IBM Assigned Ten Patents

Elimination of redundant objects in storage systems
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,554,744) developed by David M. Cannon, Colin S. Dawson, Tucson, AZ, and Robert C. Edwards Jr., Susquehanna, PA, for an “elimination of redundant objects in storage systems.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a data structure corresponding to a set of client nodes selected from a plurality of client nodes is generated. Objects from the selected set of client nodes are stored in the data structure. A determination is made that an object corresponding to a client node of the selected set of client nodes has to be stored. An additional determination is made as to whether the object has already been stored in the data structure by any client node of the selected set of client nodes. The object is stored in the data structure, in response to determining that the object has not already been stored in the data structure by any client node of the selected set of client nodes.”

The patent application was filed on April 22, 2011 (13/092,777).

Saving log data using disk system
as primary cache and tape library as secondary cache
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,543,760) developed by six co-inventors for “saving log data using a disk system as primary cache and a tape library as secondary cache.”

The co-inventors are Norie Iwasaki, Fujisawa, Japan, Koichi Masuda, Yokohama, Japan, Tadaaki Minoura, Yamato, Japan, Tomokazu Nakamura, Kawasaki, Japan, Takeshi Sohda, Sagamihara, Japan, and Takahiro Tsuda, Yokohama, Japan.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Various embodiments are provided for saving a plurality of log data in a HSM system using a disk system as a primary cache with a tape library as a secondary cache. The user data is stored in the primary cache and written into the secondary cache at a subsequent period of time. The plurality of blank tapes in the secondary cache is prepared for storing the user data and the plurality of log data based on priorities. At least one of the plurality of blank tapes is selected for copying the plurality of log data and the user data from the primary cache to the secondary cache based on priorities. The plurality of log data is stored in the primary cache. The selection of at least one of the plurality of blank tapes completely filled with the plurality of log data is delayed for writing additional amounts of the user data.”

The patent application was filed on Dec. 13, 2010 (12/966,046).

Extended logical WORM data integrity protection
with unique WORM identifier in header and database
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,538,932) developed by four co-inventors for an “extended logical WORM data integrity protection with unique worm identifier in header and database.”

The co-inventors are Thomas William Bish, Jonathan Wayner Peake, Mark Albert Reid, and Joseph M. Swingler, Tucson, AZ.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system stores logical data object(s), each identified by a logical identifier. A control is configured to assign a unique WORM (Write Once Read Many) identifier to the logical data object, and stores the unique WORM identifier as associated with the logical identifier, in a database maintained by the control so as to be persistent. storage is configured to write the logical data object with a header with the unique WORM identifier. The control, in order to allow the logical data object to be accessed externally to the control, requires matching the unique WORM identifier in the header of a logical data object to the unique WORM identifier of the persistent database for the logical object. The unique WORM identifier is formed of a checksum hash value related to nonce fields comprising at least the logical identifier of the logical data object, and an incrementing token.”

The patent application was filed on July 18, 2012 (13/552,456).

Storage with snapshot-to-snapshot recovery
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,539,279) developed by four co-inventors for a “storage with snapshot-to-snapshot recovery.”

The co-inventors are Haim Helman, Shemer Schwarz, Omri Palmon, and Kariel E. Sandler, Tel Aviv, Israel.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer software products for storage. A corrupted node under a first meta-volume node in a hierarchical tree structure is deleted. The hierarchical tree structure further includes a source node under the first meta-volume node. The corrupted node and the source node each include a respective set of local pointers. The corrupted node and the source node represent respective copies of a logical volume. The source node is reconfigured to become a second meta-volume node having the same set of local pointers as the source node. A first new node is created under the second meta-volume node in the hierarchical tree structure to represent the corrupted node. A second new node is created under the second meta-volume node to represent the source node. The first and second new nodes are configured to have no local pointers.”

The patent application was filed on Jan. 2, 2013 (13/732,544).

Storage system having multiple controller modules
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a US patent (20130227216) developed by
storage Cheng Yi-Hsin, Huang Chien-Hua (New Taipei City, TW), Huang Kelvin WP (Zhonghe City, TW), Lee Nian-Guang (Tainan, TW), and Yardley Brent W. (Hillsboro, OR) for a “storage system having multiple controller modules“.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system includes a storage module having at least a first I/O port and a second I/O port, a first controller module directly connected to the first I/O port, and a second controller module directly connected to the second I/O port. The second controller module is also in communication with the first controller module via a communication link, wherein the first and second controller modules are redundant controllers for the storage module, and wherein, when the storage module is controlled by the first controller module, the first controller module writes data to, or reads data from, the storage module via a direct path to the first I/O port, and writes data to, or reads data from, the storage module via an indirect path through the communication link and the second controller module to the second I/O port.”

The patent application was filed on February 19, 2013 (13/770,284).

Tiled storage array with systolic move-to-front reorganization
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,527,726) developed by Volker Strumpen, Austin, TX, and Matteo Frigo, Lexington, MA, for a “tiled storage array with systolic move-to-front reorganization.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A tiled storage array provides reduction in access latency for frequently-accessed values by re-organizing to always move a requested value to a front-most storage element of array. The previous occupant of the front-most location is moved backward according to a systolic pulse, and the new occupant is moved forward according to the systolic pulse, preserving the uniqueness of the stored values within the array, and providing for multiple in-flight access requests within the array. The placement heuristic that moves the values according to the systolic pulse can be implemented by control logic within identical tiles, so that the placement heuristic moves the values according to the position of the tiles within the array. The movement of the values can be performed via only next-neighbor connections of adjacent tiles within the array.”

The patent application was filed on Nov. 13, 2008 (12/270,132).

Active-active remote configuration of storage system
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,527,725) developed by Kariel E. Sandler, Tel Aviv, Israel, for an “active-active remote configuration of a storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for storage, including configuring a first logical volume on a first storage system and a second logical volume on a second storage system. The second logical volume is configured as a mirror of the first logical volume, so that the first and second logical volumes form a single logical mirrored volume. The method also includes receiving at the second storage system a command submitted by a host to write data to the logical mirrored volume, and transferring the command from the second storage system to the first storage system without writing the data to the second logical volume. On receipt of the command at the first storage system, the data is written to the first logical volume. Subsequent to writing the data to the first logical volume, the data is mirrored on the second logical volume.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 19, 2012 (13/622,621).

Increasing efficiency of storage in file system
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,521,790) developed by Steven F. Best, Westford, MA, and Michael R. Cooper, Austin, TX, for an “increasing efficiency of storage in a file system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for storing data in a file system. A determination is made as to whether space is available in an inode of the file in the file system. The data is stored into the inode in response to space being available. Additionally, data for a file may be stored in a block that is partially filled with data from another file. Data for a file may be stored using either the inode or by sharing a block. Data also may be stored using both of these mechanisms.”

The patent application was filed on Nov. 4, 2009 (12/612,457).

Storage and management system
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,521,768) developed by four co-inventors for a “storage and management system.”

The co-inventors are Kulvir S. Bhogal, Pflugerville, TX, Nitin Gaur, Round Rock, TX, Chris D. Johnson, Rochester, MN, and Todd E. Kaplinger, Raleigh, NC.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Methods (600-900) for optimizing performance of systems (100, 200). The methods involve determining if a device (108, 108.sub.1, 108.sub.2, . . . , 108.sub.N) has been deployed as a standalone device or a cluster device. The determination can be based on a value of a flag stored in the device (e.g., an appliance) or contents of device registration information stored in a master device of a cluster of devices. The methods also involve automatically delegating data management operations to a centralized Memory Management System (MMS) or a distributed MMS (210) based on results of said determination. The centralized MMS (110) performs relational database management operations (e.g., SQL operations) in response to said data management operations being delegated thereto. The distributed MMS performs grid database management operations (e.g., non-SQL based operations or key-value based operations) in response to said data management operations being delegated thereto.”

The patent application was filed on Jan. 13, 2011 (13/005,831).

Booting an OS from virtual HDD
IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,521,950) developed by Shannon Andrew Love, Garner, NC, for “booting an OS from a virtual HDD.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A system for booting an OS from a virtual HDD. A partitioned memory segment is formed within a memory by a preconfigured amount. A boot application is loaded into the partitioned memory segment to form a virtual HDD. In response to determining that the virtual HDD contains an OS, the OS is booted from the virtual HDD.”

The patent application was filed on Dec. 5, 2006 (11/566,976).