INFINIDAT LTD. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150227422 | LAYERED FAILURE PROTECTION SCHEME FOR PROTECTING DESTAGED DATA UNITS - A method that may include calculating multiple set parity units for multiple sets of data units that are cached in a storage system thereby providing multiple sets of units. Each set of units includes a set of data units and at least one associated set parity unit that facilitate a reconstruction of the set of units when a first number of units of the set of units is lost. Calculating at least one group parity unit for the group of units. A combination of the at least one group parity unit and at least one associated set parity unit facilitate a reconstruction of the set of units upon a failure of a second number of units of the set of units. The second number exceeds the first number. Destaging the group of units and the at least one group parity unit to multiple disks of the storage system. | 08-13-2015 |
20150199237 | SCALABLE PROTECTION SCHEME FOR PROTECTING DESTAGED DATA UNITS - A method for disk failure protection, the method may include calculating a first set of parity units by processing a first group of sets of data units that are cached in a cache memory of a storage system; calculating a second set of parity units by processing the first group of sets of data units; wherein the calculating of the second set of parity units is responsive to a first shift that was virtually introduced between each set of data units of the first group of sets of data units; and destaging the first group of sets of data units and the first and second sets of parity units to the first group of disks. | 07-16-2015 |
20150199236 | MULTI-LEVEL DISK FAILURE PROTECTION - According to an embodiment of the invention there may be provided a method for multi-level disk failure protection, the method may include: calculating first parity information by processing a first data entity that is cached in a cache memory of a storage system thereby providing a first level of disk failure protection; destaging the first data entity and the first parity information to first physical addresses mapped to multiple disks; calculating extra parity information by processing the first data entity, wherein a combination of the first and extra parity information provides an extra level of disk failure protection that exceeds the first level of disk failure protection; and destaging the extra parity information to at least one second physical address that differ from the first physical addresses, the at least one second physical address are included in a spare physical memory space that is not allocated, at a time of the destaging of the extra parity information, for storing data. | 07-16-2015 |
20150193314 | MANAGING PHYSICAL RESOURCES OF A STORAGE SYSTEM - A method for managing physical resources of a storage system, the method may include transmitting, to a remote site, first information representative of a first snapshot of a logical entity; wherein the first snapshot is associated with first data that is stored in first physical addresses of the storage system; wherein the first physical addresses are mapped to first logical addresses; receiving from the remote site a first acknowledgment indicating that the first information was fully received by the remote site; and disassociating, in response to a reception of the first acknowledgement, the first snapshot from the first physical addresses while maintaining a logical association between the first snapshot and the first logical addresses. | 07-09-2015 |
20150149584 | HIGH SPEED ASYNCHRONOUS REMOTE MIRRORING - A method for generating remote replicates of a logical volume at a remote site, the method comprises performing a plurality of replication cycles for generating a plurality (N) of points in time replicates of the logical volume at the remote site. Wherein for each positive integer n that ranges between 2 and N, a performing of a n'th replication cycle comprises: calculating in parallel and by multiple computerized resources of a storage system, multiple n'th point in time differences of multiple subsets of the logical volume; wherein n'th point in time differences of different subsets are calculated by different computerized resources; wherein a n'th point in time difference of a subset is a difference between an (n−1)'th point in time content of the subset and an n'th point in time content of the subset; and sending, in parallel, the multiple n'th point in time differences to the remote site. | 05-28-2015 |
20150149411 | COMPARISON OF FILE SYSTEM SNAPSHOTS STORED IN A REMOTE SORAGE SYSTEM USING A NETWORK FILE SYSTEM COMMAND - A method for performing a comparison between first and second points in time snapshots of a file system entity, the method may include: (I) receiving by a storage system a command that was sent from a host computer, the command is network file system protocol compliant, wherein the command comprises (i) an operation code, and (ii) information about a virtual path, the virtual path that comprises (ii.a) first fields that comprise snapshot comparison parameters indicative of the first and second points in time snapshots of the file system entity, and (ii.b) a second field of a content that indicates that the command is a request to compare between the first and second points in time snapshots of the file system entity; (II) identifying, by a file system application hosted by the storage system and in response to the content of the second field of the virtual path, the command as including a request to compare between the first and second points in time snapshots of the file system entity; (III) comparing by the file system application the first and second points in time snapshots of the file system entity to provide a comparison result that is network file system protocol compliant; and (IV) sending by the storage system the comparison result to the host computer. | 05-28-2015 |
20150032980 | Storage System and Method for Accessing Logical Volumes - A method and a storage system are provided for accessing volumes. The storage system provisions to a host, a place holder handle configured for allowing access to any volume selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host. The volume forms part of accessible volumes included in the storage system. The storage system receives from the host a first request for associating the place holder handle with a first selected volume from among the accessible volumes and enables the host to access the first selected volume in response to receiving an access request indicative of the place holder handle. | 01-29-2015 |
20140289487 | SYSTEM OF MANAGING REMOTE RESOURCES - A system of managing remote resources that includes a local storage associated with a local storage manager constituting a local storage system. A remote storage associated with a remote storage manager constituting a local storage system. The local storage system is associated with a remote storage system by means of a first link. The local storage system is configured to send through the first link I/O remote commands complying with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage system. The system includes a second link associating the local storage system and the remote storage system. The local storage manager being responsive to remote storage management commands and being configured to send through the second link corresponding cross-storage-remote management commands that comply with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage. | 09-25-2014 |
20140258242 | File System and Method of Operating Thereof - A method for maintaining consistency among metadata elements (MDEs) of a logical object, includes: configuring a child MDE to include a correlation value uniquely indicative of a parent MDE. The parent MDE includes a reference to the child MDE; determining an order of performing at least two write operations included in a transaction related to the logical object: at least one write operation with respect to the parent MDE and at least one write operation with respect to the child MDE; the determined order assures that the child MDE is indicated as existing and includes the first correlation value, as long as the parent MDE exists; upon a first access to the parent MDE, subsequent to the transaction, verifying consistency between the parent MDE and the child MDE, using the first correlation value; and deleting the parent MDE if the verifying of consistency is unsuccessful. | 09-11-2014 |
20140244935 | STORAGE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF MANAGING A PLURALITY OF SNAPSHOT FAMILIES AND METHOD OF SNAPSHOT FAMILY BASED READ - A method for a snapshot family based reading of data units from a storage system, the method comprises: receiving a read request for reading a requested data entity, searching in a cache memory of the storage system for a matching cached data entity, if not finding the matching cached data entity then: searching for one or more relevant data entity candidates stored in the storage system; selecting, out of the one or more relevant data entity candidates, a selected relevant data entity that has a content that has a highest probability, out of contents of the one or more relevant data entity candidates, to be equal to the content of the requested data entity; and responding to the read request by sending the selected relevant data entity. | 08-28-2014 |
20140173226 | LOGICAL OBJECT DELETION - The presently disclosed subject matter includes a method and system for enabling the deletion of logical objects characterized by an object identifier (OID). Upon restart following a system interruption, one or more logical objects are identified, each object being addressed by an interrupted delete request. For each identified logical object performing a deletion, the deletion including: reading one or more physical blocks stored in a physical storage space, wherein the one or more physical blocks were linked to the identified logical object before the system interruption, each of the physical blocks includes an OID stored therein indicating a logical object currently linked to the respective physical block; obtaining OIDs stored respectively in the one or more physical blocks; and freeing those physical blocks from among the one or more physical blocks, which store an OID identical to the respective OID of the identified logical object. | 06-19-2014 |
20140164730 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MANAGING STORAGE SPACE ALLOCATION - A request for obtaining a space allocation descriptor is received by a block control layer of a storage system. The space allocation descriptor is indicative of one or more logical blocks free for allocation within a range of logical addresses. The range of logical addresses is included within a logical address space related to an upper layer application which has issued the request. The space allocation descriptor is provided by using a data structure included in the block control layer and operative to map between the logical address space and allocated storage blocks within a physical storage space, managed by the block control layer. | 06-12-2014 |
20140149698 | Storage System Capable of Managing a Plurality of Snapshot Families and Method of Operating Thereof - There is provided a storage system and a method of identifying delta-data therein between two points-in-time. The method comprises: generating successive snapshots S | 05-29-2014 |
20140149670 | Storage System and Method of Operating Thereof - There is provided a storage system capable to maintain a snapshot family comprising a plurality of members having hierarchical relations therebetween, and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises generating a mapping data structure with mapping entries each comprising mappings for mapping a logical address range associated with the mapping entry into physical address ranges respectively correlated to representative members of the snapshot family; omitting mappings corresponding to omitted member(s) different from any of the one or more representative members sharing a respective range of physical addresses; responsive to an access request directed to a certain logical address range and a certain omitted member, determining, using a predefined rule related to the hierarchical and sequential relations between members of the snapshot family, a representative member from the one or more representative members; and responding to the access request by using a physical address range correlated to the representative member. | 05-29-2014 |
20140149665 | Storage System Capable of Managing a Plurality of Snapshot Families and Method of Operating Thereof - There is provided a storage system comprising a control layer operable to manage a snapshot family (SF) constituted by SF members having hierarchical relations represented by a SF relationship data structure and a method of operating thereof. Upon receiving a command for restoring a writable SF member from a read-only snapshot thereof, the control layer provides a foreground atomic operation. The atomic operation comprises generating a new writable snapshot of the read-only snapshot (a destination SF member), modifying the SF relationship data structure, and re-assigning all logical unit numbers (LUNs) from the writable SF member to be restored to the destination SF member. Upon successful completion of the atomic operation, the control layer sends acknowledgement indicative of successful restoring the writable SF member. The control layer further provides a background process comprising modifying, in correspondence with the provided atomic operation, a SF mapping data structure comprising mappings between logical and physical addresses corresponding to SF members. | 05-29-2014 |
20140149664 | Storage System Capable of Managing a Plurality of Snapshot Families and Method of Operating Thereof - There is provided a storage system comprising a control layer operable to manage a plurality of snapshot families, each family constituted by snapshot family members having hierarchical relations therebetween. The method of operating the storage system comprises searching a cache memory for an addressed data block corresponding to an addressed LBA and associated with an addressed snapshot family and an addressed SF member. In a case of missing the addressed data block in the cache memory, identifying in the cache memory all dirty data blocks corresponding to the addressed LBA and associated with the addressed snapshot family (candidate data blocks); identifying among SF members of the addressed snapshot family a destage owner, and in a case when the identified destage owner is associated with a candidate data block, reading from the cache memory such candidate data block. | 05-29-2014 |
20140089580 | HANDLING ENCLOSURE UNAVAILABILITY IN A STORAGE SYSTEM - The presently disclosed subject matter includes, inter alia, a storage system and a method of managing allocation of data in case an enclosure in a storage system becomes unavailable. The storage system has a storage space configured as a plurality of RAID groups, each RAID group comprising N parity members. According to one aspect of the disclosed subject matter, responsive to a write request, at least one section allocated to a disk in an unavailable enclosure is identified; at least one temporary RAID group in a spare storage space of the storage system is allocated and data related to the write request is written to the alternative RAID group. | 03-27-2014 |
20140052953 | MASS STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING RESOURCES THEREOF - A storage system and a method for managing a memory capable of storing metadata related to logical volume sets, are disclosed. A memory quota is assigned to a metadata related to a logical volume set. The size of a memory currently consumed by the metadata is monitored. Upon exceeding a threshold by the size of the monitored memory, at least one restraining action related to memory consumption by the metadata is applied. | 02-20-2014 |
20140040212 | STORAGE CONTROL GRID AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There is provided a storage control grid capable of controlling at least one service provided in the storage system and a method of operating thereof. The storage control grid comprises at least one service dispatcher operatively coupled to at least one service requestor and to a plurality of service providers. The method comprises requesting by service requester a service, thus giving rise to at least one service request; enabling, using said at least one service dispatcher, delivery of the service request to at least one service provider among said plurality of service providers, said service provider configured to provide said at least one service, wherein the delivery is enabled in accordance with data comprised in a service data structure handled by said at least one service dispatcher and indicative, at least, of association between said at least one service and service providers among said plurality of service providers. | 02-06-2014 |
20140019706 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF LOGICAL OBJECT MANAGEMENT - A virtual allocation unit is allocated in a virtual address space corresponding to a filesystem, in response to an allocation requirement, related to a logical object in the filesystem. The size of the virtual allocation unit is determined in accordance with the current physical size of the logical object. The size of the virtual allocation unit is substantially larger than a size required with respect to the allocation requirement. Physical block address ranges are allocated in a physical storage space, in response to subsequent write requests, related to the logical object. Each physical block address range is associated with a respective portion of the virtual allocation unit. | 01-16-2014 |
20130339569 | Storage System and Method for Operating Thereof - Storage system(s) for providing storing data in physical storage in a recurring manner, method(s) of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program product(s). For example, a possible method can include for each recurrence: generating a snapshot of at least one logical volume; destaging all data corresponding to the snapshot which was accommodated in the cache memory prior to a time of generating the snapshot and which was dirty at the time of generating said snapshot, thus giving rise to destaged data group; and after the destaged data group has been successfully destaged, registering an indication that the snapshot is associated with an order preservation consistency condition for the at least one logical volume, thus giving rise to a consistency snapshot. | 12-19-2013 |
20130339406 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING FILESYSTEM OBJECTS - A system and method of operating a filesystem for managing filesystem objects is disclosed. The filesystem objects are characterized by metadata parameters included in a global directory object arranged in a plurality of global directory object (GDO) pages. Responsive to receiving a request for creating a new filesystem object, a parent key is obtained. The parent key is indicative of an identifier of a direct parent directory requested for hosting the new filesystem object. A target page that corresponds to the parent key is located within the plurality of GDO pages. The target page further includes a direct parent directory metadata record associated with the direct parent key and includes metadata parameters related to the direct parent directory. An object key is created as corresponding to the same target page, thereby enabling accommodation of an object metadata record, related to the new filesystem object, on the target page. | 12-19-2013 |
20130332700 | Cloud Storage Arrangement and Method of Operating Thereof - There is provided a storage arrangement and a method of operating thereof. The storage arrangement comprises a first storage system and one or more second storage systems operatively coupled to the first storage system. First control layer is operable to handle a first logical address space comprising a first logical group characterized by a plurality of logical block addresses; first control layer comprises a first mapping module handling a first mapping structure associated with first logical group. Each second control layer comprises, respectively, a second mapping module handling a second mapping structure associated with first logical group. The first mapping structure is configured to provide mapping between logical addresses related to first logical group and corresponding addresses related to first physical address spaces, and/or to point to respective second mapping structure configured to provide mapping between these logical addresses and corresponding addresses related to respective second physical address spaces. | 12-12-2013 |
20130326272 | STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - Storage system(s) for storing data in physical storage in a recurring manner, method(s) of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program product(s). For example, a possible method can include: upon start of a storage recurrence, destaging dirty data which had been accommodated in the cache memory prior to the start of said storage recurrence thus giving rise to destaged data group, wherein destaging is provided with no overwriting of at least superseded data destaged before starting said storage recurrence whilst enabling retaining metadata indicative of location of said superseded data in the physical storage space; accommodating data obtained in said cache memory subsequent to the start of said storage recurrence whilst preventing said data from being destaged during said storage recurrence, thus giving rise to accommodated data group; and registering a point-in-time indicative of successful destaging of the destaged data group, thereby providing an order-preservation consistency indication corresponding to said recurrence. | 12-05-2013 |
20130275447 | METHOD OF MIGRATING STORED DATA AND SYSTEM THEREOF - There is provided a storage system and a method of moving a source data portion from a source logical volume to a destination logical volume. The method comprises: configuring a source mapping data structure to comprise an entry indicative of mapping between logical addresses corresponding to source data portion and addresses corresponding to source data portion and related to a physical address space; and, responsive to a move command, providing an atomic operation comprising configuring a destination mapping data structure to comprise an entry associated with said at least one destination range and comprising a reference to said entry in the source mapping data structure; and configuring said at least one entry in the source mapping data structure DS | 10-17-2013 |
20130269039 | DATA ACCESS CONTROL - The presently disclosed subject matter includes a system and method for protecting data stored in a physical storage space of a storage system. According to the teachings disclosed herein, a block key is provided together with a read and a write request and is applied on data, which is related to a logical data block, for calculating a data block signature. A read request according to the presently disclosed subject matter includes, in addition to data indicative of a requested data block, a block key for the purpose of verifying the data block signature that was stored upon the last write of the requested data block. A write request according to the presently disclosed subject matter includes, in addition to data indicative of a data block to be written, a block key for generating a respective data block signature. | 10-10-2013 |
20130238855 | MANAGEMENT OF CACHE MEMORY IN A STORAGE SYSTEM - According to the teaching disclosed herein there is provided at least a method, system and device for managing a cache memory of a storage system. The storage system is associated with at least one physical storage device and, responsive to a read request, comprising information indicative of a logical address of at least one requested data unit, to obtain a storage physical address associated with the logical address, search the cache memory for a data unit associated with the storage physical address and service the request from the cache in case the data unit to is found in the cache memory. | 09-12-2013 |
20130198478 | RESOURCES ALLOCATION IN A COMPUTER STORAGE SYSTEM - 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. | 08-01-2013 |
20130198447 | STORAGE SYSTEM FOR ATOMIC WRITE WHICH INCLUDES A PRE-CACHE - Storage systems which allow atomic write operations, methods of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program products. By way of non-limiting example, a possible method includes: configuring volatile memory into cache memory and pre-cache memory; receiving an indication that a plurality of blocks relating to a command is to be written as an atomic write operation; enabling tracking of the atomic write operation; caching at least one block from the plurality in the pre-cache memory; and upon receiving an indication that all blocks in the plurality have been successfully accommodated in the pre-cache memory, enabling data corresponding to the plurality of blocks to subsequently be cached in the cache memory and discontinuing tracking of the atomic write operation. | 08-01-2013 |
20130198446 | STORAGE SYSTEM FOR ATOMIC WRITE OF ONE OR MORE COMMANDS - Storage systems which allow atomic write operations, methods of operating thereof, and corresponding computer program products. By way of non-limiting example, a possible method includes: receiving indication of a transaction, where a plurality of blocks directed to at least one destination logical volume and relating to at least one command is to be written as an atomic write operation; generating a transaction identifier number for the transaction; enabling tracking of the transaction at least partly based on the transaction identifier number, including temporary location of any one of the plurality of blocks; accommodating at least one block of the plurality temporarily in the storage system; and upon receiving an indication that all blocks in the plurality have been successfully temporarily accommodated in the storage system, enabling data corresponding to the plurality of blocks to subsequently be stored in the at least destination logical volume and discontinuing tracking of the transaction. | 08-01-2013 |
20130179993 | System and Methods for Host Enabled Management in a Storage System - A storage system that includes a management communication interface coupled to a storage management layer and further includes a data communication interface. Upon receiving a request for accessing the storage management layer, from the host, via the data communication interface, the management layer sends to the host, access information necessary for allowing access of the host to the storage management layer via the management communication interface; and upon receiving a management command, from the host via the management communication interface, the host is provided with access to the storage management layer, in cases where the management command conforms to the access information. | 07-11-2013 |
20130174176 | WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT IN A DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - According to certain aspects, the presently disclosed subject matter includes a method, system and apparatus, for managing a plurality of disk drives in a storage system. The workload of at least one disk drive among the plurality of disk drives is monitored, wherein the monitoring comprises receiving data indicative of a temperature of the at least one disk drive. In case the measured temperature matches a predefined criterion, the modification of workload distribution across the plurality of disk drives is enabled, in order to reduce workload of the at least one disk drive. | 07-04-2013 |
20130086416 | AUTOMATIC DISK POWER-CYCLE - According to the presently disclosed subject matter there is provided, inter alia, a system and method which enable to identify, in a storage-system, malfunctioning disks, and in response, to activate a power-cycle process only for the specific failing disks, in order to bring these disks into proper operational mode. During the power-cycle process of a failing disk, other disks, which are not failing, remain operative and available. | 04-04-2013 |
20130067269 | OBJECT BASED STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A method and a storage system for managing logical objects, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of control servers and the method includes: (i) defining a plurality of object pools and associating each logical object, hosted in the storage system, with one of the plurality of object pools; (ii) configuring each control server to have a primary responsibility over at least two of the object pools, such that each object pool is controlled by one primary control server, configured to handle requests directed to logical objects associated with the object pool; and (iii) in response to a failure of one of the plurality of control servers, configuring each operational server of the plurality of control servers to take over primary responsibility for at least one object pool, originally defined under the primary responsibility of the failed control server. | 03-14-2013 |
20130061087 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UNCOVERING DATA ERRORS - According to the presently disclosed subject matter there is provided inter alia, a method and system which enable to uncover errors which are correctable by a data integrity mechanism in a computer system. The same data is read with the help of two different types of read commands. The first command is a read command which does not implement an inherent ECC and therefore does not correct corrupted data. The second command is a read command which includes an ECC and is adapted to correct errors which are detected in the data which is being read. The data obtained by each of the two read commands is compared, and in cases where a difference is identified between the two data, it is determined that an error has been detected and corrected by the ECC. | 03-07-2013 |
20130036128 | METHOD OF MIGRATING STORED DATA AND SYSTEM THEREOF - There is provided a storage system and a method of migrating a source data portion from a source logical volume to a destination range in a destination logical volume. The method comprises: configuring a source mapping data structure to comprise an entry associated with said source data portion and indicative of mapping between logical addresses corresponding to said source data portion and addresses corresponding to said source data portion and related to a physical address space; and, responsive to a migration command, configuring a destination mapping data structure to comprise an entry associated with said at least one destination range and comprising a reference to said entry in the source mapping data structure, said entry in the source mapping data structure to be used for mapping to said addresses related to said physical address space and corresponding to the source data portion and to the migrated data portion. | 02-07-2013 |
20130007410 | MULTIPATH STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There is provided a method of operating a multipath storage system, the method comprises: identifying a primary storage control port configured to be responsible for a given LBA range and a secondary storage control port configured to have secondary responsibility for the given LBA range; reducing, in a manner unaffecting respective inbound I/O operation, outbound I/O operation related to the given LBA range and occurring at the primary storage control port, thereby causing a situation requiring switching all respective I/O requests to an alternating path; analyzing responsive changes in outbound I/O operation related to the given LBA range and occurring at the secondary storage control port, and verifying operability of switching to the alternating path in accordance with the obtained results. Outbound I/O operation can be reduced with the help of a routine configured to identify inbound I/O requests directed to the given LBA range and to put these requests on hold for a delay period, thus giving rise to delayed I/O requests, wherein the delay period is configured to be long enough to enable switching to an alternating path. | 01-03-2013 |
20120317357 | System And Method For Identifying Location Of A Disk Drive In A SAS Storage System - SAS technology does not offer an explicit solution to the identification of the physical location of an end device. Accordingly, there is provided a method and system for enabling to identify the physical location of a disk in a storage system configured with SAS technology. According to the presently disclosed subject matter a control device in a storage system is operable to determine the physical location of the disks within each enclosure. The control device can be made operable also to determine the location of the enclosures within the rack and thereby obtain the full mapping of the disks within the storage system. This mapping enables, inter alia, to associate between a SCSI target number of a disk and its physical location within the storage system. | 12-13-2012 |
20120278560 | PRE-FETCHING IN A STORAGE SYSTEM THAT MAINTAINS A MAPPING TREE - A storage system, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a method for pre-fetching. The method may include presenting, by a storage system and to at least one host computer, a logical address space; determining, by a fetch module, to fetch a certain data portion from a data storage device to a cache memory of the storage system; determining, by a pre-fetch module, whether to pre-fetch at least one additional data portion from at least one data storage device to the cache memory based upon at least one characteristic of a mapping tree that maps one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the logical address space and one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the physical address space; and pre-fetching the at least one additional data portions if it is determined to pre-fetch the at least one additional data portions. | 11-01-2012 |
20120259961 | SYSTEM OF MANAGING REMOTE RESOURCES - A system of managing remote resources that includes a local storage associated with a local storage manager constituting a local storage system. A remote storage associated with a remote storage manager constituting a local storage system. The local storage system is associated with a remote storage system by means of a first link. The local storage system is configured to send through the first link I/O remote commands complying with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage system. The system includes a second link associating the local storage system and the remote storage system. The local storage manager being responsive to remote storage management commands and being configured to send through the second link corresponding cross-storage-remote management commands that comply with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage. | 10-11-2012 |
20120259810 | METHOD OF MIGRATING STORED DATA AND SYSTEM THEREOF - A method of migrating data from a source storage resource to a destination storage resource involves selecting a source volume in the source storage resource; configuring in the destination storage resource a destination volume corresponding to the source volume and having the same properties; and redirecting I/O requests from an application running on a host to the destination volume instead of the source volume, whilst migrating data stored in the source volume to the destination volume. A storage system is operable as a destination storage system for migrating data from a source storage system, including means for configuring a destination volume corresponding to a source volume in the source storage system and a migration module having a non-transitory computer useable medium and operable to initiate read requests addressed to the source volume thereby enabling a background process of migrating data stored in the source volume to the destination volume. | 10-11-2012 |
20120246653 | GENERIC COMMAND PARSER - A requesting processing unit includes a generic-parser is described, which is adapted to operate together with a specifically configured one or more command-files. A command-file includes one or more structured data elements descriptive of a command, which is available for execution by the processing unit. The data included in the command-file is registered in the computer memory associated with the processing unit. In general generic-parser is configured, in response to an issued command to search, in the computer memory, for data comprised in the data-elements, which is now registered in the computer memory, including information corresponding to the command and use this data in order to generate a request to perform the command. | 09-27-2012 |
20120191667 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF STORAGE OPTIMIZATION - A method and system are disclosed for storage optimization. Data parts and metadata within a source data unit are identified and the data parts are compared with data which is already stored in the physical storage space. In case identical data parts are found within the physical storage, the data parts from the source data unit are linked to the identified data, while the data parts can be discarded, thereby reducing the required storage capacity. The metadata parts can be separately stored in a designated storage area. | 07-26-2012 |
20120166734 | PRE-FETCHING IN A STORAGE SYSTEM - A storage system, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a method of pre-fetching. The method may include determining, by a pre-fetch module of the storage system, to fetch a certain data portion from a data storage device of the storage system to a cache memory of the storage system; wherein the certain data portion belongs to a certain statistical segment that belongs to at least one logical volume; determining, by a pre-fetch module of the storage system, to pre-fetch at least one additional data portion to the cache memory based upon input/output (I/O) activity statistics associated with the certain statistical segment; wherein the I/O activity statistics comprises timing information related to I/O activities; fetching the certain data portion; and pre-fetching the at least one additional data portion if it is determined to pre-fetch the at least one additional data portions. | 06-28-2012 |
20120117322 | MASS DATA STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There are provided a mass storage system comprising a control layer operatively coupled to a physical storage space and operable to interface with one or more clients and to present to said clients a plurality of logical volumes. The method of operating the storage system comprises: dividing one or more logical volumes into a plurality of statistical segments with predefined size; assigning to each given statistical segment a corresponding activity level characterizing statistics of I/O activity with regard to data portions within the given statistical segment, said statistics collected over a plurality of cycles of fixed counting length; and managing one or more data storage processes in the storage system (e.g. a background defragmentation process, a background garbage collection process, a destage management process, etc.) using said activity level. | 05-10-2012 |
20120079207 | MASS STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There is provided a mass storage system and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises: a) generating one or more consistency checkpoints; b) associating each generated consistency checkpoint with a global number of snapshots generated in the storage system corresponding to time of generation of respective checkpoint; c) upon generating, placing each consistency checkpoint at the beginning of a sequence of dirty data portions which are handled in a cache memory with the help of a replacement technique with an access-based promotion; d) enabling within the sequence of dirty data portions an invariable order of consistency checkpoints and dirty data portions corresponding to volumes with generated snapshots; and e) responsive to destaging a certain consistency checkpoint, recording associated with the certain checkpoint global number of generated snapshots to a predefined storage location configured to be read during a recovery of the storage system. The invariable order can be provided by ceasing access-related promotion of all dirty data portions corresponding to all volumes with generated snapshots. | 03-29-2012 |
20120072694 | VIRTUALIZED STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A storage system and method is provided including physical storage devices controlled by storage control devices constituting a storage control layer operatively coupled to the physical storage devices and hosts. The storage control layer includes a first virtual layer interfacing with the hosts, operable to represent a logical address space available to said hosts and characterized by an Internal Virtual Address Space (IVAS); a second virtual layer characterized by a Physical Virtual Address Space (PVAS), interfacing with the physical storage devices, and operable to represent an available storage space; and an allocation module operatively coupled to the first and second virtual layers and providing mapping between IVAP and PVAS. Each address in PVAS is configured to have a corresponding address in IVAS. The allocation module facilitates management of IVAS and PVAS, enabling separation of a process of deleting certain logical object into processes performing changes in IVAS and PVAS, respectively. | 03-22-2012 |
20120066469 | VIRTUALIZED STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A storage system and method are provided including physical storage devices controlled by storage control devices constituting a storage control layer operatively coupled to the physical storage devices and hosts. The storage control layer includes: a first virtual layer interfacing with the hosts, operable to represent a logical address space characterized by logical block addresses, characterized by an Internal Virtual Address Space (IVAS) and operable, responsive to I/O requests addressed to logical block addresses, to provide protocol-dependent translation of said logical block addresses into IVAS addresses; and a second virtual layer interfacing with the physical storage space, and operable to represent available physical space to said hosts and characterized by a Physical Virtual Address Space (PVAS). Each address in PVAS having a corresponding address in IVAS. The second virtual layer is operable to translate PVAS addresses corresponding to IVAS addresses into addresses in physical address space in a protocol-independent manner. | 03-15-2012 |
20120066450 | VIRTUALIZED STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A storage system and method is provided including physical storage devices controlled by storage control devices constituting a storage control layer operatively coupled to the physical storage devices and hosts. The storage control layer includes: a first virtual layer interfacing with the hosts, operable to represent a logical address space characterized by logical block addresses and available to said hosts and characterized by an Internal Virtual Address Space (IVAS) and operable, responsive to a configuration or I/O request addressed to the logical block addresses, to translate said logical block addresses into IVAS addresses; and a second virtual layer interfacing with the physical storage devices, operable to represent an available physical space to said hosts and characterized by a Physical Virtual Address Space (PVAS), addresses in PVAS having corresponding address in IVAS. The second virtual layer is operable to translate said respective IVAS addresses into addresses in the physical address space. | 03-15-2012 |
20120030426 | METHOD OF ACCESS CONTROL TO STORED INFORMATION AND SYSTEM THEREOF - The presently disclosed subject relates at least to a method and system for controlling access to a logical unit (LU) in a logical storage space, available to a given initiator, representing a corresponding physical storage space, said logical storage space being accessible via a storage control layer, said storage control layer being associated with a security manager. A first value is generated by the security manager, based on a secret key, and transmitted to host requesting permission to access the logical storage space, while the secret key is made available to a target associated with the logical storage space. The host sends to the control device an access related request, the request comprising a second value which was generated based on the first value. Responsive to the command the target calculates the first value, based on the secret key and the second value based on the first value. The second value is validated with the help of said secret key and the respective access is allowed in case the second value is validated. | 02-02-2012 |
20120011319 | MASS STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There are provided a mass storage system and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises: dividing one or more logical volumes into a plurality of statistical segments with predefined size; assigning to each given statistical segment a corresponding activity vector characterizing statistics of I/O activity with regard to data portions within the given statistical segment, said statistics collected over a plurality of cycles of fixed counted length; and evaluating similarity of expected I/O activity with regard to certain data portions with the help of activity vectors. Two data portions are characterized by similar expected I/O activity if a distance between activity vectors characterizing respective statistical segments matches a similarity criterion. | 01-12-2012 |
20120011314 | STORAGE SYSTEM WITH REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There are provided a storage system with reduced energy consumption and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises caching in the cache memory a plurality of data portions corresponding to one or more incoming write requests, to yield cached data portions; consolidating the cached data portions characterized by a given level of expected I/O activity addressed thereto into a consolidated write request; and, responsive to a destage event, enabling writing the consolidated write request to one or more disk drives dedicated to accommodate data portions characterized by said given level of expected I/O activity addressed thereto. The cached data portions consolidated into the consolidated write request can be characterized by expected low frequency of I/O activity, and the respective one or more dedicated disk drives can be configured to operate in low-powered state unless activated. | 01-12-2012 |
20120011313 | STORAGE SYSTEMS WITH REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION - Storage systems with reduced energy consumption, methods of operating thereof, corresponding computer program products and corresponding program storage devices. Some non-limiting examples of a write method include: configuring a plurality of storage disk units such that at any given point in time there are at least two storage disk drives operating in active state in any storage disk unit; caching in a cache memory one or more write requests and generating a consolidated write request corresponding to a stripe in a RAID group; destaging the consolidated write request; and writing the destaged consolidated write request in a write out of place manner to one or more storage disk drives operating at the destage point of time in active state. Some non-limiting examples of a read method include: configuring local storage disk drives so that at any given point in time, a part of the local storage disk drives operates in low power state, wherein the local storage disk drives are operable to switch between low power state and active state; and responsive to a read request for a portion on a local storage disk drive, reading from the local storage disk drive, if active; and if the local storage disk drive is not active, enquiring if a remote mirror storage disk drive storing a copy of the portion is active, and if yes, reading from the remote mirror storage disk drive. | 01-12-2012 |
20120011312 | STORAGE SYSTEM WITH REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION - A control layer of a data storage system is configured to identify one or more physical data units in the physical storage, which are associated only with corresponding logical snapshot data units, and to reallocate such physical snapshot data units to a dedicated storage space. The dedicated storage space can be a low-power storage space, which includes one or more disks designated as low power disks. The reallocation of snapshot data units to low power disks can be carried out according to an energy-aware migration policy, directed for minimizing the activation of the low power disks, and maintaining the disks in an inactive state for longer periods of time. | 01-12-2012 |
20110208914 | STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There are provided a storage system, storage control unit and method of operating thereof. A storage system comprises a permanent storage subsystem comprising a first cache memory and a non-volatile storage medium, and a storage control unit operatively coupled to said subsystem and to a second cache memory operable to cache “dirty” data pending to be written to the permanent storage subsystem and to enable, responsive to at least one command by the control storage unit, destaging said “dirty” data or part thereof to the permanent storage subsystem. The storage control unit is operable to determine achievement of a “writing criterion”, to provide, upon achieving, at least one command to the permanent storage subsystem requiring flushing destaged data or part thereof from the first cache memory to the non-volatile storage medium, and to provide at least one command to the second cache memory requiring reclassification of the “washed” data or a respective part thereof into the “clean” data, wherein the storage control unit is further operable to configure the “writing criterion” responsive to indicating one or more predefined events during an operation of the storage system. | 08-25-2011 |
20110202723 | Method of allocating raid group members in a mass storage system - There are provides an allocation module and a method of allocating a logical disk to a next member of a given RAID group. The method comprises: identifying one or more physical disks comprising at least one logical disk with already allocated member of said given RAID group, thus giving rise to allocated physical disks; identifying one or more pairs constituted by at least one allocated physical disk with non-allocated physical disks, said pairs having minimal number of RAID groups with members allocated to both physical disks in the pair, thus giving rise to a first group of pairs with minimal contention value; and selecting among the first group of pairs with minimal contention value one or more non-allocated physical disks as candidate physical disks for allocating said next member MEM | 08-18-2011 |
20110202722 | Mass Storage System and Method of Operating Thereof - There are provided a storage system and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises: caching in the cache memory a plurality of data portions matching a certain criterion, thereby giving rise to the cached data portions; analyzing the succession of logical addresses characterizing the cached data portions; if the cached data portions cannot constitute a group of N contiguous data portions, where N is the number of RG members, generating a virtual stripe being a concatenation of N data portions wherein at least one data portion among said data portions is non-contiguous with respect to any other portion in the virtual stripe, and wherein the size of the virtual stripe is equal to the size of the stripe of the RAID group; destaging the virtual stripe and writing it to a respective storage device in a write-out-of-place manner. The virtual stripe can be generated responsive to receiving a write request from a client and/or responsive to receiving a write instruction from a background process. | 08-18-2011 |
20110082997 | VIRTUALIZED STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - There are provided a storage system and a method of operating thereof. The method comprises: a) representing to a plurality of hosts an available logical address space divided into one or more logical groups (e.g. logical volumes, virtual partitions, snapshots, combinations of a given logical volume and its respective snapshot(s), etc.), and b) mapping between one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the logical address space and one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the physical address space, wherein said mapping is provided with the help of one or more mapping trees, each tree assigned to a separate logical group in the logical address space. Mapping between contiguous ranges of addresses related to the logical address space and contiguous ranges of addresses related to the physical address space can be a) mapping between LBA and DBA addresses; b) mapping between VUA and VDA addresses; c) mapping between LBA and VDA addresses; and d) mapping between VUA and DBA addresses, wherein virtual unit addresses (VUA) characterize a first virtual layer operable to represent the logical address space, and virtual disk addresses (VDA) characterize a second virtual layer operable to represent the physical storage space. | 04-07-2011 |