Netapp, Inc.

Network Appliance, Inc.

Hitachi Vantara Corporation

Vitaly Revsin

Vijay R Basani

Azer Bestavros

Mark Crovella

Domenic Joseph LaRosa

Lynne M Murach

Leroy R Karge

Krishna Mangipudi

Alexander M Pass

Irina P Slutsky

Anil Paul Thoppil

Qinghua Zheng

Srishylam Simharajan

James Leong

Vani Vully

Krishna Mangiapudi

Salimah Addetia

Arthur F Lent

Rajesh Rajaraman

Randall David Smith

Rebecca S Beaman

Hooman Vassef

Don Bolinger

Richard Bramante

In some examples, a computing device may receive a first object. Further, the computing device may be able to communicate with a first network storage system over a network. The computing device may determine, from metadata for the first object, whether the metadata for the first object matches at least one notification rule. Based on determining that the metadata for the first object matches a rule expression of a first notification rule, the computing device may generate a first event notification corresponding to the first object. Further, the computing device may send the first event notification to a first queue specified by the first notification rule. For instance, the first queue may be provided by the first network storage system.

Hybrid cloud event notification management

A copy-free transition tool converts storage objects from a source format associated with a source storage system to a destination format associated with a destination storage system. The transition tool exports configuration information associated with the source storage system to the destination storage system and brings the storage objects offline. Once the transition tool determines that the storage devices containing the storage objects are physically connected to the destination storage system, the tool can convert file systems from the source format to the destination format while leaving data and file layout unchanged. The tool can also modify metadata associated with each of the storage objects to conform to the destination format and store the modified metadata with the destination storage system.

Converting storage objects between formats in a copy-free transition

The present invention provides a system and method for creating and accessing a copy of one or more host-accessible storage entities contained in a persistent consistency point image (PCPI) of a volume served by a storage system. The storage entity may comprise a file system, logical volume, volume group, or 'file system on raw device'. The copy of the storage entity is generated using a logical unit number (lun) copying technique in conjunction with a PCPI table of contents (PTOC). The PTOC contains data describing contents of the PCPI, including luns of the storage entity. The PTOC is written to the volume of the storage system, which is configured to store the luns, i.e., in the context of an active file system, immediately prior to generation of the PCPI. After generation of the PCPI, the PTOC is deleted from the volume such that it is only stored within the PCPI and not within the active file system.

System and method for creating and accessing a host-accessible storage entity

A distributed storage server includes a network module, data module and a management module. The management module receives a data user command for execution on the data module. The data user command is forwarded to the data module and any execution output sent back to the management module. Similarly, the data module receives a management user command for execution on the management module. The management user command is forwarded to the management module and any execution output sent back to the data module.

Managing distributed functional modules using standard management applications

A system and method for generating persistent consistency point images (PCPIs) is provided. A first set of statistics is obtained for a plurality of data containers. The PCPIs are generated for each of the plurality of data containers after the first set of statistics is obtained. A second set of statistics is obtained for the plurality of data containers after the PCPIs are generated. It is determined that modifying operations were performed to a data container while generating the PCPIs if the first and the second set of statistics are not equal, and it is determined that no modifying operations were performed to the data container while generating the PCPIs if the first and the second set of statistics are equal. The PCPIs are stored on a storage device in response to determining that no modifying operations were performed to the data container while generating the PCPIs.

System and method for generating a crash consistent persistent consistency point image set

A method for distributing information to a plurality of servers is described. The information is transmitted from a control manager server to a first group leader server. The first group leader server transmits the information to a second group leader server. The second group leader server requests instructions from the control manager server. The second group leader server then transmits, in response to the instructions, the information to a further group leader server. The first group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the first group leader server. The second group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the second group leader server. The further group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the further group leader server.

Method and apparatus for dynamic resource discovery and information distribution in a data network

A technique for generating a crash consistent set of persistent consistency point image set associated with a storage space is provided. A client side agent obtains a first set of read/write statistics before causing storage systems to generate persistent consistency point images of volumes storing logical unit numbers comprising the storage space. Once the persistent consistency point images have been generated, the agent obtains a second set of read/write statistics. The first and second set of statistics are compared to determining if they are equal, thereby signifying that the set of persistent consistency point images is crash consistent.

A method and system for flow control in a reliable multicast communication protocol, in which a transmitting device transmits sets of multiple data transfer units (DTUs) referred to as 'bursts.' The transmitting device continues transmitting DTUs within a burst independently with regard to the receipt of any acknowledgements (referred to herein as 'status reports') from a number of receiving devices. The transmitting device continues to transmit multiple bursts until the transmitting device reaches a predetermined limitation, referred to as a &#x201c;burst sliding window&#x201d; size. The transmitting device transmit DTUs in bursts while a total number of outstanding bursts that have not been acknowledged as received correctly does not exceed the size of the burst sliding window. The burst sliding window size may reflect transmission capacity of the transmitting device and/or receipt capacity of the receiving devices.

Method and apparatus for flow control in a reliable multicast communication system

A system and apparatus for control and distribution of data files in large-scale distributed networks. Members of a group of servers in a multicast network elect a group leader whenever a new group leader is required, as detected by absence of a periodic message published by the leader. Election is carried out by a system of voting by each candidate whereby each candidate has a priority calculated from its configuration, and the server with the highest priority is configured to claim the leadership faster than the other candidates. As part of the claim, each candidate multicasts its priority. Each candidate that receives a multicast claim for leadership from another candidate compares its own priority against the claimant and only votes for itself if its own priority is higher. After a preconfigured period of hearing no other claimants with higher priority, the candidate with the highest priority becomes the new leader.

Method and apparatus for election of group leaders in a distributed network

The present invention provides a system and apparatus for efficient and reliable, control and distribution of data files or portions of files, applications, or other data objects in large-scale distributed networks. A unique content-management front-end provides efficient controls for triggering distribution of digitized data content to selected groups of a large number of remote computer servers. Network distribution messages are dispatched according to a sorted list of servers, based on factors such as nearness, server processor speed, reliability, and CPU Usage. For large numbers of servers, a store-and-forward approach becomes much more efficient. A first selected server receives the message from a content control manager (CCM). The first server requests instructions for the next server listed on an ordered list in the CCM and forwards a copy of that message to the next identified server. Each server reports its completion and requests further instructions from the CCM. This mechanism permits highly efficient and robust distribution of assignments and data content from the CCM to each required GL using a store-and-forward tree structure.

System for creating and distributing prioritized list of computer nodes selected as participants in a distribution job

A system and method for reliably transmitting large amounts of data over a high speed network with large latency, such as a communication satellite based network. A transmitting device transmits data transfer units (DTUs) to one or more receiving devices. The transmitting device forms and transmits burst consisting of reliably delivered sets of multiple DTUs. Both the transmitting device and the receiving devices process multiple bursts in parallel, such that subsequent bursts can be transmitted and received prior to the correct receipt of a previously transmitted burst at all of the receiving devices, and/or prior to receipt of a status report at the transmitting device regarding a previously transmitted burst. The transmitting device operates to transmit subsequent bursts even before the receipt of a status information regarding a previous burst, and the receiving devices process subsequently received bursts while awaiting retransmission of a lost or damaged DTU from a previous burst.

Method and apparatus for optimizing channel bandwidth utilization by simultaneous reliable transmission of sets of multiple data transfer units (DTUs)

A system and method for providing data delivery and processing status from at least one receiving device to a transmitting device. Data is sent to one or more receiving devices in bursts consisting of multiple data transfer units (DTUs). The receiving device or devices provide one or more status reports to the transmitting device, describing the delivery and processing status of bursts transmitted from the transmitting device. Each status report may represent the receive and/or processing status packet with regard to multiple bursts sent from the transmitting device to a receiving device. Status reports may be generated by a receiving device in response to detection of a predetermined condition such as the end of a received burst. Each status report may describe the receipt and/or processing status of all DTUs in all bursts that have previously been received by the receiving device from the transmitting device.

Method and apparatus for reliable delivery of status information for multiple sets of data units in a single packet

The present invention provides a system and apparatus for efficient and reliable, control and distribution of data files in large-scale distributed networks. The members of a group of servers in a multicast network elect a group leader whenever a new group leader is required, as when the prior group leader become unavailable, as detected by absence of a periodic heartbeat message published by the leader. The election is carried out by a system of voting by each candidate whereby each candidate has a priority calculated from its configuration, and the server with the highest priority is configured to claim the leadership faster than the other candidates. As part of the claim, each candidate multicasts its priority. Each candidate that receives a multicast claim for leadership from another candidate compares its own priority against the claimant and only votes for itself if its own priority is higher. After a preconfigured period of hearing no other claimants with higher priority, the candidate with the highest priority becomes the new leader.

Growing community of inventors

Andover, MA, United States of America

Vitaly Revsin