Teachings of this application include a computing network that may include multiple different data centers and/or server grids which are deployed in different geographic locations. In at least one embodiment, at least some of the server grids may be operable to provide on-demand, grid and/or utility computing resources for hosting various types of distributed applications. In at least one embodiment, a distributed application may be characterized as an application made up of distinct components (e.g., virtual appliances, virtual machines, virtual interfaces, virtual volumes, virtual network connections, etc.) in separate runtime environments. In at least one embodiment, different ones of the distinct components of the distributed application may be hosted or deployed on different platforms (e.g., different servers) connected via a network. In some embodiments, a distributed application may be characterized as an application that runs on two or more networked computers.

Globally Distributed Utility Computing Cloud

Performing data management operations on replicated data in a computer network. Log entries are generated for data management operations of an application executing on a source system. Consistency point entries are used to indicate a time of a known good, or recoverable, state of the application. A destination system is configured to process a copy of the log and consistency point entries to replicate data in a replication volume, the replicated data being a copy of the application data on the source system. When the replicated data represents a known good state of the application, as determined by the consistency point entries, the destination system(s) may perform a storage operation (e.g., snapshot, backup) to copy the replicated data and to logically associate the copied data with a time information (e.g., time stamp) indicative of the source system time when the application was in the known good state.

Systems and methods for performing data replication

A system and method are provided for performing storage operations relating to a first secondary copy of electronic data. A storage policy or storage preferences may dictate that a replication copy should be used in storage operations performed to a particular client, sub-client, data, media or other item. Based on the storage policy, when a new client, sub-client, data, media or other item is received, a media agent determines whether there is a replication copy of the item. In the absence of a replication copy, one may be created. The replication copy may be provided by a third party application, or created by the client or a storage management system component. Information regarding the replication copy and its corresponding first secondary copy may be stored in a database. To optimize use of system resources, storage operations relating to the first secondary copy may be performed using the replication copy instead of the first secondary copy.

Systems and methods for performing replication copy storage operations

A system for executing applications designed to run on a single SMP computer on an easily scalable network of computers, while providing each application with computing resources, including processing power, memory and others that exceed the resources available on any single computer. A server agent program, a grid switch apparatus and a grid controller apparatus are included. Methods for creating processes and resources, and for accessing resources transparently across multiple servers are also provided.

Apparatus, method and system for aggregrating computing resources

Rolling cache configuration for a data replication system

An operating system for a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) multiprocessor system that utilizes a software abstraction of the NUMA system hardware representing a hierarchical tree structure to maintain the most efficient level of affinity and to maintain balanced processor and memory loads. The hierarchical tree structure includes leaf nodes representing the job processors, a root node representing at least one system resource shared by all the job processors, and a plurality of intermediate level nodes representing resources shared by different combinations of the job processors. The operating system includes a medium term scheduler for monitoring the progress of active thread groups distributed throughout the system and for assisting languishing thread groups, and a plurality of dispatchers each associated with one of the job processors for monitoring the status of the associated job processor and for obtaining thread groups for the associated job processor to execute. The operating system further includes a memory manager for allocating virtual and physical memory using a plurality of memory pools and frame treasuries.

Operating system for a non-uniform memory access multiprocessor system

The storage space of a RAID striped mass storage system is topologically organized as a plurality of basic units of storage space for storing data items in data blocks. A topological data formatter includes a write data buffer for each data type and an initial data classifier initially categorizes each data item as a structured data type having defined data characteristics or a general data type having variable data characteristics and writes each structured data type data item into a corresponding type buffer. A topological data classifier topologically categorizes each general data type data item as a full-basic unit data type forming data blocks or as a partial-basic unit data type forming partial data blocks and writes each data item into corresponding full-basic type buffer or partial-basic type buffer. Upon a write to storage space, the initial data classifier orders structured data type data items into data block groups corresponding to a basic storage units and writes the data block groups into corresponding areas of storage space. The topological data classifier re-executes the topological classification of full-basic and partial-basic unit data type data items, orders the data items into full-basic or partial-basic unit data block groups, and writes the data block groups into corresponding areas of storage space.

Data type and topological data categorization and ordering for a mass storage system

A method and apparatus for storing data in a mass storage system implementing striped RAID technology by topological categorization and ordering of the data according to the topology of the storage areas. A mass storage system includes a mass storage space for storing data items of a plurality of data types. Each data item contains data of a corresponding data type and each data type is defined by the characteristics of the information represented by the data. The storage space is topologically organized as a plurality of basic units of storage space containing a predetermined number of data blocks of predetermined sizes. A data classifier categorizes each data item as a member of a data type and, for each data type, orders the data of the data items into one or more data block groups in a corresponding write buffer wherein each data block group corresponds to a basic unit of storage, and writes each data item into a corresponding data type area of the storage space. The data types include structured data types having defined data characteristics and a general data type having variable data characteristics and the general data type includes a full-basic unit data type wherein the data forms one or more data block groups conforming to the basic unit of storage space, and a partial-basic unit data type.

Topological data categorization and formatting for a mass storage system

Embodiments of the invention relate to associating a source string with a target content unit stored on a content addressable storage (CAS) system. This may be accomplished, in some embodiments, by storing on the CAS system an associative content unit that includes the source string in its binding part and includes the target content unit in its non-binding part.

Associating an identifier with a content unit

Data is migrated from an original host storage system to another replacement host storage system with minimal client impact on a network. An original host storage system is connected directly to the replacement host storage system which is in turn connected to the network. Data migration occurs while allowing a client to access data in the original host storage system. When access is requested, the replacement host storage system determines if it resides locally or in the original host storage system. Depending on where the data resides, either the replacement host storage system acts on it or obtains it from the original host storage system.

Mark A. O'Connell

Papers

Operating system for a non-uniform memory access multiprocessor system

Data type and topological data categorization and ordering for a mass storage system

Topological data categorization and formatting for a mass storage system

Associating an identifier with a content unit

Method and system for migrating data