Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Bryan Stephen Matthew

Scott Chao-Chueh Lee

Aaron William Ogus

Rajsekhar Das

Donald MacGregor

Cosmos Darwin

Neal Robert Christiansen

Karan Mehra

Sarosh Cyrus Havewala

Surendra Verma

Andrew M Herron

Garret Buban

Vinod R Shankar

Vadim Makhervaks

Shiv Kumar Rajpal

Laura Marie Caulfield

Matthew David Kurjanowicz

Juan-Lee Pang

Omar Carey

Lee Edward Prewitt

Ioan Oltean

Madhav Himanshubhai Pandya

Srinivasan Malayala

Subhasish Bhattacharya

Shiv Rajpal

A file system is implemented in a system comprising an anonymous-write storage device. A request for a file system operation that comprises semantics of the file system to receiving the request is received. The file system translates the file system operation to one or more commands that effect the file system operation while maintaining consistency with operation of the anonymous-write storage device. The one or more commands comprise one or more of updating file system metadata, sending a request to the anonymous-write storage device, or receiving a response from the anonymous-write storage device. The anonymous-write storage device is configured to write data in an append-only format and determine locations of data write operations agnostic of input of a write location from the file system. Metadata is updated to indicate results of the file system operation.

File system for anonymous write

An interface receives storage requests for storing data in a software-defined storage network using an append-only storage scheme. The requests include an identifier of a data object to be stored. The requests are agnostic of hardware-specific details of the storage devices. A virtualization layer accesses space allocation data for the storage devices; and policies for prioritizing performance. Based on the data and policies, a physical storage location at the plurality of storage devices is selected for storing the data object. Metadata is generated for the data object indicating that the data object is an append-only object and mapping the physical storage location of the data object to the identifier. The request is translated to instructions for storing the data object at the physical storage location using the append-only storage scheme. The data object is stored at the physical storage location using the append-only storage scheme.

Virtualized append-only storage device

An interface is instantiated for receiving storage requests for storing data in a software-defined storage network using an append-only storage scheme. The interface receives requests that are agnostic of interfaces and hardware-specific details of the storage devices of the software-defined storage network. A request comprises an identifier of a data object to be stored in the software-defined storage network using the append-only storage scheme. Metadata is generated for the data object indicating that the data object is an append-only object; and the request is translated to instructions for storing the data object in the storage devices using the append-only storage scheme. The data object is stored at one of the plurality of storage devices based on the instructions. The metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the data object and a stored location of the data object.

Virtualized append-only interface

Performance data is collected for input/output operations executed at a storage device of a plurality of storage devices of a software-defined storage network. Based on the collected performance data, a time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device is determined. A characteristic time-based I/O performance profile is determined for a representative group of storage devices having common characteristics with the storage device and based on previously collected performance data for devices of the representative group. It is determined that the difference between the time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device and the characteristic time-based I/O performance profile exceeds a predetermined deviance threshold that is indicative of a probable failure of the storage device. An indication is generated that the storage device exceeded the predetermined deviance threshold.

Fault prediction and detection using time-based distributed data

Techniques are disclosed for generating and utilizing a time-based distribution of I/O latency and other performance characteristics to identify potential device failures in a system that includes storage devices, such as a distributed software-defined storage system. A user interface is implemented that allows users to request and selectively view I/O latency and other data over a configurable time-based or histogram-based distribution. The user interface further enables comparison of the I/O latency distribution to data from other devices in the same class to identify potential failures.

Interface for fault prediction and detection using time-based distributed data

The techniques described herein are configured to improve the remanufacturing process by waiting to rebuild selective data items stored on a storage device that is unavailable. A storage device is unavailable when it is taken offline and/or disconnected from a network. The storage device may be taken offline due to a failed component (e.g., an actuator arm, an actuator head, damage to the underlying storage media, etc.). The storage device comprises multiple independent logical units, where a logical unit is a uniquely addressable portion of a storage device that is visible and/or that is exposed to a host. Accordingly, the techniques described herein are configured to conserve resources by selectively rebuilding data items stored in logical units of an offline storage device that are not affected by a remanufacturing process implemented due to a failed component.

Maintenance of storage devices with multiple logical units

An append-only streams capability may be implemented that allows the host (e.g., the file system) to determine an optimal stream size based on the data to be stored in that stream. The storage device may expose to the host one or more characteristics of the available streams on the device, including but not limited to the maximum number of inactive and active streams on the device, the erase block size, the maximum number of erase blocks that can be written in parallel, and an optimal write size of the data. Using this information, the host may determine which particular stream offered by the device is best suited for the data to be stored.

Append only streams for storing data on a solid state device

A data store is accessed that stores a collected historical record of performance metrics for input/output operations executed at a storage device that is part of a group of storage devices that are configured to provide a fault resiliency function. A performance profile is determined for the selected storage device based on selected performance metrics of the historical record. A difference between the performance profile for the storage device and a characteristic performance profile for similar storage devices is determined. When the difference exceeds a predetermined deviance threshold, selected I/O requests designated for the selected storage device are redirected to another device of the group of storage devices.

Timeout mode for storage devices

A system in which a file system may operate on a volume in which the logical address extent of the volume is divided into multiple tiers, each tier providing storage having a distinct trait set by mapping the logical addresses of the volume to appropriate underlying storage systems. A volume system exposes the volume to the file system in a manner that the file system itself has awareness of the tiers, and is aware of the trait sets of each tier. The file system may thus store file system namespaces (such as directories and files) into the tiers as appropriate for the file system namespace. A provisioning system may also be provided and be configured to provision the volume to include such tiers, and if desired, to extend the tiers.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Bryan Stephen Matthew