IBM Assigned Fourteen Patents

Determining whether to extend drain time
to copy data blocks from first storage to second storage
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY,, has been assigned a patent (8,838,920) developed by five co-inventors for “determining whether to extend a drain time to copy data blocks from a first storage to a second storage.”

The co-inventors are Theodore T. Harris Jr., Paul A. Jennas II, Tucson, AZ, Jason L. Peipelman, Vail, AZ, Joshua M. Rhoades, Idaho Falls, ID, and Matthew J. Ward, Vail, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for determining whether to extend a drain time to copy data blocks from a first storage to a second storage. A data structure is generated indicating data blocks in the first storage to copy to the second storage. A drain operation is initiated to copy the data blocks indicated in the first storage to the second storage for a drain time period. Write requests to the data blocks indicated in the data structure are queued during the drain time period, wherein the queued write requests are not completed while queued. Metric information based on the writes that occur to data blocks in the first storage are gathered during the drain time period; and in response to expiration of the drain time period, a determination is made from the gathered metric information of whether to continue the drain operation or terminate the drain operation.”

The patent application was filed on Nov. 17, 2010 (12/948,652).

Physical computer storage media to optimize data placement
in multi-tiered storage systems
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,838,927) developed by five co-inventors for “systems, methods, and physical computer storage media to optimize data placement in multi-tiered storage systems.”

The co-inventors are Lawrence Y. Chiu, Saratoga, CA, Yong Guo, Chao G. Li, Yang Liu, Shanghai, China, Paul Muench, San Jose, CA, and Sangeetha Seshadri, Vancouver, WA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A system includes a data collector, a plurality of data placement optimizers, a data placement arbitrator, and a data mover. The data collector is configured to collect system configuration data and system performance data. The plurality of data placement optimizers are each configured to analyze the system configuration data and the system performance data for developing a corresponding data movement plan. The data placement arbitrator is configured to arbitrate conflicts between at least two data movement plans of generated by the plurality of data placement optimizers to form an execution plan. The data mover is configured to perform the data movement plans according to the execution plan.”

The patent application was filed on May 27, 2011 (13/117,236).

Hybrid storage management taking into account I/O priority
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,838,916) developed by six co-inventors for a “hybrid storage management taking into account I/O priority.”

The co-inventors are Mingming Cao, Portland, OR, Ben Chociej, Kansas City, MO, Scott R. Conor, Blacksburg, VA, Steven M. French, Austin, TX, Matthew R. Lupfer, Boulder, CO, and Steven L. Pratt, Leander, TX.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method uses a record of I/O priorities in a determination of a storage medium of a hybrid storage system in which to store a file. The method maintains the record of I/O priorities by assigning an I/O temperature value to each request for access to the file based upon an I/O priority level of the process making the request. The method marks the file as hot if the file temperature value is greater than a threshold value. The method stores files marked as hot in a lower latency storage medium of the hybrid storage medium.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 15, 2011 (13/233,266).

Overlay network capable of supporting SAN traffic
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,837,476) developed by Bhalachandra G. Banavalikar, Cupertino, CA, Keshav G. Kamble, Fremont, CA, and Renato J. Recio, Austin, TX, for the “overlay network capable of supporting SAN traffic.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In one embodiment, a system includes a server having a hypervisor layer that includes an overlay-capable virtual switch and a FC (FC) virtual switch; at least one processor adapted for executing logic; and a converge network adapter (CNA) coupled to the hypervisor, the CNA being adapted for communicating with the overlay-capable virtual switch and the FC virtual switch, wherein the CNA is adapted for communicating with a FC forwarder (FCF), and the overlay-capable virtual switch includes logic adapted for communicating with a central controller.“

The patent application was filed on Sept. 7, 2012 (13/607,572).

Multi-part aggregated variable in c
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,838,910) developed by four co-inventors for “multi-part aggregated variable in structured external storage.”

The co-inventors are David A. Elko, Austin, TX, Ronen Grosman, Ontario, Canada, Stewart L. Palmer, New York, and Adam J. Storm, Ontario, Canada.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A mechanism is provided for multi-part aggregated variables in structured external storage. The shared external storage provides a serialized, aggregated structure update capability. The shared external storage identifies each local value for which a group value is needed by name. Each time a member writes out its value, the member specifies the name of the object, the member’s current value, and the type of aggregate function to apply (e.g., minimum, maximum, etc.). The structured external storage in one atomic operation updates the member’s value, recalculates the aggregate of all of the individual values, and returns the aggregate to the member. The advantage of this approach is that it requires only one write operation to the structured external storage. The update operation does not require locking, because the operation is atomic.”

The patent application was filed on June 7, 2010 (12/795,205).

RAID storage recovery
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,826,065) developed by Eric J. Bartlett, Salisbury, UK, Matthew J. Fairhurst, Winchester, UK, and William J. Scales, Fareham, UK, for “methods for redundant array of independent disk (RAID) storage recovery.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for managing storage devices in a storage subsystem having an array of storage devices includes receiving an error message; determining that the error message indicates that at least one storage device in the array of storage devices has failed; collecting an array record comprising storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to determining that the error message indicates that at least one storage device has failed; collating a candidate record comprising a plurality of candidate entries; comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries; identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device; and identifying a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device.“

The patent application was filed on May 30, 2012 (13/484,192).

Global positioning system location information for automated storage library
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,825,1944) developed by Brian Gerard Goodman and Arthur John Colvig, Tucson, AZ, for the “global positioning system location information for an automated storage library.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Disclosed are a system, a method, and an article of manufacture to provide for the use of a global positioning system (GPS) to provide location information for an automated storage library. One or more GPS antennas and receivers are coupled to an automated storage library to enable quick and accurate location information for the automated storage library. The location information may be used to determine the physical location of the automated storage library. The GPS antennas may also be attached to one or more library frames in the automated storage library to enable accurate location information for each frame. The GPS antennas are attached to one or more accessors or one or more drive canisters to provide accurate location information for each component.”

The patent application was filed on Dec. 18, 2003 (10/741,724).

Visualization-centric performance-based volume allocation in storage system
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,826,293) developed by Stefan Jaquet, Morgan Hill, CA, and Madhukar R. Korupolu, Sunnyvale, CA, for “visualization-centric performance-based volume allocation in a storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method, system, and computer program product for visualization-centric performance-based volume allocation in a storage system using a processor in communication with a memory device is provided. A unified resource graph representative of a global hierarchy of storage components in the storage system, including each of a plurality of storage controllers, is generated. The unified resource graph includes a common root node and a plurality of subtree nodes corresponding to each of a plurality of nodes internal to the plurality of storage controllers. The common root node and the plurality of subtree nodes are ordered in a top-down orientation. Scalable volume provisioning of an existing or new workload amount by graphical manipulation of at least one of the storage components represented by the unified resource graph is performed based on an input.“

The patent application was filed on April 27, 2012 (13/458,633).

Handling high priority requests in sequential access storage device
having a non-volatile storage cache
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,825,952) developed by Michael T. Benhase and Lokesh M. Gupta, Tucson, AZ, for “handling high priority requests in a sequential access storage device having a non-volatile storage cache.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for handling high priority requests in a sequential access storage device. Received modified tracks for write requests are cached in a non-volatile storage device integrated with the sequential access storage device. A destage request is added to a request queue for a received write request having modified tracks for the sequential access storage medium cached in the non-volatile storage device. A read request indicting a priority is received. A determination is made of a priority of the read request as having a first priority or a second priority. The read request is added to the request queue in response to determining that the determined priority is the first priority. The read request is processed at a higher priority than the read and destage requests in the request queue in response to determining that the determined priority is the second priority.”

The patent application was filed on May 23, 2011 (13/113,953).

Adjacent track interference and wide area adjacent track erasure
during disk defragmentation
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,825,980) developed by four co-inventors for the “consideration of adjacent track interference and wide area adjacent track erasure during disk defragmentation.”

The co-inventors are Sandeep R. Patil, Pune, India, Sriram Ramanathan, Lutz, Florida, Riyazahamad M. Shiraguppi, Pune, India, and Matthew B. Trevathan, Kennesaw, GA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product for defragmenting files on a HDD drive. A computer system identifies a plurality of movable blocks on a HDD drive. The computer system categorizes each of the movable blocks into a category based on the write count of each movable block, wherein the movable blocks categorized into a first category have higher write counts than the movable blocks categorized into a second category. The computer system relocates the movable blocks of the first category to a first group of one or more adjacent tracks, and the computer system relocates the movable blocks of the second category to a second group of one or more adjacent tracks, wherein the first group of one or more adjacent tracks and the second group of one or more adjacent tracks share, at most, one common track.”

The patent application was filed on March 21, 2012 (13/426,138).

Managing storage providers in clustered appliance environment
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,819,481) developed by four co-inventors for “managing storage providers in a clustered appliance environment.”

The co-inventors are Sandip Amin, Austin, TX, Ajay K. Bargoti, Rishika Kedia, and Anbazhagan Mani, Bangalore, India.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Via a processor, receiving a power off alert indicating a power off condition of a first processing system on which a first storage provider is installed, the first storage provider managing at least one storage controller. The method further can include, responsive to the power off alert, issuing a first command to a second storage provider installed on a second processing system, the first command indicating to the second storage provider to assume management of the storage controller.”

The patent application was filed on April 16, 2012 (13/448,034).

Periodic destages from inside and outside diameters of disks
to improve read response time
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,819,343) developed by four co-inventors for “periodic destages from inside and outside diameters of disks to improve read response times.”

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Tucson, AZ, Christopher J. Strauss, Trabuco Canyon, CA, and Will A. Wright, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage controller that includes a cache, receives a command from a host, wherein a set of criteria corresponding to read response times for executing the command have to be satisfied. A destage application that destages tracks based at least on recency of usage and spatial location of the tracks is executed, wherein a spatial ordering of the tracks is maintained in a data structure, and the destage application traverses the spatial ordering of the tracks. Tracks are destaged from at least inside or outside diameters of disks at periodic intervals, while traversing the spatial ordering of the tracks, wherein the set of criteria corresponding to the read response times for executing the command are satisfied.”

The patent application was filed on March 15, 2013 (13/842,057).

Periodic destages from inside and outside diameters of disks
to improve read response time via traversal of a spatial ordering of tracks
IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, has been assigned a patent (8,838,905) developed by four co-inventors for “periodic destages from inside and outside diameters of disks to improve read response time via traversal of a spatial ordering of tracks.”

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase,Lokesh M. Gupta, Tucson, AZ, Christopher J. Srauss, Trabuco Canyon, CA, and Will A. Wright, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage controller that includes a cache, receives a command from a host, wherein a set of criteria corresponding to read response times for executing the command have to be satisfied. A destage application that destages tracks based at least on recency of usage and spatial location of the tracks is executed, wherein a spatial ordering of the tracks is maintained in a data structure, and the destage application traverses the spatial ordering of the tracks. Tracks are destaged from at least inside or outside diameters of disks at periodic intervals, while traversing the spatial ordering of the tracks, wherein the set of criteria corresponding to the read response times for executing the command are satisfied.“

The patent application was filed on Nov. 17, 2011 (13/299,054).

Storage using bitmaps
IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, , has been assigned a patent (8,843,721) developed by Carlos Francisco Fuente, Portsmouth, UK, William James Scales, Portchester, UK, and Barry Douglas Whyte, Hampshire, UK, for “storage using bitmaps.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage system comprises a controller, a first lower performance storage medium and a second higher performance storage medium. The controller is connected to the storage mediums and is arranged to control I/O access to the storage mediums. The controller is further arranged to store an image on the first storage medium, initiate a copy function from the first storage medium to the second storage medium, direct all I/O access for the image to the second storage medium, periodically age data from the second storage medium to the first storage medium, create a new empty bitmap for each period, and in response to an I/O access for data in the image, update the latest bitmap to indicate that the data has been accessed and update the previous bitmaps to indicate that the data has not been accessed. “

The patent application was filed on March 14, 2013 (13/829,488).