Abstract: A method and system for backing up computer data uses a network device to select a storage device in a manner that enhances at least one parameter associated with the backup process.

Abstract: By including detecting an abnormality in a first system common unit; reading a priority indication, from the storage portion, indicating whether or not the first system common unit is to be degenerated when an abnormality occurs in the first system common unit for each of the partitioned portions; carrying out, when an abnormality is detected in a partitioned portion to which the priority indication is set, suspend processing on the information processing apparatus by the system control portion on the partitioned portion; and carrying out degeneration processing for suspending operation of the first system common unit and switching to the second system common unit, quick recovery is achieved when a significant partition is down due to a fault experienced in a common unit.

Abstract: Methods of directly accessing a mass storage data device without communicating through an operating system layer are useful in recovering information previously stored in the mass storage device.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes a processor, a write cache in operable communication with the processor, an auxiliary storage device in operable communication with the write cache, and a temporary power source in electrical communication with each of the processor, write cache, and auxiliary storage device for supplying power in the event of a loss of primary, external power. The auxiliary storage device is dimensioned to have sufficient size for holding dirty pages cached in the write cache, and the temporary power source is configured with sufficient energy for, subsequent to the loss of the external power, powering the processor, the write cache, and the auxiliary storage device for an entire duration of a backup process.

Abstract: An apparatus, memory device controller and method of controlling a memory device are provided. The example apparatus may include a bad block bitmap referencing unit configured to obtain bad block information from a bad block bitmap based on a given memory address, the given memory address being one of a logical memory address and a physical memory address corresponding to the logical memory address, the bad block information indicating whether a given memory block corresponding to the given memory address is a bad block and a memory mapping unit configured to obtain the physical memory address corresponding to the logical memory address, and configured to obtain a reserved physical memory address corresponding to the physical memory address if the bad block information indicates that the given memory block is a bad block. In an example, the apparatus may be embodied as a memory device controller including a flash translation layer (FTL).

Abstract: A method is used in managing loop interface instability. It is determined that a loop has excessive intermittent failures. It is determined, based on whether the intermittent failures are detectable on another loop, whether the cause of the excessive intermittent failures is within a specific category of components. A search procedure is executed that is directed to the specific category of components, to isolate the cause of the excessive intermittent failures.

Abstract: A storage management apparatus manages a plurality of storage apparatuses connected to each other over a network in a storage system that distributes data among the storage apparatuses and stores the data therein. The storage management apparatus has a patrol process executing unit configured to execute a patrol process to confirm whether a storage area of each storage apparatus operates normally and a patrol flow controlling unit configured to control a patrol flow indicating the speed of the patrol process executed by the patrol process executing unit.

Abstract: A management system for managing storage systems, having first correspondence information concerned with correspondence of copy pairs with copy groups as setting of remote copying of data in logical volumes of the storage systems, and second correspondence information concerned with correspondence of physical paths and logical paths between the storage systems with the copy groups, wherein when failure information designating a certain physical path is received, a copy group affected by failure in the certain physical path is specified and displayed by referring to the first correspondence information and the second correspondence information. Consequently, physical paths can be monitored from the viewpoint of remote copying.

Abstract: Multiple copy sets of data are maintained on one or more storage devices. Each copy set includes at least some of the same data units as other sets. Different sets optionally have data units stored in different orders on the storage device(s). A particular one of the sets of data is selected as the set to be accessed in response to detecting a particular scenario.

Abstract: A method for managing a redundant memory architecture for an information handling system (IHS) may include providing redundant memory for a portion of system memory wherein the redundant memory is configured to mirror data stored in the portion of system memory. The method may further include reporting a parameter associated with the portion of system memory to an operating system of the IHS and executing a program from the portion of system memory.

Abstract: A distributed memory array that supports both file storage and random access operations is provided. The distributed memory array includes at least one memory assembly for storing data, each memory assembly having a plurality of memory modules coupled together through a bi-directionally cross-strapped network, each memory module having a switching mechanism. The distributed memory array further includes at least one gateway coupled to the at least one memory assembly through the bi-directionally cross-strapped network. The gateway also includes a plurality of user access ports for providing access to the at least one memory assembly, and a file manager that is configured to receive a request from a user for access to the at least one memory assembly at the user access ports for either file storage or random access operations and to allocate at least one allocation unit of available memory in the at least one memory assembly based on the request from the user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include computer-implemented methods for selectively applying remedial actions, according to a predefined order, for reducing the error rate in a computer memory system. In one embodiment, an ordered set of remedial actions are sequentially invoked in response to a single-bit error (SBE) in a DIMM reaching successive error thresholds. For example, in an air-cooled system, the remedial actions may include dynamically increasing a DIMM refresh rate, dynamically increasing a rate of airflow used to cool the DIMMs, and dynamically throttling the DIMMs. The remedial actions may be layered as they are successively invoked, to provide a cumulative remedial effect. At least two of the remedial actions may be simultaneously invoked in response to a multi-bit error rate reaching an associated threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for updating or recovering a computer device's software image using a single portable operating system image stored on a bootable, secure partition on local storage (hard drive); a method and system utilizing delta image patching technology to allow the single image to work on a large number of diverse computer device platforms; and a method for distributing software patches and updates via a, secure local partition to ensure patches and updates are applied to well known software images that have not been modified to include malicious software and do not include any other undesirable changes that have been made to the primary, running operating system image.

Abstract: A control device includes: memory diagnosis means for setting a power-on status when an electric power is turned on and diagnosing an ECC memory; restarting means for restarting the control device when the memory diagnosis means detects a correctable error of the ECC memory during the power-on status of the ECC memory; and operation processing means for resetting the power-on status and performing a normal operation when the memory diagnosis means does not detect a correctable error of the ECC memory, while performing the normal operation when a correctable error of the ECC memory is detected because of the restart of the control device by soft reset after the reset of the power-on status but when the control device is not in the power-on status.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fault handling are presented. In one embodiment, a fault handling method includes: performing an error type detection process including determining if an error is a media error or a connectivity error; performing a detachment determination process to establish an appropriate detachment scenario, wherein the appropriate detachment scenario includes not detaching any mirrors if the connectivity error involves all mirrors; and returning an application write with a failure. In one embodiment, the detachment determination process detaches a mirror in accordance with results of a read-write-back process. In one exemplary implementation, the detachment determination process includes a connectivity status inquiry and mirrors are detached in accordance with results of the connectivity status inquiry. In one exemplary implementation, the connectivity status inquiry includes a SCSI connectivity inquiry.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a defect exists on an information storage medium is provided along with a recording/reproducing apparatus using the same. Such a method comprises: seeking a defect entry whose state information indicates that a defect block or a replacement block has been re-initialized without certification from a defect list for managing an information storage medium and including state information of the defect block and state information of the replacement block, wherein the medium includes a spare area for recording the replacement block to replace the defect block occurring in a user data area on the medium; and certifying the defect block or the replacement block registered in the sought defect entry. As a result, defect information can be effectively rearranged for quick re-initialization without certification in order to improve the performance of a drive system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to IPsec SA recovery and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for selective IPsec SA recovery from security enforcement point outages. In one embodiment of the invention, a security enforcement point outage recovery method can be provided. The method can include compiling a listing of SAs for a security enforcement point and monitoring the security enforcement point for an outage. Responsive to detecting an outage in the security enforcement point, the listing can be pruned to include SAs that remain contextually valid or are utilized by the peer of the security enforcement point. Thereafter, only SAs in the pruned list can be re-established.

Abstract: Techniques for recovering data from cold images are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for recovering data from cold images comprising searching storage associated with a target recovery device, identifying one or more data structures on the storage, parsing the one or more identified data structures, and recovering one or more portions of the one or more parsed data structures.

Abstract: This storage system modifies the migration plan in accordance with the state of the migration destination when a plurality of volumes are migrated all at once. Migration-source volumes are migrated collectively to volumes inside the migration-destination storage apparatus. The user can make settings related to migration-source volumes and migration-destination volumes in a migration plan, and can establish a mid-process control plan for modifying the migration plan in the middle of processing. If a failure occurs in the migration-destination storage apparatus subsequent to the commencement of data migration processing, a processing method controller either cancels or temporarily halts the data migration processing, or changes the migration destination, on the basis of the mid-process control plan. When changing the migration destination, a previously selected alternate storage apparatus is selected as the new migration-destination storage apparatus.

Abstract: A method for controlling a system includes receiving an indication that an operation has failed in a secondary storage device, suspending data operations sent to the secondary data storage device from a primary storage device, determining a failure policy set by a user, and initiating a first policy responsive to determining that the first policy is active, the first policy including sending a status query to the secondary storage device, determining whether a response has been received from the secondary storage device, determining whether the response indicates a failure of the secondary storage device responsive to determining that the response has been received from the secondary storage device, and continuing processing tasks on the server and data operations on the primary storage device responsive to determining that the response indicates a failure of the secondary storage device.

Abstract: A secure storage appliance is disclosed, along with methods of storing and reading data in a secure storage network. In one aspect, a method includes assigning a volume to a primary secure storage appliance located in a secure data storage network, the secure data storage network including a plurality of secure data paths between the primary secure storage appliance and a client device and a plurality of secure data paths between the secure storage appliance and a plurality of storage systems, the volume corresponding to physical storage at each of the plurality of storage systems. The method also includes detecting a connectivity problem on at least one of the secure data paths. The method further includes assessing whether to reassign the volume to a different secure storage appliance based upon the connectivity problem.

Abstract: The methods and structure herein provide for expanding the storage capacity of a RAID storage system while maintaining the same level of RAID storage management. A RAID storage controller may be coupled between a host computer and a RAID storage volume. The RAID storage controller manages the disk drives of the storage volume to present a single logical volume of storage to the host computer. When a storage expansion is desired, the RAID storage controller may communicatively couple to at least one expansion disk drive and begin transfer of data from the original RAID storage volume to the expansion disk drive(s). During this data transfer, read and write operations are continued to the original RAID storage volume. Additionally, the RAID storage controller duplicates write operations to the expansion disk drive(s) such that general storage operations required by the host computer are continued.

Abstract: Memory apparatus and methods utilizing multiple bit lanes may redirect one or more signals on the bit lanes. A memory agent may include a redrive circuit having a plurality of bit lanes, a memory device or interface, and a fail-over circuit coupled between the plurality of bit lanes and the memory device or interface.

Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory system, data received from a host by a memory controller is transferred to an on-chip cache, and new data from the host displaces the previous data before it is written to the nonvolatile memory array. A safe copy is maintained in on-chip cache so that if a program failure occurs, the data can be recovered and written to an alternative location in the nonvolatile memory array.

Abstract: An electronic system includes a framework, data storage circuitry and a controller. The framework includes multiple device slots. The data storage circuitry is arranged to access storage devices installed in the framework. The controller is arranged to receive a current storage device identifier in response to installation of a storage device into a particular device slot of the framework, and perform an electronic storage device location assessment operation based on the current storage device identifier. The controller is further arranged to provide a control signal in response to performing the electronic storage device location assessment operation. The control signal selectively (i) permits the data storage circuitry to overwrite the storage device while the storage device resides in the particular device slot, and (ii) prevents the data storage circuitry from overwriting of the storage device while the storage device resides in the particular device slot.

Abstract: Systems and methods for repairing a failed component within a data storage subsystem without interruption of service. A client device is coupled to a data storage cluster comprising a plurality of data storage locations addressable as rows and columns in an array. Each column of the array comprising a separate computer interconnected to other columns via a network. After both detecting a failure of a first column in the array and detecting a predetermined time threshold has elapsed, a predetermined reconstruction column coordinates reconstructing data storage locations within the reconstruction column. For a second row in the array, a predetermined coordinating column coordinates the execution of a received memory access requests from the client corresponding to the second row. In this manner, a column coming back online after a failure is able to repair without halting the servicing of read and write requests.

Abstract: Replicas of a database are synchronized. A failure of update data is detected from a first replica to be applied to a second replica. A cause of the failure is determined. The cause of the failure is resolved. The replicas of the database are synchronized without requiring manual intervention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable file-copying apparatus which includes a first connecting unit, a second connecting unit, and a control unit. The first connecting unit can receive a first portable storage media which includes an original file. The second connecting unit can receive a second portable storage media. Furthermore, the control unit is connected to the first connecting unit, the second connecting unit, and a memory. The control unit is applied for storing the original file in the memory, and copying the file to the second portable storage media in accordance with a control signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correlating the identities of hardware devices, such as processors or memory controllers, between a local operating system and a global management entity is described. In an embodiment a fault message including a local identifier of a faulting device is received from an operating system. A global identifier of the faulting device is determined that is different from the local identifier. An appropriate replacement device is then selected based on the global identifier of the faulting device, and the selected replacement device is mapped to the faulting device.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for resource recovery. The method comprises associating at least one bit with at least one block of memory. The bit denotes a borrow status for the block of memory. The bit is set for resource recovery. A resource recovery event is detected and in response to the bit being enabled for resource recovery, the block of memory is borrowed for a given duration of time. The block is borrowed to temporarily store information associated with the resource recovery there into until the information is written to persistent storage.

Abstract: A method for determining a fault tolerance of an erasure code includes deriving base erasure patterns from a generator matrix of an erasure code, determining which of the base erasure patterns are adjacent to one another and XORing the adjacent base erasure patterns with one another to produce child erasure patterns of the erasure code. The method further includes combining the base erasure patterns and the child erasure patterns to form a minimal erasures list (MEL) for the erasure code, whereby the MEL corresponds to the fault tolerance of the erasure code. Also provided are methods for communicating and storing data by using the fault tolerance of erasure codes.

Abstract: A circuit is operated to detect unstable memory cells from among a plurality of memory cells in at least one page. A determination is made from an initial status of data stored in a memory cell whether no read error occurs when the data is read at a standard read voltage level, whether a read error occurs and the read error is correctable, and whether a read error occurs and the read error is uncorrectable. Responsive to determining that a read error occurs that is correctable, a further determination is made as to whether the memory cell is correctable by reading the data stored in the memory cell at a correction read voltage level, which has a different voltage level from the standard read voltage level, and by determining whether a read error occurring in the data read at the correction read voltage level is correctable or uncorrectable.

Abstract: A system provides high availability electronic message forwarding. When an electronic message is communicated to a first server, a copy of the electronic message is maintained at a second server. The electronic message is maintained on both servers until the electronic message is successfully communicated to a third server. After the message is delivered to the third server, the electronic message is removed from both the first server and the second server. If the first server fails to communicate the electronic message to the third server, the second server does so.

Abstract: An on-disk storage arrangement increases the number of persistent consistency point images (PCPIs) that may be maintained for a volume of a storage system. The on-disk storage arrangement comprises a novel volume information (volinfo) block representing a root of the volume; the volinfo block is stored at predefined locations on disk and comprises various system wide configuration data. The volinfo block further comprises a data structure configured to provide a level of indirection that increases the number of PCPIs maintainable by a file system executing on the storage system. To that end, the data structure may be organized as an array of pointers, wherein each pointer references a block containing a snapshot root, thereby enabling efficient access to each PCPI maintained by the file system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing data backup of a communication device. Data backup can occur automatically or manually. A data backup status indicator is displayed on the communication device indicating the current status of the data backup. The user can select the data backup status indicator to obtain additional information about the status of the data backup service.

Abstract: A disk drive. The disk drive includes a non-volatile memory that is incapable of being overwritten more than a limited number of times, a disk and a controller. The controller includes a memory management table used to manage a correlation between a logical block address (LBA) and a physical address of the non-volatile memory. In the absence of a replaceable region in the non-volatile memory and in response to an occurrence of a failure to write data in a region, defined as a failure region, in the non-volatile memory at a first physical address correlated with a first LBA, the controller is configured to write the data at a second physical address correlated with a second LBA of the non-volatile memory different from the first LBA, and is configured to correlate in the memory management table the first LBA with the second physical address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection and correction of soft errors existing within an integrated circuit (IC). Run-time check stops are utilized in conjunction with processor-based, hardware mechanisms to detect and correct soft errors. At run-time, each check stop facilitates a snap shot of the hardware and/or software state of the IC to be stored into hardware and/or software based memory. Should a soft error be detected, execution is halted and the executable state of the IC that conforms to a previous check-stop location may be re-established after the soft error(s) are optionally corrected. In alternate embodiments, hardware based mechanisms may be exclusively utilized to both detect and correct the soft errors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for providing, in a network storage system, a topology set to a storage administrator for selection of a topology to implement a new protection policy for a dataset. A topology includes a mapping between storage objects participating to effectuate an existing protection policy and storage objects participating to effectuate the new protection policy. When a storage administrator selects a new protection policy, a storage manager automatically generates a number of topology options including a storage object participating in the existing protection policy. According to a priority rule, the storage manager determines the priority of the topologies by computing a priority indicator for each of the topologies. In certain embodiments, the topology set is displayed to a storage administrator including the priority indicator for each topology for informing the storage administrator the relative preference of each topology.

Abstract: Restore software executing in a computer system may invoke a snapshot of a target volume before restoring a plurality of files from a backup image to the target volume. If the restore operation fails before all the files are restored to the target volume then the restore software may use the snapshot to return one or more of the files to their original states as they existed before the restore operation was initiated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for handling read disturbs based on one or more characteristics of read operations performed on a non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, a control circuitry of a system can generate a variable damage value determined based on one or more characteristics of a read operation. Using the damage value, the control circuitry can update a score associated with the block. If the control circuitry determines that the score exceeds a pre-determined threshold, at least a portion of the block can be relocated to a different memory location in the NVM. In some embodiments, portions of the block may be relocated over a period of time.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and system are presented for establishing redundant computer resources. According to one embodiment, in a system including a plurality of processor devices and a plurality of storage devices, the processor devices, the storage devices and the management server being connected via a network, the method comprises storing device information relating to the processor devices and the storage devices and topology information relating to topology of the network, identifying at least one primary computer resource, selecting at least one secondary computer resource suitable to serve as a redundant resource corresponding to the at least one primary computer resource based on the device information and the topology information, and assigning the at least one secondary computer resource as a redundant resource corresponding to the at least one primary computer resource.

Abstract: A method and circuit for implementing enhanced memory reliability using memory scrub operations to determine a frequency of intermittent correctable errors, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A memory scrub for intermittent performs at least two reads before moving to a next memory scrub address. A number of intermittent errors is tracked where an intermittent error is identified, responsive to identifying one failing read and one passing read of the at least two reads.

Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory with block management system that supports update blocks with non-sequential logical units, an index of the logical units in a non-sequential update block is buffered in RAM and stored periodically into the nonvolatile memory. In one embodiment, the index is stored in a block dedicated for storing indices. In another embodiment, the index is stored in the update block itself. In yet another embodiment, the index is stored in the header of each logical unit. In another aspect, the logical units written after the last index update but before the next have their indexing information stored in the header of each logical unit. In this way, after a power outage, the location of recently written logical units can be determined without having to perform a scanning during initialization. In yet another aspect, a block is managed as partially sequential and partially non-sequential, directed to more than one logical subgroup.

Abstract: The variable latency associated with flash memory due to background data integrity operations is managed in order to allow the flash memory to be used in isochronous systems. A system processor is notified regularly of the nature and urgency of requests for time to ensure data integrity. Minimal interruptions of system processing are achieved and operation is ensured in the event of a power interruption.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip is described having different instances of cache agent logic circuitry for respective cache slices of a distributed cache. The semiconductor chip further includes hash engine logic circuitry comprising: hash logic circuitry to determine, based on an address, that a particular one of the cache slices is to receive a request having the address, and, a first input to receive notice of a failure event for the particular cache slice. The semiconductor chip also includes first circuitry to assign the address to another cache slice of the cache slices in response to the notice.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system of improved handling of clustered media errors in raid environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes starting a command timer when a firmware accepts a command from a host, tracking an amount of time the command spends on handling of a clustered media error through the command timer, and stopping the command timer when at least one of the command is completed and a time limit expires. The method may complete a read as a success when a host IO is a read command. The method may complete a write as a success, after writing parity, and data when the host IO may be a write command.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus having an automatic backup function and a method for controlling the same are disclosed which can more securely store particular data, considered to be important by the user, in a memory of the imaging apparatus, and can automatically read out the particular data. The imaging apparatus includes a tuner which receives data containing at least one of audio data and video data, a main storage unit which stores data containing at least one of audio data and video data, and a controller which determines backup data, to be stored in a backup storage unit, from the data stored in the main storage unit, copies data determined as the backup data, and stores the copied data in the backup storage unit, whereby the imaging apparatus has an automatic data backup function.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving an indication of a loss of redundancy with respect to a pair of mirrored memory regions of a partially redundant memory system, determining new mirrored memory regions, and dynamically migrating information stored in the original mirrored memory regions to the new mirrored memory regions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Embedded dynamic random access memory (EDRAM) macro disablement in a cache memory includes isolating an EDRAM macro of a cache memory bank, the cache memory bank being divided into at least three rows of a plurality of EDRAM macros, the EDRAM macro being associated with one of the at least three rows, iteratively testing each line of the EDRAM macro, the testing including attempting at least one write operation at each line of the EDRAM macro, determining if an error occurred during the testing, and disabling write operations for an entire row of EDRAM macros associated with the EDRAM macro based on the determining.

Abstract: Dynamic re-allocation of cache buffer slots includes moving data out of a reserved buffer slot upon detecting an error in the reserved buffer slot, creating a new buffer slot, and storing the data moved out of the reserved buffer slot in the new buffer slot.