Abstract: An example virtualized computing system includes a cluster of hosts having a virtualization layer executing thereon and configured to manage virtual machines (VMs); first and second local storage devices in a first host, the first local storage device being part of a virtual storage area network (vSAN) and the second local storage device being exclusive of the vSAN; and an orchestration control plane, integrated with the virtualization layer and including a master server managing state of the orchestration control plane, the state including objects representing the hosts and the VMs, the orchestration control plane deploying a persistent application executing on a first VM, the persistent application storing persistent data on the second local storage device; and a virtualization management server configured to manage the cluster and to cooperate with the orchestration control plane to modify the state to notify the master server of a virtual infrastructure (VI) event.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a destination node receiving, from a source node, a hash of data stored by the source node and designated for transfer from the source node to the destination node. In response to determining the hash received from the source node maps to data stored by the destination node, the destination node reads the data into a write buffer and transmits an indication to the source node that the data is present at the source node. The destination node reads the data from write buffer and, in response to determining the data read from the write buffer remains unchanged as stored by the destination node, increases a reference count for the data as stored by the destination node.

Abstract: An example virtualized computing system includes a cluster of hosts having a virtualization layer executing thereon and configured to manage virtual machines (VMs); first and second local storage devices in a first host, the first local storage device being part of a virtual storage area network (vSAN) and the second local storage device being exclusive of the vSAN; and an orchestration control plane, integrated with the virtualization layer and including a master server managing state of the orchestration control plane, the state including objects representing the hosts and the VMs, the orchestration control plane deploying a persistent application executing on a first VM, the persistent application storing persistent data on the second local storage device; and a virtualization management server configured to manage the cluster and to cooperate with the orchestration control plane to modify the state to notify the master server of a virtual infrastructure (VI) event.

Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, files may be deduplicated in a distributed storage system having a plurality of storage volumes. A uniqueness metric for each file may indicate a degree of deduplication of the respective data files in the given storage volume. The uniqueness metric may be used to identify files for rebalancing in the distributed storage system. The uniqueness metric may be efficiently calculated with enough accuracy using a sampling methodology.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for recommending and installing a patch onto a first computing device, comprising: parsing a machine-readable document for a property variable and a possible value of the property variable, wherein the combination of the property variable and the possible value represents a criticality of installing the patch; transmitting a request to the first computing device for a first value of the first computing device, the first value representing a state of the first computing device corresponding to the property variable; receiving the first value; comparing the possible value to the first value; based on the comparing, performing a first determination of the criticality of installing the patch onto the first computing device; and based on the criticality of installing the patch, installing the patch onto the first computing device.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for recommending and installing a patch onto a first computing device, comprising: parsing a machine-readable document for a property variable and a possible value of the property variable, wherein the combination of the property variable and the possible value represents a criticality of installing the patch; transmitting a request to the first computing device for a first value of the first computing device, the first value representing a state of the first computing device corresponding to the property variable; receiving the first value; comparing the possible value to the first value; based on the comparing, performing a first determination of the criticality of installing the patch onto the first computing device; and based on the criticality of installing the patch, installing the patch onto the first computing device.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems determine that quorum can be maintained for a storage object in a distributed storage system in the event a defined maximum number of first partitions in a first level of storage and a second partitions in a second level of storage fail. When it is determined that there are insufficient numbers of first partitions and/or second partitions, additional first partitions and/or second partitions are associated with the storage object in the distributed storage system. A number of votes is calculated for distribution and an allocation is defined for assigning the votes to each component and witness component of the storage object.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a destination node receiving, from a source node, a hash of data stored by the source node and designated for transfer from the source node to the destination node. In response to determining the hash received from the source node maps to data stored by the destination node, the destination node reads the data into a write buffer and transmits an indication to the source node that the data is present at the source node. The destination node reads the data from write buffer and, in response to determining the data read from the write buffer remains unchanged as stored by the destination node, increases a reference count for the data as stored by the destination node.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems determine that a disk drive in a distributed storage system is failing. In response to determining that the disk drive is failing, it is determined if an object has object components stored on the failing disk drive. Object components are flagged based on whether the object components will become inaccessible in the event the disk drive fails or is unmounted. Object components that are flagged with an evacuate flag are migrated from the failing disk drive to one or more other disk drives in the distributed storage system to prevent objects from becoming inaccessible.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems determine that quorum can be maintained for a storage object in a distributed storage system in the event a defined maximum number of first partitions in a first level of storage and a second partitions in a second level of storage fail. When it is determined that there are insufficient numbers of first partitions and/or second partitions, additional first partitions and/or second partitions are associated with the storage object in the distributed storage system. A number of votes is calculated for distribution and an allocation is defined for assigning the votes to each component and witness component of the storage object.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems determine that a disk drive in a distributed storage system is failing. In response to determining that the disk drive is failing, it is determined if an object has object components stored on the failing disk drive. Object components are flagged based on whether the object components will become inaccessible in the event the disk drive fails or is unmounted. Object components that are flagged with an evacuate flag are migrated from the failing disk drive to one or more other disk drives in the distributed storage system to prevent objects from becoming inaccessible.

Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, files may be deduplicated in a distributed storage system having a plurality of storage volumes. A uniqueness metric for each file may indicate a degree of deduplication of the respective data files in the given storage volume. The uniqueness metric may be used to identify files for rebalancing in the distributed storage system. The uniqueness metric may be efficiently calculated with enough accuracy using a sampling methodology.

Abstract: A method enables a central management service to operate on individual files within virtual disks associated with different virtual machines (VMs) running in one or more host computers that are each networked to a remote storage system. An IO request from a VM is received at a virtualization software layer on a host computer, wherein the IO request relates to a file stored in a virtual disk associated with the VM, and the file is individually stored in the remote storage system in accordance with a file system. The central management service is notified of the received IO request and uses the file system to access the file in the remote storage system to perform a management task on the file, and the IO request is then performed on the file by the virtualization software layer upon a notification of a successful completion of the management task.

Abstract: Virtual machines are managed in centralized manner. Files that are shared by multiple virtual machines are stored in a central storage unit and a management program is executed on one or more of these files on a per file basis. The management program is executed on a file if an IO operation is issued for that file. A namespace map is used to provide a mapping of filenames used by the different virtual machines to filenames used by the central storage unit.

Abstract: A file management system includes a host computer having one or more virtual machines, a switching layer computer configured to manage a namespace map for the virtual machines in the host computer, and a central storage unit. The host computer is connected indirectly to the central storage unit through an in-band IO path that includes the switching layer computer and directly to the central storage unit through an out-of-band IO path. When a virtual machines issues a file operation, a file operation including a data operation is routed to the central storage unit along an out-of-band IO path and a file operation including a metadata operation is routed to the central storage unit along an in-band IO path that includes the switching layer computer.

Abstract: A file management system includes a host computer having one or more virtual machines, a switching layer computer configured to manage a namespace map for the virtual machines in the host computer, and a central storage unit. The host computer is connected indirectly to the central storage unit through an in-band IO path that includes the switching layer computer and directly to the central storage unit through an out-of-band IO path. When a virtual machines issues a file operation, a file operation including a data operation is routed to the central storage unit along an out-of-band IO path and a file operation including a metadata operation is routed to the central storage unit along an in-band IO path that includes the switching layer computer.

Abstract: Virtual machines are managed in centralized manner. Files that are shared by multiple virtual machines are stored in a central storage unit and a management program is executed on one or more of these files on a per file basis. The management program is executed on a file if an 10 operation is issued for that file. A namespace map is used to provide a mapping of filenames used by the different virtual machines to filenames used by the central storage unit.