Abstract: Techniques for analyzing cache efficiencies in storage systems based on in-depth metrics instrumentation. The techniques include collecting metrics instrumentation data for each page of a specific type stored in a cache memory component of a storage system. The metrics instrumentation data for each page of a specific type includes a timestamp indicating when the page was stored in the cache, a timestamp indicating when the last cache hit occurred for the page, a current number of cache hits for the page, and an indication of the specific type of page. The techniques further include, based on the metrics instrumentation data, obtaining a plurality of metrics for each specific type of page stored in the cache. The techniques further include, based on the plurality of metrics and/or the metrics instrumentation data, performing a remedial action to improve performance of the cache memory component or provide more optimal use of memory resources.

Abstract: A shared portion of processor cores in a data storage system are allocated for sharing between a storage system application and a containerized service also executing in the data storage system. A non-shared portion of the processor cores are allocated for exclusive use by the storage system application. The storage system application preferentially uses processor cores in the shared portion of the processor cores to execute background tasks, and preferentially uses processor cores in the non-shared portion to perform host I/O request processing. The storage system application may from time to time voluntarily yield one or more of the processor cores in the shared portion of the processor cores for execution of the containerized service.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering metadata, the method comprising: identifying a corrupt or missing metadata entry, the corrupt or missing metadata entry being part of a mapping structure that is stored in a random-access memory (RAM) of a storage system; selecting a metadata backup page that is associated with the mapping structure; identifying a plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; identifying a most recent copy among the plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; and recovering the corrupt or missing metadata entry based on the most recent one of the plurality of copies of the metadata backup page.

Abstract: A method is provided for storing log data in a logging system, comprising: instantiating a plurality of buffers in the logging system, the plurality of buffers including one or more type-1 buffers and one or more type-2 buffers; retrieving a log data item from a temporary storage of the logging system, and identifying a type of the log data item; when the log data item is from a first type: identifying a current type-1 buffer, detecting whether the current type-1 buffer is full, when the current type-1 buffer is not full, storing the log data item in the current type-1 buffer, when the current type-1 buffer is full, designating another buffer as the current type-1 buffer, and storing the log data item in the newly-designated current type-1 buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory that is configured to initiate a read data request utilizing a logical address of a content addressable storage system that maps to a physical address comprising an offset on a storage device that internally maps the offset to a first sector. The processing device is also configured to determine a health of the first sector responsive to the read data request failing, to recover data stored in the first sector responsive to the first sector being a bad sector, and to overwrite the recovered data to the logical address while maintaining the mapping to the physical address by directing a write of the recovered data to the offset to update the internal mapping of the offset in the storage device to a new physical location corresponding to a second sector different than the first sector.

Abstract: A technique handles metadata corruption to avoid data unavailability. The technique involves performing metadata evaluation operations on metadata describing pages of written data in a data-log that holds data en route to volumes in secondary storage. The technique further involves, while results of the metadata evaluation operations indicate that there is no corrupt metadata, flushing the pages of written data from the data-log to the volumes in the secondary storage. The technique further involves, in response to a result of a particular metadata evaluation operation indicating that metadata for a particular page of written data in the data-log is corrupt, quarantining the particular page of written data from the data-log to a containment cache to enable further flushing of other pages of written data from the data-log to the volumes in the secondary storage.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and an associated storage controller. The storage controller implements a logical storage layer in which logical blocks are associated with respective content-based signatures and a physical storage layer in which the content-based signatures are associated with respective physical blocks in the storage devices. The storage controller maintains reference counts for respective ones of the physical blocks, with a given such reference count indicating a number of the logical blocks that map via their respective content-based signatures to the same physical block, groups the content-based signatures into one or more subsets, and for a given one of the subsets, executes a scan of the logical blocks to detect any discrepancies in the maintained reference counts for the given subset, and corrects detected discrepancies by updating the reference counts for the given subset based at least in part on results of the scan.

Abstract: A technique handles metadata corruption to avoid data unavailability. The technique involves performing metadata evaluation operations on metadata describing pages of written data in a data-log that holds data en route to volumes in secondary storage. The technique further involves, while results of the metadata evaluation operations indicate that there is no corrupt metadata, flushing the pages of written data from the data-log to the volumes in the secondary storage. The technique further involves, in response to a result of a particular metadata evaluation operation indicating that metadata for a particular page of written data in the data-log is corrupt, quarantining the particular page of written data from the data-log to a containment cache to enable further flushing of other pages of written data from the data-log to the volumes in the secondary storage.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering metadata, the method comprising: identifying a corrupt or missing metadata entry, the corrupt or missing metadata entry being part of a mapping structure that is stored in a random-access memory (RAM) of a storage system; selecting a metadata backup page that is associated with the mapping structure; identifying a plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; identifying a most recent copy among the plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; and recovering the corrupt or missing metadata entry based on the most recent one of the plurality of copies of the metadata backup page.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and a storage controller. The storage controller is configured to scan data pages and associated metadata structures of the storage system, the metadata structures comprising at least a first metadata structure associating unique hash identifiers with physical locations of respective data pages in the storage system and a second metadata structure associating the physical locations of respective data pages with hash digests of the data pages and the unique hash identifiers. The storage controller is further configured to detect an error in one of the first and second metadata structures. Responsive to the detected error, the storage controller recovers a corresponding portion of the metadata based at least in part on one or more entries of the other one of the first and second metadata structures.

Abstract: A method is provided for storing log data in a logging system, comprising: instantiating a plurality of buffers in the logging system, the plurality of buffers including one or more type-1 buffers and one or more type-2 buffers; retrieving a log data item from a temporary storage of the logging system, and identifying a type of the log data item; when the log data item is from a first type: identifying a current type-1 buffer, detecting whether the current type-1 buffer is full, when the current type-1 buffer is not full, storing the log data item in the current type-1 buffer, when the current type-1 buffer is full, designating another buffer as the current type-1 buffer, and storing the log data item in the newly-designated current type-1 buffer.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and a storage controller. The storage controller is configured to scan data pages and associated metadata structures of the storage system, the metadata structures comprising at least a first metadata structure associating unique hash identifiers with physical locations of respective data pages in the storage system and a second metadata structure associating the physical locations of respective data pages with hash digests of the data pages and the unique hash identifiers. The storage controller is further configured to detect an error in one of the first and second metadata structures. Responsive to the detected error, the storage controller recovers a corresponding portion of the metadata based at least in part on one or more entries of the other one of the first and second metadata structures.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory that is configured to initiate a read data request utilizing a logical address of a content addressable storage system that maps to a physical address comprising an offset on a storage device that internally maps the offset to a first sector. The processing device is also configured to determine a health of the first sector responsive to the read data request failing, to recover data stored in the first sector responsive to the first sector being a bad sector, and to overwrite the recovered data to the logical address while maintaining the mapping to the physical address by directing a write of the recovered data to the offset to update the internal mapping of the offset in the storage device to a new physical location corresponding to a second sector different than the first sector.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and an associated storage controller. The storage controller implements a logical storage layer in which logical blocks are associated with respective content-based signatures and a physical storage layer in which the content-based signatures are associated with respective physical blocks in the storage devices. The storage controller maintains reference counts for respective ones of the physical blocks, with a given such reference count indicating a number of the logical blocks that map via their respective content-based signatures to the same physical block, groups the content-based signatures into one or more subsets, and for a given one of the subsets, executes a scan of the logical blocks to detect any discrepancies in the maintained reference counts for the given subset, and corrects detected discrepancies by updating the reference counts for the given subset based at least in part on results of the scan.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and an associated storage controller. The storage controller implements a logical storage layer in which logical blocks are associated with respective content-based signatures and a physical storage layer in which the content-based signatures are associated with respective physical blocks in the storage devices. The storage controller maintains reference counts for respective ones of the physical blocks, with a given such reference count indicating a number of the logical blocks that map via their respective content-based signatures to the same physical block, groups the content-based signatures into one or more subsets, and for a given one of the subsets, executes a scan of the logical blocks to detect any discrepancies in the maintained reference counts for the given subset, and corrects detected discrepancies by updating the reference counts for the given subset based at least in part on results of the scan.

Abstract: A storage system in one embodiment comprises a plurality of storage devices and an associated storage controller. The storage controller implements a logical storage layer in which logical blocks are associated with respective content-based signatures and a physical storage layer in which the content-based signatures are associated with respective physical blocks in the storage devices. The storage controller maintains reference counts for respective ones of the physical blocks, with a given such reference count indicating a number of the logical blocks that map via their respective content-based signatures to the same physical block, groups the content-based signatures into one or more subsets, and for a given one of the subsets, executes a scan of the logical blocks to detect any discrepancies in the maintained reference counts for the given subset, and corrects detected discrepancies by updating the reference counts for the given subset based at least in part on results of the scan.

Abstract: A computer program product, system, and method for: registering one or more agents within a program, wherein each agent is located along an execution path of the program and is configured to change the program's internal state; and executing at least one of the agents located along a first path in response to the program executing the first path. In some embodiments, executing the at least one of the agents includes changing internal data of the program and/or causing the program to execute varying amounts of data on the first path.