Abstract: A method for storage includes storing multiple memory pages in a memory of a first compute node. Using a second compute node that communicates with the first compute node over a communication network, duplicate memory pages are identified among the memory pages stored in the memory of the first compute node by directly accessing the memory of the first compute node. One or more of the identified duplicate memory pages are evicted from the first compute node. The identification of duplicate pages is performed by a node selected responsive to available processing or bandwidth resources.

Abstract: A method for storage includes storing multiple memory pages in a memory of a first compute node. Using a second compute node that communicates with the first compute node over a communication network, duplicate memory pages are identified among the memory pages stored in the memory of the first compute node by directly accessing the memory of the first compute node. One or more of the identified duplicate memory pages are evicted from the first compute node. The identification of duplicate pages is performed by a node selected responsive to available processing or bandwidth resources.

Abstract: A storage apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with a plurality of storage devices. The processor is configured to estimate likelihood metrics that are indicative of likelihoods that respective subsets of the storage devices will fail concurrently, to select from among the plurality of the storage devices, based on the likelihood metrics, a group of the storage devices on which to store given data and redundancy information associated with the given data, and to store the given data and the redundancy information on the storage devices in the selected group.

Abstract: A method includes running in a computer a hypervisor that allocates physical memory pages of the computer to a Virtual Machine (VM). A guest Operating System (OS), a virtual memory and a virtual storage device run in the VM. The guest OS maps the allocated physical memory pages to respective virtual memory pages, retains virtual memory pages that are frequently-accessed by the VM in the virtual memory, and swaps-out virtual memory pages that are rarely-accessed by the VM to the virtual storage. In the hypervisor, one or more of the physical memory pages allocated to the VM are selected, and the corresponding virtual memory pages preventing from being swapped-out by the guest OS, by marking the corresponding virtual memory pages in the guest OS as accessed thus causing the guest OS to regard the corresponding virtual memory pages as frequently-accessed.

Abstract: A method includes, in a computing system including one or more compute nodes that run workloads, booting a workload of a given type, and creating a post-boot snapshot of the workload at a point at which the workload completed booting but did not yet begin running user applications. In response to a request to initiate a new workload of the given type, the new workload is initiated starting from the post-boot snapshot.

Abstract: A method includes running a Virtual Machine (VM) on a first compute node in a plurality of compute nodes that communicate with one another over a communication network. The VM is migrated from the first compute node to a second compute node in the plurality by generating, for memory pages accessed by the VM, page transfer state of one or more local memory pages that are accessed locally on the first compute node, and of one or more externalized memory pages whose access is not confined to the first node. Based on the page transfer state, the migrated VM is provided with access to the memory pages, including both the local and the externalized memory pages, on the second compute node.

Abstract: A method includes running in a computer a hypervisor that allocates physical memory pages of the computer to a Virtual Machine (VM). A guest Operating System (OS), a virtual memory and a virtual storage device run in the VM. The guest OS maps the allocated physical memory pages to respective virtual memory pages, retains virtual memory pages that are frequently-accessed by the VM in the virtual memory, and swaps-out virtual memory pages that are rarely-accessed by the VM to the virtual storage. In the hypervisor, one or more of the physical memory pages allocated to the VM are selected, and the corresponding virtual memory pages preventing from being swapped-out by the guest OS, by marking the corresponding virtual memory pages in the guest OS as accessed thus causing the guest OS to regard the corresponding virtual memory pages as frequently-accessed.

Abstract: A method includes, in a computing system that includes at least first and second compute nodes, running on the first compute node a workload that uses memory pages. The memory pages used by the workload are classified into at least active pages and inactive pages, and the inactive memory pages are evicted to shared storage that is accessible at least to the first and second compute nodes. In response to migration of the workload from the first compute node to the second compute node, the active pages are transferred from the first compute node to the second compute node for use by the migrated workload, and the migrated workload is provided with access to the inactive pages on the shared storage.

Abstract: A method includes running a Virtual Machine (VM) on a first compute node in a plurality of compute nodes that communicate with one another over a communication network. The VM is migrated from the first compute node to a second compute node in the plurality by generating, for memory pages accessed by the VM, page transfer state of one or more local memory pages that are accessed locally on the first compute node, and of one or more externalized memory pages whose access is not confined to the first node. Based on the page transfer state, the migrated VM is provided with access to the memory pages, including both the local and the externalized memory pages, on the second compute node.

Abstract: A method includes, in a plurality of compute nodes that communicate with one another over a communication network, running one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) that access storage blocks stored on non-volatile storage devices coupled to at least some of the compute nodes. One or more of the storage blocks accessed by a given VM, which runs on a first compute node, are cached in a volatile memory of a second compute node that is different from the first compute node. The cached storage blocks are served to the given VM.

Abstract: A method for storage includes storing multiple memory pages in a memory of a first compute node. Using a second compute node that communicates with the first compute node over a communication network, duplicate memory pages are identified among the memory pages stored in the memory of the first compute node by directly accessing the memory of the first compute node. One or more of the identified duplicate memory pages are evicted from the first compute node.

Abstract: A method includes running on multiple compute nodes respective memory sharing agents that communicate with one another over a communication network. One or more local Virtual Machines (VMs), which access memory pages, run on a given compute node. Using the memory sharing agents, the memory pages that are accessed by the local VMs are stored on at least two of the compute nodes, and the stored memory pages are served to the local VMs.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving performance in a virtualization environment. The method comprising: detecting, by a first software, a first set of features supported by a hardware device, wherein the first software runs on the hardware device; detecting a second set of features with which to run a second software, wherein the second software is launched by the first software with the second set of features; exposing one or more features in the second set of features to the second software, wherein the second software detects and enables the exposed features for a third software launched by the second software; and emulating a first feature without causing a trap such that control is transferred to the second software, in response to determining that the first feature is an exposed feature not included in the first set of features, wherein one or more sensitive events are associated with the first feature.

Abstract: A data transmission optimization method and system. The method comprises analyzing program code to identify data access calls in the program code, using one or more processor; determining whether a first data access call is for retrieving target data stored in a data structure with a plurality of fields, wherein the target data is stored in one or more target fields of the data structure; determining whether servicing the first data access call will result in transfer of non-target data stored in one or more non-target fields in the data structure; and replacing the first data access call with a second data access call, wherein servicing the second data access call will result in transfer of the target data and minimizes the transfer of non-target data.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is disclosed for obtaining file-level information from block level information of files stored on a storage medium. The method includes accessing the storage medium to obtain metadata available in block level on the storage medium and building an inverse block-to-file map of the files stored on the storage medium. The method also includes listening online to incoming block-level commands communicated from a host to the storage medium, parsing the incoming block-level commands, inferring file-level information from the parsed block level commands; and updating the inverse file-level map. Also disclosed are corresponding computer program product and processing system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving performance in a virtualization environment. The method comprising: detecting, by a first software, a first set of features supported by a hardware device, wherein the first software runs on the hardware device; detecting a second set of features with which to run a second software, wherein the second software is launched by the first software with the second set of features; exposing one or more features in the second set of features to the second software, wherein the second software detects and enables the exposed features for a third software launched by the second software; and emulating a first feature without causing a trap such that control is transferred to the second software, in response to determining that the first feature is an exposed feature not included in the first set of features, wherein one or more sensitive events are associated with the first feature.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is disclosed for obtaining file-level information from block level information of files stored on a storage medium. The method includes accessing the storage medium to obtain metadata available in block level on the storage medium and building an inverse block-to-file map of the files stored on the storage medium. The method also includes listening online to incoming block-level commands communicated from a host to the storage medium, parsing the incoming block-level commands, inferring file-level information from the parsed block level commands; and updating the inverse file-level map. Also disclosed are corresponding computer program product and processing system.