstract: Techniques are presented for implementing non-host-based migration in a manner that is not subject to certain types of data corruption. This may be accomplished by preventing any hosts from having write access to a target LUN until it can be confirmed that all applications that access a source LUN have been shut down. This arrangement prevents accidentally writing to the target LUN while the source LUN is still being accessed. As a further precaution, just in case the confirmations are incorrect, a target data storage system can direct a source data storage system to remove access to the source LUN from all of the hosts, which has a similar effect. The migration can then proceed.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for implementing non-host-based migration in a manner that is not subject to certain types of data corruption. This may be accomplished by preventing any hosts from having write access to a target LUN until it can be confirmed that all applications that access a source LUN have been shut down. This arrangement prevents accidentally writing to the target LUN while the source LUN is still being accessed. As a further precaution, just in case the confirmations are incorrect, a target data storage system can direct a source data storage system to remove access to the source LUN from all of the hosts, which has a similar effect. The migration can then proceed.

Abstract: A data management method and system for migrating a data volume from a source array to a destination array includes receiving an indication of a source volume to migrate from the source array to the destination array wherein the source volume comprises a clustered volume associated with a plurality of cluster hosts. A path-flip is performed by the host multipath module, to switch the paths between source and destination array. This switch is done in a seamless manner, without disrupting host I/O. The path-flip includes transferring associated metadata from source to destination and can be performed even in clustered and/or multi-host environments. Sanity timers are built-in to ensure that the path-flip completes within a stipulated time-frame and, if not, the path-flip process is aborted and I/O is resumed without any disruption.

Abstract: A method may include establishing, by a MPIO driver of a host information handling system, an I/O path between the host information handling system and the source storage array as an active I/O path and a path between the host and the target storage array as a passive I/O path. The method may also include performing a snapshot-based iterative replication between the source storage array and the target storage array, wherein successive iterations of the snapshot-based iterative replication comprise I/O to the source storage array occurring during an immediately previous iteration of the snapshot-based iterative replication. The method may further include, upon completion of the snapshot-based iterative replication, establishing, by the MPIO, the I/O path between the host and the source storage array as a passive I/O path and the path between the host and the target storage array as the active I/O path.

Abstract: A data management method and system for migrating a data volume from a source array to a destination array includes receiving an indication of a source volume to migrate from the source array to the destination array wherein the source volume comprises a clustered volume associated with a plurality of cluster hosts. A path-flip is performed by the host multipath module, to switch the paths between source and destination array. This switch is done in a seamless manner, without disrupting host I/O. The path-flip includes transferring associated metadata from source to destination and can be performed even in clustered and/or multi-host environments. Sanity timers are built-in to ensure that the path-flip completes within a stipulated time-frame and, if not, the path-flip process is aborted and I/O is resumed without any disruption.

Abstract: A method may include establishing, by a MPIO driver of a host information handling system, an I/O path between the host information handling system and the source storage array as an active I/O path and a path between the host and the target storage array as a passive I/O path. The method may also include performing a snapshot-based iterative replication between the source storage array and the target storage array, wherein successive iterations of the snapshot-based iterative replication comprise I/O to the source storage array occurring during an immediately previous iteration of the snapshot-based iterative replication. The method may further include, upon completion of the snapshot-based iterative replication, establishing, by the MPIO, the I/O path between the host and the source storage array as a passive I/O path and the path between the host and the target storage array as the active I/O path.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a first storage management console comprising a program of executable instructions embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media accessible to the processor, and configured to, when read and executed by the processor: (i) manage input/output between an application and a primary physical storage controller to perform input/output between the application and a storage resource communicatively coupled to primary physical storage container; (ii) asynchronously mirror application-consistent snapshots of data associated with the application from the primary physical storage controller to a storage virtual controller configured to emulate a physical storage controller such that the storage virtual controller stores the snapshots to remote storage geographically remote from the information handling system; (iii) store metadata associated with the application and data stored to the storage resource and the remote storage; and (iv) copy the metadata to a s

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a first storage management console comprising a program of executable instructions embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media accessible to the processor, and configured to, when read and executed by the processor: (i) manage input/output between an application and a primary physical storage controller to perform input/output between the application and a storage resource communicatively coupled to primary physical storage container; (ii) asynchronously mirror application-consistent snapshots of data associated with the application from the primary physical storage controller to a storage virtual controller configured to emulate a physical storage controller such that the storage virtual controller stores the snapshots to remote storage geographically remote from the information handling system; (iii) store metadata associated with the application and data stored to the storage resource and the remote storage; and (iv) copy the metadata to a s

Abstract: A system and method for application aware de-duplication of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of de-duplication of data, a master list of metadata is created based on a number of occurrences of data blocks within a storage array. A first sublist of metadata is created from the master list of metadata. The first sublist of metadata is provided to a first component of a networked storage system. It is determined whether the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata based on a determination that a data block being written does not have any corresponding entry in the first sublist of metadata. The data block being written is replaced with a pointer based on a determination that the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata.

Abstract: A system for managing a storage array having a set of storage components comprises a storage array controller, the storage array controller including: a first instance of a controller firmware on a virtual machine in a privileged domain, the privileged domain having access to hardware of the storage array; and a second instance of the controller firmware on a separate virtual machine in a first non-privileged array domain. The privileged domain is configured to inspect an I/O request and determine whether a target of the I/O request is an existing non-privileged array domain, to initiate launch of the first non-privileged array domain array when the I/O request does not relate to an existing non-privileged array domain, and to present available storage components to the first non-privileged array domain when the I/O request relates to the first non-privileged array domain.

Abstract: A method for dynamic storage tiering may include, but is not limited to: receiving an input/output (I/O) request from a host device; determining whether the I/O request results in a cache hit; and relocating data associated with the I/O request between a higher-performance storage device and lower-performance storage device according to the determination whether the data associated with the I/O request is stored in a cache.

Abstract: A system and method for application aware de-duplication of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of de-duplication of data, a master list of metadata is created based on a number of occurrences of data blocks within a storage array. A first sublist of metadata is created from the master list of metadata. The first sublist of metadata is provided to a first component of a networked storage system. It is determined whether the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata based on a determination that a data block being written does not have any corresponding entry in the first sublist of metadata. The data block being written is replaced with a pointer based on a determination that the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata.

Abstract: An apparatus and computer-executed method for scheduling data backups may include accessing a specification for a backup job. The specification may include an identification of a data source, a start time and a target storage device to which backup data should be written. A first history of past backup jobs that specify the data source, and a second history of past backup jobs that specify the target storage device, may be identified. Using the first history, an expected size of the backup data may be computed. Using the second history, an expected rate at which the backup data may be written to the target storage device may be computed. Using the expected size, the expected rate and the start time, an expected completion time for the backup job may be computed.

Abstract: A system and method for application aware de-duplication (de-dup) of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of application aware de-dup of data blocks on virtualized storage arrays in a storage area network, a de-dup agent is enabled on each of one or more components of the storage area network. A master list of metadata associated with indexed data is then created and stored in the virtualized storage arrays. One or more sublists of metadata are then created from the masterlist and are stored. Upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, it is determined whether data block being written has an entry in a sublist stored in a host device, and if so, the data block is then replaced with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays.

Abstract: A method for dynamic storage tiering may include, but is not limited to: receiving an input/output (I/O) request from a host device; determining whether the I/O request results in a cache hit; and relocating data associated with the I/O request between a higher-performance storage device and lower-performance storage device according to the determination whether the data associated with the I/O request is stored in a cache.

Abstract: A system for managing a storage array having a set of storage components comprises a storage array controller, the storage array controller including: a first instance of a controller firmware on a virtual machine in a privileged domain, the privileged domain having access to hardware of the storage array; and a second instance of the controller firmware on a separate virtual machine in a first non-privileged array domain. The privileged domain is configured to inspect an I/O request and determine whether a target of the I/O request is an existing non-privileged array domain, to initiate launch of the first non-privileged array domain array when the I/O request does not relate to an existing non-privileged array domain, and to present available storage components to the first non-privileged array domain when the I/O request relates to the first non-privileged array domain.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a storage array using simulation is disclosed. In one example embodiment, in a computer implemented method for managing a storage array using simulation, a virtual storage array, including a plurality of virtual storage array objects, associated with a physical storage array is generated using a storage array simulator residing in a storage array management server. Then, configuration changes are performed on the virtual storage array to form a desired virtual storage array to simulate presence of changed storage array without underlying hardware using the storage array simulator. Performance of the formed desired virtual storage array is determined without the underlying hardware of the storage array using the storage array simulator. The desired virtual storage array including the plurality of virtual storage array objects is uploaded to the associated physical storage array based on the outcome of determination.

Abstract: Presented is a method of protecting data. The method includes recognizing a newly created data file, providing at least one data protection policy for selection by a user, obtaining a user input for selecting at least one data protection policy, applying the selected data protection policy to the newly created data file, creating a backup copy of the newly created data file based on the applied data protection policy, and storing the backup copy of the newly created data file based on the applied data protection policy.

Abstract: A system and method for application aware de-duplication (de-dup) of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of application aware de-dup of data blocks on virtualized storage arrays in a storage area network, a de-dup agent is enabled on each of one or more components of the storage area network. A master list of metadata associated with indexed data is then created and stored in the virtualized storage arrays. One or more sublists of metadata are then created from the masterlist and are stored. Upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, it is determined whether data block being written has an entry in a sublist stored in a host device, and if so, the data block is then replaced with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays.

Abstract: A storage array is disclosed. The storage array may comprise a plurality of storage units configured for providing data storage; a processing module configured for hosting a virtual machine; and an application integration framework provided by the virtual machine. The application integration framework may comprise an application interface configured for interfacing with at least one application running on an application server, where the application server is communicatively connected with the storage array. The application integration framework may further comprise a software development kit (SDK) communicatively coupled to the application interface via a communication module, the SDK being configured for providing a programmatic interface to the at least one application and enabling the at least one application for delegating at least a portion of data processing operations to the storage array.