Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for supporting storage functions using an embedded database management system. The apparatus includes a disk controller configured to receive input/output (I/O) requests from a host, an embedded database management system module, and a conversion module configured to translate the input/output requests into database requests and communicate the database requests with the embedded database management system module. The system may include the apparatus, a network, and a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network and configured to store data. The method includes receiving input/output (I/O) requests from a host, translating the input/output requests into database requests, communicating the database requests with an embedded database management system module, and executing the database requests.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture wherein a command is received for writing data to a first storage location. A determination is made that previously written data is stored in the first storage location. The previously written data is copied to a second storage location, in response to determining that the previously written data is stored in the first storage location. The data is written to the first storage location, in response to copying the previously written data to the second storage location.

Abstract: A system for controlling I/O transfers includes a host system or initiator including an adapter driver layer; and a storage controller. The storage controller includes a priority store and an operation queue. The adapter driver is selectively responsive to a datapath command from an initiator application for setting a default I/O priority for a specified logical unit, for storing the default I/O priority for the logical unit to a priority store of the storage controller, and selectively responsive to a data transfer command from an initiator application for storing the data transfer command to the storage controller. The storage controller is responsive to the datapath command for storing the I/O priority default value for the logical unit to the priority store; and responsive to the data transfer command with respect to the logical unit for queuing the data transfer command for execution based on the I/O priority default value.

Abstract: A system and method for application fault tolerance and recover using topologically remotely located computing devices are provided. A primary computing device runs one instance of an application (i.e. the primary application instance) at a production site and an active standby computing device runs a second instance of the application (i.e. the shadow application instance) at a recovery site which may be topologically remotely located from the production site. The two instances of the application are brought into a consistent state by running an initial application “checkpoint” on the primary computing device followed by an application “restart” on the active standby computing device. Events occurring in the primary application instance may be automatically and continuously recorded in a log and transferred to the recovery site using a peer-to-peer remote copy operation so as to maintain the states of the application instances consistent.

Abstract: A system for controlling I/O transfers includes a host system or initiator including an adapter driver layer; and a storage controller. The storage controller includes a priority store and an operation queue. The adapter driver is selectively responsive to a datapath command from an initiator application for setting a default I/O priority for a specified logical unit, for storing the default I/O priority for the logical unit to a priority store of the storage controller, and selectively responsive to a data transfer command from an initiator application for storing the data transfer command to the storage controller. The storage controller is responsive to the datapath command for storing the I/O priority default value for the logical unit to the priority store; and responsive to the data transfer command with respect to the logical unit for queuing the data transfer command for execution based on the I/O priority default value.

Abstract: In a virtual machine (VM) environment, a virtual machine ID (VMID) uniquely associated with a preferred virtual guest (222) is sent to a storage controller (108) along with requests to RESERVE or RELEASE a direct access storage device (DASD) (128). The VMID is used by the storage controller (108) along with a path group ID (PGID) to determine the scope of the RESERVE or RELEASE. Thus, preferred virtual guests (216) of a single host processor (112) may share the DASD while both preserving data integrity and operating with the performance benefits of Input/Output (I/O) Assist. Sharing is similarly provided for tape devices with requests to ASSIGN or UNASSIGN.