Abstract: Servicing an access request using a plurality of replicas of data includes determining which of the replicas are available and selecting one of the replicas for servicing the access request based on which of the replicas are available. At least one other replica is indicated as not available in response to receiving a monitoring message indicating that the at least one other replica is subject to degraded performance. The monitoring messages are independent of the access request. The monitoring messages may be SNMP messages. Servicing an access request using a plurality of replicas of data may also include determining if each of the SNMP messages affects the availability of the replicas. The replicas may be selected in round robin fashion or randomly.

Abstract: An updateable list is provided for use in mounting a storage volume. Such list may include a plurality of block references capable of being used to access corresponding blocks required for mounting the storage volume. In use, such list may be utilized for accessing the blocks in a more efficient manner, by accessing a plurality of such blocks in parallel, as well as performing the block accessing and storage volume mounting in parallel.

Abstract: Data-storage volumes, such as a file system on a storage system, may utilize a particular operating system format. Converting a data-storage volume to a different format may be desirable at times. However, this can be time consuming and resource intensive if data needs to be copied. Accordingly, substantially copying-free, in-place conversion of a data-storage volume from a first format to a second format is provided herein. In one embodiment, a data-storage volume may be converted from a first format to a second format while the data-storage volume is mounted and/or without copying data within the data-storage volume to a separate data-storage volume. Before conversion, features associated with the first format and the second format may be compared to detect incompatibilities that may result from conversion. During conversion, access to the data-storage volume may be blocked. Upon successful conversion, various post conversion operations may be performed.

Abstract: Data storage volumes, such as a file system on a storage system, may utilize a particular operating system format. Converting a volume to a different format may be desirable at times. However, this can be time consuming and resource intensive if data needs to be copied. Accordingly, substantially copying-free, in-place conversion of a data-storage volume from a first format to a second format is provided herein. In one embodiment, it is determined whether the volume can be converted, for example, by comparing compatibility of features between the first and second formats. A desired feature list is retrieved and respective features are checked for compatibility. Access to the volume is blocked during the conversion, and the volume is converted if the features are found to be compatible. If the conversion is successful, post conversion operations are performed, including unblocking the volume and notifying clients that the volume is available for access.

Abstract: On or more techniques and/or systems are provided for rapidly resuming processing of client requests after a system failure event. Accordingly, during a boot-up process, a storage system, upon detecting a system failure event of the storage system, conditions its system memory to reflect a state of the system memory at a time of the failure by processing client requests or commands stored in a non-volatile operations log. The storage system can resume processing client requests after processing the operations in the nonvolatile operations log and prior to flushing data to storage devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaying the process of freeing data blocks during the processing of a non-volatile transactions log are disclosed. Accordingly, after a system failure, when a storage system is replaying transactions in a non-volatile transactions log, the storage system flushes the data generated from the transactions to disk storage without freeing and data blocks which, as a result of processing the transactions log, are no longer storing data that is part of the active file system. Consequently, the replay of the transactions log takes less time, and the storage system is brought online more quickly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly resuming the processing of client requests after a system failure event are disclosed. Accordingly, a surviving storage system, upon detecting a system failure event at a partner storage system, executes a takeover routine and conditions its system memory to reflect the state of the system memory of the failed storage system by processing client requests or commands stored in an operations log mirror. Then, the storage system converts the unused portion of the log mirror for use as an operations log, and resumes processing client requests prior to flushing any data to storage devices.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly resuming the processing of client requests after a system failure event are disclosed. Accordingly, a surviving storage system, upon detecting a system failure event at a partner storage system, executes a takeover routine and conditions its system memory to reflect the state of the system memory of the failed storage system by processing client requests or commands stored in an operations log mirror. Then, the storage system converts the unused portion of the log mirror for use as an operations log, and resumes processing client requests prior to flushing any data to storage devices.

Abstract: Although useful in many industrial applications for wood, plastic or non-ferrous metals, this original form of this concept is tailored to the wood I-joist industry. One of the benefits of using wooden I-joist construction versus conventional sawn lumber joists is the ability of cutting holes for duct work and other mechanicals to pass through the system. For this to occur in an industrial environment extreme requirements must be met. The cutting rate for a production machine of this type must be unusually fast for hole saw operations. The size of hole cut is necessarily quite large. Combined with an extreme cutting rate this produces unusually large torque and fatigue requirements. Because manual extraction of the cut material would be cumbersome and consume excessive time, a means of automatic ejection of the “divot” is required. With the varying depth and width of beams to be processed comes the need for simple, quick and accurate adjustment to the machine and multiple or variable cutting diameters.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention provide a digital network having a plurality of data storage elements, at least one client, and a switch element. The switch element may be operable to receive access requests from the client and provide access to data on the storage elements in response to one or more access requests.

Abstract: A digital network comprises a plurality of data storage elements (104), at least one client (102) and a switch element (106) operable to receive access requests from the client (102) and provide access to data on the storage elements (104) in response to access requests.

Abstract: An apparatus measuring the temperature and/or pressure of an exhaust gas plume from a supersonic military jet engine. The apparatus includes a rotatable airfoil having one or more sensors that are impinged by the exhaust gas flow path prior to the exhaust gas flowing over the airfoil. At least one base is attached and adapted to be mounted to a supporting surface for locating the airfoil rearward of the exhaust gas plume.

Abstract: A file array storage architecture comprises a file system that is distributed across a data processing platform consisting of a host computer coupled to an adapter over a high-speed, low latency interface and an input/output subsystem that is located entirely on the adapter. The distributed nature of the architecture enables implementation of the file system in accordance with a modified client-server computing model; that is, the architecture includes a client file system executing on the host computer and a server file system executing on the adapter.

Abstract: A file away storage architecture comprises a file system that is distributed across a data processing platform consisting of a host computer coupled to an adapter over a high-speed, low latency interface and an input/output subsystem that is located entirely on the adapter. The distributed nature of the architecture enables implementation of the file system in accordance with a modified client-server computing model; that is, the architecture includes a client file system executing on the host computer and a server file system executing on the adapter.

Abstract: A backup mechanism enables incremental backup operations for on-line files of a computer system having an archive bit attribute associated with each file. The mechanism comprises an archive bit change number (ABCN) attribute that is also associated with each file and that is manipulated by a file system of the computer to reflect a correct value of the archive bit when the file is modified during a current backup operation. The ABCN attribute is incremented each time the file is modified to ensure that the file is accurately copied to secondary backup storage during a subsequent incremental backup operation. The mechanism thus enables reliable on-line file modifications which, in turn, substantially increases the efficiency of the computer system.