Abstract: A virtual disk conversion system determines location ranges for data on a storage device that are found in files representing a virtual disk in a source format. An intermediate virtual disk data structure containing the location ranges for the data is generated, and the intermediate virtual disk data structure is used to associate data at the location ranges with a new file on the storage device that represents a virtual disk in a destination format.

Abstract: A virtual disk conversion system determines location ranges for data on a storage device that are found in files representing a virtual disk in a source format. An intermediate virtual disk data structure containing the location ranges for the data is generated, and the intermediate virtual disk data structure is used to associate data at the location ranges with a new file on the storage device that represents a virtual disk in a destination format.

Abstract: A data management agent for selective storage re-caching is described. A data management agent with an inter-agent communication link and protocol updates a volume on a primary storage area network connected to the data management agent. The primary storage area network mirrors the update to the volume over a first connection to a corresponding volume on a recovery storage area network. The data management agent further transmits a notification of the update to the volume over a second connection to a recovery data management agent connected to the recovery storage area network. Upon receiving the notification, the recovery data management agent scans only the corresponding volume and selectively refreshes its cached information for the corresponding volume.

Abstract: A data management agent for selective storage re-caching is described. A data management agent with an inter-agent communication link and protocol updates a volume on a primary storage area network connected to the data management agent. The primary storage area network mirrors the update to the volume over a first connection to a corresponding volume on a recovery storage area network. The data management agent further transmits a notification of the update to the volume over a second connection to a recovery data management agent connected to the recovery storage area network. Upon receiving the notification, the recovery data management agent scans only the corresponding volume and selectively refreshes its cached information for the corresponding volume.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing storage shares in a virtual environment having a plurality of virtual machines are provided. The system includes a storage system for managing storage space for the storage shares and generating a quota report. The quota report shows an assigned quota for each storage share and actual storage used by each storage share. The assigned quota indicates an amount of designated storage space for each storage share. The system also includes a storage provider for obtaining the quota report from the storage system and filtering the quota report based on storage shares that are managed by the storage provider. The storage provider modifies a quota for a storage share based on a client request and notifies the storage system of the modification.

Abstract: Method and system for managing access to storage space are provided. A plurality of client computing systems interfaces with a management console for accessing storage space at a plurality of storage devices managed by a plurality of storage servers that also interfaces with the management console. The management console is configured to receive a request from a client computing system to access a storage volume or to obtain information regarding the storage volume, validate the request by verifying a client computing system identity with a domain controller, store validation result in an access control data structure at a memory storage device; and use the validation result to either accept or reject any future client computing system request for accessing another storage volume without having to validate the future requests with the domain controller.

Abstract: Method and system for providing information regarding a plurality of storage devices managed by a plurality of storage servers are provided. The storage space at the storage devices is presented to a plurality of computing systems as logical storage space. A plurality of searchable data structures having a plurality of data object types are stored at a temporary memory storage device of a management console that interfaces with the plurality of computing systems and the storage servers. Each data object type stores information regarding the storage device. The searchable data structure includes information regarding the storage devices and the logical storage space presented to the computing systems. A lock data structure for tracking locks that are assigned for accessing information pertaining to a storage server and a data object type is maintained to prevent unauthorized access to at least one of the searchable data structures.

Abstract: Method and system for providing information regarding a plurality of storage devices managed by a plurality of storage servers are provided. The storage space at the storage devices is presented to a plurality of computing systems as logical storage space. A plurality of searchable data structures having a plurality of data object types are stored at a temporary memory storage device of a management console that interfaces with the plurality of computing systems and the storage servers. Each data object type stores information regarding the storage device. The searchable data structure includes information regarding the storage devices and the logical storage space presented to the computing systems. A lock data structure for tracking locks that are assigned for accessing information pertaining to a storage server and a data object type is maintained to prevent unauthorized access to at least one of the searchable data structures.

Abstract: Method and system for presenting storage shares in a virtual environment having a plurality of virtual machines are provided. A hierarchical data structure is maintained by a storage provider interfacing with a storage system that manages storage space for the storage shares. The data structure stores information for a storage pool based on the storage space and information for a storage volume sub-unit that is based on the storage pool. The storage provider assigns a storage share to a management console either based on the storage pool or the storage volume sub-unit. The management console then presents the storage share to a virtual machine from among the plurality of virtual machines.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing storage shares in a virtual environment having a plurality of virtual machines are provided. The system includes a storage system for managing storage space for the storage shares and generating a quota report. The quota report shows an assigned quota for each storage share and actual storage used by each storage share. The assigned quota indicates an amount of designated storage space for each storage share. The system also includes a storage provider for obtaining the quota report from the storage system and filtering the quota report based on storage shares that are managed by the storage provider. The storage provider modifies a quota for a storage share based on a client request and notifies the storage system of the modification.

Abstract: Method and system for providing information regarding a plurality of storage devices managed by a plurality of storage servers are provided. The storage space at the storage devices is presented to a plurality of computing systems as logical storage space. A plurality of searchable data structures having a plurality of data object types are stored at a temporary memory storage device of a management console that interfaces with the plurality of computing systems and the storage servers. Each data object type stores information regarding the storage device. The searchable data structure includes information regarding the storage devices and the logical storage space presented to the computing systems. A lock data structure for tracking locks that are assigned for accessing information pertaining to a storage server and a data object type is maintained to prevent unauthorized access to at least one of the searchable data structures.

Abstract: A storage server receives a data access request in a standard communication format, such as the Storage Management Initiative-Specification (SMI-S). A single mode request is received at a disk module of the storage server and a cluster mode request is received at a management host of the storage server. The request is forwarded to a communication agent in a management module of the storage server. The communication agent translates the request from the standard communication format to a proprietary format used by the storage server to communicate with an attached storage subsystem. The storage server services the request from the attached storage subsystem through a disk module. In cluster mode, the request is forwarded to corresponding disk modules in each storage server in the cluster.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to manage configuration of multiple file server appliances. The method comprises obtaining a source configuration from a storage server, and pushing a target configuration associated with the source configuration to one or more target storage servers.