Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: recording application-level heuristics and IO-level (input/output-level) heuristics; correlating and analyzing the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics; and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, generating a policy for achieving optimal application performance. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a system configured to record application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to correlate and analyze the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to generate a policy for achieving optimal application performance.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: recording application-level heuristics and IO-level (input/output-level) heuristics; correlating and analyzing the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics; and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, generating a policy for achieving optimal application performance. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a system configured to record application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to correlate and analyze the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to generate a policy for achieving optimal application performance.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: recording application-level heuristics and IO-level (input/output-level) heuristics; correlating and analyzing the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics; and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, generating a policy for achieving optimal application performance. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a system configured to record application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to correlate and analyze the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to generate a policy for achieving optimal application performance.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method comprising: performing an application write; storing the application write in a local cache; performing a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, copying the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: an application configured to perform an application write; a cache software configured to store the application write in a local cache; wherein the application is configured to perform a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, the cache software is configured to copy the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a physical server; a guest operating system (OS) instance that runs on the physical server; a cache communicatively coupled to the guest OS instance via the physical server and allocated the guest OS; a plurality of storage units; wherein the guest OS instance is configured to access data in the plurality of storage units via a network; and wherein the cache is configured to boost a performance of a guest OS machine of the guest OS instance. In another embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: accessing, by a guest operating system (OS) instance, data in a plurality of storage units via a network; and boosting, by a cache, a performance of a guest OS of the guest OS instance.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method comprising: performing an application write; storing the application write in a local cache; performing a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, copying the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: an application configured to perform an application write; a cache software configured to store the application write in a local cache; wherein the application is configured to perform a system call to request an underlying storage system to persist any application writes that are not yet persisted; and in response to the system call, the cache software is configured to copy the application write in the cache to a shared permanent storage.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: recording application-level heuristics and IO-level (input/output-level) heuristics; correlating and analyzing the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics; and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, generating a policy for achieving optimal application performance. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a system configured to record application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to correlate and analyze the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, and based on an analysis and correlation of the application-level heuristics and IO-level heuristics, to generate a policy for achieving optimal application performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing an exclusive lock for a resource amongst a defined plurality of applications. A first application to lock a resource is given a key. The first application may provide the key to other applications to allow those applications to simultaneously access the locked resource. Generally, the first application will only provide keys to applications that are compatible with the first application such that the applications having keys to a resource will be able to simultaneously access the resource without conflict.

Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for assigning symbolic names to data streams within a file are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method involves receiving a request to access a file that includes multiple data streams and then selecting one of the data streams to be accessed, based on the symbolic name. In response to identifying that one of the data streams is associated with the symbolic name, that data stream is accessed.

Abstract: A client computer system of a cluster may send a request to create a file in a cluster file system. A server may create a file in response to the information and allocate space in a storage to the file. If a request to write to the file is received within a predetermined amount of time, the write may complete without requiring that additional operations be performed to allocate space to the file. If a write to the file is not received within the predetermined amount of time, the space allocated to the file when it was created may be de-allocated. The file system may additionally or alternatively perform a method for opening a file while delaying an associated truncation of space allocated to the file. If a request to write to the file is received within a predetermined amount of time, the write may be performed in the space already allocated to the file.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating and using a policy-based file access/change log. Using the policy-based techniques, specific objects within the file system are selected for logging within an access/change log. These selected objects are then processed to identify attributes of the selected objects that are to be logged such that a policy is created regarding the objects to be logged and the attributes of those objects. Lastly, the policy is applied to the object either by having a separate object (file) created that is related to the object to be logged that identifies the policy for logging, or by attaching certain attributes directly to the object such that access to the object identifies the logging policy for that object. When an object that uses policy-based logging is changed, the object access/change log policy is utilized to log only the information that is identified in the policy.

Abstract: A method, system, application programming interface, computer system, and computer program product to provide locks for controlling access to data by nodes in a multi-node environment while minimizing messages sent between nodes. Based upon knowledge of lock usage in the multi-node environment, a multi-node knowledge agent can determine when no other node is accessing data protected by a given lock, as well as when an event has occurred that precedes a request by another node to access data protected by the given lock. When no other node is accessing data and no such event has occurred, the multi-node knowledge agent can designate that given lock as “masterless.” A lock agent on the node hosting the multi-node knowledge agent is authorized to subsequently grant access to the data protected by the masterless lock to clients on that node without communicating with a lock master, which may reside at another node.

Abstract: A client computer system of a cluster may send a request to create a file in a cluster file system. A server may create a file in response to the information and allocate space in a storage to the file. If a request to write to the file is received within a predetermined amount of time, the write may complete without requiring that additional operations be performed to allocate space to the file. If a write to the file is not received within the predetermined amount of time, the space allocated to the file when it was created may be de-allocated. The file system may additionally or alternatively perform a method for opening a file while delaying an associated truncation of space allocated to the file. If a request to write to the file is received within a predetermined amount of time, the write may be performed in the space already allocated to the file.