Abstract: A method for determining when to load read I/O operations into an SSD cache medium for a physical storage medium of a data storage system can include maintaining an SSD filter bitmap with a plurality of bits, where each of the bits corresponds to a respective data block of the physical storage medium. The method can also include initially setting each of the bits to a first predetermined value, receiving a first read I/O operation directed to a particular data block of the physical storage medium and, in response to receiving the first read I/O operation, setting a bit corresponding to the particular data block to a second predetermined value. The method can further include receiving a second read I/O operation directed to the particular data block and, in response to receiving the second I/O operation, loading data for the particular data block into the SSD cache medium.

Abstract: Methods and systems for tracking transactions in a network fabric, include: receiving a message generated by a node in the network fabric; assigning a uniform fabric identifier (“UFID”) to the node; assigning a uniform transaction identifier (“UTID”) to the message”; appending the UFID and the UTID to the message; and storing the message in a database.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for accelerating the boot process of client computers by consolidating client-specific boot data in a data storage system. Boot statistics are collected for a number of client computers booting from virtual storage volumes provided by the data storage system. The boot statistics are analyzed to identify client-specific boot data stored on each of the virtual storage volumes, and the client-specific boot data is consolidated and copied into contiguous regions of a single, consolidated boot volume in the data storage system. Requests for read operations from the client computers for the client-specific boot data are then redirected to the consolidated boot volume, increasing boot performance for the client computers.

Abstract: Methods and systems for configuring a local switch and a remote switch configured as peers. The method includes: receiving a configuration for configuring the local switch and the remote switch; checking if resources are available for the configuration on the local switch; when resources are available on the local switch, reserving those resources; checking if resources are available for the configuration of the remote switch; when resources are available on the remote switch, reserving those resources; and applying the configuration to the local switch and the remote switch when resources are available on the local switch and the remote switch.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for predicting a risk of disk failure is described herein. The method can include collecting a performance parameter for respective disks in a group of disks, and calculating an expected value of the performance parameter for the group of disks. The method can also include comparing a respective value of the performance parameter for a respective disk in the group of disks to the expected value, and predicting a risk of disk failure based on the comparison. For example, when a difference between the respective value of the performance parameter for the respective disk and the expected value exceeds a threshold, the respective disk may be at risk of failing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for tracking transactions in a network fabric, include: receiving a message generated by a node in the network fabric; assigning a uniform fabric identifier (“UFID”) to the node; assigning a uniform transaction identifier (“UTID”) to the message”; appending the UFID and the UTID to the message; and storing the message in a database.

Abstract: An example method for performing cache replacement in a caching medium for a data storage system can include providing an SSD cache, providing an LRU data structure including buckets for managing the SSD cache, and providing cache headers for managing the cache lines. The method can include assigning two or more cache headers to a same bucket of the LRU data structure, and arranging the cache headers in a linked list based on access time. A cache header for an LRU cache line is a tail node of the linked list. The method can further include providing an LFU data structure including frequency buckets, assigning the tail node of the linked list of the same bucket of the LRU data structure to a frequency bucket based on access frequency, and selecting an LFU cache line for cache replacement using the LFU data structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for configuring a local switch and a remote switch configured as peers. The method includes: receiving a configuration for configuring the local switch and the remote switch; checking if resources are available for the configuration on the local switch; when resources are available on the local switch, reserving those resources; checking if resources are available for the configuration of the remote switch; when resources are available on the remote switch, reserving those resources; and applying the configuration to the local switch and the remote switch when resources are available on the local switch and the remote switch.

Abstract: A method for offloading RMW operations on a volume of a storage system to a caching medium includes providing an SSD cache, a data structure for managing the SSD cache and cache headers for managing cache lines. The method also includes maintaining cache headers for cache lines corresponding to a same chunk of the volume as a group, creating a snapshot of the volume and, after creating the snapshot, receiving a write I/O operation directed to a portion of the same chunk. The method further includes allocating a new RMW header for the write I/O operation, maintaining the new RMW header in a new group, performing the write I/O operation on the SSD cache, allocating an old RMW header for the group, maintaining the old RMW header with the group and providing a link between the new and old RMW headers.

Abstract: A method for determining when to load read I/O operations into an SSD cache medium for a physical storage medium of a data storage system can include maintaining an SSD filter bitmap with a plurality of bits, where each of the bits corresponds to a respective data block of the physical storage medium. The method can also include initially setting each of the bits to a first predetermined value, receiving a first read I/O operation directed to a particular data block of the physical storage medium and, in response to receiving the first read I/O operation, setting a bit corresponding to the particular data block to a second predetermined value. The method can further include receiving a second read I/O operation directed to the particular data block and, in response to receiving the second I/O operation, loading data for the particular data block into the SSD cache medium.

Abstract: A method for performing cache flushing operations in a data storage system can include maintaining a plurality of SSDs as a cache medium for a data storage medium, controlling a region of the SSDs in a write-back cache mode, and monitoring a status of the SSDs to detect a low-performance condition. In the write-back cache mode, data is mirrored across the SSDs. The method can also include performing normal purge operations on the data stored in the region under a condition that the low-performance condition is not detected, and performing aggressive purge operations on the data stored in the region in response to detecting the low-performance condition. The normal purge operations can include flushing the data stored in the region to the data storage medium. The aggressive purge operations can include sequentially mirroring the data stored in the region to one or more special territories of the data storage medium.

Abstract: A method for managing a caching medium for a storage system includes providing an SSD cache including a plurality of cache lines, providing a data structure including a plurality of buckets for managing the SSD cache, and providing a plurality of cache headers for managing the cache lines. Each cache line has a first predetermined size, and each bucket corresponds to a contiguous region of a physical storage capacity having a second predetermined size. Each cache header associates a cache line and a corresponding data block stored in the data storage system. The method also includes assigning two or more cache headers for cache lines associated with corresponding data blocks stored in a same contiguous region of the physical storage capacity to a same bucket, and maintaining the two or more cache headers as a first group of cache headers within the same bucket.

Abstract: A RAID module for a RAID controller that includes a thin RAID layer and a thin disk layer. The thin RAID layer sits between an operating system layer and a RAID stack, and intercepts and fields requests and I/Os made the between operating system and the RAID stack. The thin disk layer sits between the RAID stack and the disks that comprise the array, and intercepts and fields requests and I/Os made between the RAID stack and the array. The module may maintain a bitmap with an entry corresponding to each stripe of the array. When the module detects that a stripe has zero data, the entry in the bitmap for the stripe is set to 0. When the module detects that data has been written to a stripe, the entry in the bitmap for the stripe is set to 1.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for performing data de-duplication of a version of a data file for backup to a remote storage location. A CDP module executing on a computer creates a collection of files corresponding to the version of the data file by de-duplicating the version against a previous version master file stored locally on the computer. The previous version master file contains one or more unique data blocks of a specific block size from a previous version of the data file. Once the de-duplication against the locally maintained previous version master file is complete, the CDP module stores the collection of files corresponding to the version of the data file to the remote storage location. The remote storage location also contains a master file corresponding to the data file that contains all of the unique data blocks in the previous version master file.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for providing better cellular network coverage and establishing a new cellular network technology infrastructure are provided. A representative apparatus is a communications device that includes a processing device, memory, a transceiver, and a miniature cellular tower unit. The memory includes a routing manager which has instructions that are executed by the processing device. The instructions include logics that facilitate making and receiving cellular network calls from and to the communications device. The transceiver transmits and receives radio frequency (RF) signals to and from a cellular tower and to and from at least one other communications device. The miniature cellular tower unit routes RF signals from the at least one other communications device to the cellular tower.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for accelerating the boot process of client computers by consolidating client-specific boot data in a data storage system. Boot statistics are collected for a number of client computers booting from virtual storage volumes provided by the data storage system. The boot statistics are analyzed to identify client-specific boot data stored on each of the virtual storage volumes, and the client-specific boot data is consolidated and copied into contiguous regions of a single, consolidated boot volume in the data storage system. Requests for read operations from the client computers for the client-specific boot data are then redirected to the consolidated boot volume, increasing boot performance for the client computers.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing snapshot-assisted synchronous replication between a first storage server and a second storage server. For example, a notification is received at the second storage server that the first storage server has resumed operations following a failure. At this time, the first storage server is in a first current state and the second storage server is in a second current state. Upon receiving the notification, a common snapshot is identified between the first storage server and the second storage server. Upon identifying the common snapshot, the first storage server is rolled back from the first current state to a previous state according to the common snapshot, and upon rolling back the first storage server from the first current state to the previous state, the first storage server and the second storage server are resynchronized using the common snapshot.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for accelerating the boot process of client computers by consolidating client-specific boot data in a data storage system. Boot statistics are collected for a number of client computers booting from virtual storage volumes provided by the data storage system. The boot statistics are analyzed to identify client-specific boot data stored on each of the virtual storage volumes, and the client-specific boot data is consolidated and copied into contiguous regions of a single, consolidated boot volume in the data storage system. Requests for read operations from the client computers for the client-specific boot data are then redirected to the consolidated boot volume, increasing boot performance for the client computers.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing information lifecycle management (ILM)-assisted synchronous replication between a first storage server having a first current state and a second storage server having a second current state. For example, a notification is received at the first storage server that indicates the second storage server has resumed operations following a failure that occurred at a failure time. At this time, the first storage server is in the first current state and the second storage server is in the second current state that is different than the first current state. Then, ILM data for the first storage server is retrieved, and at least one block of data on the first storage server that was accessed after the failure time is identified. After identifying the at least one block of data, the identified block of data is re-synchronized between the first storage server and the second storage server.

Abstract: Technologies for providing block-level continuous data protection can operate without additional external devices. I/O operations to a storage volume may be logged to a sequential journal volume. The logging can occur in parallel to the I/O operation thereby having little, or no, impact on the performance of the storage system. Previous data need not be backed up; instead only new I/O operations may be recorded in the journal or log. Snapshot events may also be recorded to the logging journal. When a volume is to be recovered, a snapshot can be mounted and I/O operations after the snapshot creation, but prior to the recovery point, can be played back onto the snapshot. Operators may be provided with a flexible mechanism for reviewing and recovering data after a data loss. Using snapshots and I/O journals, a volume can be rolled back to a desired point nearly instantaneously.