Netapp, Inc.

Rushi Srinivas Surla

Vasantha Sadananda Prabhu

Ritesh Tiwari

Gaurab Paul

Konstantinos Roussos

Boris Teterin

Method and system is provided to perform a plurality of checks before performing a volume based snapshot restore ('VBSR') operation. The checks may be performed by an application executed at a computing system that interfaces with a storage system. The application may determine if there are any inconsistent LUNS and foreign mapped LUNs. The application may also determine if there are any new LUNs or any new snapshots since the snapshot, which is the basis of the restore operation was created. The application may further determine if there are any backup relationships with respect to a volume that is being restored. The application takes the information and provides a report to a user. The report allows a user to ascertain the consequences of proceeding with the VBSR operation.

Method and system for volume based snapshot restore

A method, apparatus, and system of exclusive access during a critical sub-operation to enable simultaneous operations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a host device includes identifying a critical sub-operation of an operation associated with a storage system, applying a lock associated with the critical sub-operation based on a type of the sub-operation, providing exclusive access of the critical sub-operation to a first instance requiring the critical sub-operation, denying other instances access to the critical sub-operation during an interval comprising a period when the first instance executes the critical sub-operation, and releasing the lock when the critical sub-operation is no longer required by the first instance. The first instance and the other instances may originate on different host devices.

Exclusive access during a critical sub-operation to enable simultaneous operations

Techniques introduced herein allow writeable PPIs to be re-used. A writeable PPI manager can make use of existing writeable PPIs to offer logical units to clients without creating additional writeable PPIs. The writeable PPI manager can determine which writeable PPIs to re-use by testing the writeable PPIs for a variety of conditions. Advantageously, re-use of remaining logical units reduces unnecessary replication of data and increased overhead costs. Resources can thereby be conserved.

System and method for re-use of writeable PPIs

According to one or more of the provisions set forth herein, data can be managed in a data storage system in an efficient manner. In one example, a first flexible copy volume of data is generated based on a snapshot copy volume of a flexible volume containing the data. The first flexible copy volume is configured to be operated upon according to a first set of operations. A second flexible copy of the data is also generated based on the snapshot copy volume. The second flexible copy volume is configured to be operated upon according to a second set of operations that differs from the first set of operations. Having a second copy of the data allows testing or other operations to be performed on the data while also maintaining an original version of the data.

Flexible copies having different sub-types

Method and system are provided for managing inactive snapshot blocks. Information regarding inactive blocks is collected and placed in a queue. After the queue reaches a threshold number of inactive blocks, the inactive blocks are compressed and stored as a compressed segment. The compressed segment may include inactive blocks for different snapshot data structures. A compression map structure stores information regarding a plurality of compressed segments, including identifiers identifying different snapshot files which may point to one or more inactive blocks. For each compressed segment, a compression information map identifies the location of each inactive block within the compressed segment and the compression state for each inactive block.

Method and system for managing inactive snapshot blocks

Techniques introduced herein allow writeable PPIs to be analyzed prior to deletion to determine whether or not the writeable PPIs have reached the end of their life cycle. Prior to deletion a writeable PPI manager can inspect the writeable PPI to determine whether or not the writeable PPI has reached the end of the writeable PPI life cycle. If various criteria are not met, then the writeable PPI can be determined to have not yet reached the end of its life cycle and the deletion can be prevented.

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Bengaluru, India

Rushi Srinivas Surla