Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a network cache intercepts data requested by a client from a remote server interconnected with the cache through one or more wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., for Wide Area File Services, or “WAFS”). The network cache stores the data and sends the data to the client. The cache may then intercept a first write request for the data from the client to the remote server, and determine one or more portions of the data in the write request that changed from the data stored at the cache (e.g., according to one or more hashes created based on the data). The network cache then sends a second write request for only the changed portions of the data to the remote server.

Abstract: A technique for eliminating duplicate data is provided. Upon receipt of a new data set, one or more anchor points are identified within the data set. A bit-by-bit data comparison is then performed of the region surrounding the anchor point in the received data set with the region surrounding an anchor point stored within a pattern database to identify forward/backward delta values. The duplicate data identified by the anchor point, forward and backward delta values is then replaced in the received data set with a storage indicator.

Abstract: A sampling based technique for eliminating duplicate data (de-duplication) stored on storage resources, is provided. According to the invention, when a new data set, e.g., a backup data stream, is received by a server, e.g., a storage system or virtual tape library (VTL) system implementing the invention, one or more anchors are identified within the new data set. The anchors are identified using a novel anchor detection circuitry in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Upon receipt of the new data set by, for example, a network adapter of a VTL system, the data set is transferred using direct memory access (DMA) operations to a memory associated with an anchor detection hardware card that is operatively interconnected with the storage system. The anchor detection hardware card may be implemented as, for example, a FPGA is to quickly identify anchors within the data set.

Abstract: A sampling based technique for eliminating duplicate data (de-duplication) stored on storage resources, is provided. According to the invention, when a new data set, e.g., a backup data stream, is received by a server, e.g., a storage system or virtual tape library (VTL) system implementing the invention, one or more anchors are identified within the new data set. The anchors are identified using a novel anchor detection circuitry in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Upon receipt of the new data set by, for example, a network adapter of a VTL system, the data set is transferred using direct memory access (DMA) operations to a memory associated with an anchor detection hardware card that is operatively interconnected with the storage system. The anchor detection hardware card may be implemented as, for example, a FPGA is to quickly identify anchors within the data set.

Abstract: A sampling based technique for eliminating duplicate data (de-duplication) stored on storage resources, is provided. According to the invention, when a new data set, e.g., a backup data stream, is received by a server, e.g., a storage system or virtual tape library (VTL) system implementing the invention, one or more anchors are identified within the new data set. The anchors are identified using a novel anchor detection circuitry in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Upon receipt of the new data set by, for example, a network adapter of a VTL system, the data set is transferred using direct memory access (DMA) operations to a memory associated with an anchor detection hardware card that is operatively interconnected with the storage system. The anchor detection hardware card may be implemented as, for example, a FPGA is to quickly identify anchors within the data set.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a network cache intercepts data requested by a client from a remote server interconnected with the cache through one or more wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., for Wide Area File Services, or “WAFS”). The network cache stores the data and sends the data to the client. The cache may then intercept a first write request for the data from the client to the remote server, and determine one or more portions of the data in the write request that changed from the data stored at the cache (e.g., according to one or more hashes created based on the data). The network cache then sends a second write request for only the changed portions of the data to the remote server.

Abstract: A technique for eliminating duplicate data is provided. Upon receipt of a new data set, one or more anchor points are identified within the data set. A bit-by-bit data comparison is then performed of the region surrounding the anchor point in the received data set with the region surrounding an anchor point stored within a pattern database to identify forward/backward delta values. The duplicate data identified by the anchor point, forward and backward delta values is then replaced in the received data set with a storage indicator.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a network cache intercepts data requested by a client from a remote server interconnected with the cache through one or more wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., for Wide Area File Services, or “WAFS”). The network cache stores the data and sends the data to the client. The cache may then intercept a first write request for the data from the client to the remote server, and determine one or more portions of the data in the write request that changed from the data stored at the cache (e.g., according to one or more hashes created based on the data). The network cache then sends a second write request for only the changed portions of the data to the remote server.

Abstract: A technique for determining an amount of storage space that would be recovered in a storage system by deleting a list of logical containers of data is provided. In one embodiment, data blocks referenced by the list of files are first identified. The data blocks (e.g., deduplicated data blocks) may be referenced by two or more files. A number of references made by the identified list of files to each data block is compared against a number of references made by all files stored in a dataset of the storage system. A total amount of storage space is then calculated based on a sum of storage spaces utilized by each data block for which the two reference numbers match. This total amount of storage space is the storage space that would be reclaimed through deletion of the identified list of files.

Abstract: A technique for eliminating duplicate data is provided. Upon receipt of a new data set, one or more anchor points are identified within the data set. A bit-by-bit data comparison is then performed of the region surrounding the anchor point in the received data set with the region surrounding an anchor point stored within a pattern database to identify forward/backward delta values. The duplicate data identified by the anchor point, forward and backward delta values is then replaced in the received data set with a storage indicator.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to store data patterns are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes searching a pattern repository to find prior copies of a pattern and to reference one of the prior copies, or insert a new copy, based on the access time of the prior copy and the effect on the sequential stream performance.

Abstract: The present invention is a tape library comprising both a small front-end portion and a larger back-end portion. The front-end portion is a visible virtual or physical tape library; and the back-end portion is a large invisible virtual or physical tape vault. The DPA is a typical DPA which only sees the front-end library. If desired, all messages regarding the importing and exporting of tapes are reviewed by an agent. The agent manages the automatic transfer of tapes between the front-end and the back-end, and notifies the user when a manual import or export is needed. This greatly reduces both the amount of hardware required to establish a virtual or physical tape library and also reduces the amount of labor required by a user to physically import and export tapes. If both the front-end library and the back-end vault are virtual and reside on the same virtual tape library appliance, no data movement is necessary and the tapes can be moved merely by performing small software state changes.

Abstract: A sampling based technique for eliminating duplicate data (de-duplication) stored on storage resources, is provided. According to the invention, when a new data set, e.g., a backup data stream, is received by a server, e.g., a storage system or virtual tape library (VTL) system implementing the invention, one or more anchors are identified within the new data set. The anchors are identified using a novel anchor detection circuitry in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Upon receipt of the new data set by, for example, a network adapter of a VTL system, the data set is transferred using direct memory access (DMA) operations to a memory associated with an anchor detection hardware card that is operatively interconnected with the storage system. The anchor detection hardware card may be implemented as, for example, a FPGA is to quickly identify anchors within the data set.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently storing and transferring data in a virtual tape library environment is disclosed. Data is written to a virtual tape library that emulates a physical tape library. Data stored in the virtual tape library may be compressed and an estimated compression ratio may be dynamically computed. While data is written to the virtual tape library, an end-of-tape signal is provided based on the estimated compression ratio.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a network cache intercepts data requested by a client from a remote server interconnected with the cache through one or more wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., for Wide Area File Services, or “WAFS”). The network cache stores the data and sends the data to the client. The cache may then intercept a first write request for the data from the client to the remote server, and determine one or more portions of the data in the write request that changed from the data stored at the cache (e.g., according to one or more hashes created based on the data). The network cache then sends a second write request for only the changed portions of the data to the remote server.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to store data patterns are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes searching a pattern repository to find prior copies of a pattern and to reference one of the prior copies, or insert a new copy, based on the access time of the prior copy and the effect on the sequential stream performance.

Abstract: A method for efficiently writing data to a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) includes: writing an entire slice to the RAID at one time, wherein a slice is a portion of the data to be written to each disk in the RAID; and maintaining information in the RAID for slices that have been written to disk. A system for efficiently writing data to a RAID includes a buffer, a parity generating device, transfer means, and a metadata portion in the RAID. The buffer receives data from a host and accumulates data until a complete slice is accumulated. The parity generating device reads data from the buffer and generates parity based on the read data. The transfer means transfers data from the buffer and the generated parity to the disks of the RAID. The metadata portion is configured to store information for slices that have been written to disk.

Abstract: A technique for eliminating duplicate data is provided. Upon receipt of a new data set, one or more anchor points are identified within the data set. A bit-by-bit data comparison is then performed of the region surrounding the anchor point in the received data set with the region surrounding an anchor point stored within a pattern database to identify forward/backward delta values. The duplicate data identified by the anchor point, forward and backward delta values is then replaced in the received data set with a storage indicator.

Abstract: A method for stream allocation in a data storage system begins by determining whether a stream needs storage space. Storage space for the stream is requested, and a device on which to allocate the storage space is selected. The storage space on the selected device is allocated to the stream.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a snapshot in a consistent state is disclosed. The system comprises a host computer, a primary data storage, a data protection unit, and a secondary data storage. The data protection unit monitors a state of an email application which is running on the host computer. The data protection unit generates a snapshot of data stored in a primary data storage when the email application is in a consistent state, and stores the snapshot on a secondary storage. In the event of a system failure, the data is recovered using the last snapshot. A method and system for recovering email data from a snapshot in a consistent state using a client is also disclosed.