Abstract: A target-less point in time image (snapshot) of a storage volume is allowed to be built after activation, by enabling the snapshot data to be modified to create a crash-consistent replica of the source data after the snapshot has been activated. The data of the snapshot remains immutable from a user standpoint, but the snapshot is able to be quickly activated before all of the data of the snapshot has been included in the snapshot, to thus reduce an amount of time IO operations on the source volume are quiesced. A first snapshot of a storage volume is created on a primary storage system and a corresponding second snapshot of the storage volume is activated on a backup storage system before all the data of the first snapshot is received at the backup storage system. Entries of the activated second snapshot are then changed to point to correct back-end allocations.

Abstract: A target-less point in time image (snapshot) of a storage volume is allowed to be built after activation, by enabling the snapshot data to be modified to create a crash-consistent replica of the source data after the snapshot has been activated. The data of the snapshot remains immutable from a user standpoint, but the snapshot is able to be quickly activated before all of the data of the snapshot has been included in the snapshot, to thus reduce an amount of time IO operations on the source volume are quiesced. A first snapshot of a storage volume is created on a primary storage system and a corresponding second snapshot of the storage volume is activated on a backup storage system before all the data of the first snapshot is received at the backup storage system. Entries of the activated second snapshot are then changed to point to correct back-end allocations.

Abstract: An aspect includes determining a host write rate based on a number of chunks written to a storage volume during a first replication cycle and determining a target rate based on an estimated number of chunks written during a second replication cycle. The target rate is determined by dividing the number of chunks written during the second replication cycle by a recovery point objective (RPO) period. An aspect also includes transmitting chunks written during the second replication cycle at the target rate.

Abstract: A first storage system in one illustrative embodiment is configured to participate in a replication process with a second storage system. Each of a plurality of storage nodes of the first storage system comprises a plurality of storage devices and a set of processing modules configured to communicate with corresponding sets of processing modules on other ones of the storage nodes. In conjunction with the replication process, a first one of the processing modules is configured to generate a request message for transmission to a second one of the processing modules requesting that the second processing module transfer designated replication data to the second storage system. The request message comprises a unique message identifier that the second processing module incorporates into a subsequent response message transmitted back to the first processing module to indicate a result of the requested transfer of the designated replication data to the second storage system.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a first storage system having a plurality of storage devices. The first storage system is configured to participate in a replication process with a second storage system. The first storage system comprises a replication engine configured to request from a data module of the first storage system at least one data page to be replicated to the second storage system as part of the replication process. If the requested data page is already available in compressed form in the data module, the replication engine receives the requested data page in compressed form and transmits it to the second storage system along with at least a portion of a content-based signature of the requested data page. If the requested data page is not already available in compressed form in the data module, the replication engine receives the requested data page in uncompressed form and transmits it to the second storage system.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a storage system having a plurality of storage devices configured to store at least a first set of data. The storage system is configured to generate a first signature for the first set of data and to verify equivalence between the first set of data and a second set of data by comparing the first signature to a second signature generated for the second set of data. The first and second sets of data comprise respective first and second sets of pages with each page having a content-based page identifier and a page address, and the first and second signatures are generated as respective functions of the page identifiers and page addresses of the respective first and second sets of pages. The first and second sets of data may comprise respective first and second storage volumes, respective first and second sets of multiple storage volumes, or other sets of data.

Abstract: An aspect includes determining a host write rate based on a number of chunks written to a storage volume during a first replication cycle and determining a target rate based on an estimated number of chunks written during a second replication cycle. The target rate is determined by dividing the number of chunks written during the second replication cycle by a recovery point objective (RPO) period. An aspect also includes transmitting chunks written during the second replication cycle at the target rate.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide systems and methods for performing hash-based data replication in a storage system. The hash-based data replication replicates selected data from a source device to a target device of the storage system. One or more operating conditions of the storage system are determined. Based upon the determined operating conditions, one or more configuration settings of data replication operations are set. The data replication operation is initiated for the selected data, and sends, based upon the one or more configuration settings, at least one of (i) a hash value associated with the selected data to the one or more target devices, and (ii) the selected data to the one or more target devices.

Abstract: A computer program product, system, and method for determining a number of chunks written to a storage volume during a first replication cycle; determining a host write rate based on the number of chunks written to the storage volume during the first replication cycle; estimating a number of chunks written during a second replication cycle; determining a target rate based on the estimated number of chunks written during the second replication cycle; and transmitting chunks written during the second replication cycle at the target rate.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a storage system having a plurality of storage devices. The storage system is associated with a target site and configured to participate in a cycle-based asynchronous replication process with a storage system of a source site. The storage system of the target site is configured to receive from the storage system of the source site, in respective ones of a plurality of cycles of the cycle-based asynchronous replication process, corresponding sets of differential data representing respective deltas between pairs of source site snapshots for respective pairs of the cycles. The storage system of the target site utilizes the sets of differential data received in the respective ones of the cycles to update respective target site snapshots for those cycles. Over multiple cycles, the storage system of the target site verifies that respective different portions of designated target site and source site snapshots are equivalent.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a storage system having a plurality of storage devices configured to store at least a first set of data. The storage system is configured to generate a first signature for the first set of data and to verify equivalence between the first set of data and a second set of data by comparing the first signature to a second signature generated for the second set of data. The first and second sets of data comprise respective first and second sets of pages with each page having a content-based page identifier and a page address, and the first and second signatures are generated as respective functions of the page identifiers and page addresses of the respective first and second sets of pages. The first and second sets of data may comprise respective first and second storage volumes, respective first and second sets of multiple storage volumes, or other sets of data.

Abstract: A computer program product, system, and method for determining one or more slices of a logical address space assigned to replication processor; determining an elapsed time since a start of a replication cycle; determining an expected number of slices that should have been replicated based on the elapsed time; and replicating one or more slices of the logical address space in response to determining the expected number of slices that should have been replicated is less than an actual number of slices replicated by the replication processor within the replication cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a storage system having a plurality of storage devices configured to store at least a first set of data. The storage system is configured to generate a first signature for the first set of data and to verify equivalence between the first set of data and a second set of data by comparing the first signature to a second signature generated for the second set of data. The first and second sets of data comprise respective first and second sets of pages with each page having a content-based page identifier and a page address, and the first and second signatures are generated as respective functions of the page identifiers and page addresses of the respective first and second sets of pages. The first and second sets of data may comprise respective first and second storage volumes, respective first and second sets of multiple storage volumes, or other sets of data.

Abstract: A storage pool manager (SPM) simplifies the provisioning of storage in virtualized environments (VEs). The SPM pushes the provisioning of storage from a storage administrator out to virtualization users and administrators. By de-centralizing storage administration, storage provisioning is made as dynamic as server provisioning in a virtualization environment. Use of the SPM enables virtualization users to select storage for provisioning based on selection of a type of storage and an amount without having to be knowledgeable about storage provisioning operations. Details of creating the storage and performing masking operations to the servers are done automatically. Using a virtual container, the storage administrator is able to control the storage that is accessible to virtualization users for provisioning and is able to set boundaries and policies around what storage the virtualization users can provision from.

Abstract: A network communication system and method providing a communication protocol extension for direct memory access operations allowing the separation of the command and data paths. The identification of the communication path to a third-party device is provided to a direct-memory-access initiator allowing the passing of data directly to the third-party device.

Abstract: A network system gateway and method providing remote direct memory access controls to separate data path from control path. Control operations are passed between the gateway and a control processor node, and data is passed between the gateway and a memory node via remote direct memory access operations. The memory node may also receive instructions for the remote direct memory access operations through proxy remote direct memory access messages received from the control processor node.

Abstract: The invention provides a networking system, network system gateway, and method for managing the transfer of data between networks interconnected through the gateway. The gateway manages the communication paths and commands used in transferring data, as well as the logins associated with each network. The gateway further provides the ability to buffer data in order to accommodate latencies within the networks. Additionally, the gateway provides the ability to pipeline data across the networks.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved methods, devices and systems for storage management in digital networks.

Abstract: An improvement in a networked digital computing system comprises an Information Resource Manager (IRM) operable to communicate with elements of the digital computing system to obtain performance information regarding operation of and resources available in the computing system, and to utilize this information to enable the IRM to adjust the application parameters relating to application execution, thereby to optimize execution of the at least one application program.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus, systems and computer program code (software) products operable in a digital processing environment, and more particularly a digital storage environment, for enabling a mapping from a set of applications to storage elements used in the digital storage environment, and to provide a hierarchical image of a set of applications (other software programs) that are generating load on any storage element in the digital storage environment.