Abstract: A storage command is received at a block level interface from a file system. The storage command is associated with a window of a virtual drive. One of a plurality of binary trees is selected based on the window being associated with the storage command, each of the binary trees being associated with a plurality of windows. If a data storage size of the storage command exceeds a threshold, a window identifier of the window is added to the selected binary tree to indicate the command will bypass a cache and send data of the storage command directly to main data storage.

Abstract: A storage command is received at a block level interface from a file system. The storage command is associated with a window of a virtual drive. One of a plurality of binary trees is selected based on the window being associated with the storage command, each of the binary trees being associated with a plurality of windows. If a data storage size of the storage command exceeds a threshold, a window identifier of the window is added to the selected binary tree to indicate the command will bypass a cache and send data of the storage command directly to main data storage.

Abstract: A cache controller implemented in O/S kernel, driver and application levels within a guest virtual machine dynamically allocates a cache store to virtual machines for improved responsiveness to changing demands of virtual machines. A single cache device or a group of cache devices are provisioned as multiple logical devices and exposed to a resource allocator. A core caching algorithm executes in the guest virtual machine. As new virtual machines are added under the management of the virtual machine monitor, existing virtual machines are prompted to relinquish a portion of the cache store allocated for use by the respective existing machines. The relinquished cache is allocated to the new machine. Similarly, if a virtual machine is shutdown or migrated to a new host system, the cache capacity allocated to the virtual machine is redistributed among the remaining virtual machines being managed by the virtual machine monitor.

Abstract: A method and controller device for upgrading firmware in a virtualized storage environment having a virtual machine manager, guest virtual machines and a storage device. The method includes downloading a new firmware solution bundle to a first logical area of the storage device, and installing the new firmware containing the virtual machine manager and guest virtual machines. The installation includes moving the solution bundle to a scratch area carved out of a P-cache area in the storage device, extracting the new firmware, copying the new firmware to the first logical area, marking the first logical area as the Active area, and marking the second logical area as the Staging area. The method also includes rebooting the virtualized storage environment with the installed new firmware, committing to the new firmware if the installation is successful, and rolling back the firmware version from the new firmware to the current firmware if the installation is not successful.

Abstract: A system includes a data storage device, a controller coupled with the data storage device, a backup device coupled with the controller for backing up a modified portion of data and volatile memory metadata stored by the controller, and a backup power source for powering the controller. The controller includes a pre-specified region of volatile memory for storing backup device metadata for managing a modified portion of data, the metadata comprising one or more intents corresponding to modified data written back to the data storage device. The controller is configured to invalidate the one or more intents. During a restore operation, the controller is configured to store the backup device metadata in the pre-specified region of volatile memory when a charge on the backup power source is at least a minimum threshold charge and to store the updated backup device metadata in the backup device during an interruption of power.

Abstract: A system includes a data storage device, a controller coupled with the data storage device, a backup device coupled with the controller for backing up a modified portion of data and volatile memory metadata stored by the controller, and a backup power source for powering the controller. The controller includes a pre-specified region of volatile memory for storing backup device metadata for managing a modified portion of data, the metadata comprising one or more intents corresponding to modified data written back to the data storage device. The controller is configured to invalidate the one or more intents. During a restore operation, the controller is configured to store the backup device metadata in the pre-specified region of volatile memory when a charge on the backup power source is at least a minimum threshold charge and to store the updated backup device metadata in the backup device during an interruption of power.