Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture in which a first storage unit at a first site is coupled to a second storage unit at a second site and a third storage unit at a third site. Data is received at the first storage unit. The received data is divided into a first part and a second part. The first part of the data is stored in the first storage unit at the first site. The second part of the data is distributed to the second storage unit at the second site for storage. Parity data corresponding to the first part of the data and the second part of the data is computed. The parity data is distributed to the third storage unit at the third site for storage. Additionally, provided also are a method, system, and article of manufacture in which data is received at the first storage unit.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for creating a backup copy. An instant virtual copy operation is received for copying one or more blocks of data from a source storage to a target storage. For each block of data to be copied from the source storage, a location identifier for the block of data is obtained. The block of data is copied from the source storage to the target storage along with the location identifier. A system having an integrated storage device controller is provided. Disk storage is attached to the integrated storage device controller. One or more tape drives are attached to the integrated storage device controller. A user interface is provided by the integrated storage device controller to enable receipt of commands for direct copying of data between the disk storage and the one or more tape drives.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method for backing up data. An example of the method includes creating a description of a backup. The description of the backup may be created in response to receiving a request to perform a backup. This example also includes receiving a block of data to be backed up. This example further includes generating a packet that includes the block of data and metadata, wherein the block of data and the metadata are included in a common information protocol object. This example additionally includes transmitting the packet. This example may also include extracting the block of data from the packet, and storing the block of data on a storage device. If desired, this example may further include restoring the data block from the storage device.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method for backing up data. An example of the method includes querying a backup infrastructure to ascertain backup capabilities of the backup infrastructure. This example also may include broadcasting the capabilities of the backup infrastructure, wherein the capabilities are broadcasted by the backup infrastructure. This example also includes determining if the backup infrastructure supports a desired backup type. If the backup infrastructure supports a desired backup type, this example may also include performing a backup of data using the desired backup type.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for on-demand resource allocation in a cluster having at least one initial virtual machine. It is determined that resource requirements have changed. At least one new virtual machine is created on at least one physical machine based on the changed resource requirements. The at least one new virtual machine is added to the initial cluster. Transactions for the at least one initial virtual machine are failed over to the at least one new virtual machine.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method for communicating in a computing system. An example of the method includes establishing a local communications interface at a local site. This example also includes writing local site communication information to the local communications interface, which comprises storing the local site communication information on a first site storage device at the local site, and sending the local site communication information from the first site storage device, to a third site storage device at a remote site, wherein the local site communication information is sent using a remote data replication protocol. The remote site communications interface may read the local site communication information from a third site storage device, and may send the local site communication information to a remote application at the remote site. Similarly, the remote application may send information to a local application at the local site.

Abstract: A method of automating the process of creating a remote mirror of a relational database management system (RDBMS) includes discovering storage configuration and database layout at a primary database, relaying this information to a backup storage subsystem, monitoring that database and storage systems for changes and conveying storage and/or database changes to the backup storage subsystem. A self-configuring backup mirroring system for dynamic relational configuration includes a source system monitoring one or more storage servers and a computer system running a RDBMS. A backup system provides a disaster recovery environment for the source system wherein backup storage components duplicate the source storage components. The backup system may be used to reconstruct the source storage system if necessary. Finally, software agents run at both the source and backup systems.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes, in response to detecting that a fast copy function has been invoked, automatically selecting at least one target volume for writing fast copy-related data, where the at least one target volume is selected for optimizing fast copy performance, and writing the fast copy data to the selected at least one target volume. Also disclosed is a data processing system having circuitry that operates in accordance with the method, as well as a computer program product, embodied on a computer readable media, that implements the method.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an integrated storage appliance is disclosed. The storage appliance includes a storage subsystem, a process cluster coupled to the storage subsystem, and a customizable software stack that includes storage-access application so executed by the processor cluster, wherein subsystem, processor cluster and software stack are integrated such that the storage appliance exhibits greater combined reliability, higher availability, and higher serviceability characteristics than would be provided by a sum of the characteristics unintegrated components.