Techniques are described for providing one or more clients with direct access to cached data blocks within a persistent memory cache on a storage server. In an embodiment, a storage server maintains a persistent memory cache comprising a plurality of cache lines, each of which represent an allocation unit of block-based storage. The storage server maintains an RDMA table that include a plurality of table entries, each of which maps a respective client to one or more cache lines and a remote access key. An RDMA access request to access a particular cache line is received from a storage server client. The storage server identifies access credentials for the client and determines whether the client has permission to perform the RDMA access on the particular cache line. Upon determining that the client has permissions, the cache line is accessed from the persistent memory cache and sent to the storage server client.

A method for mapping LUNs (logical unit numbers) in storage memory, performed by a storage system, is provided. The method includes determining a set of LUNs in the storage memory and generating a mapping from a logical address space to all of the LUNs in the set, based on the determining, so that each logical address in the logical address space maps to one LUN in the set. The method includes accessing one or more of the LUNs in accordance with the mapping.

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and software for data storage systems are provided herein. In one example, a data storage system is provided that includes storage drives each comprising a PCIe interface, and configured to store data and retrieve the data stored on associated storage media responsive to data transactions received over a switched PCIe fabric. The data storage system includes processors configured to each manage only an associated subset of the storage drives over the switched PCIe fabric. A first processor is configured to identify first data packets received over a network interface associated with the first processor within a network buffer of the first processor as comprising a storage operation associated with at least one of the plurality of storage drives managed by a second processor, and responsively transfer the first data packets into a network buffer of the second processor.

The management computer stores a configuration information of a storage, a configuration information of a host computer and a VM, an information on a service level of the VM, and a performance information of a storage subsystem and a network. If an access path that the host computer uses to access a volume is changed in response to a change of storage configuration, an I/O performance of the VM operating in the host computer may be changed. If the change of state of the storage is detected, the management computer calculates a change of state of whether a service level defined for the VM is satisfied, and selects an appropriate host computer in which the VM should be operated.

A method of transparently inserting a virtual storage layer into a Fibre channel based storage area network (SAN) while maintaining continuous I/O operations is provided. A device is inserted between a host entity and a first storage device. The device identifies a plurality of first paths between the host entity and the first storage device, and defines a plurality of second paths by defining, for each first path among the plurality of first paths, a corresponding second path between the host entity and a second storage device. The device determines, for each of the plurality of first paths, a respective first state. The device establishes, for each of the second paths among the plurality of second paths, a second state based on the first state of the corresponding first path. The device redirects, to the second storage device, communications directed from the host entity to the first storage device, via the plurality of second paths.

A technique for storage management involves: determining multiple source disk slices from a storage array that provides redundant storage, a current disk group where each of the multiple source disk slices is located being different from a target disk group where the source disk slice is specified to be located; determining multiple destination disk slices from the target disk group based on the multiple source disk slices, the multiple destination disk slices being used to replace the multiple source disk slices; and causing data to be moved to the multiple destination disk slices from the multiple source disk slices. Accordingly, such a technique may improve the reliability of a storage system.

An aspect of validating vHBA fabric zoning in a SAN includes receiving, by a computer processor, a request for data corresponding to zones in a storage area network to which an initiator in a host system computer has access; instantiating, by the computer processor, a virtual host bus adapter interface on the host system computer; and transmitting, via the virtual host bus adapter interface, the request to a fabric controller in the storage area network. An aspect also includes receiving a current active zone set from the fabric controller; parsing the current active zone set for the initiator; identifying, from the parsing, each of the zones in the current active zone set to which the initiator is indicated; and displaying the identified zones via the computer processor.

Information identifying a current hardware configuration of a system may be received. Furthermore, information of a new hardware component that has not been installed may be received. A graphical user interface (GUI) may be provided with an option to install the new hardware component with the system. In response to a selection from the GUI of the option to install the new hardware component with the system, a plurality of actions to install the new hardware component with the current hardware configuration of the system may be determined. A guide may be generated based on the determined plurality of actions.

A method of resizing a block storage volume for a virtual machine includes executing the virtual machine and attaching a virtual storage device to the virtual machine. The virtual storage device exposes the block storage volume on memory hardware to the virtual machine. The block storage volume includes a first storage capacity. The method also includes mounting the block storage volume to the virtual machine and resizing the block storage volume while the virtual machine continues to execute. The block storage volume is resized without attaching an additional virtual storage device to the virtual machine or mounting an additional block storage volume to the virtual machine.

An array controller for connection between a solid state drive controller and multiple non-volatile storage units is provided. The array controller comprises a plurality of enable outputs, each of which is connected to an enable input of one of the non-volatile storage units, and a buffer in which data to be written into or read from the non-volatile storage units is stored. The array controller further comprises a control unit configured to enable a communication path between the solid state drive controller and one of the non-volatile storage units according to an address received from the solid state drive controller.