Abstract: A method and system for fast file initialization is provided. An initialization request to create or extend a file is received. The initialization request comprises or identifies file template metadata. A set of allocation units are allocated, the set of allocation units comprising at least one allocation unit for the file on a primary storage medium without initializing at least a portion of the file on the primary storage medium. The file template metadata is stored in a cache. The cache resides in at least one of volatile memory and persistent flash storage. A second request is received corresponding to a particular allocation unit of the set of allocation units. Particular file template metadata associated with the particular allocation unit is obtained. In response to the second request, at least a portion of a new allocation unit is generated.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache between the shared cache of an application and the non-volatile storage of a storage system. The application may be any type of application that uses a storage system to persistently store data. The intermediate cache may be local to the machine upon which the application is executing, or may be implemented within the storage system. In one embodiment where the application is a database server, the database system includes both a DB server-side intermediate cache, and a storage-side intermediate cache. The caching policies used to populate the intermediate cache are intelligent, taking into account factors that may include which object an item belongs to, the item type of the item, a characteristic of the item, or the type of operation in which the item is involved.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache to provide some of the items involved in a scan operation, while other items involved in the scan operation are provided from primary storage. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to service an I/O request for an item with a copy of the item that resides in the intermediate cache based on factors such as a) an identity of the user for whom the I/O request was submitted, b) an identity of a service that submitted the I/O request, c) an indication of a consumer group to which the I/O request maps, or d) whether the intermediate cache is overloaded. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to store items in an intermediate cache in response to the items being retrieved, based on logical characteristics associated with the requests that retrieve the items.

Abstract: Techniques herein are for chaining nonvolatile storage devices to achieve high availability. A method involves a storage server receiving a write request to store data blocks in a first nonvolatile memory device. The storage server comprises a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices that cache data blocks stored on primary storage. The plurality of nonvolatile memory devices comprises the first nonvolatile memory device. The storage server maintains a cache index of data blocks that reside in the plurality of nonvolatile memory devices. Based on one or more criteria, the storage server reroutes the write request to a second nonvolatile memory device of the plurality of nonvolatile memory devices and stores an identifier of the second nonvolatile memory device in the cache index.

Abstract: Flash memory on a flash memory device is virtualized using compression that is native to the flash memory device. Through compression, the flash memory device is used to logically store more data in a virtual address space that is larger than the physical address space of the flash memory device. Physical storage capacity of a flash memory device may prevent further storage of data even when the virtual address space is not fully populated. Because compressibility may vary, the extent to which the virtual address space may be populated before physical storage capacity is reached varies. The approaches for virtual memory described herein rely on the memory device client to monitor when this point is reached. In addition, the memory device client is responsible for freeing space as needed to accommodate subsequent requests to store data in the flash memory.

Abstract: Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for improved caching in database systems that deal with multiple data access patterns, such as in database systems that interface with both OLTP and Data Warehouse clients. A cache is deployed between a database server and a storage system that stores data units. Some of the data units accessed by the database server are buffered within the cache. The data units may be associated with data access patterns, such as a random data access pattern or a scan data access pattern, in accordance with which the database server is or appears to be accessing the data units. A processor selects when to cache data units accessed by the database server, based at least on the associated data access patterns. Recent access counts may also be stored for the data units, and may further be utilized to select when to cache data units.

Abstract: A method and system for fast file initialization is provided. An initialization request to create or extend a file is received. The initialization request comprises or identifies file template metadata. A set of allocation units are allocated, the set of allocation units comprising at least one allocation unit for the file on a primary storage medium without initializing at least a portion of the file on the primary storage medium. The file template metadata is stored in a cache. The cache resides in at least one of volatile memory and persistent flash storage. A second request is received corresponding to a particular allocation unit of the set of allocation units. Particular file template metadata associated with the particular allocation unit is obtained. In response to the second request, at least a portion of a new allocation unit is generated.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache between the shared cache of an application and the non-volatile storage of a storage system. The application may be any type of application that uses a storage system to persistently store data. The intermediate cache may be local to the machine upon which the application is executing, or may be implemented within the storage system. In one embodiment where the application is a database server, the database system includes both a DB server-side intermediate cache, and a storage-side intermediate cache. The caching policies used to populate the intermediate cache are intelligent, taking into account factors that may include which object an item belongs to, the item type of the item, a characteristic of the item, or the type of operation in which the item is involved.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache between the shared cache of a database server and the non-volatile storage of a storage system. The intermediate cache may be local to the machine upon which the database server is executing, or may be implemented within the storage system. In one embodiment, the database system includes both a DB server-side intermediate cache, and a storage-side intermediate cache. The caching policies used to populate the intermediate cache are intelligent, taking into account factors that may include which database object an item belongs to, the item type of the item, a characteristic of the item; or the database operation in which the item is involved.

Abstract: A storage device uses non-volatile memory devices for caching. The storage device operates in a mode referred to herein as write-back mode. In write-back mode, a storage device responds to a request to write data by persistently writing the data to a cache in a non-volatile memory device and acknowledges to the requestor that the data is written persistently in the storage device. The acknowledgement is sent without necessarily having written the data that was requested to be written to primary storage. Instead, the data is written to primary storage later.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache between the shared cache of a database server and the non-volatile storage of a storage system. The intermediate cache may be local to the machine upon which the database server is executing, or may be implemented within the storage system. In one embodiment, the database system includes both a DB server-side intermediate cache, and a storage-side intermediate cache. The caching policies used to populate the intermediate cache are intelligent, taking into account factors that may include which database object an item belongs to, the item type of the item, a characteristic of the item; or the database operation in which the item is involved.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache to provide some of the items involved in a scan operation, while other items involved in the scan operation are provided from primary storage. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to service an I/O request for an item with a copy of the item that resides in the intermediate cache based on factors such as a) an identity of the user for whom the I/O request was submitted, b) an identity of a service that submitted the I/O request, c) an indication of a consumer group to which the I/O request maps, d) whether the I/O request is associated with an offloaded filter provided by the database server to the storage system, or e) whether the intermediate cache is overloaded. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to store items in an intermediate cache in response to the items being retrieved, based on logical characteristics associated with the requests that retrieve the items.