Virtual storage systems and virtual storage system operational methods

A virtual storage system comprising:

• physical storage means configured to store data at a plurality of physical storage locations;
• virtual storage means adapted to provide a representation of the physical storage means to a host using a plurality of virtual storage locations;
• mapping means configured to associate a plurality of the virtual storage locations with a plurality of the physical storage locations;
• controller means configured to utilize the mapping means to access the physical storage locations, to deactivate a portion of the mapping means at an initial moment in time wherein the portion of the mapping means is not utilized to access the physical storage locations, and to activate the portion of the mapping means at a subsequent moment in time;
• and
• wherein the controller means is further configured to access a request pertaining to selected data corresponding to the portion of the mapping means, to control storage of an identifier associated with the request, to update the portion of the mapping means using the identifier after the storage, and to utilize the portion of the mapping means to access the physical storage locations after the updating.

A virtual storage system operational method comprising:

• providing a virtual storage space including a plurality of virtual storage locations;
• providing a physical storage space including a plurality of physical storage locations configured to store data;
• and
• providing a memory comprising a mapping system for associating respective ones of the virtual storage locations with respective ones of the physical storage locations;
• extracting at least a portion of the mapping system from the memory;
• providing a request affecting selected data corresponding to the extracted portion of the mapping system;
• storing an identifier associated with the request;
• and
• updating a portion of the extracted portion of the mapping system to identify the selected data using the stored identifier.