Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request to duplicate at least a portion of a volume stored on a first storage array managed by a storage controller, creating at least one dependent volume on the first storage array using the storage controller, duplicating the at least the portion of the volume to the at least one dependent volume on the first storage array to create a snapshot. The creation of the snapshot is performed entirely on the first storage array.

Abstract: Control of the discard of data from cache during backup of the data. In a computer-implemented system comprising primary data storage; cache; backup data storage; and at least one processor, the processor is configured to identify data stored in the primary data storage for backup to the backup data storage, where the identified data is placed in the cache in the form of portions of the data, and where the portions of data are to be backed up from the cache to the backup storage. Upon backup of each portion of the identified data from the cache to the backup storage, the processor marks the backed up portion of the identified data for discard from the cache. Thus, the backed up data is discarded from the cache right away, lessening cache pollution.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request to duplicate at least a portion of a volume stored on a first storage array managed by a storage controller, creating at least one dependent volume on the first storage array using the storage controller, duplicating the at least the portion of the volume to the at least one dependent volume on the first storage array to create a snapshot. The creation of the snapshot is performed entirely on the first storage array.

Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency of a “copy-on-write” operation performed on an SSD to extend the life of the SSD is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a first logical address specifying a logical location where new data should be written to an SSD. The first logical address maps to a first physical location, storing original data, on the SSD. The method further receives a second logical address specifying a logical location where the original data should be available on the SSD. The second logical address maps to a second physical location on the SSD. To efficiently perform the copy-on-write operation, the method writes the new data to a new physical location on the SSD, maps the first logical address to the new physical location, and maps the second logical address to the first physical location. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for converting a first address mapping function for mapping addresses to storage locations to a second address mapping function. For each of a plurality of addresses allocated in the storage using the first address mapping function, a node is generated in the second address mapping function. Each node in the second address mapping function associates a logical address with a physical location for the logical address. A determination is made of addresses having unused space and storage space is freed for the determined addresses having the unused space. Indication is made in the second address mapping function that the storage space for the determined addresses has been freed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency of a “copy-on-write” operation performed on an SSD to extend the life of the SSD is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a first logical address specifying a logical location where new data should be written to an SSD. The first logical address maps to a first physical location, storing original data, on the SSD. The method further receives a second logical address specifying a logical location where the original data should be available on the SSD. The second logical address maps to a second physical location on the SSD. To efficiently perform the copy-on-write operation, the method writes the new data to a new physical location on the SSD, maps the first logical address to the new physical location, and maps the second logical address to the first physical location. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for converting a first address mapping function for mapping addresses to storage locations to a second address mapping function. For each of a plurality of addresses allocated in the storage using the first address mapping function, a node is generated in the second address mapping function. Each node in the second address mapping function associates a logical address with a physical location for the logical address. A determination is made of addresses having unused space and storage space is freed for the determined addresses having the unused space. Indication is made in the second address mapping function that the storage space for the determined addresses has been freed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency of a “copy-on-write” operation performed on an SSD to extend the life of the SSD is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a first logical address specifying a logical location where new data should be written to an SSD. The first logical address maps to a first physical location, storing original data, on the SSD. The method further receives a second logical address specifying a logical location where the original data should be available on the SSD. The second logical address maps to a second physical location on the SSD. To efficiently perform the copy-on-write operation, the method writes the new data to a new physical location on the SSD, maps the first logical address to the new physical location, and maps the second logical address to the first physical location. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: Control of the discard of data from cache during backup of the data. In a computer-implemented system comprising primary data storage; cache; backup data storage; and at least one processor, the processor is configured to identify data stored in the primary data storage for backup to the backup data storage, where the identified data is placed in the cache in the form of portions of the data, and where the portions of data are to be backed up from the cache to the backup storage. Upon backup of each portion of the identified data from the cache to the backup storage, the processor marks the backed up portion of the identified data for discard from the cache. Thus, the backed up data is discarded from the cache right away, lessening cache pollution.

Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency of a “copy-on-write” operation performed on an SSD to extend the life of the SSD is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a first logical address specifying a logical location where new data should be written to an SSD. The first logical address maps to a first physical location, storing original data, on the SSD. The method further receives a second logical address specifying a logical location where the original data should be available on the SSD. The second logical address maps to a second physical location on the SSD. To efficiently perform the copy-on-write operation, the method writes the new data to a new physical location on the SSD, maps the first logical address to the new physical location, and maps the second logical address to the first physical location. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A snapshot manager switches the roles of a production storage device and a corresponding snapshot device by modifying read and write requests to the devices. Thus, translation mapping information concerning the acting snapshot device does not change, so a remote computing device can perform a backup from the acting snapshot without having to restart every time content is written to the production device. After the backup operation, the snapshot manager can update the underlying data source from the acting production device to capture writes to production that occurred during the backup. The snapshot manager then reverts the roles of the storage device and the snapshot to normal.