Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving, at an I/O Handler, an instruction to initiate a backup operation on data associated with an application running on multiple servers; and stretching communication between instances of the application and data storage volumes associated therewith during initiating the backup operation. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Providing shared access to data storage resources in a cluster computing environment, including detecting when a computer node requests access to a data storage device in a manner that excludes a computing device from accessing the data storage device, where the computer node is configured to communicate with the data storage device along a first communications channel, and where the computing device is configured to communicate with the data storage device along a second communications channel that is exclusive of the first communications channel, and responsive to the detecting, causing the data storage device to allow the computer node and the computing device to share access to the data storage device.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving, at an I/O Handler, an instruction to initiate a backup operation on data associated with an application running on multiple servers; and stretching communication between instances of the application and data storage volumes associated therewith during initiating the backup operation. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a backup of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; communicating with I/O Handlers on the servers for initiating a coordinated backup operation on the data at about a same start time; and instructing the I/O Handlers to stretch communication between instances of the application and data storage volumes associated therewith during initiating the backup operation. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system according to one embodiment includes at least one processor configured to: receive a request to perform a snapshot of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; instruct I/O Freezers on different servers to freeze data requests from instances of the application running on the servers; and instruct the I/O Freezers to initiate snapshot processing on the data associated with the application so that the I/O Freezers perform the snapshot processing within the same window of synchronization.

Abstract: Embodiments for data tagging in a computing environment are provided. A write operation in an operating system (OS) file system level storage layer is intercepted. A set of signatures in a sub-chunk level is calculated. The set of signatures are aligned to the beginning of an OS file system-level object and stored in a memory location, such as a cache, along with file system information relating to the write operation and to the file system-level object that the data is written into. Following file system processing, and as the data is written into storage in blocks, the write operation is intercepted in the block level storage layer. A secondary set of signatures in a sub-block level is calculated using a common algorithm used to create the original set of signatures. The sets of signatures are compared against each other, and blocks of the data having matching signatures are tagged with the file system information stored in the memory location.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a backup of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; calculating a time value based on communications with the servers, the time value calculation including at least one of a latency of at least one of the communications, and a difference between a reference time clock value and a time clock value of at least one of the servers; and communicating with I/O Handlers on the servers for initiating a coordinated backup operation on the data at about a same start time. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a backup of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; communicating with I/O Handlers on the servers for initiating a coordinated backup operation on the data at about a same start time; and instructing the I/O Handlers to stretch communication between instances of the application and data storage volumes associated therewith during initiating the backup operation. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A software upgrade tool and procedure provide uninterrupted operation of a replication system during an upgrade of software components of the system. The replication system includes one or more user systems coupled to one or more target storage systems over a communications network, such as a computer network. Illustratively, each user system is embodied as a replication client, while each target storage system is embodied as a replication server. In addition, the replication system includes a management system embodied as a management server that manages configuration of the system, including during upgrade of the software components of the replication system. To that end, the software upgrade tool cooperates with the management server to query the configuration of “old” versions of the software components and to manage upgrades of those components to “new” versions of software.

Abstract: Providing shared access to data storage resources in a cluster computing environment, including detecting when a computer node requests access to a data storage device in a manner that excludes a computing device from accessing the data storage device, where the computer node is configured to communicate with the data storage device along a first communications channel, and where the computing device is configured to communicate with the data storage device along a second communications channel that is exclusive of the first communications channel, and responsive to the detecting, causing the data storage device to allow the computer node and the computing device to share access to the data storage device.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a snapshot of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; coordinating I/O Freezers on different servers for freezing data requests from instances of the application running on the servers; and after determining that the I/O Freezers have frozen the data requests, requesting initiation of a snapshot operation to take the snapshot of the data.

Abstract: A system according to one embodiment includes at least one processor configured to: receive a request to perform a snapshot of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; instruct I/O Freezers on different servers to freeze data requests from instances of the application running on the servers; and instruct the I/O Freezers to initiate snapshot processing on the data associated with the application so that the I/O Freezers perform the snapshot processing within the same window of synchronization.

Abstract: Embodiments for data tagging in a computing environment are provided. A write operation in an operating system (OS) file system level storage layer is intercepted. A set of signatures in a sub-chunk level is calculated. The set of signatures are aligned to the beginning of an OS file system-level object and stored in a memory location, such as a cache, along with file system information relating to the write operation and to the file system-level object that the data is written into. Following file system processing, and as the data is written into storage in blocks, the write operation is intercepted in the block level storage layer. A secondary set of signatures in a sub-block level is calculated using a common algorithm used to create the original set of signatures. The sets of signatures are compared against each other, and blocks of the data having matching signatures are tagged with the file system information stored in the memory location.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a snapshot of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; coordinating I/O Freezers on different servers for freezing data requests from instances of the application running on the servers; and after determining that the I/O Freezers have frozen the data requests, requesting initiation of a snapshot operation to take the snapshot of the data.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to perform a backup of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; calculating a time value based on communications with the servers, the time value calculation including at least one of a latency of at least one of the communications, and a difference between a reference time clock value and a time clock value of at least one of the servers; and communicating with I/O Handlers on the servers for initiating a coordinated backup operation on the data at about a same start time. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A software upgrade tool and procedure provide uninterrupted operation of a replication system during an upgrade of software components of the system. The replication system includes one or more user systems coupled to one or more target storage systems over a communications network, such as a computer network. Illustratively, each user system is embodied as a replication client, while each target storage system is embodied as a replication server. In addition, the replication system includes a management system embodied as a management server that manages configuration of the system, including during upgrade of the software components of the replication system. To that end, the software upgrade tool cooperates with the management server to query the configuration of “old” versions of the software components and to manage upgrades of those components to “new” versions of software.