Abstract: The present technology provides a nanoparticle comprising: the polysiloxanes comprise silyloxy subunits having the structure (I) as shown herein, wherein Ra at each occurrence is independently selected from a bond to a Si of another polysiloxane chain or a C1-12 alkyl group; Ri at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-12 alkyl and C2-12 alkenyl groups, optionally substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen and NR12, wherein each occurrence of R1 is independently selected from H or a C1-12 alkyl group, or two R1 groups, together with the N atom to which they are attached, form a pyrrolidine or piperidine ring; the crosslinks between polysiloxanes comprise disulfide linkages, the nanoparticle comprises an exterior surface comprising surface-modifying groups attached to and surrounding the silica network, wherein the surface-modifying groups comprise polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysarcosine, polyzwitterion, polycation, polyanion, or combination

Abstract: a method and an apparatus for maintaining reliability of a mapped redundant array of independent disks. The method comprises: determining a first data loss probability, the first data loss probability indicating reliability of a traditional redundant array of independent disks; determining a second data loss probability, the second data loss probability indicating reliability of the mapped redundant array of independent disks; and determining, based on the first and second data loss probabilities, a condition for maintaining the reliability of the mapped redundant array of independent disks. Compared with the prior art, embodiments of the present disclosure can effectively predict the reliability of a mapped RAID through comparison with a traditional RAID, so as to be capable of determining a reliability relationship between the traditional RAID and the mapped RAID. In this way, the reliability of the traditional RAID will not be degraded when being expanded into the mapped RAID.

Abstract: In response to failure of a data storage drive, data previously stored on the failed drive is rebuilt on a replacement data storage drive by executing drive rebuild jobs on a first set of processor cores. While the data previously stored on the failed data storage drive is being rebuilt, a second set of processor cores is used to process host I/O (Input/Output) requests. The host I/O requests processed by the second set of processor cores may be a first set of host I/O requests processed during the data rebuild. When a current total number of outstanding host I/O requests exceeds a threshold maximum number of outstanding host I/O requests, at least one processor core in the first set of processor cores may be used to process a second set of host I/O requests while the data previously stored on the failed data storage drive is being rebuilt.

Abstract: Techniques involve: determining corresponding valid metadata rates of a plurality of metadata blocks stored in a metadata storage area of a storage system, the valid metadata rate of each metadata block indicating a ratio of valid metadata in the metadata block to all metadata in the metadata block; selecting a predetermined number of metadata blocks having a valid metadata rate lower than a first valid metadata rate threshold from the plurality of metadata blocks; storing valid metadata in the predetermined number of metadata blocks into at least one metadata block following the plurality of metadata blocks in the metadata storage area; and making the valid metadata in the predetermined number of metadata blocks invalid. Accordingly, such techniques can improve the efficiency of the storage system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, device and a computer program product for managing a storage system. The storage system includes a disk array. A method includes determining, based on a first number of disks in the disk array, a second number of spare disks for the disk array. The method further includes creating a spare disk array with the second number of spare disks. The method further includes, in response to a first disk in the disk array failing, allocating a spare logic storage unit from the spare disk array for rebuilding the first disk. In addition, the method further includes rebuilding the first disk with the spare logic storage unit.

Abstract: A technique involves: in response to receiving a first request for adjusting a first width of a disk array to a second width, obtaining, based on source identification information of a source stripe group in the disk array in the first request, source block identification information of a source block associated with the source stripe group. The technique further involves: determining destination identification information of a destination stripe group associated with the second width for storing data. The technique further involves: storing, based on the source identification information and the destination identification information, source data and metadata for the source data from the source block into a destination block of the destination stripe group, the metadata including node identification information for accessing nodes of the source block. The technique further involves: adjusting the node to access the destination block based on the node identification information.

Abstract: Techniques involve: determining processing power of a plurality of storage devices in a plurality of storage pools, the storage devices in each of the storage pools having a same device type; dividing the plurality of storage devices into a plurality of sets based on the processing power, a difference in the processing power between the storage devices in each of the sets being below a predetermined threshold; and redistributing, among the plurality of sets, data stored in the plurality of storage devices based on workloads of the storage devices in the sets. Accordingly, load balancing of storage devices in the plurality of storage pools can be implemented, response speed of the storage system can be enhanced and storage resources in the plurality of storage pools can be exploited more sufficiently.

Abstract: Techniques perform data writing. Such techniques involve: in response to receiving a first write request, searching a cache for a target address associated with the first write request; in response to missing of the target address in the cache, determining a page usage rate in the cache; and in response to determining that the page usage rate exceeds an upper threshold, performing the first write request with a first available page in the cache. The first available page is reclaimed, independent of a refresh cycle of the cache, in response to completing the performing of the first write request.

Abstract: Provided are a unimolecular nanoparticle, a composition thereof, and methods of use thereof, and includes 1) a dendritic polymer having a molecular weight of about 500-120,000 Da and terminating in hydroxyl, amino or carboxylic acid groups; 2) cationic polymers attached to at least a majority of the terminating groups of the dendritic polymer via a pH-sensitive linker, wherein each cationic polymer comprises a polymeric backbone attached to cationic functional groups and to weakly basic groups by disulfide bonds, wherein the molar ratio of cationic functional groups to weakly basic groups ranges from 1:1-5:1, and has a molecular weight from about 1,000-5,000 Da; and 3) poly(ethylene glycol) attached to a plurality of cationic polymers and having a terminal group selected from a targeting ligand, OH, O-alkyl, NH2 , biotin, or a dye, wherein the terminal group of at least one poly(ethylene glycol) is having a molecular weight of about 1,000-15,000 Da.

Abstract: Flexible transistors and electronic circuits incorporating the transistors are provided. The flexible transistors promote heat dissipation from the active regions of the transistors while preserving their mechanical flexibility and high-frequency performance. The transistor designs utilize thru-substrate vias (TSVs) beneath the active regions of thin-film type transistors on thin flexible substrates. To promote rapid heat dissipation, the TSVs are coated with a material having a high thermal conductivity that transfers heat from the active region of the transistor to a large-area ground.

Abstract: A technique for managing storage units involves: if it is determined that a first metadata storage unit for storing metadata of a plurality of storage units fails, allocating a second metadata storage unit for replacing the first metadata storage unit from a storage resource pool, wherein the metadata is read into a memory before the failure occurs, and first metadata of the first metadata storage unit is recorded in configuration information for indicating a valid metadata storage unit; recording second metadata of the second metadata storage unit in the configuration information; storing the metadata in the memory into the second metadata storage unit; and replacing the first metadata storage unit with the second metadata storage unit by validating the second metadata and invalidating the first metadata in the configuration information. Accordingly, such a technique improves reliability of a metadata storage unit.

Abstract: Techniques manage tracking records in an application system which includes an active dump file and an inactive dump file. A set of tracking records indicating a state of the application system is received. The set of tracking records is added to the active dump file. A storage signal for storing the active dump file into a backup device associated with the application system is generated according to a determination that a size of the active dump file meets a predetermined size threshold and according to a determination that a state of the inactive dump file is a ready state. The ready state indicates that the inactive dump file is available for storing another set of tracking records to be received in the future. Accordingly, two dump files may alternately store tracking records, and copies of the dump files may be continuously stored into a backup device to improve reliability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating merge-friendly sequential IO patterns in shared logger page descriptor (PD) tiers. The techniques can be employed in an active-active clustered system that includes a primary storage node, a secondary storage node, a logger shared between the primary and secondary storage nodes, and a storage device such as a non-volatile memory (NVM) device. The techniques can include allocating at least a first trunk and a second trunk in a shared PD tier of the logger, sequentially writing PD metadata and/or data by the primary storage node and the secondary storage node to the first trunk and the second trunk, respectively, merging the PD metadata/data units sequentially written to each respective trunk together to obtain PD metadata/data having an increased size up to the size of the respective trunks, and storing the merged PD metadata/data to the NVM device.

Abstract: Techniques for splitting a disk set involve obtaining stripe shared information in a first disk set, wherein the information indicates a stripe set that shares a plurality of disks. The techniques further involve determining the number of disks to be split from the first disk set. The techniques further involve splitting the first disk set into a first portion and a second portion based on the information and the number of disks to be split, wherein the second portion and one or more newly added disks form a second disk set, and both the first disk set and the second disk set store data through Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID). In the case that a current disk set needs to be split due to adding one or more new disks, disks are selected using the collected information, thereby reducing data movements caused by splitting of the disk set.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide method, device and computer program product for managing a storage system. The storage system includes a disk having a plurality of extents. The method comprises obtaining metadata associated with an RAID stripe in a first RAID of a first type, the first RAID including at least a part of extents from the plurality of extents. The method also comprises allocating an additional extent to the RAID stripe. The method further comprises converting, based on the allocated additional extent and by modifying the metadata, the first RAID of the first type into a second RAID of a second type in a degraded mode. Additionally, the method comprises initiating, based on the modified metadata, a rebuilding process for the second RAID, so as to convert the second RAID from the degraded mode to a normal mode.

Abstract: A method of managing storage resources is provided. The method includes (a) storing data in an array of storage extents on respective storage drives of a plurality of storage drives, the array of storage extents having a first level of redundancy; and (b) in accordance with a storage management policy, adjusting the array of storage extents to have a second level of redundancy by changing the array of storage extents from having a first number of storage extents on respective storage drives to having a second number of storage extents on respective storage drives, the second level of redundancy providing a different tolerance for failure than the first level of redundancy. An apparatus, system, and computer program product for performing a similar method are also provided.

Abstract: Techniques manage a redundant array of independent disks. The techniques involve: in response to receiving a first command for assigning a first RAID stripe to a RAID group, storing metadata information of the first RAID stripe in a cache, the cache having different input/output (I/O) performance from the RAID; and storing the first command and the metadata information of the first RAID stripe in a predetermined storage space of the RAID in a sequential storage structure.

Abstract: Techniques involve: determining, according to a received request for creating a stripe in a storage system, a type of the stripe; acquiring a first workload distribution corresponding to the determined type, wherein the first workload distribution describes the distribution, among a first number of storage devices, of multiple extents in a set of stripes of this type in the storage system; selecting a set of extents from the first number of storage devices based on the first workload distribution, so that the distribution, among the first number of storage devices, of the selected set of extents and the multiple extents in the set of stripes of this type satisfies a preset distribution condition associated with the type; and using the selected set of extents to create the requested stripe based on a stripe creation rule associated with the type. The stripes can be managed in a more effective manner.

Abstract: Techniques for information update involve: updating, at a first node, first information in a first memory and second information associated with the first information, wherein the first information needs to be persistently stored, and the second information can be obtained from the first information and does not need to be stored persistently; storing the updated first information and the updated second information into a first region and a second region of a first persistent storage device, respectively; synchronizing the updated first information and the updated second information to a second node; and validating the updated first information stored in the first region and invalidating the updated second information stored in the second region based on a determination that the synchronization is successful. Such techniques can achieve incremental update of non-persistent information, thereby improving system performance.

Abstract: Techniques for generating merge-friendly sequential IO patterns in shared logger page descriptor (PD) tiers. The techniques can be employed in an active-active clustered system that includes a primary storage node, a secondary storage node, a logger shared between the primary and secondary storage nodes, and a storage device such as a non-volatile memory (NVM) device. The techniques can include allocating at least a first trunk and a second trunk in a shared PD tier of the logger, sequentially writing PD metadata and/or data by the primary storage node and the secondary storage node to the first trunk and the second trunk, respectively, merging the PD metadata/data units sequentially written to each respective trunk together to obtain PD metadata/data having an increased size up to the size of the respective trunks, and storing the merged PD metadata/data to the NVM device.