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 data storage system includes local data storage devices, network interface circuitry providing an interface to a cloud storage service, and processing circuitry configured and operative to: (1) form a first storage pool and associated first storage objects using first pool units of storage from the first storage pool, the first storage pool using the local data storage devices for underlying real storage, the first storage objects including both file-oriented objects and block-oriented objects; (2) form a second storage pool and associated second storage objects using second pool units of storage from the second storage pool, the second storage pool using the cloud storage service for underlying real storage; and (3) execute one or more of a tiering process and a backup process by which the first storage objects are migrated or copied to corresponding ones of the second storage objects for persistent storage by the cloud storage service.

Abstract: An event clearinghouse engine is used with a data storage system to modify event disposition associated with components. A separate component disposition table is provided for each component. The component disposition table specifies different sets of disposition modifications for different types of events as indicated by event ID. A global disposition rule mapping table includes disposition modifications which are applied to all events. Per-vendor and per-tenant tables may be used to specify disposition modifications for particular vendors and tenants. Mode-specific tables such as a rescue/recovery mode table may be used to specify disposition modifications when the storage system is in a particular mode. The tables may be implemented in stages, including parallel and serial application.

Abstract: While providing a storage service to a client system, a storage system maintains a complete set of storage service metadata for the service on the same storage device that stores the user data received from the client system. When an event is detected that requires the storage service to be moved to a new storage system, the storage service can be moved to a new storage system by moving the storage device containing both the user data and the storage service metadata to the new storage system. The new storage system detects the storage device that has been moved, and detects the storage service metadata and user data. The new storage system then uses the storage service metadata and user data from the storage device to immediately reestablish the storage service with the client system, without having to perform a separate step of copying the storage service metadata from the previous storage system.

Abstract: A method of controlling startup of a virtual storage appliance includes obtaining resource information about virtual resources (e.g., hardware resources) available in a virtual-computing environment of the host computer, and comparing the resource information with resource profiles describing sets of virtual resources compatible with resource needs of the virtual storage appliance. A comparison result is used to selectively enable or disable remaining startup of the virtual storage appliance, the remaining startup being enabled when the resource information matches one of the resource profiles, and being disabled when resource information does not match any of the resource profiles. A user may be notified using a reporting mechanism, and the virtual machine may be placed into a service mode that includes facilities for examining configuration and other information to determine the cause of a mismatch.

Abstract: A technique for managing data storage applies both inline software compression and inline hardware compression in a data storage system, using both types of compression together. The data storage system applies inline software compression for compressing a first set of newly arriving data and applies inline hardware compression for compressing a second set of newly arriving data. Both sets of data are directed to a data object, and the data storage system compresses both sets of data without first storing uncompressed versions thereof in the data object.

Abstract: A method for controlling write order in a remote data storage system used for asynchronous replication. The data backup method includes receiving writes issued concurrently by a host prior to any being completed. An async write manager, such as a software application on a storage controller or on a host, operates to group each of the writes into a concurrency group with a replica write corresponding to each of the host writes being queued for transmittal over a link to a remote data storage system. The replica writes each include a concurrency group identifier, such as a group number or last completed write number, that identifies which concurrency group the replica has been assigned. The method includes transferring the replica writes to the remote data storage system and processing the concurrency group identifiers with a write order manager to determine which subsets of the replica writes to issue concurrently.

Abstract: A bitmap manager creates a cached copy of a bitmap and a shadow copy of a bitmap. The contents of the shadow copy are examined as are the bitmap cache to determine when it is necessary to write bitmap data to persistent storage. Extra bits are set or left set in the bitmap shadow copy to minimize the frequency of having to write bitmap data to persistent storage.

Abstract: A bitmap manager creates a cached copy of a bitmap and a shadow copy of a bitmap. The contents of the shadow copy are examined as are the bitmap cache to determine when it is necessary to write bitmap data to persistent storage. Extra bits are set or left set in the bitmap shadow copy to minimize the frequency of having to write bitmap data to persistent storage.

Abstract: A method for controlling write order in a remote data storage system used for asynchronous replication. The data backup method includes receiving writes issued concurrently by a host prior to any being completed. An async write manager, such as a software application on a storage controller or on a host, operates to group each of the writes into a concurrency group with a replica write corresponding to each of the host writes being queued for transmittal over a link to a remote data storage system. The replica writes each include a concurrency group identifier, such as a group number or last completed write number, that identifies which concurrency group the replica has been assigned. The method includes transferring the replica writes to the remote data storage system and processing the concurrency group identifiers with a write order manager to determine which subsets of the replica writes to issue concurrently.