Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to selecting a data protection scheme, such as, for example, mirroring or RAID, for a content unit based on power-related metadata associated with the content unit. The data protection strategy selected for a content unit may impact the amount of power that a storage system consumes.

Abstract: A method of managing workflows related to storage services provided by a service provider to a customer (via a management system) is presented. The management system includes a Web server and a workflow process. The Web server presents to a customer a task screen (or set of task screens) for a customer-selected work order request type so that the customer can prepare and submit a work order request to the management system. After receiving the work order request, the Web server uses information contained in and associated with the request to create a database object that includes some or all of the following elements: customer identifier; work order identifier, date/time of request; request state (e.g., new, open or closed); type of request; parameters or arguments to the request; and any textual description provided by the customer. The Web server stores the object in a database.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to selecting a data protection scheme, such as, for example, mirroring or RAID, for a content unit based on power-related metadata associated with the content unit. The data protection strategy selected for a content unit may impact the amount of power that a storage system consumes.

Abstract: A service provider management system (SPMS) that connects to storage resources in a datacenter controlled by a service provider and a database that stores information about the datacenter and customers that receive the storage resources as a service. The SPMS enables the service provider to allocate storage resources to a customer and to assign ownership to billable devices, such as disks, volumes, ports, and so forth, as well as to generate billing information based on hardware configuration and customer usage. The SPSM is supported on a server architecture, which includes a Web server that exports a first interface to the service provider to enable the service provider to manage the data storage resources to which the SPMS is connected, and a second interface to the customer to enable the customer to manage the allocated data storage resources directly.

Abstract: A registration application that allows a service provider customer that is using data storage resources (storage and/or storage-related services) provided by the service provider to register with a Service Provider Management System (SPMS) that is maintained by the service provider. The registration application executes on each of the customer's servers (that is, those which are connected to resources being used) to produce registration information and provides that registration information to the SPMS. The resources have a scratch pad storage area that is used by the servers and the SPMS to communicate with each other. The registration information is passed to the SPMS by the servers indirectly via the scratch pad area. The SPMS uses the registration information to associate customer information with the resources used by that customer's servers. The association of the customer information and resources can then be used by the SPMS to track customer usage of the resources for billing and other applications.

Abstract: One aspect is directed to a method for storing, in a persistent manner, a state of the storage process such that the state of the storage operation may be recovered if the storage operation is interrupted. Another aspect is directed to a method and apparatus that stores the state of a storage operation in a non-volatile memory of a computer that stores data on a storage system. Another aspect is directed to a method for recovering the state of the storage process without having to re-perform storage operations. Another aspect is directed to maintaining state information for other purposes such as monitoring access to data storage locations.

Abstract: One aspect is directed to a method for storing, in a persistent manner, a state of the storage process such that the state of the storage operation may be recovered if the storage operation is interrupted. Another aspect is directed to a method and apparatus that stores the state of a storage operation in a non-volatile memory of a computer that stores data on a storage system. Another aspect is directed to a method for recovering the state of the storage process without having to re-perform storage operations. Another aspect is directed to maintaining state information for other purposes such as monitoring access to data storage locations.

Abstract: A system and method of retrieving management information in a protocol environment having a maximum retrieval byte size is provided. An example of such a protocol environment is SCSI environment. A retrieval command is sent from an initiator to a target where the retrieval command is capable of retrieving more information than the maximum allowed by the protocol. A target buffer is created at the target in response to the retrieval command and the target buffer is filled with management information associated with the target. The management information may be in the form of mode pages when the method is applied in a SCSI environment. The management information is then sent from the target buffer to the initiator. If all of the management information is not retrieved, a second retrieval command is sent by the initiator to retrieve at least a portion of the unsent management information.

Abstract: A method of managing workflows related to storage services provided by a service provider to a customer (via a management system) is presented. The management system includes a Web server and a workflow process. The Web server presents to a customer a task screen (or set of task screens) for a customer-selected work order request type so that the customer can prepare and submit a work order request to the management system. After receiving the work order request, the Web server uses information contained in and associated with the request to create a database object that includes some or all of the following elements: customer identifier; work order identifier, date/time of request; request state (e.g., new, open or closed); type of request; parameters or arguments to the request; and any textual description provided by the customer. The Web server stores the object in a database.

Abstract: Modular resource configuration management in a service provider management system (SPMS) that connects to storage resources in a datacenter controlled by a service provider and a database that stores information about the datacenter and customers that receive the storage resources as a service is described. The SPMS enables the service provider to allocate storage resources to a customer, as well as to generate billing information based on storage resource configuration and customer usage. The SPSM software includes a device to monitor the resources for configuration and attributes/parameter information. The device is generalized to allow the monitored resources to be defined by corresponding executable modules. The executable modules thus present a common interface to the monitoring device, allowing the monitoring device to implemented in a generic (that is, resource-independent) manner.

Abstract: A service provider management system (SPMS) that connects to storage resources in a datacenter controlled by a service provider and a database that stores information about the datacenter and customers that receive the storage resources as a service. The SPMS enables the service provider to allocate storage resources to a customer and to assign ownership to billable devices, such as disks, volumes, ports, and so forth, as well as to generate billing information based on hardware configuration and customer usage. The SPSM is supported on a server architecture, which includes a Web server that exports a first interface to the service provider to enable the service provider to manage the data storage resources to which the SPMS is connected, and a second interface to the customer to enable the customer to manage the allocated data storage resources directly.

Abstract: A registration application that allows a service provider customer that is using data storage resources (storage and/or storage-related services) provided by the service provider to register with a Service Provider Management System (SPMS) that is maintained by the service provider. The registration application executes on each of the customer's servers (that is, those which are connected to resources being used) to produce registration information and provides that registration information to the SPMS. The resources have a scratch pad storage area that is used by the servers and the SPMS to communicate with each other. The registration information is passed to the SPMS by the servers indirectly via the scatch pad area. The SPMS uses the registration information to associate customer information with the resources used by that customer's servers. The association of the customer information and resources can then be used by the SPMS to track customer usage of the resources for billing and other applications.

Abstract: One aspect is directed to a computer system including a host computer having an application space and defining a repository of logical objects visible thereto, and a storage system that a defines a physical space wherein data representing the repository is stored. The repository is mapped from application space to physical space to create mapping information identifying which units of storage in physical space store the repository, and the mapping information is made visible to the application space. Another aspect is directed to executing an incremental operation on a repository of logical objects. A further aspect is directed to a storage system that identifies to the host accesses to a repository of logical objects based upon accesses to corresponding units of storage in physical space. A further aspect is directed to determining that a subset of the logical objects in a repository satisfy a particular selection criterion, and transferring the subset over a network from a first to a second storage system.