Abstract: In one embodiment, a cloud-based storage system determines acceptability of a plurality of internet addresses, and determines a defined action to take in response to unacceptable internet addresses. Accordingly, in response to a cloud-based data storage operation, the system determines a destination address where data blocks are physically being stored, determines whether the destination address is an acceptable internet address, and in response to the destination address being an unacceptable internet address, performs the defined action. In another embodiment, the system may insert a data deletion probe into a data volume of a cloud storage system, and in response to initiating a data deletion request for cloud-stored data blocks of the data volume, confirms physical deletion of the data blocks in response to a data deletion operation using the data deletion probe.

Abstract: A machine implemented method and system for a network executing a plurality of virtual machines accessing storage devices via a plurality of switches is provided. A management application determines a plurality of paths between a computing system executing the virtual machines and a storage device. Each path includes at least one switch that is configured to identify traffic related to a virtual machine. One of the paths is selected based on a path rank. The selected path is then used for transmitting data for migrating the virtual machine from a first storage device location to a second storage device location. A switch in the virtual network receives virtual machine data and is configured to differentiate between virtual machine data and other network traffic. The switch prioritizes transmission of virtual machine data compared to standard network traffic or non-virtual machine data.