Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating a virtual storage appliance configuration file. A storage system may be queried for physical configuration information associated with deploying a virtual storage appliance based upon, at least in part, the virtual storage appliance configuration file. One or more virtual storage appliance deployment vulnerabilities associated with the storage system may be identified based upon, at least in part, the virtual storage appliance configuration file and the physical configuration information. A notification including the identified one or more virtual storage appliance deployment vulnerabilities may be generated.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, via a computing device, a virtual storage appliance template file. The virtual storage appliance template file may be duplicated to generate a plurality of virtual storage appliance configuration files. A plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes may be deployed, via a hypervisor, with the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files. Each of the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files may be configured for a respective virtual storage appliance node of the plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating a virtual storage appliance configuration file. A storage system may be queried for physical configuration information associated with deploying a virtual storage appliance based upon, at least in part, the virtual storage appliance configuration file. One or more virtual storage appliance deployment vulnerabilities associated with the storage system may be identified based upon, at least in part, the virtual storage appliance configuration file and the physical configuration information. A notification including the identified one or more virtual storage appliance deployment vulnerabilities may be generated.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, via a computing device, a virtual storage appliance template file. The virtual storage appliance template file may be duplicated to generate a plurality of virtual storage appliance configuration files. A plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes may be deployed, via a hypervisor, with the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files. Each of the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files may be configured for a respective virtual storage appliance node of the plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for executing a first virtual machine on a hypervisor. A first communication channel is established between the first virtual machine and a first group of underlying hardware associated with the first virtual machine.

Abstract: A storage processor of a set of virtual-machine-implemented storage processors (SPs) of a virtual storage appliance (VSA) is operated to avoid potential mis-communications among non-peer SPs in a virtualized environment having multiple VSAs. An operating method includes receiving a peer-SP identifier that uniquely identifies a peer storage processor of the VSA in network packets sent by the peer storage processor via an internal inter-SP network. The peer-SP identifier, which may be a machine-level network address such as a MAC address, is used to configure a network firewall to accept peer-SP packets and reject non-peer-SP packets from the internal inter-SP network. The network firewall is subsequently operated as configured to accept the peer-SP packets for delivery to the main operating logic of the one storage processor and to reject the non-peer-SP network packets.

Abstract: A method of controlling startup of a virtual storage appliance includes obtaining resource information about virtual resources (e.g., hardware resources) available in a virtual-computing environment of the host computer, and comparing the resource information with resource profiles describing sets of virtual resources compatible with resource needs of the virtual storage appliance. A comparison result is used to selectively enable or disable remaining startup of the virtual storage appliance, the remaining startup being enabled when the resource information matches one of the resource profiles, and being disabled when resource information does not match any of the resource profiles. A user may be notified using a reporting mechanism, and the virtual machine may be placed into a service mode that includes facilities for examining configuration and other information to determine the cause of a mismatch.

Abstract: A method of establishing a platform-specific configuration of a virtual machine functioning as a virtual storage appliance includes, in a deployment operation, creating a virtual platform on host computer(s), the virtual platform being a collection of virtualized hardware resources having a selected configuration from among multiple possible configurations. A description of the selected configuration of the virtual platform is stored in a record accessible to the virtual machines during a later virtual-machine initialization process. The virtual machines are instantiated and their operation initiated, and the virtual machines perform the virtual-machine initialization process to (1) read the record to obtain the stored description of the selected configuration of the virtual platform and (2) use the description of the selected configuration of the virtual platform to self-configure into the platform-specific configuration for operation compatible with the virtual platform.