| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090089534 | Thin Provisioning Migration and Scrubbing - A method for migrating data to a mass storage system, including receiving an incoming data partition for storage in the mass storage system and allocating logical storage for the incoming data partition in the mass storage system. The method further includes making a determination that the incoming data partition includes only zero data, and, in response to the determination, inhibiting physical storage of the incoming data partition in the mass storage system while maintaining the allocated logical storage for the incoming data partition. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20110083034 | RESTORING DATA TO A DISTRIBUTED STORAGE NODE - A method is disclosed for operating a data storage system having one or more network interfaces and a plurality of data storage nodes configured to provide redundant storage locations. The method includes storing a set of node partitions on a given storage node of the plurality of data storage nodes. The method also includes, following a recovery by the given storage node from a malfunction, making a determination for a node partition in the set whether the node partition is current or noncurrent, and processing the node partition according to the determination. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110138150 | DATA ALLOCATION IN A DISTRIBUTED STORAGE SYSTEM - A method for data distribution, including distributing logical addresses among an initial set of devices so as provide balanced access, and transferring the data to the devices in accordance with the logical addresses. If a device is added to the initial set, forming an extended set, the logical addresses are redistributed among the extended set so as to cause some logical addresses to be transferred from the devices in the initial set to the additional device. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the initial set. If a surplus device is removed from the initial set, forming a depleted set, the logical addresses of the surplus device are redistributed among the depleted set. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the depleted set. In both cases the balanced access is maintained. | 06-09-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090019251 | DYNAMIC STORAGE POOLS WITH THIN PROVISIONING - A method for data storage, including configuring in a data storage system a volume storage pool as data storage resources available for allocation of volumes in the data storage system. The method also includes defining a threshold value for the volume storage pool. When the allocation of the volumes causes the threshold value to be crossed, the method includes performing an action for managing the volume storage pool. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20100042705 | MAPPING OF LOGICAL VOLUMES TO HOST CLUSTERS - A method for data storage includes defining a host cluster within a group of host computers, which access a storage system that includes multiple logical volumes. The host cluster includes two or more of the host computers. A single mapping instruction, which specifies the host cluster and a set of one or more of the logical volumes, is accepted. Responsively to the single mapping instruction, each of the host computers in the host cluster is mapped to access the logical volumes in the set. In another disclosed method, a single control instruction, which specifies the host cluster and a configuration operation to be applied to the host computers in the host cluster, is accepted. Responsively to the single control instruction, the configuration operation is applied to each of the host computers in the host cluster. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100042752 | REMOTE MANAGEMENT OF STORAGE CONTROLLERS - A method for data storage includes accepting a management command by a first storage controller, which exchanges data for storage with at least a second storage controller over a dedicated communication connection using a dedicated storage protocol. The management command is addressed to a destination storage controller and contains an instruction to modify or report a data storage configuration in the destination storage controller. Upon determining that the destination storage controller is different from the first storage controller, the management command is forwarded over the dedicated communication connection from the first storage controller to the second storage controller using the dedicated storage protocol. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100042791 | DATA STORAGE WITH SNAPSHOT-TO-SNAPSHOT RECOVERY - A method for data storage includes creating first and second copies of a logical volume, such that the first and second copies are represented by respective first and second sets of pointers to physical storage locations in which data used by the copies is stored. Responsively to a corruption of at least part of the data that is used by the first copy, the first copy is restored from the second copy by replacing the first set with the pointers in the second set. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100042802 | MANAGEMENT OF RECYCLING BIN FOR THINLY-PROVISIONED LOGICAL VOLUMES - A method for data storage includes representing logical volumes by respective sets of pointers to physical partitions in which data used by the logical volumes is stored. One or more of the logical volumes are defined as provisionally deleted. A subset of the provisionally-deleted logical volumes is selected such that each logical volume in the subset has one or more private physical partitions whose data is used exclusively by that logical volume. One or more of the private physical partitions of the logical volumes in the subset are released for reallocation to another logical volume. | 02-18-2010 |