Abstract: A method for accelerating a background replication process on storage volumes during application I/O (input/output) requests includes reading requested data from a first storage volume. The method stores the requested data in an embedded memory device, and providing the requested data to the application. The method receives a read request from the background replication process. The method responds to the read request from the background replication process by providing data from the embedded memory device to the requesting background replication process concurrently with providing data to the requesting application. The method stores, by the background replication process, the data provided from the embedded memory device onto a second storage volume.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for de-duplication aware secure delete. Responsive to receiving a secure delete request for a file, the mechanism identifies a list of file blocks to be securely deleted from a physical disk device. Responsive to determining at least one virtual block of another file refers to a given disk block corresponding to a file block in the list, the mechanism copies the given disk block to generate a copied disk block in the physical disk device and updates a pointer of the at least one virtual block to refer to the copied disk block. The mechanism writes a secure delete pattern for each file block in the list of file blocks to a disk block in the physical disk device without performing de-duplication processing.

Abstract: For a cache in which a plurality of frequently accessed data segments are temporarily stored, reference count information of the plurality of data segments, in conjunction with least recently used (LRU) information, is used to determine a length of time to retain the plurality of data segments in the cache according to a predetermined weight, where notwithstanding the LRU information, those of the plurality of data segments having a higher reference counts are retained longer than those having lower reference counts.

Abstract: A storage system receives an anticipatory write command corresponding to a potential subsequent write command to be received by the storage system, wherein the anticipatory write command indicates an anticipated region of logical address space that may be written to by the potential subsequent write command. The storage system determines that physical storage is not allocated to the anticipated region of logical address space. The storage system allocates physical storage to the anticipated region of logical address space from a pool of available storage managed by the storage system. The storage system creates an association between the anticipated region of logical address space and the allocated physical storage in a virtual-to-physical mapping.

Abstract: A method for improving data storage and retrieval performance, comprising, for a tiered storage environment having levels corresponding to storage performance, using reference count information of at least one data segment maintained in the storage environment to determine which of the levels in the environment the data segment will be assigned; obtaining input/output performance data for input/output operations on the data segment and transforming the data into short term moving averages and long term moving averages; comparing the averages in a performance level to the long term moving averages of the data segment in the performance level and examining the reference count information over time to determine whether a performance trend of the data segment is increasing or decreasing; and promoting the data segment to a higher performance level in the tiered storage environment, if the data segment has an increasing performance trend.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention may include a method, computer program product and computer system for data recovery for use with a computing device. The embodiment may determine an amount of time to transfer a first file from a first location, on a first device, to a second location, on a second device. The embodiment may include receiving historical operational information associated with the first device and the second device. The embodiment may create a transfer model correlating the amount of time to transfer the first file with the historical operational information associated with each device. The embodiment may determine an estimated amount of time to transfer a second file based on the transfer model and a current operational information about each device. The embodiment may determine whether the estimated amount of time to transfer a second file is above a first threshold amount.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for instigating the sending of an acknowledgement response from a host system. A buffer of a data processing system is monitored to determine if there is a data transfer pending in the buffer. In response to a determination that there are no data transfers pending in the buffer, a determination is made as to whether there is an outstanding data transfer, on a corresponding network connection with the host system, for which an acknowledgement response has not been received from the host system. In response to a determination that there is an outstanding data transfer for which an acknowledgement response has not been received, an acknowledgement instigation message is sent to the host system to instigate the host system sending an acknowledgement response for the outstanding data transfer.

Abstract: A method for preserving data availability and I/O performance when creating a virtual RAID volume includes exposing a set of backend virtual volumes. The backend virtual volumes are implemented on a set of physical storage devices (e.g., physical disks or solid state drives) residing on a storage system. The method further enables selection of the set of backend virtual volumes to create a virtual RAID volume having a selected RAID level. The method further provides verification that the backend virtual volumes will be implemented on the physical storage devices in a way that preserves the data availability and I/O performance associated with the selected RAID level. A corresponding computer program product and apparatus are also described.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for de-duplication aware secure delete. Responsive to receiving a secure delete request for a file, the mechanism identifies a list of file blocks to be securely deleted from a physical disk device. Responsive to determining at least one virtual block of another file refers to a given disk block corresponding to a file block in the list, the mechanism copies the given disk block to generate a copied disk block in the physical disk device and updates a pointer of the at least one virtual block to refer to the copied disk block. The mechanism writes a secure delete pattern for each file block in the list of file blocks to a disk block in the physical disk device without performing de-duplication processing.

Abstract: A storage area network controlled, part, by performing the following steps: (i) for each host link of a plurality of host links in a storage area network (SAN), determining a maximum possible data transfer rate; (ii) for each host link of a plurality of host links in a storage area network, determining a maximum permitted data transfer rate based on the maximum possible data transfer rate; (iii) making a plurality of data transfers, through SAN fabric of the SAN and between a storage controller module of the SAN and various host links of the plurality of host links; and (iv) for each data transfer, controlling the data transfer so that a data transfer rate for the data transfer does not exceed the maximum permitted data transfer rate.

Abstract: Determining the bandwidth required for data replication for disaster recovery. Given a specified recovery point objective (RPO), bandwidth requisitioning and usage is determined according to meet the RPO based on observed factors.

Abstract: Control of the discard of data from cache during backup of the data. In a computer-implemented system comprising primary data storage; cache; backup data storage; and at least one processor, the processor is configured to identify data stored in the primary data storage for backup to the backup data storage, where the identified data is placed in the cache in the form of portions of the data, and where the portions of data are to be backed up from the cache to the backup storage. Upon backup of each portion of the identified data from the cache to the backup storage, the processor marks the backed up portion of the identified data for discard from the cache. Thus, the backed up data is discarded from the cache right away, lessening cache pollution.

Abstract: A computing system includes a computer in communication with a tiered storage system. The computing system identifies a set of data transferring to a storage tier within the storage system. The computing system identifies a program to which the data set is allocated and determines to increase or reduce resources of the computer allocated to the program, based on the set of data transferring to the storage tier. The computing system discontinues transferring the set of data to the storage tier if a resource allocated to the program cannot be increased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing configurations of computer resources in a datacenter is described. In one embodiment, a method comprises analyzing multiple configurations using rule information to produce an analysis result where each configuration in the multiple configurations defines a configuration of a resource that is managed by the data center, training a Bayesian classifier using the analysis result, and classifiying a second configuration using the trained Bayesian classifier.

Abstract: Various embodiments for improving hash index key lookup caching performance in a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, for a cached fingerprint map having a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of data fingerprints, reference count information is used to determine a length of time to retain the plurality of entries in cache. Those of the plurality of entries having a higher reference counts are retained longer than those having lower reference counts.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide, systems, methods, and computer program products for optimizing disk images. Embodiments of the present invention generate sets of data that more efficiently describe unallocated regions of a virtual disk. Embodiments of the present invention can afford users to read a virtual disk and write data on the virtual disk as a disk image on local or remote storage components. Embodiments of the present invention can reduce network bandwidth required to create a disk image by reducing memory capacity needed to describe unallocated regions of the virtual disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide, systems, methods, and computer program products for optimizing disk images. Embodiments of the present invention generate sets of data that more efficiently describe unallocated regions of a virtual disk. Embodiments of the present invention can afford users to read a virtual disk and write data on the virtual disk as a disk image on local or remote storage components. Embodiments of the present invention can reduce network bandwidth required to create a disk image by reducing memory capacity needed to describe unallocated regions of the virtual disk.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for asynchronous replication. The mechanism creates a record in a write log in a host computing device for a write command and marking the record as uncommitted. The mechanism maintains a copy of data to be written by the write command at the host computing device. The mechanism issues the write command from the host computing device to a primary storage controller at the primary storage site. Responsive to receiving an acknowledgement from the primary storage controller that the data have been written to the primary storage site, the mechanism marks the record as unreplicated. Responsive to receiving an acknowledgement from the primary storage controller that the data have been replicated to a secondary storage site, the mechanism erases the record in the write log and deleting the copy of data.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for instigating the sending of an acknowledgement response from a host system. A buffer of a data processing system is monitored to determine if there is a data transfer pending in the buffer. In response to a determination that there are no data transfers pending in the buffer, a determination is made as to whether there is an outstanding data transfer, on a corresponding network connection with the host system, for which an acknowledgement response has not been received from the host system. In response to a determination that there is an outstanding data transfer for which an acknowledgement response has not been received, an acknowledgement instigation message is sent to the host system to instigate the host system sending an acknowledgement response for the outstanding data transfer.

Abstract: In a method for replicating data, a first controller receives a request to write data from a device. The first controller communicates with a second controller to obtain information necessary for the second controller to receive the data. The first controller determines settings that allow for the first controller and the second controller to each receive the data using the information necessary for the second controller to receive the data. The first controller sends the settings that allow for the first controller and the second controller to each receive the data to the device. The first controller receives the data sent from the device to the first controller and the second controller based on the settings that allow for the first controller and the second to each receive the data.