Abstract: An illustrative method includes a storage system establishing a snapshot difference namespace within a directory of a file system, storing, within the snapshot difference namespace, snapshot difference data descriptive of differences between snapshots associated with the directory of the file system, and exposing the snapshot difference data within the namespace for client access via one or more file system access protocols. In some embodiments, a client global associated with the storage system accesses the snapshot difference data via the one or more file system access protocols, and accesses, based on the snapshot difference data, one or more files within the directory of the file system.

Abstract: An illustrative method is disclosed for efficiently copying a source directory to a target directory. For example, the method may include receiving, by a storage system, a request to copy a source directory to a target directory; generating, by the storage system in response to the request, directory version metadata for the target directory; and mapping, by the storage system in response to the request, the target directory to metadata of the source directory such that the target directory reuses the metadata of the source directory within a target namespace identified by the directory version metadata for the target directory.

Abstract: Tiering snapshots across different storage tiers, including: creating a snapshot of a dataset, wherein the snapshot includes user data and metadata; offloading the snapshot of the dataset to a first storage level storage system; and migrating, in accordance with a lifecycle policy and via one or more copy offload operations, the snapshot from the first storage level storage system to a second storage level storage system.

Abstract: An illustrative system is configured to optimize a transfer of a file system from a source storage system to a target storage system. For example, the system, in association with the transfer, determines that a copy of a collection of blocks containing data of block objects of the file system is already stored at the target storage system. In certain examples, an identifier referencing the collection of blocks is shared by the source and target storage systems and is used to determine that the copy of the collection of blocks containing data of block objects of the file system is already stored at the target storage system. The system uses the copy of the collection of blocks already stored at the target storage system instead of transferring the collection of blocks from the source storage system to the target storage system as part of the transfer.

Abstract: An illustrative data storage system is configured to efficiently copy virtual machines across different protocols/formats. For example, a storage system virtually copies images of a virtual machine from a first type of presented storage format to a second type of presented storage format. As another example, a storage system virtually copies a source virtual machine image into a block object to form a file of a block-object-based file system configured to present the virtually copied virtual machine image through a file-based protocol to a virtual machine host.

Abstract: Illustrative systems and methods use managed directories to control access to file system content. For example, in accordance with some embodiments, a data storage system establishes, in a file system, a managed directory as metadata referenced by all files and directories in a path set and establishes an access policy for the managed directory, wherein the metadata serves as a common shared data structure for associating the access policy with all files and directories in the path set.

Abstract: Cost considerate placement of data within a pool of storage resources, including: receiving one or more data objects for storage; selecting, based at least upon a storage policy and upon one or more characteristics of storage data, one or more storage classes from among a plurality of storage classes of one or more data storage services, wherein the storage policy specifies parameters for one or more of: storage costs, storage operation response time, data resiliency, or service level agreement specifications; and storing the one or more data objects to the selected one or more storage classes of the one or more data storage services.

Abstract: An illustrative unified data storage method includes providing, by a data storage system, block containers that represent a linear address space of blocks; and using, by the data storage system, the block containers to store content for a plurality of different data storage services. In certain examples, the different data storage services include at least one of a file storage service, an object storage service, or a database service.

Abstract: Cost conscious garbage collection, including: selecting one or more storage classes from among a plurality of storage classes of one or more data storage services for storing one or more data objects; determining, for the one or more data objects stored in the one or more data storage services, an estimated quantity of data eligible for garbage collection; and initiating, after determining that resources for continued storage of the one or more data objects exceed resources for performing garbage collection on the data eligible for garbage collection and based upon an expected cost savings based on storage cost savings from performing garbage collection compared against access cost expenses for performing one or more cloud-based operations to perform the garbage collection, garbage collection on the one or more data objects in the one or more data storage services.

Abstract: Tiering snapshots across different storage tiers, including: creating a snapshot of a dataset, wherein the snapshot includes user data and metadata; offloading the snapshot of the dataset to a first storage level storage system; and migrating, in accordance with a lifecycle policy and via one or more copy offload operations, the snapshot from the first storage level storage system to a second storage level storage system.

Abstract: Protecting data stored on a storage system through the use of different storage levels, including: creating a snapshot of a dataset stored on a storage system, wherein the snapshot includes user data and metadata, and wherein the metadata describes the storage layout of the dataset, offloading the snapshot to a first storage level storage system, and migrating, in accordance with a lifecycle policy, the snapshot from the first storage level storage system onto a second storage level storage system.

Abstract: A first plurality of block identifiers is sorted based, at least in part, on a measure of spatial locality. A second plurality of block identifiers is sorted based, at least in part, on the measure of spatial locality. At least the first plurality of block identifiers and the second plurality of block identifiers are incrementally merged into a third plurality of block identifiers based, at least in part, on the measure of spatial locality. A block of data corresponding to metadata associated with a plurality of block identifiers of the third plurality of block identifiers is updated.

Abstract: Cost conscious garbage collection, including: selecting one or more storage classes from among a plurality of storage classes of one or more data storage services for storing one or more data objects; determining, for the one or more data objects stored in the one or more data storage services, an estimated quantity of data eligible for garbage collection; and initiating, after determining that resources for continued storage of the one or more data objects exceed resources for performing garbage collection on the data eligible for garbage collection and based upon an expected cost savings based on storage cost savings from performing garbage collection compared against access cost expenses for performing one or more cloud-based operations to perform the garbage collection, garbage collection on the one or more data objects in the one or more data storage services.

Abstract: An illustrative data storage system is configured to replicate, from a source storage system to a target storage system, a pod that includes a file system constructed of block objects. The pod may be a storage system construct that groups storage entities within a namespace and supports operations on the storage entities as a group. The block objects may store metadata for individual files and directories of the file system and may support random read-write access to blocks of data associated with the files and directories of the file system.

Abstract: An illustrative system is configured to optimize a transfer of a file system from a source storage system to a target storage system. For example, the system, in association with the transfer, determines that a copy of a collection of blocks containing data of block objects of the file system is already stored at the target storage system. In certain examples, an identifier referencing the collection of blocks is shared by the source and target storage systems and is used to determine that the copy of the collection of blocks containing data of block objects of the file system is already stored at the target storage system. The system uses the copy of the collection of blocks already stored at the target storage system instead of transferring the collection of blocks from the source storage system to the target storage system as part of the transfer.

Abstract: An illustrative unified data storage method includes providing, by a data storage system, block containers that represent a linear address space of blocks; and using, by the data storage system, the block containers to store content for a plurality of different data storage services. In certain examples, the different data storage services include at least one of a file storage service, an object storage service, or a database service.

Abstract: An illustrative data storage system is configured to use pods to efficiently copy files systems constructed of block objects. In certain examples, the storage system generates, based on a pod that includes a file system constructed of block objects, a virtual copy of the pod such that modifications made to the pod (e.g., modifications to contents of the block objects by way of the pod) after the generation of the virtual copy of the pod are distinct from the virtual copy of the pod. In certain examples, the virtual copy of the pod is a writeable clone of the pod and modifications made to the clone (e.g., modifications to contents of the block objects by way of the clone) after the generation of the clone are distinct from the pod.

Abstract: An illustrative data storage system establishes path sets that represent relationships between service layer entities and storage layer entities associated with service layer entities. The data storage system coordinates, based on the path sets and on operations applied to one or more of the service layer entities, implementation of the operations on the storage layer entities. The path sets may be used to support implementation of snapshots, space accounting, and/or other operations of the data storage system.

Abstract: Storage management within a cloud-based data store, including: receiving one or more data objects for storage; selecting, based at least upon a storage policy and upon one or more characteristics of storage data, one or more storage classes from among a plurality of storage classes of one or more data storage services; and storing the one or more data objects to the selected one or more storage classes of the one or more data storage services.

Abstract: A first plurality of block identifiers is sorted based, at least in part, on a measure of spatial locality. A second plurality of block identifiers is sorted based, at least in part, on the measure of spatial locality. At least the first plurality of block identifiers and the second plurality of block identifiers are incrementally merged into a third plurality of block identifiers based, at least in part, on the measure of spatial locality. A block of data corresponding to metadata associated with a plurality of block identifiers of the third plurality of block identifiers is updated.