Abstract: Systems and methods for replicating a snapshot of a volume are described. In one embodiment, a storage controller of a storage system may be operable to initialize a first replication process between a first storage volume of the first storage system and a second storage volume of a second storage system, copy content from a first system snapshot of the first storage volume to a second system snapshot of the first storage volume, and copy content from a first user snapshot of the first storage volume to the first system snapshot of the first storage volume. In some cases, a system snapshot is not accessible to a user and a user snapshot is accessible to the user. In some cases, at least one of the system snapshot and the user snapshot include a point in time capture of data on the first storage volume.

Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent replication of a snapshot tree are described. In one embodiment, a first storage system may include a storage controller. In some embodiments, the storage controller may be operable to replicate a first storage volume of a first storage system and a first user snapshot of the first storage volume to a second storage volume of a second storage system and capture a first tree structure block (TSB) of the first storage system. In some cases, the first user snapshot may include a point in time capture of data on the first storage volume at a first time. In some embodiments, the first TSB captures a hierarchy of each snapshot of the first storage system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for replicating a snapshot of a volume are described. In one embodiment, a storage controller of a storage system may be operable to initialize a first replication process between a first storage volume of the first storage system and a second storage volume of a second storage system, copy content from a first system snapshot of the first storage volume to a second system snapshot of the first storage volume, and copy content from a first user snapshot of the first storage volume to the first system snapshot of the first storage volume. In some cases, a system snapshot is not accessible to a user and a user snapshot is accessible to the user. In some cases, at least one of the system snapshot and the user snapshot include a point in time capture of data on the first storage volume.

Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent replication of a snapshot tree are described. In one embodiment, a first storage system may include a storage controller. In some embodiments, the storage controller may be operable to replicate a first storage volume of a first storage system and a first user snapshot of the first storage volume to a second storage volume of a second storage system and capture a first tree structure block (TSB) of the first storage system. In some cases, the first user snapshot may include a point in time capture of data on the first storage volume at a first time. In some embodiments, the first TSB captures a hierarchy of each snapshot of the first storage system.

Abstract: A data storage system that includes first and second controllers is provided. Data is mirrored from one controller to the other controller according to different steps depending on the amount of data to be mirrored. When the data to be mirrored is less than or equal to a predetermined number of bytes, one less interrupt is generated than when the data to be mirrored is greater than the predetermined number of bits.

Abstract: A storage array comprised of a number of storage drives is provided with a controller to control zero initialization of the storage drives. The zero initialization involves writing zeros to all the storage drives in the array before user data or other information is written thereto. Each storage drive has a priority associated with accessing and using a bus subsystem that provides the communication link between the array of storage drives and the controller. A number of write operations are conducted during the zero initialization process to each storage drive in the array. A first write operation is performed by each storage drive before a second write operation is performed. Substantially equal usage of the bus subsystem by all the storage drives in the array is achieved in order to fully utilize the available bandwidth of the bus subsystem and reduce the time required to complete the zero initialization.

Abstract: The methodology of the present invention automatically selects an unused id for a system component in a system where multiple other components with other ids are already present. In this manner, id conflicts are avoided.

Abstract: A network storage controller for transferring data between a host computer and a storage device, such as a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID), is disclosed. The network storage controller includes at least one channel interface module which is adapted to be connected to the host computer and storage device. The channel interface module is connected to a passive backplane, and selectively transfers data between the host computer and storage device and the passive backplane. The network storage controller also includes at least one controller management module, attached to the passive backplane. The controller management module communicates with the channel interface module via the passive backplane, and processes and temporarily stores data received from the host computer or storage device. In applications where redundancy is required, at least two controller management modules and at least two channel interface modules may be used.

Abstract: A data storage system that includes first and second controllers is provided. Data is mirrored from one controller to the other controller according to different steps depending on the amount of data to be mirrored. When the data to be mirrored is less than or equal to a predetermined number of bytes, one less interrupt is generated than when the data to be mirrored is greater than the predetermined number of bits.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for assisting an administrator of a system, such as including a storage area network (SAN), in managing tasks that may include tasks related to data storage, wherein typically a plurality of host systems contact the SAN. The system (i) detects a new host contact that is the result of a bus scan on the new host (H), (ii) captures a world wide (WWN) for H provided by the bus scan, (iii) uses the WWN to retrieve additional information describing H from, e.g., a fiber channel switch, (iii) presents both the WWN and the additional information for H to the administrator, wherein the presentation is distinguished from presentations of other hosts, and (iv) allows the administrator to modify the presentation for H by adding to or replacing at least a portion of the presentation for H with further data that makes it easier for the administrator to identify the presentation for H from corresponding presentations for other hosts.

Abstract: A network storage controller for transferring data between a host computer and a storage device, such as a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID), is disclosed. The network storage controller includes at least one channel interface module which is adapted to be connected to the host computer and storage device. The channel interface module is connected to a passive backplane, and selectively transfers data between the host computer and storage device and the passive backplane. The network storage controller also includes at least one controller management module, attached to the passive backplane. The controller management module communicates with the channel interface module via the passive backplane, and processes and temporarily stores data received from the host computer or storage device. In applications where redundancy is required, at least two controller management modules and at least two channel interface modules may be used.

Abstract: A storage array comprised of a number of storage drives is provided with a controller to control zero initialization of the storage drives. The zero initialization involves writing zeros to all the storage drives in the array before user data or other information is written thereto. Each storage drive has a priority associated with accessing and using a bus subsystem that provides the communication link between the array of storage drives and the controller. A number of write operations are conducted during the zero initialization process to each storage drive in the array. A first write operation is performed by each storage drive before a second write operation is performed. Substantially equal usage ofthe bus subsystem by all the storage drives in the array is achieved in order to fully utilize the available bandwidth of the bus subsystem and reduce the time required to complete the zero initialization.

Abstract: The methodology of the present invention automatically selects an unused id for a system component in a system where multiple other components with other ids are already present. In this manner, id conflicts are avoided.

Abstract: An external I/O controller system between a host system and a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) array, having a processor complex for coordinating RAID parity write operations to a member disk in a RAID array, and a cache memory complex that asynchronously executes the RAID parity write operation independent of the processor complex and any processor complex resources. The cache memory complex includes a first cache memory and a second cache memory that operate in concert to achieve increased RAID parity write efficiency for a RAID Level 3, 4, 5, or 6 write operation. The I/O controller of the present invention also performs substantially concurrent manipulations on the new host data being written to the RAID array and the old host data and old parity data used to generate a new parity data corresponding to the new host data.