Storage Technology Corporation

Netapp, Inc.

Ravi Kumar Kavuri

James Prescott Hughes

Sudhir Srinivasan

Kaladhar Voruganti

Garth Richard Goodson

Shankar Pasupathy

Jon Mark Holdman

Gaurav Makkar

Dale Robert Eichel

Troy Raymond Pesola

Michael W Booth

Randall K Hewitt

Steven C Miller

Robert Jan Sussland

Gaurav Agarwal

Scott Cary Hammett

Thirumale Niranjan

Timothy John Mueggenberg

Christopher John Van Krevelen

Reed Stillman Nelson

Atiq Ahamad

George Thomas Ward

Tru Q Dam

Shanthi Paladugu

Nancy L Rassbach

A distributed object store in a network storage system uses location-independent global object identifiers (IDs) for stored data objects. The global object ID enables a data object to be seamlessly moved from one location to another without affecting clients of the storage system, i.e., 'transparent migration'. The global object ID can be part of a multilevel object handle, which also can include a location ID indicating the specific location at which the data object is stored, and a policy ID identifying a set of data management policies associated with the data object. The policy ID may be associated with the data object by a client of the storage system, for example when the client creates the object, thus allowing 'inline' policy management. An object location subsystem (OLS) can be used to locate an object when a client request does not contain a valid location ID for the object.

In-line policy management with multi-level object handle

Distributed object store for network-based content repository

A network storage server system includes a distributed object store and a metadata subsystem. The metadata subsystem stores metadata relating to the stored data objects and allows data objects to be located and retrieved easily via user-specified search queries. It manages and allows searches on at least three categories of metadata via the same user interface and technique. These categories include user-specified metadata, inferred metadata and system-defined metadata. Search queries for the metadata can include multi-predicate queries.

Metadata subsystem for a distributed object store in a network storage system

The present invention provides a technique, in a network storage system, for a key management module (KMM) managing security operations within the storage server using an authenticated storage module (ASM) such as a smart card of the storage server. The KMM may process encryption key information (key information) generated by an encryption engine of the storage server to associate a key with a storage object of the storage server. The processed key information may then be stored by the KMM to a key map of the ASM, for which the ASM performs security services prior to storing information to the key map. The KMM may then request key information stored in the key map from the ASM, and forward the key information to the encryption engine for performing cryptographic operations on data of the storage object.

Method and system for managing security operations of a storage server using an authenticated storage module

Method for distributing encryption keys stored by a centralized key manager, operationally coupled to a first encryption device and the second encryption device is provided. The first encryption device and the second encryption device may request the CKM to provide the stored encryption keys in different formats and each encryption device may use a different encryption format to encrypt information. If the encryption devices are authorized to receive the stored encryption keys, then the CKM prepares the requested keys in different formats and provides them to the encryption devices.

Method for managing cryptographic information

A network storage server system includes a distributed object store, a presentation layer, a metadata subsystem, and a content management subsystem. The object store has no namespace and provides location-independent addressing of data objects. The presentation layer provides multiple interfaces for accessing data stored in the object store, including a NAS interface and a Web Service interface, and provides at least one namespace for accessing data via the NAS interface or the Web Service interface. The Web Service interface allows access to stored data via the namespace or without using the namespace ('raw object' access). The metadata subsystem stores user-specified and/or system-generated metadata relating to data objects and allows data objects to be identified and retrieved by searching on the metadata. The content management subsystem autonomously manages lifecycles of data objects according to user-specified policies, based on metadata associated with the data objects and tracked by the metadata subsystem.

Content repository implemented in a network storage server system

A system for data storage includes a switch node, a meta-data server, a plurality of storage servers having at least one respective data storage device, and a scalable interconnect. The scalable interconnect couples the switch node, the meta-data server, and the storage servers. At least one of the switch node, the meta-data server and the storage servers includes a hierarchical storage manager (HSM). When information is received at the switch node, the HSM presents the information substantially simultaneously to the storage servers for storage at the respective data storage devices.

System and method for direct to archive data storage

A system for object-based archival data storage includes an object-based storage subsystem having respective data storage devices, at least one file presentation interface that interfaces to client platforms, an administration interface having graphical user interface (GUI) and a command line interface (CLI), a meta data subsystem for storing meta data about files, and includes a virtual file subsystem having a virtual file server (VFS), a policy subsystem, and a scalable interconnect to couple the object-based storage subsystem, the at least one file presentation interface, the administration interface, the meta data subsystem, and the policy subsystem, wherein the policy subsystem provides system rules predetermined by a user for at least one of hash based integrity checking, read-only/write-ability/erase-ability control, and duplicate data treatment corresponding to files and file objects.

Clustered hierarchical file services

A system for object-based archival data storage includes an object-based storage subsystem having respective data storage devices, at least one file presentation interface that interfaces to client platforms, an administration interface having graphical user interface (GUI) and a command line interface (CLI), a meta data subsystem for storing meta data about files, and includes a virtual file subsystem having a virtual file server (VFS), a policy subsystem that provides system rules predetermined by a user, and a scalable interconnect to couple the object-based storage subsystem, the at least one file presentation interface, the administration interface, the meta data subsystem, and the policy subsystem, wherein the meta data subsystem stores meta data about data files and object files including local file system location, object identification for data, hash, and presented file system information.

Clustered hierarchical file system

A virtual tape storage system includes an original virtual tape library for storing data and includes snapshot virtual tape library (SVTL). The SVTL includes a snapshot of the data stored in the original virtual tape library. A host is operable to receive the snapshot data from the SVTL to perform a disaster recovery test of the original virtual tape library. The SVTL is generated from the original virtual tape library using a copy-on-write snapshot process. In an embodiment, the original virtual tape library stores the stored data on a number of virtual tape volumes (VTVs), and the SVTL includes a snapshot of those VTDs and VTVs which are required for a disaster recovery test of the original virtual tape library. In this case, the host uses the SVTL to perform the disaster recovery test of the original virtual tape library.

Virtual tape storage system having snapshot virtual tape library for disaster recovery testing

A data processing system, method, and product are disclosed for managing a virtual storage system. A first command is received from a host to store data utilizing a storage scheme. At least one second command is generated to write data according to the storage scheme to ones of the storage devices in response to the receipt of the first command. The at least one second command is then transmitted to the ones of the plurality of storage devices. Data is stored in the ones of the storage devices according to the storage scheme in response to a receipt of the second command by a storage device.

Method, system and product for managing a virtual storage system

A volume translation apparatus and method are provided. The volume translation apparatus resides between host machines and the physical storage devices accessed by the host machines. This volume translation apparatus may perform volume translation for the control path and optionally the data path of input/output (I/O) requests sent by the host machines to the physical storage devices. Control path translation ensures that the correct physical volumes are mounted for accessing by the I/O request. Because the physical volume may be different from that requested by the host machine application, the translation device includes a mapping that represents which physical volumes represent copies of the virtual volume used by the host machine application. When an I/O request is received and is directed to a particular original virtual volume, the volume mapping apparatus translates the original virtual volume identification into one or more physical volume identifications associated with a secondary virtual volume which may or may not be the same as the original virtual volume.

Volume translation apparatus and method

A data processing system, method, and product are disclosed for maintaining a database of usage information of multiple, different physical devices. A virtualization system is provided interposed between a host computer system and the physical devices. The host computer system is capable of accessing only virtual interfaces and is incapable of directly accessing any of the physical devices. A relational database is established within the virtualization system for storing information. Information is stored in the database about transactions processed by the virtualization system utilizing the physical devices. The information stored in the database includes error information and information about the usage of the physical devices. The information in the database may be accessed by the host computer system.

Growing community of inventors

San Ramon, CA, United States of America

Ravi Kumar Kavuri