Abstract: A method of performing disk operations on a physical storage that is being managed by a storage virtual appliance (SVA), from a virtual machine (VM), is disclosed. The method includes intercepting a data read/write request form the VM. The data read/write request is intercepted in the hypervisor prior to the read/write request reaches the SVA. The VM and the SVA are hosted in the hypervisor. The read/write request includes virtual block numbers which are translated into physical block numbers before performing the read/write operation on the physical storage. The method further includes probing a copy of virtual Logical Unit Number (LUN) block numbers to physical disk block numbers mapping table (bock map table) in the hypervisor to identify physical block numbers that corresponds to the virtual block numbers in the read/write request.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reduced-overhead creation of persistent, point-in-time images (PPIs) are disclosed. The summary map is updated as needed when a block is newly freed or allocated after the latest PPI is taken. Therefore, PPI maps of previously created PPIs do not need to be scanned after PPI creation, thereby eliminating high latency disk reads and memory consumption for scanning. When a PPI is created, the active map and the latest PPI map are identical since the active map depicts the current allocation status of the blocks in the active file system. The active map only diverges from the PPI map when a block is allocated or freed in the active file system. Therefore, the active map can be used to update the status of blocks in the summary map when the status of a block diverges from its status as indicated in the latest PPI map.

Abstract: A method of transferring data from a virtual machine (VM) to a storage virtual appliance (SVA) is disclosed. In this method, the data is transferred to an iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) device that is coupled to the VM and has a zero copy data mover implementation of a TCP socket interface. The method further includes sending a memory address of the data to the SVA. The SVA includes an iSCSI device having a zero copy data mover implementation of a TCP socket interface to receive the memory address of the data. The VM and the SVA are running in a same hypervisor host.

Abstract: A method of transferring data from a virtual machine (VM) to a storage virtual appliance (SVA) is disclosed. In this method, the data is transferred to an iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) device that is coupled to the VM and has a zero copy data mover implementation of a TCP socket interface. The method further includes sending a memory address of the data to the SVA. The SVA includes an iSCSI device having a zero copy data mover implementation of a TCP socket interface to receive the memory address of the data. The VM and the SVA are running in a same hypervisor host.

Abstract: A method of performing disk operations on a physical storage that is being managed by a storage virtual appliance (SVA), from a virtual machine (VM), is disclosed. The method includes intercepting a data read/write request form the VM. The data read/write request is intercepted in the hypervisor prior to the read/write request reaches the SVA. The VM and the SVA are hosted in the hypervisor. The read/write request includes virtual block numbers which are translated into physical block numbers before performing the read/write operation on the physical storage. The method further includes probing a copy of virtual Logical Unit Number (LUN) block numbers to physical disk block numbers mapping table (bock map table) in the hypervisor to identify physical block numbers that corresponds to the virtual block numbers in the read/write request.