IBM Assigned Seventeen Patents

Data recovery in hierarchical storage system
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,738,575) developed by six co-inventors for a “data recovery in a hierarchical storage system.”

The co-inventors are Matthew J. Anglin, David M. Cannon, Colin S. Dawson, Erick C. Kissel, Tucson, AZ, Howard N. Martin, Vail, AZ, and Jonathan M. Haswell, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for retrieving data from a storage system having a plurality of storage pools are provided. The method comprises processing configurable data retrieval instructions to determine a first storage pool from which target backup data is to be retrieved, in response to a data restore request; and retrieving the target backup data from the first storage pool to satisfy the restore request. The configurable data retrieval instructions are managed by a source external to the storage system with administrative authority to change the configurable data retrieval instructions to optimize data restoration from the storage system.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 17, 2007 (11/856,688).

Monitoring lost data in storage system
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,751,859) developed by four co-inventors for “monitoring lost data in a storage system.“

The co-inventors are Ralph A. Becker-Szendy, Los Gatos, CA, Veera W. Deenadhayalan, D. Scott Guthridge, San Jose, CA, and James C. Wyllie, Monte Sereno, CA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data validation method comprises associating a validation chunk with one or more data chunks stored on one or more storage mediums. The validation chunk comprises validation information for verifying whether data recorded in a subdivision of the one or more data chunks is lost. A request is received for an operation to be performed on first data stored in a first subdivision of a first data chunk from among said one or more data chunks. One or more portions of the validation information are examined to determine whether the data recorded in said first subdivision is deemed to be lost.“

The patent application was filed on Aug. 3, 2011 (13/196,904).

Cache management of tracks in first cache and second cache for a storage
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,745,332) developed by four co-inventors for the “cache management of tracks in a first cache and a second cache for a storage.”

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase, Tucson, AZ, Binny S. Gill, Westford, MA, Lokesh M. Gupta, and Matthew J. Kalos, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided a computer program product, system, and method for cache management of tracks in a first cache and a second cache for a storage. The first cache maintains modified and unmodified tracks in the storage subject to Input/Output (I/O) requests. Modified and unmodified tracks are demoted from the first cache. The modified and the unmodified tracks demoted from the first cache are promoted to the second cache. The unmodified tracks demoted from the second cache are discarded. The modified tracks in the second cache that are at proximate physical locations on the storage device are grouped and the grouped modified tracks are destaged from the second cache to the storage device.”

The patent application was filed on April 25, 2012 (13/456,011).

Using attribute of write request to determine where to cache data in storage system
having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache
in sequential access storage device
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,745,325) developed by four co-inventors for “using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device.”

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase, Tucson, AZ, Binny S. Gill, Westford, MA, Lokesh M. Gupta, and Matthew J. Kalos, Tucson, 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 using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device. Received modified tracks are cached in the non-volatile storage device integrated with the sequential access storage device in response to determining to cache the modified tracks. A write request having modified tracks is received. A determination is made as to whether an attribute of the received write request satisfies a condition. The received modified tracks for the write request are cached in the non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the determined attribute does not satisfy the condition. A destage request is added to a request queue for the received write request having the determined attribute not satisfying the condition.“

The patent application was filed on May 17, 2012 (13/474,481).

Executing migrated execution context by storage controller
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,745,295) developed by four co-inventors for a “device, method and computer program product for executing a migrated execution context by a storage controller.“

The co-inventors are Alain Charles Azagury, Shmuel Ben-Yehuda, Michael E. Factor, and Ilan Shimony, Haifa, Israel.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for executing a migrated execution context by a storage controller, the method includes: determining, by a management entity, to migrate an execution context from a source computer to the storage controller in response to a fulfillment of a first criterion; and migrating the execution context to the storage controller; wherein the source computer is coupled to the storage controller.”

The patent application was filed on Feb. 12, 2007 (11/673,599).

Backing up storage volumes in storage system
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,745,333) developed by five co-inventors for “systems and methods for backing up storage volumes in a storage system.”

The co-inventors are Norie Iwasaki, Fujisawa, Japan, Katsuyoshi Katori, Hiroyuki Miyoshi, Kawasaki, Japan, Takeshi Nohta, Odawara, Japan, and Eiji Tosaka, Tokyo.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for backing up storage volumes are provided. One system includes a primary side, a secondary side, and a network coupling the primary and secondary sides. The secondary side includes first and second VTS including a cache and storage tape. The first VTS is configured to store a first portion of a group of storage volumes in its cache and migrate the remaining portion to its storage tape. The second VTS is configured to store the remaining portion of the storage volumes in its cache and migrate the first portion to its storage tape. One method includes receiving multiple storage volumes from a primary side, storing the storage volumes in the cache of the first and second VTS, migrating a portion of the storage volumes from the cache to storage tape in the first VTS, and migrating a remaining portion of the storage volumes from the cache to storage tape in the second VTS.“

The patent application was filed on June 18, 2013 (13/920,252).

Attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in storage system having
multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in sequential access storage device
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,745,325) developed by four co-inventors for “using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device.“

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase, Tucson, AZ, Binny S. Gill, Westford, MA, Lokesh M. Gupta, and Matthew J. Kalos, Tucson, 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 using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device. Received modified tracks are cached in the non-volatile storage device integrated with the sequential access storage device in response to determining to cache the modified tracks. A write request having modified tracks is received. A determination is made as to whether an attribute of the received write request satisfies a condition. The received modified tracks for the write request are cached in the non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the determined attribute does not satisfy the condition. A destage request is added to a request queue for the received write request having the determined attribute not satisfying the condition.”

The patent application was filed on May 17, 2012 (13/474,481).

Comprehensive bottleneck detection in multi-tier enterprise storage system
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,756,310) developed by four co-inventors for “comprehensive bottleneck detection in a multi-tier enterprise storage system.”

The co-inventors are Sandip Agarwala, Sunnyvale, CA, David P. Goodman, Loveland, CO, Sandeep Gopisetty, Morgan Hill, CA, and David D. Weck, Lexington, KY.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Embodiments of the present invention provide approaches (e.g., online methods) to analyze end-to-end performance issues in a multi-tier enterprise storage system (ESS), such as a storage cloud, where data may be distributed across multiple storage components. Specifically, performance and configuration data from different storage components (e.g., nodes) is collected and analyzed to identify nodes that are becoming (or may become) performance bottlenecks. In a typical embodiment, a set of components distributed among a set of tiers of an ESS is identified. For each component, a total capacity and a current load are determined. Based on these values, a utilization of each component is determined. Comparison of the utilization with a predetermined threshold and/or analysis of historical data allows one or more components causing a bottleneck to be identified.”

The patent application was filed on March 9, 2011 (13/044,048).

Protecting data on mass storage devices
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,756,390) developed by Simon Chu, Chapel Hill, NC, and William J. Piazza, Holly Springs, NC, for “methods and apparatuses for protecting data on mass storage devices.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Methods, apparatuses, and media to protect sensitive information in data storage devices are disclosed. Embodiments comprise a method of transmitting and receiving unique identification information of components of a computer system, comparing the information with previously saved information in the storage device, and not allowing access to the data if the information is substantially different. In some embodiments, the storage device may simply prevent access to the information. In other embodiments, the storage device may erase the information after detecting a change in the computer system. In other embodiments, the storage device may provide various options for effectively resetting the unique identification stored in the data storage device so that the device may be used in an altered system.“

The patent application was filed on Dec. 5, 2005 (11/294,230).

Optimizing performance of storage system
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,756,387) developed by Holloway H. Frost, Houston, TX, and Daniel E. Scheel, Houston, TX, for a “method and apparatus for optimizing the performance of a storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Methods and apparatuses for optimizing the performance of a storage system comprise a FLASH storage system, a hard drive storage system, and a storage controller. The storage controller is adapted to receive READ and WRITE requests from an external host, and is coupled to the FLASH storage system and the hard drive storage system. The storage controller receives a WRITE request from an external host containing data and an address, forwards the received WRITE request to the FLASH storage system and associates the address provided in the WRITE request with a selected alternative address, and provides an alternative WRITE request, including the selected alternative address and the data received in the WRITE request, to the hard drive storage system, wherein the alternative address is selected to promote sequential WRITE operations within the hard drive storage system.“

The patent application was filed on March 5, 2010 (12/718,705).

Non-host interface for moving cartridges in library
to prevent bonding with library storage slots
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,751,034) developed by Khanh Vi Ngo, Tucson, AZ, for a “non-host interface for moving cartridges in a cartridge library to prevent bonding with library storage slots.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Cartridges of a computer-implemented cartridge library are moved without host system move commands to avoid bonding of cartridges to storage slots. Via a non-host interface providing external communication with respect to the cartridge library, an inventory list is obtained of cartridges of the cartridge library, bypassing host-based inventory limitations which limit each host’s view to its own virtual library. Using the library inventory list, cartridges are identified that have been stored in one storage slot for a period of time that exceeds a threshold. The cartridge library is operated to move the identified cartridges, each moving to a different storage slot than the inventoried storage slot, and a library element address of each moved cartridge is updated without altering a host address for the cartridge.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 30, 2011 (13/250,698).

Rekeying encryption keys for removable storage media
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,750,516) developed by four co-inventors for “rekeying encryption keys for removable storage media.”

The co-inventors are Brian Gerard Goodman, James Arthur Fisher, Glen Alan Jaquette, and Leonard George Jesionowski, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for rekeying encryption keys for removable storage media. A rekey request is received for a coupled removable storage media, wherein encryption on the coupled removable storage media uses a first key and wherein the rekey request indicates a second key. The first key and the second key are accessed in response to the rekey request. The first key is used to perform decryption for the coupled removable storage media and the second key is used to perform encryption for the coupled removable storage media.”

The patent application was filed on Jan. 4, 2012 (13/343,648).

Storage in tiered environment for colder data segments
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,762,674) developed by four co-inventors for a “storage in tiered environment for colder data segments.”

The co-inventors are Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Carol S. Mellgren, and Alfred E. Sanchez, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Exemplary embodiments for storing data by a processor device in a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, from a plurality of available data segments, a data segment having a storage activity lower than a predetermined threshold is identified as a colder data segment. A chunk of storage is located to which the colder data segment is assigned. The colder data segment is compressed. The colder data segment is migrated to the chunk of storage. A status of the chunk of storage is maintained in a compression data segment bitmap.”

The patent application was filed on Feb. 19, 2013 (13/770,049).

Optimization of data migration between storage mediums
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,762,667) developed by 11 co-inventors for an “optimization of data migration between storage mediums.”

The co-inventors are Dale H. Anderson, Tucson, AZ, Philip M. Doatmas, Phoenix, AZ, Michael R. Groseclose Jr., Paul A. Jennas II, Larry Juarez, Brian S. McCain, San Jose, CA, David Montgomery, Jason L. Peipelman, Joshua M. Rhoades, Todd C. Sorenson, and David V. Valverde, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In one embodiment, pursuant to migrating the data from the first to the second storage medium, the data is allocated to the second storage medium while retaining an allocation of the data in the first storage medium. If the data is migrated from the second storage medium back to the first storage medium, the data is pointed to the allocation of the data in the first storage medium to alleviate data movement from the second storage medium to the first storage medium. If the allocation of the data in the first storage medium is determined to be needed for other data, the allocation of the data in the first storage medium is freed.”

The patent application was filed on Feb. 1, 2010 (12/697,989).

Encrypting data objects to backup
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,762,743) developed by four co-inventors for “encrypting data objects to backup.”

The co-inventors are David M. Cannon, Tucson, AZ, Avishai H. Hochberg, James P. Smith, and Mark L. Yakushev, San Jose, CA.

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 encrypting data objects to back-up to a server. A client private key is intended to be maintained only by the client. A data object of chunks to store at the server is generated. A first portion of the chunks in the data object is encrypted with the client private key and the first portion of the chunks in the data object encrypted with the client private key are sent to the server to store. A second portion of the chunks in the data object not encrypted with the client private key are sent to the server to store.”

The patent application was filed on May 30, 2012 (13/484,028).

Controling data synchronization in tape storage system
IBM, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,760,781) developed by Tomoko Johnson, and Jon A. Lynds, San Jose, CA, for a “system utility for controling data synchronization in a tape storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer-program product for writing data to a tape data storage medium. The method comprises providing a system service that an application invokes to handle data synchronization events associated with writing a group of files to the tape medium; keeping track of the files and data blocks in each file while writing the files to the tape medium based on file boundaries; and responsive to a data writing failure, invoking the system service to determine the files affected by the data writing failure.”

The patent application was filed on May 7, 2012 (13/465,176).