Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from that data storage system to a destination data storage system that is different from that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries may include one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry may include at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance during backup are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries that include or more custom tags, detecting an execution of a backup data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes creation of a backup copy of a data set in that data storage system in a destination data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the backup data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the backup data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the backup data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from source storage location to a destination storage location in that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries includes one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems including at least one tiered data storage system in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in the tiered data storage system that causes movement of a data set from a source storage tier to a destination storage tier, and in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command, operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: In one embodiment of file integrity preservation in accordance with the present description, a file is subdivided into a plurality of subfiles, and a write update originally targeted for a portion of that file contained within one of the subfiles, is instead directed to a temporary copy subfile. As a consequence, the temporary copy subfile which is updated with the write data, may be scanned for viruses or other malware separately from the original file and its corresponding original subfile. If the temporary copy subfile passes the scanning test, the originally targeted file may be updated with the updated contents of the clean temporary copy subfile. Conversely, in the event that the write update introduced malicious software to the temporary copy subfile, the original file and its corresponding original subfile remain uncontaminated by the write update. Other aspects are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from source storage location to a destination storage location in that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries includes one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance during backup are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries that include or more custom tags, detecting an execution of a backup data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes creation of a backup copy of a data set in that data storage system in a destination data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the backup data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the backup data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the backup data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from that data storage system to a destination data storage system that is different from that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries may include one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry may include at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems including at least one tiered data storage system in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in the tiered data storage system that causes movement of a data set from a source storage tier to a destination storage tier, and in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command, operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: A primary storage controller determines that a quarantined area of the primary storage controller cannot be repaired, wherein the quarantined area is infected with a virus. A query is sent to a secondary storage controller to determine whether the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus in an area of the secondary storage controller corresponding to the quarantined area of the primary storage controller. In response to receiving a notification that the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus, the primary storage controller is repaired to remove the virus.

Abstract: A main data storage system has a main computer-implemented storage control and data storage, and a user interface, the main storage control in communication with a local computer-implemented storage control of a local data storage system with local data storage. In response to a request to increase data storage from the user interface, the main storage control determines whether the main data storage is out of space. If so, the main storage control sends a command to the local storage control to create data space in local data storage. The local storage control creates the data space and associates the data space with the main storage control; and, in response to a command from the user interface to rebalance data storage, the local storage control sends the command to the main storage control to search for storage space sufficient for the data space in the main storage.

Abstract: A primary storage controller determines that a quarantined area of the primary storage controller cannot be repaired, wherein the quarantined area is infected with a virus. A query is sent to a secondary storage controller to determine whether the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus in an area of the secondary storage controller corresponding to the quarantined area of the primary storage controller. In response to receiving a notification that the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus, the primary storage controller is repaired to remove the virus.

Abstract: A primary storage controller determines that a quarantined area of the primary storage controller cannot be repaired, wherein the quarantined area is infected with a virus. A query is sent to a secondary storage controller to determine whether the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus in an area of the secondary storage controller corresponding to the quarantined area of the primary storage controller. In response to receiving a notification that the secondary storage controller has data that is free of virus, the primary storage controller is repaired to remove the virus.

Abstract: A method to reduce delays associated with restoring quarantined files is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes maintaining, for a file, a “current” pointer pointing to a current copy of the file and a “backup” pointer pointing to a virus-free backup copy of the file. The method receives an I/O request (a read or write request) to access the file. In response to receiving the I/O request, the method scans the current copy of the file for viruses. In the event a virus is discovered in the current copy, the method modifies the “current” pointer to point to the backup copy. This causes the backup copy to become the new current copy. The method then executes the I/O request with respect to the new current copy. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment of file integrity preservation in accordance with the present description, a file is subdivided into a plurality of subfiles, and a write update originally targeted for a portion of that file contained within one of the subfiles, is instead directed to a temporary copy subfile. As a consequence, the temporary copy subfile which is updated with the write data, may be scanned for viruses or other malware separately from the original file and its corresponding original subfile. If the temporary copy subfile passes the scanning test, the originally targeted file may be updated with the updated contents of the clean temporary copy subfile. Conversely, in the event that the write update introduced malicious software to the temporary copy subfile, the original file and its corresponding original subfile remain uncontaminated by the write update. Other aspects are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment of file integrity preservation in accordance with the present description, a file is subdivided into a plurality of subfiles, and a write update originally targeted for a portion of that file contained within one of the subfiles, is instead directed to a temporary copy subfile. As a consequence, the temporary copy subfile which is updated with the write data, may be scanned for viruses or other malware separately from the original file and its corresponding original subfile. If the temporary copy subfile passes the scanning test, the originally targeted file may be updated with the updated contents of the clean temporary copy subfile. Conversely, in the event that the write update introduced malicious software to the temporary copy subfile, the original file and its corresponding original subfile remain uncontaminated by the write update. Other aspects are also described.

Abstract: A method for more efficiently scanning files for viruses includes determining a vulnerability date associated with a virus, wherein the vulnerability date is related to a release date of the virus. In certain embodiments, the vulnerability date is a user-tunable amount of time before or after the release date. The method further determines, on a storage system, which files that have been updated since the vulnerability date. These files are scanned for the virus in a first batch. The method further determines which files have not been updated since the vulnerability date. These files are scanned for the virus in a second batch. Because files in the first batch have been updated since the vulnerability date, scanning the first batch may be given priority over scanning the second batch. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A main data storage system has a main computer-implemented storage control and data storage, and a user interface, the main storage control in communication with a local computer-implemented storage control of a local data storage system with local data storage. In response to a request to increase data storage from the user interface, the main storage control determines whether the main data storage is out of space. If so, the main storage control sends a command to the local storage control to create data space in local data storage. The local storage control creates the data space and associates the data space with the main storage control; and, in response to a command from the user interface to rebalance data storage, the local storage control sends the command to the main storage control to search for storage space sufficient for the data space in the main storage.

Abstract: Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program product in which a secondary storage controller copies a file stored in a primary storage controller. The secondary storage controller performs an anti-virus scan on the copied file. A result of the anti-virus scan is transmitted to the primary storage controller.

Abstract: A main data storage system has a main computer-implemented storage control and data storage, and a user interface, the main storage control in communication with a local computer-implemented storage control of a local data storage system with local data storage. In response to a request to increase data storage from the user interface, the main storage control determines whether the main data storage is out of space. If so, the main storage control sends a command to the local storage control to create data space in local data storage. The local storage control creates the data space and associates the data space with the main storage control; and, in response to the local storage control creating data space in the local data storage and notifying the main storage control, the main storage control updates its metadata with respect to the data space.