Abstract: Replication between virtual storage systems includes: constructing a virtual storage system in which the one or more virtual storage devices are coupled to each of one or more virtual storage controllers and replicating a dataset from the virtual storage system to another virtual storage system, where at least one of the virtual storage systems is an on-premises virtual storage system utilizing on-premises physical storage resources.

Abstract: A storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes. Each of the plurality of storage nodes includes nonvolatile solid-state memory and each of the plurality of storage nodes is configured to cooperate with others of the plurality of storage nodes having differing storage capacities in applying erasure coding. The plurality of storage nodes are configured to distribute the user data and metadata throughout the plurality of storage nodes.

Abstract: Providing volumes as a service, including: receiving a request to create a volume; determining whether a storage pool that includes one or more cloud-based storage systems includes sufficient resources for provisioning the volume; responsive to determining that the storage pool includes sufficient resources for provisioning the volume, create a volume that is supported by one or more of the cloud-based storage systems in the storage pool; and responsive to determining that the storage pool does not includes sufficient resources for provisioning the volume, expanding the resources that are included in the storage pool.

Abstract: A method for querying a storage system is provided. The method includes receiving, at one of a plurality of storage nodes of the storage system, a query relating to metadata of the storage system. The method includes determining which authorities have ownership of ranges of user data to which the query pertains and distributing the query or portions of the query to the authorities that have ownership of the data, wherein each of the authorities access the metadata of the storage system associated with the query. The method includes aggregating replies to the query from the authorities that have ownership of the ranges of user data, to form a query reply.

Abstract: A storage system is provided. The storage system includes a plurality of storage nodes, each of the plurality of storage nodes having a plurality of storage units with storage memory. The system includes a first network coupling the plurality of storage nodes and a second network coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of storage units of each of the plurality of storage nodes such that one of the plurality of storage units of a first one of the plurality of storage nodes can initiate or relay a command to one of the plurality of storage units of a second one of the plurality of storage nodes via the second network without the command passing through the first network.

Abstract: A storage cluster is provided. The storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes coupled together as the storage cluster. The plurality of storage nodes is configured to assign data to two or more logical arrays and the plurality of storage nodes is configured to establish data striping across the plurality of storage nodes for user data of each of the two or more logical arrays.

Abstract: A method for preserving a media access control (MAC) address of a virtual server is provided. The method includes assigning a physical computing resource to a virtual server, assigning a physical storage memory resource to the virtual server, and assigning a physical network resource to the virtual server. The method includes assigning a virtual MAC address to the virtual server, the virtual MAC address to remain with the virtual server despite reassignment of one or more of the physical computing resource, the physical storage memory resource or the physical network resource, wherein at least one method operation is performed by a processor. A computing and storage system is also provided.

Abstract: A storage system is provided. The storage system includes a plurality of storage nodes, each of the plurality of storage nodes having a plurality of storage units with storage memory. The system includes a first network coupling the plurality of storage nodes and a second network coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of storage units of each of the plurality of storage nodes such that one of the plurality of storage units of a first one of the plurality of storage nodes can initiate or relay a command to one of the plurality of storage units of a second one of the plurality of storage nodes via the second network without the command passing through the first network.

Abstract: Creating a virtual storage system, including: instantiating one or more virtual storage controllers; instantiating one or more virtual storage devices each including multiple storage tiers; and constructing a virtual storage system in which the one or more virtual storage devices are coupled to each of the one or more virtual storage controllers.

Abstract: A method for preserving a media access control (MAC) address of a virtual server is provided. The method includes assigning a physical computing resource to a virtual server, assigning a physical storage memory resource to the virtual server, and assigning a physical network resource to the virtual server. The method includes assigning a virtual MAC address to the virtual server, the virtual MAC address to remain with the virtual server despite reassignment of one or more of the physical computing resource, the physical storage memory resource or the physical network resource, wherein at least one method operation is performed by a processor. A computing and storage system is also provided.

Abstract: A storage cluster is provided. The storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes coupled together as the storage cluster. The plurality of storage nodes is configured to assign data to two or more logical arrays and the plurality of storage nodes is configured to establish data striping across the plurality of storage nodes for user data of each of the two or more logical arrays.

Abstract: A plurality of storage nodes in a single chassis is provided. The plurality of storage nodes includes a first plurality of storage nodes configured to communicate together as a first storage cluster and a second plurality of storage nodes configured to communicate together as a second storage cluster. Each of the first and second pluralities of storage nodes has nonvolatile solid-state memory for user data storage and each of the first and second pluralities of storage nodes is configured to distribute user data and metadata associated with the user data throughout a respective plurality of storage nodes such that a respective storage cluster maintains ability to read the user data, using erasure coding, despite a loss of one or more of the respective plurality of storage nodes.

Abstract: A pod, the pod including the dataset, a set of managed objects and management operations, a set of access operations to modify or read the dataset, and a plurality of storage systems, where: management operations can modify or query managed objects equivalently through any of the storage systems, access operations to read or modify the dataset operate equivalently through any of the storage systems, each storage system stores a separate copy of the dataset as a proper subset of the datasets stored and advertised for use by the storage system, and operations to modify managed objects or the dataset performed and completed through any one storage system are reflected in subsequent management objects to query the pod or subsequent access operations to read the dataset.

Abstract: Servicing I/O operations in a cloud-based storage system, including: receiving, by the cloud-based storage system, a request to write data to the cloud-based storage system; storing, in solid-state storage of the cloud-based storage system, the data; storing, in object storage of the cloud-based storage system, the data; detecting that at least some portion of the solid-state storage of the cloud-based storage system has become unavailable; identifying data that was stored in the portion of the solid-state storage of the cloud-based storage system that has become unavailable; retrieving, from object storage of the cloud-based storage system, the data that was stored in the portion of the solid-state storage of the cloud-based storage system that has become unavailable; and storing, in solid-state storage of the cloud-based storage system, the retrieved data.

Abstract: A method for administration through files in a storage cluster is provided. The method includes distributing user data, including files, throughout a plurality of storage nodes having non-volatile solid-state memory, through erasure coding. The plurality of storage nodes are housed within a single chassis that couples the storage nodes as the storage cluster. The method includes receiving at the storage cluster a command to write a file or read a file, the file having a filename. The method includes determining whether the filename is reserved and determining an administrative action according to the file, responsive to determining that the filename is reserved. The method includes initiating the administrative action. A storage system is also provided.

Abstract: Providing for increased flexibility for large scale parity, the including: writing data to a storage system, including utilizing a first data protection scheme; identifying, for storage media in the storage system, characteristics of the storage media; identifying, in dependence up the characteristics for the storage media, a second data protection scheme to use for the data; and writing the data to the to the storage system utilizing the second data protection scheme.

Abstract: A storage cluster includes a plurality of storage nodes. Each of the plurality of storage nodes includes nonvolatile solid-state memory and each of the plurality of storage nodes is configured to cooperate with others of the plurality of storage nodes having differing storage capacities in applying erasure coding. The plurality of storage nodes are configured to distribute the user data and metadata throughout the plurality of storage nodes.

Abstract: A method for administration through files in a storage cluster is provided. The method includes distributing user data, including files, throughout a plurality of storage nodes having non-volatile solid-state memory, through erasure coding. The plurality of storage nodes are housed within a single chassis that couples the storage nodes as the storage cluster. The method includes receiving at the storage cluster a command to write a file or read a file, the file having a filename. The method includes determining whether the filename is reserved and determining an administrative action according to the file, responsive to determining that the filename is reserved. The method includes initiating the administrative action. A storage system is also provided.

Abstract: A storage system is provided. The storage system includes a plurality of storage nodes, each of the plurality of storage nodes having a plurality of storage units with storage memory. The system includes a first network coupling the plurality of storage nodes and a second network coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of storage units of each of the plurality of storage nodes such that one of the plurality of storage units of a first one of the plurality of storage nodes can initiate or relay a command to one of the plurality of storage units of a second one of the plurality of storage nodes via the second network without the command passing through the first network.

Abstract: A method for securing data in a storage grid is provided. The method includes generating a storage key from key shares of at least two storage clusters of a storage grid having at least three storage clusters and generating a grid key from the storage key and an external secret. The method includes encrypting data with the grid key to yield once encrypted data and encrypting the once encrypted data with the storage key to yield twice encrypted data. The method includes storing the twice encrypted data in a first storage cluster of the storage grid and storing the twice encrypted data in a second storage cluster of the storage grid, wherein at least one method operation is performed by a processor.