Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing quality of service (QoS) policies in a virtual storage environment. A data storage system receives a request from a host system to connect to a target virtual volume in a storage array of the data storage system, and determines a protocol endpoint which has an assigned QoS policy which corresponds to a QoS policy of the target virtual volume. The data storage system binds the target virtual volume to the protocol endpoint which is determined to have an assigned QoS policy which corresponds to the QoS policy of the target virtual volume, and sends a unique identifier of the protocol endpoint, which is bound to the target virtual volume, to the host system. The data storage system utilizes the protocol endpoint, which is bound to the target virtual volume, to handle data access requests received from the host system for accessing the target virtual volume.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing replication journals in a distributed replication system. A data replication system assigns an associated replication journal volume to each replication component operating on a storage node. Each replication component is configured to handle a portion of a replication workload which is distributed among the replication components, and to write journal data in the associated replication journal volume of the replication component. The data replication system performs a recovery process in response to detecting a failed replication component. The recovery process includes designating at least one replication component as a recovery replication component, designating the associated replication journal volume of the failed replication component as a recovery journal volume, and assigning the recovery journal volume to the recovery replication component to enable the recovery replication component to recover journal data in the recovery journal volume.

Abstract: A processing device obtains a write operation which comprises first data and second data to be stored in first and second strips of a given stripe. The processing device stores the first data in the first strip and determines that the second strip is unavailable. The processing device determines a parity based on the first data and the second data and stores the parity in a parity strip. The processing device updates metadata to indicate that the second data was not stored in the second strip. In some embodiments, the updated metadata is non-persistent and the processing device may be further configured to rebuild the given stripe, update persistent metadata corresponding to a sector of stripes including the given stripe and clear the non-persistent metadata based at least in part on a completion of the rebuild.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing host connectivity to a data storage system. A host connectivity management system receives a request from a host system to connect to a data storage system. The data storage system includes storage nodes which include storage volumes, and each storage node includes multiple ports to enable connection to the storage node. The host connectivity management system determines a subset of ports, among all available ports of the storage nodes, to assign to the host system for use by the host system for connecting to the storage nodes of the data storage system to access the storage volumes. The host connectivity management system sends connection information to the host system to enable the host system to connect to the data storage system, wherein the connection information includes port identifiers associated with the subset of ports assigned to the host system.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing replication journals in a distributed replication system. A data replication system assigns an associated replication journal volume to each replication component operating on a storage node. Each replication component is configured to handle a portion of a replication workload which is distributed among the replication components, and to write journal data in the associated replication journal volume of the replication component. The data replication system performs a recovery process in response to detecting a failed replication component. The recovery process includes designating at least one replication component as a recovery replication component, designating the associated replication journal volume of the failed replication component as a recovery journal volume, and assigning the recovery journal volume to the recovery replication component to enable the recovery replication component to recover journal data in the recovery journal volume.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing system upgrades in a network computing environment. For example, a method includes managing an upgrade of a system within a cluster of systems which communicate in a network computing environment system to implement a distributed application. The system performs an upgrade operation to upgrade a current version of the system to a new software version number which comprises a new feature. The system performs a cluster version update process to communicate with other systems in the cluster to determine a cluster version number of the cluster. The system enables the new feature of the new software version if the new software version number is not greater than the determined cluster version number of the cluster.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to receive a request to create a given storage volume in a storage system, the storage system providing a plurality of storage features. The processing device is also configured to select, for the given storage volume, one of a set of one or more volume tiers, each of the volume tiers specifying whether respective ones of the plurality of storage features provided by the storage system are enabled or disabled for storage volumes associated with that volume tier. The processing device is further configured to create the given storage volume in the storage system, and to associate the selected volume tier with the given storage volume, wherein associating the selected volume tier with the given storage volume comprises enabling or disabling respective ones of the plurality of storage features provided by the storage system as specified by the selected volume tier.

Abstract: A processing device obtains a write operation which comprises first data and second data to be stored in first and second strips of a given stripe. The processing device stores the first data in the first strip and determines that the second strip is unavailable. The processing device determines a parity based on the first data and the second data and stores the parity in a parity strip. The processing device updates metadata to indicate that the second data was not stored in the second strip. In some embodiments, the updated metadata is non-persistent and the processing device may be further configured to rebuild the given stripe, update persistent metadata corresponding to a sector of stripes including the given stripe and clear the non-persistent metadata based at least in part on a completion of the rebuild.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing quality of service (QoS) policies in a virtual storage environment. A data storage system receives a request from a host system to connect to a target virtual volume in a storage array of the data storage system, and determines a protocol endpoint which has an assigned QoS policy which corresponds to a QoS policy of the target virtual volume. The data storage system binds the target virtual volume to the protocol endpoint which is determined to have an assigned QoS policy which corresponds to the QoS policy of the target virtual volume, and sends a unique identifier of the protocol endpoint, which is bound to the target virtual volume, to the host system. The data storage system utilizes the protocol endpoint, which is bound to the target virtual volume, to handle data access requests received from the host system for accessing the target virtual volume.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing host connectivity to a data storage system. A host connectivity management system receives a request from a host system to connect to a data storage system. The data storage system includes storage nodes which include storage volumes, and each storage node includes multiple ports to enable connection to the storage node. The host connectivity management system determines a subset of ports, among all available ports of the storage nodes, to assign to the host system for use by the host system for connecting to the storage nodes of the data storage system to access the storage volumes. The host connectivity management system sends connection information to the host system to enable the host system to connect to the data storage system, wherein the connection information includes port identifiers associated with the subset of ports assigned to the host system.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to receive a request to create a given storage volume in a storage system, the storage system providing a plurality of storage features. The processing device is also configured to select, for the given storage volume, one of a set of one or more volume tiers, each of the volume tiers specifying whether respective ones of the plurality of storage features provided by the storage system are enabled or disabled for storage volumes associated with that volume tier. The processing device is further configured to create the given storage volume in the storage system, and to associate the selected volume tier with the given storage volume, wherein associating the selected volume tier with the given storage volume comprises enabling or disabling respective ones of the plurality of storage features provided by the storage system as specified by the selected volume tier.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for processing user input/output (I/O) write requests in a fault-tolerant data storage system (e.g., a RAID storage system) by selecting between performing a degraded write operation or a write operation to spare capacity, when the fault-tolerant data storage system is operating in a degraded mode. A method includes receiving a user I/O write request comprising data to be written to a RAID array operating in a degraded mode, and determining whether spare capacity has been allocated for rebuilding missing data of an inaccessible storage device of the RAID array and whether a missing data block, which is associated with I/O write request, has been rebuilt to the spare capacity. A degraded write operation is performed without using the spare capacity, when the missing data block, which is associated with the data of the I/O write request, has not been rebuilt to the allocated spare capacity.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing the utilization of shared memory resources among a plurality of asynchronous replication workloads. A data replication system maintains a respective replication journal for each replication workload in an allocated portion of system memory of a source server node. Each replication journal is divided into journal barrier intervals by respective individual barriers for transmission to a destination server node. The data replication system waits for a triggering event to occur for generating a common barrier, wherein the triggering event is configured to prevent exhaustion of the allocated portion of system memory for storing the replication journals. The common barrier is generated to close the replication journals of some or all of the replication workloads in advance of the respective individual barriers associated, and the replication journals closed by the common barrier are transmitted to the destination server node.

Abstract: A storage system comprises mixed-capacity storage devices, including at least one or more storage devices having relatively low capacities and one or more storage devices having relatively high capacities. The storage system is configured to establish a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) arrangement comprising a plurality of stripes, with each of the plurality of stripes comprising a plurality of data blocks and one or more corresponding parity blocks, the data blocks and parity blocks being distributed across multiple ones of the storage devices. In conjunction with establishment of the RAID arrangement, the storage system is further configured to concentrate storage of the parity blocks in the one or more storage devices having the relatively high capacities. The storage devices in some embodiments comprise at least a first set of storage devices each having a first capacity and a second set of storage devices each having a second capacity higher than the first capacity.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing the utilization of shared memory resources among a plurality of asynchronous replication workloads. A data replication system maintains a respective replication journal for each replication workload in an allocated portion of system memory of a source server node. Each replication journal is divided into journal barrier intervals by respective individual barriers for transmission to a destination server node. The data replication system waits for a triggering event to occur for generating a common barrier, wherein the triggering event is configured to prevent exhaustion of the allocated portion of system memory for storing the replication journals. The common barrier is generated to close the replication journals of some or all of the replication workloads in advance of the respective individual barriers associated, and the replication journals closed by the common barrier are transmitted to the destination server node.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for processing user input/output (I/O) write requests in a fault-tolerant data storage system (e.g., a RAID storage system) by selecting between performing a degraded write operation or a write operation to spare capacity, when the fault-tolerant data storage system is operating in a degraded mode. A method includes receiving a user I/O write request comprising data to be written to a RAID array operating in a degraded mode, and determining whether spare capacity has been allocated for rebuilding missing data of an inaccessible storage device of the RAID array and whether a missing data block, which is associated with I/O write request, has been rebuilt to the spare capacity. A degraded write operation is performed without using the spare capacity, when the missing data block, which is associated with the data of the I/O write request, has not been rebuilt to the allocated spare capacity.

Abstract: A storage system comprises mixed-capacity storage devices, including at least one or more storage devices having relatively low capacities and one or more storage devices having relatively high capacities. The storage system is configured to establish a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) arrangement comprising a plurality of stripes, with each of the plurality of stripes comprising a plurality of data blocks and one or more corresponding parity blocks, the data blocks and parity blocks being distributed across multiple ones of the storage devices. In conjunction with establishment of the RAID arrangement, the storage system is further configured to concentrate storage of the parity blocks in the one or more storage devices having the relatively high capacities. The storage devices in some embodiments comprise at least a first set of storage devices each having a first capacity and a second set of storage devices each having a second capacity higher than the first capacity.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to transmitting prioritized path data to a device based on a set of topology rules and metrics associated with a storage target. A storage target path discovery request is received from the device. In response to the storage target path discovery request, metrics associated with the storage target are collected. Based on the collected metrics, available paths to the storage target are identified. A set of topology rules are then determined. Based on the topology rules and the collected metrics, a subset of available paths are selected. The subset of available paths are then prioritized into prioritized path data. The prioritized path data is then stored and transmitted to the device.

Abstract: Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include identifying, in a storage system including multiple storage devices having respective sets of storage regions, respective default low storage region thresholds that are used for garbage collection. For each given storage region, a time threshold and an alternative low storage region threshold greater than the default low storage region threshold for the given storage device are defined. While processing input/output operations for each given storage device, a count of unused storage regions in the given storage device is maintained, a timer is initialized, and upon the timer matching the time threshold for the given storage device, a garbage collection operation is initiated. In some embodiments, processing the input/output operations includes using a log-structured array format.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions that are executed by the processor to specifically configure the processor to implement an initiator entity in a symmetric split-direction connection. The initiator entity generates a custom keepalive command and sends the custom keepalive command to a target entity via the symmetric split-direction connection. Responsive to the initiator entity determining a number of consecutive acknowledgement commands received in response to custom keepalive commands exceed a first threshold, the initiator entity reports the symmetric split-direction connection as sufficient. Responsive to the initiator entity determining a second number of consecutive keepalive commands sent without receiving an acknowledgement is greater than a second threshold, the initiator entity reports the symmetric split-direction connection as insufficient.