Abstract: A technique maintains online access to data stored in a plurality of storage devices during a hardware upgrade in which the plurality of storage devices moves between storage processor enclosures. The technique involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while each storage device of the plurality of storage devices resides in a first storage processor enclosure. The technique further involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while the plurality of storage devices is moved from the first storage processor enclosure to a second storage processor enclosure (e.g., transferring each storage devices one by one before triggering a rebuild process). The technique further involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while each storage device of the plurality of storage devices resides in the second storage processor enclosure.

Abstract: A technique of obtaining attributes associated with data includes providing an attribute-only read request directed to a specified data element, accessing metadata structures that store one or more attributes associated with the specified data element, and returning the attribute (or attributes) but not the data itself in response to the request.

Abstract: A technique of protecting data from ransomware attacks identifies a set of blocks written to a data object between first and second points in time, determines a set of attributes of the set of blocks, and, in response to the set of attributes indicating a likelihood of a ransomware attack, secures a state of the data object as of the first point in time.

Abstract: A technique of identifying hosts suspected of being sources of ransomware infection includes initiating a tracking interval in response to a data storage system detecting a suspected ransomware attack. During the tracking interval, write requests received by the data storage system are analyzed and ransomware attributes for those write requests are generated. The ransomware attributes of the write requests indicate risks of ransomware infection and are associated with hosts from which the respective write requests originate. A particular host is identified as a suspected source of ransomware infection based at least in part on the ransomware attributes associated with that host.

Abstract: A technique of protecting data from ransomware attacks identifies a set of blocks written to a data object between first and second points in time, determines a set of attributes of the set of blocks, and, in response to the set of attributes indicating a likelihood of a ransomware attack, secures a state of the data object as of the first point in time.

Abstract: A method of performing synchronous replication from a primary storage system apparatus (PSSA) to a secondary storage system apparatus (SSSA) is provided. The method includes (a) in response to write requests received by the PSSA, (i) calculating metadata changes by the PSSA for accommodating the write requests, (ii) generating, by the PSSA, metadata journal log entries that describe the metadata changes, and (iii) mirroring the metadata journal log entries from the PSSA to the SSSA; (b) regenerating the metadata changes by the SSSA based on the metadata journal log entries mirrored from the PSSA to the SSSA; and (c) writing the regenerated metadata changes to persistent storage of the SSSA. A method performed by the SSSA is also provided. An apparatus, system, and computer program product for performing similar methods are also provided.

Abstract: Techniques for submitting unaligned IO data to an alignment-required IO stack of a storage system. The techniques include determining that IO data specified by an IO command contains unaligned IO data, and generating an IOCB and a tunneling IOCB. The IOCB includes information pertaining to the tunneling IOCB and the tunneling IOCB includes information pertaining to a sector-unaligned buffer for storing the IO data. The tunneling IOCB satisfies a sector-alignment requirement of an IO stack. The techniques include, in response to submitting the IO command and the information included in the IOCB to the IO stack, determining that the tunneling IOCB satisfies the sector-alignment requirement of the IO stack; having satisfied the sector-alignment requirement, building a driver command based on the IO command and the information included in the tunneling IOCB; and, transferring, by executing the driver command, the unaligned IO data from the sector-unaligned buffer to a storage device.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing a storage system involve: based on a detection that a first host configured to use a first protocol to access a storage system is connected to the storage system, determining a source logical storage space from a second group of logical storage spaces associated with a second protocol. The second protocol is different from the first protocol. The techniques further involve: determining, from a first group of logical storage spaces associated with the first protocol, a target logical storage space to which the source logical storage space is mapped. The techniques further involve: allocating the target logical storage space to the first host, so that the first host accesses the storage system via the target logical storage space. Accordingly, suitable protocols can be flexibly used to access the storage system without cumbersome and time-consuming operations.

Abstract: Techniques for submitting unaligned IO data to an alignment-required IO stack of a storage system. The techniques include determining that IO data specified by an IO command contains unaligned IO data, and generating an IOCB and a tunneling IOCB. The IOCB includes information pertaining to the tunneling IOCB and the tunneling IOCB includes information pertaining to a sector-unaligned buffer for storing the IO data. The tunneling IOCB satisfies a sector-alignment requirement of an IO stack. The techniques include, in response to submitting the IO command and the information included in the IOCB to the IO stack, determining that the tunneling IOCB satisfies the sector-alignment requirement of the IO stack; having satisfied the sector-alignment requirement, building a driver command based on the IO command and the information included in the tunneling IOCB; and, transferring, by executing the driver command, the unaligned IO data from the sector-unaligned buffer to a storage device.

Abstract: A technique maintains online access to data stored in a plurality of storage devices during a hardware upgrade in which the plurality of storage devices moves between storage processor enclosures. The technique involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while each storage device of the plurality of storage devices resides in a first storage processor enclosure. The technique further involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while the plurality of storage devices is moved from the first storage processor enclosure to a second storage processor enclosure (e.g., transferring each storage devices one by one before triggering a rebuild process). The technique further involves providing, from the plurality of storage devices, online access to the data while each storage device of the plurality of storage devices resides in the second storage processor enclosure.

Abstract: A virtual storage appliance having multiple storage processors is installed in a virtualized execution environment. Each one of the multiple virtual storage processors is a virtual machine that executes in the virtualized execution environment. At the time the virtual storage appliance is installed, properties of virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment to the virtual storage processors are obtained. The virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment to the virtual storage processors are consumed by the virtual storage processors while processing Input/Output (I/O) requests that are received by the virtual storage processors from at least one consumer application. The virtual storage processors are automatically configured in response to the properties of the virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment that are obtained at the time the virtual storage appliance is installed.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing a storage system involve: based on a detection that a first host configured to use a first protocol to access a storage system is connected to the storage system, determining a source logical storage space from a second group of logical storage spaces associated with a second protocol. The second protocol is different from the first protocol. The techniques further involve: determining, from a first group of logical storage spaces associated with the first protocol, a target logical storage space to which the source logical storage space is mapped. The techniques further involve: allocating the target logical storage space to the first host, so that the first host accesses the storage system via the target logical storage space. Accordingly, suitable protocols can be flexibly used to access the storage system without cumbersome and time-consuming operations.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, via a computing device, a virtual storage appliance template file. The virtual storage appliance template file may be duplicated to generate a plurality of virtual storage appliance configuration files. A plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes may be deployed, via a hypervisor, with the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files. Each of the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files may be configured for a respective virtual storage appliance node of the plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for accessing, by a first storage processor (SP) of a virtual storage appliance, a storage device, wherein the storage device may be accessed by the first SP while all internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down. A second SP of the virtual storage appliance may access the storage device, wherein the storage device is shared between the first SP and the second SP and includes state information associated with one of the first SP and the second SP, and wherein the storage device may be accessed by the second SP while all the internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down. One or more clustering decisions associated with one of the first SP and the second SP may be executed based upon, at least in part, the state information associated with one of the first SP and the second SP accessed while all the internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for establishing a data communication channel between a first virtual storage appliance and a second virtual storage appliance within a storage system, wherein the data communication channel includes a network-based data communication path. A heartbeat communication channel is established between the first virtual storage appliance and the second virtual storage appliance within the storage system, wherein the heartbeat communication channel includes a network-based heartbeat communication path. A tie breaker node is coupled to the network-based heartbeat communication path to monitor one or more heartbeat signals present on the network-based heartbeat communication path.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for accessing, by a first storage processor (SP) of a virtual storage appliance, a storage device, wherein the storage device may be accessed by the first SP while all internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down. A second SP of the virtual storage appliance may access the storage device, wherein the storage device is shared between the first SP and the second SP and includes state information associated with one of the first SP and the second SP, and wherein the storage device may be accessed by the second SP while all the internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down. One or more clustering decisions associated with one of the first SP and the second SP may be executed based upon, at least in part, the state information associated with one of the first SP and the second SP accessed while all the internal networks associated with the virtual storage appliance are down.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for generating, via a computing device, a virtual storage appliance template file. The virtual storage appliance template file may be duplicated to generate a plurality of virtual storage appliance configuration files. A plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes may be deployed, via a hypervisor, with the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files. Each of the plurality of virtual storage appliance node configuration files may be configured for a respective virtual storage appliance node of the plurality of virtual storage appliance nodes.

Abstract: A virtual storage appliance having multiple storage processors is installed in a virtualized execution environment. Each one of the multiple virtual storage processors is a virtual machine that executes in the virtualized execution environment. At the time the virtual storage appliance is installed, properties of virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment to the virtual storage processors are obtained. The virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment to the virtual storage processors are consumed by the virtual storage processors while processing Input/Output (I/O) requests that are received by the virtual storage processors from at least one consumer application. The virtual storage processors are automatically configured in response to the properties of the virtual resources provided by the virtualized execution environment that are obtained at the time the virtual storage appliance is installed.

Abstract: Described are licensing techniques that may include: receiving a license specifying a maximum limit of a resource where the maximum limit denotes a maximum allowable consumption amount of the resource; providing the maximum limit to one or more software components; and enforcing, by the one or more software components, consumption of the maximum limit of the resource whereby an actual amount of the resource consumed is not allowed to exceed the maximum limit. The maximum limit may be a maximum storage capacity limit in connection with a virtualized storage system or appliance as well as a non-virtualized storage system or appliance. Software components may enforce the maximum limit, or a dependent limit derived therefrom, on the control path and data path. Limits specified in the license, or a dependent limit determined therefrom, may denote a maximum or minimum limit.

Abstract: A Computer-executable method, system, and computer program product for managing tiers of data storage in a data storage environment using a data storage system, the Computer-executable method, system, and computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer-executable program code for using read signatures in replication, the code configured to enable the execution of initializing a data stack, updating a map of the data stack; and distributing the map of the data stack to a compute node.