A system and method for implementing distributed data storage. In particular, the system includes a plurality of virtualization servers, each of which is associated with available data resources. Each virtualization server supports one or more application virtual machines through a virtualization layer. In addition, a plurality of storage virtual machines is included in the system. Each storage virtual machine is associated with a corresponding and participating virtualization server. A virtual storage pool is included in the system, wherein each storage virtual machine allows the export and aggregation of available data resources within a corresponding virtualization server into the virtual storage pool.

Method and system for implementing a virtual storage pool in a virtual environment

Managing a storage array (102, 104) includes: receiving, by a client-side array services module (178) from a cloud-based security module (174) through data communications on a wide area network (172), a token representing authentication of user credentials; and managing, by the client-side array services module (178), a storage array (102, 104) only through data communications on a local area network (160), including sending, to the storage array (102, 104), the token with a management instruction.

Managing a storage array using client-side services

Locally providing cloud storage array services for a storage array of a data center when the storage array is not connected to a remote cloud-based storage array services provider includes initiating, by a primary storage array, one or more cloud storage array services and locally providing the cloud storage array services. Such local providing of the cloud storage array services also includes generating, by the cloud storage array services, metadata describing one or more real-time storage array characteristics and presenting the metadata to a user through a local area network.

Locally providing cloud storage array services

A virtual file system is described that is implemented in a virtualization platform as a stackable file system layer that intercepts file operations between a hypervisor and a physical file system. The virtual file system encrypts (at least in part) VM files to be stored, organizes the encrypted VM files into VM sets, and then maps and stores the encrypted VM sets into storage pools. Storage and access to files within the VM sets is controlled through the use of administrator-determined policies governing storage, security, access control, authentication, and auditing. The system and method described herein allow a seamless integration between a data center (e.g., a private cloud) and computing resources served across the internet and supported by cloud service providers (e.g., public clouds) while ensuring that the security needs of customers and cloud service providers are met.

System and Method For Secure Storage of Virtual Machines

Proactively providing corrective measures for storage arrays includes: receiving data from a storage array, the data including one or more events; detecting, in dependence upon a problem signature, one or more events from the data indicative of a particular problem, where the problem signature comprises a specification of a pattern of events indicative of the particular problem experienced by at least one other storage array; determining whether the particular problem violates an operational policy of the storage array, the operational policy specifying at least one requirement for an operational metric of the storage array; and if the particular problem violates the operational policy of the storage array, deploying automatically without user intervention one or more corrective measures to prevent the storage array from experiencing the particular problem.

Proactively providing corrective measures for storage arrays

With detection of a selected error event involving a data storage drive and data storage media, a subsystem attempts to move the media to another drive, and conduct a similar operation. The subsystem separately tracks successive error events of individual drives and individual media, wherein a complete successful operation breaks the chain of the successive error events; and upon the number of successive error events reaching a threshold, fails the data storage drive or the data storage media. Error events are categorized into:
 1) error events before or during a mount of a media into a drive; and 2) error events after a successful mount of a media into a drive; and
 
conducts the tracking, comparing and failing steps separately for each of the categories for the drives and the media.

Tracking error events relating to data storage drives and/or media of automated data storage library subsystems

A system provided for eliminating access to data within a writable storage media cartridge. The system comprises a writable storage media drive, such as a tape drive. The writable storage drive determines if at least a first portion of data on the writable storage media is encrypted. If it is determined that the first portion of data is encrypted then the writable storage drive shreds a second portion of data within the writable storage media cartridge related to said encrypted first portion of data. The first portion of data and the second portion are not the same portions of the writable storage media cartridge.

Efficient elimination of access to data on a writable storage media

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for recalling a logical volume from a mountable media for use in a virtual tape server. The apparatus includes a receiving module, a queuing module, and an optimizer module. The receiving module receives recall requests for logical volumes stored in a mountable media such as a tape cartridge. The queuing module places the requests in a queue to be processed in turn. The optimizer module reorders the queue based on one or more optimization rules in order to process the recall requests more efficiently.

Apparatus, system, and method for optimizing recall of logical volumes in a virtual tape server

Provided are techniques for cancellation of premigration of a member in a chain. A set of premigration messages are received, wherein a separate premigration message is received for each logical volume in a chain of logical volumes. While processing the premigration messages in order of receipt of each of the premigration messages, a cancel message indicating that premigration of a logical volume in the chain is to be cancelled is received. In response to determining that the logical volume whose premigration is to be cancelled has not already been transferred to physical storage media, premigration of the logical volume is cancelled by removing a premigration message for that logical volume from the set of premigration messages and premigration of each other logical volume in the chain of logical volumes is continued in order of receipt.

Cancellation of individual logical volumes in premigration chains

A method to write information to one or more information storage media disposed in a data storage and retrieval system comprising host adapters capable of data compression and information storage devices capable of data compression. The method establishes a storage medium usage threshold and determines the actual storage media usage level for the data storage and retrieval system. The method then determines if the actual storage media usage level is greater than the storage medium usage threshold. If the actual storage media usage level is greater than said storage medium usage threshold, then the method enables use of information storage device data compression. Alternatively, if the actual storage media usage level is not greater than said storage medium usage threshold, then the method disables use of information storage device data compression.

Cheryl Marie Friauf

Papers

Tracking error events relating to data storage drives and/or media of automated data storage library subsystems

Efficient elimination of access to data on a writable storage media

Apparatus, system, and method for optimizing recall of logical volumes in a virtual tape server

Cancellation of individual logical volumes in premigration chains

Apparatus and method to write information to one or more information storage media