Abstract: Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include detecting multiple sets of storage objects stored in a data facility including multiple server racks, each of the server racks including a plurality of server computers, each of the storage objects in each set being stored in a separate one of the server racks and including one or more data objects and one or more protection objects. A specified number of the storage objects are identified in a given server rack, each of the identified storage objects being stored in a separate one of the server computers, and one or more server computers in the given server rack not storing any of the identified storage objects are identified. Finally, in the identified one or more server computers, an additional protection object is created and managed for the identified storage objects.

Abstract: A computing facility, including a storage management system belonging to a first trust zone having a first privilege level, a metadata management system belonging to a second trust zone having a second privilege level higher than the first privilege level, and a security management system belonging to a third trust zone having a third privilege level higher than or equal to the second privilege level. The storage management system is and configured to store multiple content entities, and the metadata management system is configured to manage, for each of the multiple content entities, metadata including a respective content encryption key and a respective retention time, each of the content entities being encrypted by its respective content encryption key. The security management system is configured to manage a master encryption key used to create the respective content encryption keys, and to confirm expiration of the respective retention times.

Abstract: Methods, storage systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include defining, for an entity, a policy access control list including one or more access rules, each of the access rules including one or more user conditions and one or more entity conditions. Upon receiving a request from a user to access a given entity, one or more user attributes associated with the user and one or more entity attributes associated with the given entity are identified. For each of the access rules, the one or more user conditions are applied to the one or more user attributes, the one or more entity conditions are applied to the one or more entity attributes. Access to the given content entity is granted to the user upon determining that a minimum threshold of the one or more user conditions and the one or more entity conditions are met.

Abstract: A method for processing data using snapshots is provided. The method comprises generating a primary snapshot of data stored in a first storage medium, wherein the primary snapshot is a copy of the data stored in the first storage medium at a point in time; generating one or more secondary snapshots of the primary snapshot, wherein the secondary snapshots are copies of the data stored on the first storage medium at the point in time; and extracting the data stored in the first storage medium at the point in time by accessing the data included in the secondary snapshots, wherein multiple processing units concurrently transform the extracted data and load the transformed data onto a second storage medium.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, an inode implemented file system may be utilized to support both offline and inline deduplication. When the first content is stored in the storage medium, one inode is used to associate a filename with the data blocks where the first content is stored. When a second content that is a duplicate of the first content is to be stored, then a parent inode is created to point to the data blocks in which a copy of the first content is stored. Further, two inodes are created, one representing the first content and the other representing the second content. Both inodes point to the same parent inode that points to the data blocks where the first content is stored.

Abstract: A computerized method of collaborating storage space across multiple devices according to file usage patterns of the devices. The method comprises receiving access to a plurality of storage media each having a storage space and managed by at least one of a plurality of devices, identifying for each of the plurality of devices at least one usage pattern of at least one of a plurality of file types, creating a virtually contiguous storage pool mapping physical memory addresses of the plurality of storage media, setting a file distribution policy of storing each of a plurality of data files stored in the plurality of storage media in the virtually contiguous storage pool according to a match between a file type and at least one usage pattern, and collaborating storage space across the plurality of storage media managed by the plurality of devices according to the file distribution policy.

Abstract: A method for enforcing computer-based file system security, the method comprising generating a content-based file system from files in a physical file system, and enforcing a user access right to any aspect of the content-based file system, where the user access right derives from a user access right to a file in the physical file system.

Abstract: A method for processing data using snapshots is provided. The method comprises generating a primary snapshot of data stored in a first storage medium, wherein the primary snapshot is a copy of the data stored in the first storage medium at a point in time; generating one or more secondary snapshots of the primary snapshot, wherein the secondary snapshots are copies of the data stored on the first storage medium at the point in time; and extracting the data stored in the first storage medium at the point in time by accessing the data included in the secondary snapshots, wherein multiple processing units concurrently transform the extracted data and load the transformed data onto a second storage medium.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, an inode implemented file system may be utilized to support both offline and inline deduplication. When the first content is stored in the storage medium, one inode is used to associate a filename with the data blocks where the first content is stored. When a second content that is a duplicate of the first content is to be stored, then a parent inode is created to point to the data blocks in which a copy of the first content is stored. Further, two inodes are created, one representing the first content and the other representing the second content. Both inodes point to the same parent inode that points to the data blocks where the first content is stored.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for managing operations in a data storage system. A first storage controller monitors operation state information associated with a plurality of operation states stored in a data structure. The first storage controller detects a change in the operation state information. The change in the operation state information is in response to a managing entity updating the operation state information to a first operation state in the plurality of operation states in the data structure. Responsive to detecting the change in the operation state information, the first storage controller identifies a reference to a first operation associated with the first operation state updated by the managing entity. The first operation is one operation in a plurality of operations. The first storage controller performs the first operation associated with the first operation state.

Abstract: Generating a consistent point in time copy of data in a source volume and a target volume is achieved responsively to a first data modification request by writing a first altered version of the data onto a single source volume, asynchronously transferring the first altered version from the first storage site to a target volume located at a remote second storage site, while avoiding copying the first altered version onto other volumes at the first storage site. While asynchronously transferring the first altered version de-queuing a second modification request, and responsively to the second modification request synchronously transferring the first altered version from the first storage site to the target volume. Then a second altered version of the data is written to the single source volume and a copy transferred to the target volume in like manner.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for storing transient state information, the method includes: defining a first logical storage space within at least one storage device in response to at least one characteristic of a processing system logical memory space utilized for storing current transient state information of the processing system; repetitively storing current transient state information at a logical location within the first logical storage space that corresponds to a logical location of the current transient state information within the processing system logical memory space and storing, within a second logical storage space, previous transient state information.

Abstract: A method for processing data using snapshots is provided. The method comprises generating a primary snapshot of data stored in a first storage medium, wherein the primary snapshot is a copy of the data stored in the first storage medium at a point in time; generating one or more secondary snapshots of the primary snapshot, wherein the secondary snapshots are copies of the data stored on the first storage medium at the point in time; and extracting the data stored in the first storage medium at the point in time by accessing the data included in the secondary snapshots, wherein multiple processing units concurrently transform the extracted data and load the transformed data onto a second storage medium.

Abstract: A method for storing an information block that includes determining to store a current version of an information block stored in a memory unit. The checking if a current version of the information is already stored in a storage unit. The current version of the information block is sent from the memory unit to the storage unit if the answer is negative. Generating storage unit location information indicative of a location, at the storage unit, of the current version of the information block if the answer is positive.

Abstract: Method, device and computer program product for determining a characteristic of an identifiable component. The method includes: receiving identification information representative of an identity of components that belong to a group of components, determining at least one characteristic of an identifiable component in response to the received identification information, and performing at least one characteristic responsive operation. The device includes an identifiable component and a component characteristic determiner. The component characteristic determiner is adapted to receive identification information representative of an identity of components that belong to a group of components and to determine at least one characteristic of the identifiable component in response to a relationship between the received identification information and reference identification information. The device is adapted to perform at least one characteristic responsive information.

Abstract: A method and computer readable product for managing data, the method includes: providing a first data structure representative of insert or update operations to entries identified by keys and providing a second data structure representative of branch creation operations wherein the second data structure stores branch identifiers and branch timing information; receiving a request to lookup a version of data at a read timestamp; scanning the first and the second data structures to locate that version of data; and receiving a request to create a branch that starts by a version of data at a requested timestamp and updating the second data structure accordingly.

Abstract: A method for generating a consistent point in time copy of data, the method includes: selecting at least one selected data block to be copied from a source volume to a target volume in response to a request to generate a consistent point in time copy of multiple data blocks; waiting until the source volume is ready to send the at least one selected data block to a remote volume while queuing at least one data block modify request; de-queuing the at least one queued modify requests while copying the at least one selected data block from the source volume to the target volume; wherein the copying includes utilizing a first copying mechanism to copy a first selected data block if a request to modify the first selected block is de-queued before the first selected data block is copied to the target volume; else, the copying includes using a second copying mechanism that is slower than the first copying mechanism.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for storing transient state information, the method includes: defining a first logical storage space within at least one storage device in response to at least one characteristic of a processing system logical memory space utilized for storing current transient state information of the processing system; repetitively storing current transient state information at a logical location within the first logical storage space that corresponds to a logical location of the current transient state information within the processing system logical memory space and storing, within a second logical storage space, previous transient state information.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for storing transient state information, the method includes: defining a first logical storage space within at least one storage device in response to at least one characteristic of a processing system logical memory space utilized for storing current transient state information of the processing system; repetitively storing current transient state information at a logical location within the first logical storage space that corresponds to a logical location of the current transient state information within the processing system logical memory space and storing, within a second logical storage space, previous transient state information.

Abstract: Generating a consistent point in time copy of data in a source volume and a target volume is achieved responsively to a first data modification request by writing a first altered version of the data onto a single source volume, asynchronously transferring the first altered version from the first storage site to a target volume located at a remote second storage site, while avoiding copying the first altered version onto other volumes at the first storage site. While asynchronously transferring the first altered version de-queuing a second modification request, and responsively to the second modification request synchronously transferring the first altered version from the first storage site to the target volume. Then a second altered version of the data is written to the single source volume and a copy transferred to the target volume in like manner.