Abstract: Scalable data storage techniques are described. In one or more implementations, data is obtained by one or more computing devices that describes fault domains in a storage hierarchy and available storage resources in a data storage pool. Operational characteristics are ascertained, by the one or more computing devices, of devices associated with the available storage resources within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy. Distribution of metadata is assigned by the one or more computing devices to one or more particular data storage devices within the data storage pool based on the described fault domains and the ascertained operational characteristics of devices within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy.

Abstract: A computing device that runs an operating system (OS) in a resilient OS mode in which configuration parameters of the OS are accessible from multiple physical drives so that the computing device can continue to operate notwithstanding a failure to any one of the multiple physical drives. The computing device may be configured with a Virtual Drive to store duplicative copies of the OS and associated configuration parameters across at least two physical drives. The computing device may further be configured with a firmware interface that is deployable to initialize the OS by accessing the Virtual Drive to load the OS and associated configuration parameters into a memory of the computing device. Once initialized, the OS may be operated from the Virtual Drive so that interruption from a failure of any one of the at least two physical drives storing the OS is mitigated.

Abstract: Scalable data storage techniques are described. In one or more implementations, data is obtained by one or more computing devices that describes fault domains in a storage hierarchy and available storage resources in a data storage pool. Operational characteristics are ascertained, by the one or more computing devices, of devices associated with the available storage resources within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy. Distribution of metadata is assigned by the one or more computing devices to one or more particular data storage devices within the data storage pool based on the described fault domains and the ascertained operational characteristics of devices within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy.

Abstract: Scalable data storage techniques are described. In one or more implementations, data is obtained by one or more computing devices that describes fault domains in a storage hierarchy and available storage resources in a data storage pool. Operational characteristics are ascertained, by the one or more computing devices, of devices associated with the available storage resources within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy. Distribution of metadata is assigned by the one or more computing devices to one or more particular data storage devices within the data storage pool based on the described fault domains and the ascertained operational characteristics of devices within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy.

Abstract: Scalable data storage techniques are described. In one or more implementations, data is obtained by one or more computing devices that describes fault domains in a storage hierarchy and available storage resources in a data storage pool. Operational characteristics are ascertained, by the one or more computing devices, of devices associated with the available storage resources within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy. Distribution of metadata is assigned by the one or more computing devices to one or more particular data storage devices within the data storage pool based on the described fault domains and the ascertained operational characteristics of devices within one or more levels of the storage hierarchy.