Abstract: A multi-core processor includes logical partitions that have respective processor cores, memory areas, and Ethernet controllers. At least one of the Ethernet controllers is disabled for external communication and is assigned as an inter-partition Ethernet controller for inter-partition communication. The inter-partition Ethernet controller is configured in loopback mode. A transmitting partition addresses a message through a send buffer in a private memory area to the inter-partition Ethernet controller assigned to a receiving partition. The receiving inter-partition Ethernet controller copies the received message to a receive buffer in the receiving partition's memory area. The receive Ethernet controller returns the received message to the sending partition and the sending partition resumes control of the memory space of the send buffer, or alternatively, the receive Ethernet controller frees the memory space of the send buffer to the private memory of the sending partition.

Abstract: A device and method runs a plurality of user applications. The device includes a multi-core processor where one core is a supervisor core for an operating system. Each remaining core is a partition core for one of the user applications. The operating system and each of the user applications run concurrently. The device includes a memory arrangement including a plurality of memory blocks. Each memory block includes a predetermined, sequential set of sectors so that data for a first user application is stored only on a first set of sectors of a first memory block and data for a second user application is stored only on a second set of sectors of a second memory block. One memory block is associated with only the supervisor core and each of the remaining memory blocks is associated with only a respective partition core.

Abstract: In a computer for executing processing based on a storage management program, a management information storing unit designates, from the data blocks having the same content, main-data used as an access destination and sub-data used as a backup, and stores management information that registers storage nodes as allocation destinations of the respective main-data and sub-data; a load information collecting unit continuously collects load information on the storage nodes; a replacement object detecting unit detects a pair of the main-data and the sub-data having the same content and having a predetermined condition such that a load difference between the allocation destination of the main-data and that of the sub-data exceeds a predetermined allowable value; and a management information updating unit replaces roles of the main-data and the sub-data between the detected pair of data blocks.

Abstract: There is provided a storage subsystem having a virtual volume and a page volume which has a page physical area allocated to the virtual volume. The storage subsystem divides an address space of the virtual volume into a plurality of pages, classifies each of the pages into one of a plurality of states including at least a first state and a second state, and further divide a page which is classified into the second state into a plurality of segments to managed the page classified into the second state. The first state is a state in which a page physical area is allocated to the page from the page volume, and the write data is stored in the page physical area. The second state is a state in which the predetermined pattern data and the segment are managed, in the memory, by correlating with each other.

Abstract: A technique manages a virtual hard disk tree in a computing system executing a hypervisor to provide a client virtualization environment. The technique involves linking, by a client executing within a control virtual machine of the client virtualization environment, a first delta image of a virtual hard disk generated later in time to a base image of the virtual hard disk. The technique further involves modifying contents of the first delta image, the base image, and a second delta image which is linked to the base image; and deleting the second delta image after modifying the contents of the first delta image, the base image, and the second delta image. The base image and the first delta image, together with additional delta images of the virtual hard disk comprise a tree of images of the virtual hard disk.

Abstract: The computer system includes a storage device, a virtual volume, a plurality of logical volumes each including a storage area and constituting a pool, and a controller for controlling the allocation of the storage area from the logical volumes in the pool to the virtual volume. The controller is configured to: manage, for each of the plurality of logical volumes in the pool, a capacity of the logical volume and a number of units of storage areas allocated to the virtual volume; allocate one or more units of storage area not allocated to virtual volume from the plurality of logical volumes in the pool to the virtual volume when it is necessary; detect a state where an imbalance occurs between the numbers of units of allocated storage areas of the logical volumes in the pool based on the managed information; and change the allocation in order to achieve a balance.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for storing live media streams are disclosed. A storage format that can be used to record and then playback live streams including data-streams, audio-streams, video-streams, and other multi-media streams is also disclosed. The disclosed storage format is referred to as “raw”.

Abstract: In a computing system, memory may be managed by using a distributed array, which is a global set of local memory regions. A segment in the distributed array is allocated and is bound to a physical memory region. The segment is used by a workgroup in a dispatched data parallel kernel, wherein a workgroup includes one or more work items. When the distributed array is declared, parameters of the distributed array may be defined. The parameters may include an indication whether the distributed array is persistent (data written to the distributed array during one parallel dispatch is accessible by work items in a subsequent dispatch) or an indication whether the distributed array is shared (nested kernels may access the distributed array). The segment may be deallocated after it has been used.

Abstract: Method and system for migrating information from a source storage device to a destination storage device via a router is provided. The method includes selecting the source storage device for migrating information from; selecting a destination storage device and concluding upon validation that the destination storage device is configured to operate as a thin provisioned storage device for storing information; and reading information from the source storage device and if the read information is zero, then reading a corresponding segment of the destination storage device and if non-zero information is read from the corresponding segment, then setting an indicator for indicating that the destination storage device is not configured as the thin provisioned storage device.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to classify storage locations in a storage medium according to at least three response time grades, to classify data to be stored in the storage locations according to at least three access frequency grades, and to migrate the data between the storage locations according to a predicted access frequency assigned to preemptive allocations of some of the storage locations, based on the response time grade and the access frequency grade associated with the data prior to migration. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A state transition management device includes a first terminal receiving a first signal based on a current state-number, a memory which stores a state transition rule and from which a plurality of subsequent state-number candidates are read out in accordance with the first signal, a plurality of first nodes revealing the plurality of subsequent state-number candidates, a second terminal receiving a second signal based on the current state-number, a selection method specifying unit which outputs a selection method specifying signal in accordance with the second signal, a second node revealing the selection method specifying signal, a event terminal receiving a event-signal based on an event, a third terminal receiving a third signal based on the current state-number, a selection circuit which selects a subsequent state-number from the plurality of subsequent number candidates in accordance with the event-signal and the third signal.

Abstract: Method for accessing data in a storage system architecture, the architecture comprises at least one disk array subsystem, comprising the following steps. Provide a SAS for managing a first and a second media extent (ME) the at least one subsystem. Obtain a location index corresponding to a host LBA via a BAT. Obtain a location information of a physical section located in the first ME corresponding to the location index via a physical section to virtual section cross-referencing functionality. Update the cross-reference in the cross-referencing functionality so that the location information obtained from the cross-referencing functionality corresponding to the location index is the location information of the second physical section. A host IO request addressing the host LBA accesses data in the second physical section utilizing the location information of the second physical section.

Abstract: A storage device and method for selective data compression are provided. In one embodiment, a storage device determines whether data stored in a storage area in the storage device's memory is suitable for compression. If the data is suitable for compression, the storage device compresses the data. The storage device then uses free memory space resulting from compressing the data for an internal storage device operation. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter includes a method, system and apparatus, for dynamically controlling resource allocation in a storage system, the storage system comprises at least one storage device and at least one processing unit, the resources being associated with the processing unit. Responsive to a request from a connection for processing data, information in respect of an Allocation state of the processing unit is obtained. The Allocation state is defined as a Limiting Allocation state if the quantity of free resources associated with the processing unit, is lower than a first threshold value. In case the Allocation state of the processing unit is Limiting Allocation state, information in respect of a Connection state of the connection is obtained. The required memory resources are dynamically allocated to the connection according to the current Allocation state of the processing unit and the current Connection state of the connection.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for dynamically allocating memory using one or more lock-free FIFOs. One or more lock-free FIFOs are populated with FIFO nodes, where each FIFO node represents a memory allocation of a predetermined size. Each particular lock-free FIFO includes memory allocations of a single size. Different lock-free FIFOs may include memory allocations for different sizes to service allocation requests for different size memory allocations. A lock-free mechanism is used to pop FIFO nodes from the FIFO. The use of the lock-free FIFO allows multiple consumers to simultaneously attempt to pop the head FIFO node without first obtaining a lock to ensure exclusive access of the FIFO.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer usable program product for scaling energy use in a virtualized data processing environment are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A set of PIOAs is configured such that each PIOAs in the set of PIOAs is a functional equivalent of another PIOAs in the set of PIOAs. A utilization of each PIOA in the set of PIOAs is measured. A number of PIOAs needed to service a workload is determined. A first subset of PIOAs from the set of PIOAs is powered down if the number of PIOAs needed to service the workload is smaller than a number of operational PIOAs. The I/O operations associated with the first subset of PIOAs are transferred to a second subset of PIOAs remaining operational in the set of PIOAs.

Abstract: In a shared storage system for supporting virtual machines, virtual machine images are opportunistically migrated between logical storage units to free up physical storage units and achieve better storage hardware resource utilization and reduced power consumption by powering down freed-up physical storage units. The destination for the opportunistic migration of a virtual machine is selected based on the extent to which the physical storage units are shared between the logical storage unit in which the virtual image is currently stored and the destination. In situations where the demand for storage hardware resources increases, the powered-down physical storage units may be opportunistically powered up to meet the increased demand.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for dynamically allocating memory using one or more lock-free pop-only FIFOs. One or more lock-free FIFOs are populated with FIFO nodes, where each FIFO node represents a memory allocation of a predetermined size. Each particular lock-free FIFO includes memory allocations of a single size. Different lock-free FIFOs may include memory allocations for different sizes to service allocation requests for different size memory allocations. A lock-free mechanism is used to pop FIFO nodes from the FIFO. The use of the lock-free FIFO allows multiple consumers to simultaneously attempt to pop the head FIFO node without first obtaining a lock to ensure exclusive access of the FIFO.

Abstract: Management method refers to position management information indicating an installation position of each of storage apparatuses. Positions of a first storage apparatus including a first volume and a second storage apparatus including a second volume composing a copy pair with the first volume are specified from the position management information. A positional relationship between the first and the second storage apparatuses before data migration is determined. If the second volume is not to be migrated, a condition of a positional relationship after the data migration to be satisfied between a migration destination storage apparatus of data of the first volume and the second storage apparatus is determined. Storage apparatus which satisfies at least the condition of the positional relationship after the data migration is selected from the storage apparatuses as the destination storage apparatus.

Abstract: Eviction priority technologies provide for the prioritized eviction of memory pages from a first memory, such as a DRAM, in a mobile computing device that have been copied from a second memory, such as flash memory. Eviction priority is based on eviction costs for the memory pages. The eviction cost for a page is based on page-in costs, page-out costs, the priority of a process associated with the page, page access probability and combinations thereof. Page-in costs include read costs, fixup costs and decompression costs, and page-out costs include write-back costs and compression costs. Page lists allow for the sorting of pages by page type (e.g., read only, read/write) and can be used to keep track of eviction costs. Pages are evicted from the first memory in order of increasing eviction cost.

Abstract: A storage system is provided with a plurality of storage devices that are basis of a pool and a primary volume and a controller that is coupled to the plurality of storage devices and the host computer and that is provided with a cache region. (A) In the case in which the controller receives a write request that specifies a secondary volume that is a snapshot of a primary volume from the host computer, (a1) the controller stores the write data that is data that conforms to the write request into a first cache sub region of the cache region and (a2) the controller transmits a response to the write request to the host computer after the (a1), and (B), (b1) in the case in which a page in the pool is unallocated to a virtual region of a write destination of the write data, the controller allocates a page to the virtual region, and (b2) the controller stores the write data in the first cache sub region into the allocated page.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for reading mirrored data. In one embodiment, a node receives a read request for data, identical copies of which are maintained on a primary storage device and any number of corresponding minors. A read generator coupled to the node generates a number of read operations for smaller portions of the data. Preferably, the read generator then transmits the read operations in parallel to at least two storage devices on which identical copies of the data are maintained (e.g., a primary storage device and a corresponding mirror, two mirrors of a primary storage device, etc.). The read operations may then be processed in parallel by the storage devices to which the read operations were transmitted.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for asynchronously binding data from a data source to a data target. A user interface thread and a separate thread are used to enable the user interface thread to continue execution rather than blocking to obtain updated data, to which elements of a user interface that the user interface thread is managing, are bound. The separate thread obtains updated data from a data source, stores the updated data in a local cache, and notifies the user interface thread of the updated data's presence in the local cache. The user interface thread, upon detecting the notification, accesses the updated data in the local cache and populates the updated data into the user interface.

Abstract: A storage controller of the present invention narrows down the target for data comparison by comparing hash codes beforehand and rapidly detects duplicated data. A hash value setting unit sets a hash code in data received from a host. Hash code-attached data is stored in a logical volume. A microprocessor unit compares the hash codes for each comparison-targeted data. When hash codes match with one another, a data comparator compares the target data, and determines whether or not the data is duplicated data. When duplicated data is detected, the microprocessor unit removes the duplicated data.

Abstract: Data migration can be preformed between source and target storage subsystems without stopping exchanging data between a host computer and each of the storage subsystems. After a next access path, which should be set instead of a specific access path in an available state among access paths, is set between the host computer and a migration target logical unit via a host port and a target port, the status of the next access path is set to an available state and the status of the specific access path is set to an unavailable state. After the next access path is set to an available state, data is migrated from a migration source logical unit of the source storage subsystem to the migration target logical unit of the target storage subsystem.

Abstract: A management system, which manages a plurality of storage systems, in a case where belonging to a storage system having a first function constitutes a condition for allocating a plurality of volumes to a host device, retrieves the storage system having the first function from among the plurality of storage systems, selects one or more unallocated logical volumes included in the retrieved storage system, acquires a logical volume capacity included in the selected logical volumes and notifies an output device of the acquired capacity as the capacity allocatable to the host device.

Abstract: A virtual logical unit that stores learning metadata is allocated in a first storage server having a first plurality of clusters, wherein the learning metadata indicates a type of storage device in which selected data of the first plurality of clusters of the first storage server are stored. A copy services command is received to copy the selected data from the first storage server to a second storage server having a second plurality of clusters. The virtual logical unit that stores the learning metadata is copied, from the first storage server to the second storage server, via the copy services command. Selected logical units corresponding to the selected data are copied from the first storage server to the second storage server, and the learning metadata is used to place the selected data in the type of storage device indicated by the learning metadata.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for managing storage space in a mobile device. During operation, the system detects a decrease in available disk space in a host file system, wherein an image file for a guest system is stored in the host file system. In response to the detected decrease, the system increases a size of a balloon file in a storage of a guest system. The system then receives an indication of a TRIM or discard communication and intercepts the TRIM or discard communication. Next, the system determines that at least one block is free based on the intercepted TRIM or discard communication. Subsequently, the system frees a physical block corresponding to the at least one block in a storage of the host system and reduces a size of the image file for the guest system in accordance with the intercepted TRIM or discard communication.

Abstract: A method can include receiving memory configuration information that specifies a memory configuration; receiving memory usage information for the memory configuration; analyzing the received memory usage information for a period of time; and, responsive to the analyzing, controlling notification circuitry configured to display a graphical user interface that presents information for physically altering a specified memory configuration. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus of providing a frugal cloud file system that efficiently uses the blocks of different types of storage devices with different properties for different purposes. The efficient use of the different types of available storage devices reduces the storage and bandwidth overhead. Advantageously, the reduction in storage and bandwidth overhead achieved using the frugal cloud file system reduces the economic costs of running the file system while maintaining high performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein are directed to determining a partial migration plan to execute based on a policy. In situations where the performance of the virtual volumes is insufficient, the virtual volume should be migrated to a different storage pool or have high-performance media added to its current storage pool. A management program creates several migration plans for execution, which may include more than one partial migration plans. The plans may indicate the original storage subsystem, the target storage subsystem and a number of pages. The management program selects one of the plans, and proceeds to execute the selected plan.

Abstract: One example of the present invention is directed to a data-storage system comprising a plurality of data-storage devices, one or more communications connections through which the data-storage system receives management and data-access commands and sends responses to received commands, and one or more processors. The one or more processors execute controller functionality that controls command and response exchanges through the communications connections, accesses the data-storage devices, and provides a data-storage-system interface that includes a management-interface portion that provides access to management functionality, a data-interface portion that provides access to data-access functionality, and a management-interface tunnel that provides alternative access to management functionality through the data-interface portion of the data-storage-system interface.

Abstract: A pool, which is configured by multiple actual areas, is formed on the basis of two or more storage devices. A second storage control apparatus (DKC) determines, for each storage device, an unused capacity to be given to a first DKC with respect to each first DKC based on an unused capacity of each storage device and a request value of each storage device for each first DKC, and gives, for each first DKC, the unused capacity for each storage device determined with respect to the first DKC, to this first DKC. The request value of the storage device is based on a performance value, which is a value related to the performance of this storage device. The total capacity of multiple actual areas allocated to the virtual volumes by the first DKC is equal to or less than the unused capacity given with respect to each storage device.

Abstract: A method for optimization of host sequential reads based on volume of data includes, at a mass data storage device, pre-fetching a first volume of predicted data associated with an identified read data stream from a data store into a buffer memory different from the data store. A request for data from the read data stream is received from a host. In response, the requested data is provided to the host from the buffer memory. While providing the requested data to the host from the buffer memory, it is determined whether a threshold volume of data has been provided to the host from the data buffer memory. If so, a second volume of predicted data associated with the identified read data stream is pre-fetched from the data store and into the buffer memory. If not, additional predicted data is not pre-fetched from the data store.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to efficiently use a hierarchical pool. A management server manages performance information of multiple host computers, and based on each performance information, determines whether a prescribed host computer, which comprises a load of equal to or larger than a preconfigured prescribed threshold, exists among the multiple host computers. The management server creates a reallocation plan, which stipulates an allocation amount of a real storage area for each of multiple storage tiers, with respect to a prescribed virtual logical volume used by the prescribed host computer. Based on the reallocation plan, the management server decides a corresponding relationship between each logical storage area and each real storage area of each storage tier, and notifies a storage apparatus of this corresponding relationship.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to an offload provider. In aspects, an offload provider may provide a token that represents data. The offload provider may be expected to ensure that the data the token represents will not change while the token is valid. The offload provider may take actions to ensure the immutability of the data. The actions may be taken, for example, in conjunction with receiving an offload read and/or offload write, and/or in conjunction with receiving another write that, if allowed to proceed, would otherwise change the data represented by the token.

Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory, and a memory controller for performing control to extend the maximum value of a logical address by erasing data of the nonvolatile memory which has become unnecessary in accordance with a command from the outside, and reassigning the data which has become unnecessary to a memory area assigned to a part of the logical address.

Abstract: Dedicated large page memory pools are provided to, at least in part, facilitate access to large pages. The large page memory is managed by: establishing multiple large page memory pools, each large page memory pool of the multiple large page memory pools including a number of large pages; and dedicating each large page memory pool of the multiple large page memory pools to a respective processor of multiple processors of the computing environment, wherein processors of the multiple processors can concurrently access pages from the respective large page memory pools of the multiple large page memory pools.

Abstract: Systems and methods that make use of logical partitions of a second tier of disk storage at a disaster recovery (DR) site remote from a production site as part of a DR setup to advantageously reduce disruption to production site data production operations during DR procedures while providing for the substantially immediate recall or retrieval of data previously migrated to the remote second tier of disk storage.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a memory allocation module that adopts memory-pool based allocation and is aware of the physical configuration of the memory blocks in order to manage the memory allocation intelligently while exploiting statistical characters of packet traffic. The memory-pool based allocation makes it easy to find empty memory blocks. Packet traffic characteristics are used to maximize the number of empty memory blocks.

Abstract: A method for managing memory in a system for an application, comprising: assigning a first block (i.e., a big block) of the memory to the application when the application is initiated, the first block having a first size, the first block being assigned to the application until the application is terminated; dividing the first block into second blocks (i.e., intermediate blocks), each second block having a same second size, a second block of the second blocks for containing data for one or more components of a single data structure to be accessed by one thread of the application at a time; and, dividing the second block into third blocks (i.e., small blocks), each third block having a same third size, a third block of the third blocks for containing data for a single component of the single data structure.

Abstract: A first and a second physical disk identifier, a physical Logical Block Address (LBA), a data length, and a span identifier are calculated from a data write operation. A first request command frame is created for retrieving the existing data block from the storage array, the first request command frame including at least one of the calculated parameters. At least one second request command frame is created for retrieving the at least one existing parity data block from the storage array, the at least one second request command frame including the calculated at least one second physical disk identifier and at least one of the calculated parameters. At least one new parity data block is calculated utilizing the existing data block, the new data block, and the at least one existing parity data block.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided, which includes a central processing unit (CPU), a first memory unit which performs communication with the CPU, and a second memory unit which stores therein conditional access system (CAS) software and platform software. According to the method of controlling the apparatus, upon booting, the CPU copies the CAS software to an internal memory area which may be within the CPU, copies the platform software to the first memory unit and executes the CAS and platform software, and executes CAS operations through communication between the CAS software and the platform software.

Abstract: A modular block allocator includes a front end module and a back end module communicating with each another via an application programming interface (API). The front end module receives cleaner messages requesting dirty buffers associated with the cleaner messages be cleaned. The back end module provides low and high level data structures which are formed by examining bitmaps associated with data storage devices. A stripe set data structure mapping to the low level data structures are formed. The front end module cleans the dirty buffers by allocating data blocks in the high level data structures to the dirty buffers. The low level data structures are used to map the allocated data blocks to the stripe set and when the stripe set is full it is sent to the data storage devices.

Abstract: A method and system defragments data during garbage collection. Garbage collection may be more efficient when the valid data that is aggregated together is related or logically linked. In particular, data from the same file or that is statistically correlated may be combined in the same blocks during garbage collection.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-program products store file segments by receiving a first file segment, and storing the first file segment in a first memory area having a highest ranking. The first memory area is reassigned as a memory area having a next highest ranking when a second file segment is received and the first memory area has reached a maximum capacity. The second file segment is stored in another memory that is reassigned as the memory area having the highest ranking.

Abstract: An arithmetic processing system includes the following elements. Plural storage media, which are physically independent, having storage regions are provided. Plural processors execute processing by using the storage regions of the plural storage media. An allocating unit allocates the storage regions of the plural storage media to the plural processors. A determining unit determines whether a total value of storage amounts necessary for the plural processors to execute processing is equal to or smaller than a value obtained by subtracting a storage capacity of one of the storage media from a total capacity of the plural storage media. A reallocating unit reallocates the allocated storage regions to the plural processors when the above-described determination result is positive. A discontinuing unit discontinues an operation performed by a storage medium which does not contain any of the storage regions reallocated to the plural processors as a result of reallocating the storage regions.

Abstract: In a data processing system including multiple logical partitions (LPARs), an application executes on a first logical partition (LPAR) of the multiple LPARs, where the application uses a first operation system stored in a first memory partition of a shared pool memory of the data processing system. A virtualization management component (a) initiates an update process that quiesces operations of the first LPAR, (b) pages in, via a virtual input/output server coupled to a first paging device, a first image of a second operating system from the first paging device to the shared pool memory; (c) changes one or more pointers associated with the application to point to one or more portions of the second operating system, such that the application uses the second operating system, when resumed; and (b) resumes execution the application.

Abstract: A computer system and reclamation control method capable of effectively utilizing storage resources of a storage system even under the circumstance where the storage system is operated according to thin provisioning and a file server can obtain snapshots. The present invention is designed so that if a block, to which a host does not refer, but reference from a snapshot remains, exists in a virtual volume of an operation volume, temporary data is written to this block; and as triggered by this writing, data before writing is saved to a difference volume, so that the reference from the snapshot to this block is released and then this block can be reclaimed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for the receipt of high-speed sequential data streams. It utilizes the concept of banked memories to reduce the required speed and size of the input buffers used to receive the data streams. This allows the device to employ large, relatively slow memory elements, thereby permitting large amounts of sequential data to be stored by the receiving device. Using control information that was written as the data was being stored in the memory banks, a reordering element is later able to retrieve the data elements from the plurality of memory banks, in an order that is different from that in which the stream was received, and to reassemble the data stream into the original sequence.