Hitachi Assigned Fourteen Patents

Storage system and object management
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,501,241) developed by Ogasawara, Hiroshi, Odawara, Japan, Arai, Hitoshi, Chigasaki, Japan, and Kanie, Homare, Yokohama, Japan, for a “storage system and object management method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system comprises a second NAS storage apparatus comprising a processor and a storage medium and a third NAS storage apparatus for migrating an object managed by a first NAS storage apparatus. The processor stores path information of an object for which migration has started after including the path information in object management information, in the storage medium prior to migrating the object entity to the third NAS storage apparatus. The processor, after receiving the object entity from the first NAS storage apparatus and migrating the object entity to the third NAS storage apparatus, stores the third NAS storage apparatus path information to the object entity in the object management information, and reflects the management information in the third NAS storage apparatus.“

The patent application was filed on April 29, 2014 (14/264,844).

Storage system and storage control
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,501,231) developed by Mizuno, Yoichi, Morishita, Noboru, and Nishina, Tadato, Yokohama, Japan, for a “storage system and storage control method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system is provided with a memory region, a cache memory region, and a processor. The memory region stores the time relation information that indicates a time relationship of a data element that has been stored into the cache memory region and that is to be written to the logical region and a snapshot acquisition point of time to the primary volume. The processor judges whether or not the data element that has been stored into the cache memory region is a snapshot configuration element based on the time relation information for the data element that is to be written to a logical region of a write destination that conforms to the write request that specifies the primary volume and that has been stored into the cache memory region. In the case in which the result of the judgment is positive, the processor saves the data element to the secondary volume for holding a snapshot image in which the snapshot configuration element is a configuration element, and a data element of a write target is then stored into the cache memory region.“

The patent application was filed on November 25, 2014 (14/552,542).

Maximize return on investment in hybrid cloud environment
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,491,235) developed by Emaru, Hironori, Santa Clara, CA, for a “method and apparatus to maximize return on investment in hybrid cloud environment.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Exemplary embodiments improve return on investment in hybrid cloud environment. In one embodiment, a computer comprises: a memory, and a processor operable to manage two types of clouds, which are private and public clouds, by using information stored in the memory, and to manage migration of a set of an application and a data between a first type of clouds and a second type of clouds of the two types of clouds, the application running on a server of the first type of clouds, the data to be read or written by the application and being stored in a storage system of the first type of clouds. The processor manages the migration of the set of the application and the data between the first type of clouds and the second type of clouds based on resource utilization of resources including at least one of the server or the storage system.“

The patent application was filed on June 15, 2015 (14/739,187).

Computer system, data management
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,489,429) developed by Matsumoto, Akihiro, Tokyo, Japan, for a “computer system, data management method, and program.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A computer system comprising a plurality of computers coupled through a network, the computer system performing service by using a database constructed by a storage area of each of the plurality of computers, wherein a plurality of pieces of data are located in the plurality of computers constructing the database based on a distributed algorithm for distributing and locating the plurality of pieces of data in the plurality of computers, wherein the computer system comprises: a load information management part to manage load information on a load of each of the plurality of computers constructing the database, an algorithm management part to switch the distributed algorithm of the computer system based on the load information, and a relocation processing part to relocate the plurality of pieces of data stored in each of the plurality of computers based on the switched distributed algorithm.“

The patent application was filed on November 16, 2011 (14/358,715).

Storage system
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,477,426) developed by Yokoi, Kazuhito, Takata, Masanori, Agetsuma, Masakuni, Kodama, Shoji, and Iwasaki, Masaaki, Tokyo, Japan, for a “storage system and storage method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A first storage apparatus determines whether to execute bulk requesting of causing a second storage apparatus to group a plurality of actual files corresponding to a plurality of stub files into one bulk data and transmit the bulk data. When determining to execute the bulk requesting in the determination, the first storage apparatus transmits a bulk request to the second storage apparatus. The second storage apparatus that has received the bulk request groups a plurality of actual files into one bulk data based on the bulk request, and transmits the bulk request to the first storage apparatus. The first storage apparatus that has received the bulk data extracts the plurality of actual files corresponding to a plurality of stub files, from the bulk data.“

The patent application was filed on October 1, 2013 (14/380,859).

Storage system
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,477,405) developed by Shibayama, Tsukasa, Kawasaki, Japan, Suzuki, Akifumi, Maki, Nobuhiro, Yokohama, Japan, Ogawa, Junji, Sagamihara, Japan, and Asano, Masayasu, Yokohama, Japan, for a “storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system, which comprises multiple memory cells and a storage controller, wherein the storage controller manages cell mode information, which either directly or indirectly denotes the number of bits to be stored in multiple memory cells. The cell mode information can be changed in accordance with a request from a management system.“

The patent application was filed on February 5, 2015 (14/615,109).

File management
Hitachi Information and Telecommunication Engineering, Ltd., Yokohama, Japan , has been assigned a patent (9,471,592) developed by Koyama, Toshiaki, Kanagawa, Japan, and Yamagishi, Toyoki, Yokohama, Japan, for a “file management system, method and computer program.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A file management system that provide a record file rapidly to a terminal, request source, by saving a record file to a storage device set at the local area, and to make it possible to refer it. A first device creates the record file and attribute information indicating the attribute about the record file, stores the record file in a first storage unit, and transmits the attribute information to the second device through the network. A second device receives the attribute information and the record file transmitted from the first device and stores them in a second storage unit. The terminal requests to acquire the record file based on the acquired attribute information to the first device or the second device. The first device or the second device transmits the record file requested to the terminal.“

The patent application was filed on December 11, 2013 (14/102,862).

Storage system failure management
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,471,434) developed by Araki, Akihiko, Nonaka, Yusuke, and Takada, Masanori, Tokyo, Japan, for a “storage system and storage system failure management method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “When a failure occurs in a storage system controller, the controller reboots after completing prescribed failure processing for respective control parts. Upon detecting a failure, first, second, and third control parts of the controller perform respective failure processing. The first control part controls block access requests, the second control part controls file system access, and the third control part manages the second control part. The first control part and third control part write prescribed information to a storage area and reboot at least a portion of the controller upon detecting the failure.“

The patent application was filed on July 22, 2013 (14/360,402).

Storage system and storage control
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,465,561) developed by Nishina, Tadato, Akutsu, Hiroaki, Tatara, Kohei, and Shimozono, Norio, Tokyo, Japan, for a “storage system and storage control method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system includes: a storage device including a recording medium that stores data and a device controller that executes addition processing involving a change of state of the data with respect to the data, and a storage controller that controls input and output of data for the storage device. The storage controller transmits, to the storage device, determination information that can be utilized by the device controller for determining whether or not to execute the addition processing along with input-output processing relating to input-output target data. The device controller controls execution of the addition processing with respect to the input-output target data based on the determination information transmitted from the storage controller.“

The patent application was filed on August 18, 2015 (14/828,912).

Storage system
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,460,015) developed by Yoshihara, Tomohiro, Deguchi, Akira, and Akutsu, Hiroaki, Yokohama, Japan, for a “storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage system in an embodiment of this invention comprises a non-volatile storage area for storing write data from a host, a cache area capable of temporarily storing the write data before storing the write data in the non-volatile storage area, and a controller that determines whether to store the write data in the cache area or to store the write data in the non-volatile storage area without storing the write data in the cache area, and stores the write data in the determined area.“

The patent application was filed on March 20, 2014 (14/220,602).

Storage subsystem, and method for verifying storage area
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,459,973) developed by Zimoto, Yosihumi, and Ohara, Mao, Tokyo, Japan, for a “storage subsystem, and method for verifying storage area.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “There is provided a method for verifying a full drive as an error check processing of a storage drive, but along with the increase in capacity of the storage drive, there are cases where error check cannot be executed before using the storage area. In the present invention, quantity of use of data is estimated, and the storage areas corresponding to the estimated quantity are verified periodically. By verifying the storage area to be used in advance before actual data use, the occurrence of error can be prevented without having to execute a check of the full drive.“

The patent application was filed on March 22, 2013 (14/237,066).

Migration of virtualized file system, data storage system for migration
Hitachi Data Systems Engineering UK Limited, Berkshire, Great Britain, has been assigned a patent (9,454,532) developed by Powell, Richard, Maidenhead, Great Britain, Gibbs, James, Wokingham, Great Britain, Picken, Daniel, Berkshire, Great Britain, Warner, Timothy, Farnborough, Great Britain, Tabaaloute, Zahra, Southampton, Great Britain, Aston, Chris, Hughenden Valley, Great Britain, Smith, Jon, Bracknell, Great Britain Brown, Ray, Smith, Joseph, Berkshire, Great Britain, and Benson, Michael, Reading, Great Britain, for a “method and apparatus for migration of a virtualized file system, data storage system for migration of a virtualized file system, and file server for use in a data storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for data migration of a first file system in a data storage system comprising a plurality of client computers 100, a first file system managing unit 310 for managing the first file system and being connected to the plurality of client computers 100, and a second file system managing unit 410 for managing a second file system and being connected to the first file system managing unit 310, the second file system comprising a plurality of data files and the first file system comprising a plurality of external link objects, each external link object of the first file system being associated with a respective data file of the second file system for enabling client access to the respective data file of the second file system.“

The patent application was filed on July 2, 2013 (14/373,050).

Communication apparatus and packet transfer method
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,450,706) developed by Oishi, Yuji, Isobe, Takashi, and Yazaki, Takeki, Tokyo, Japan, for a “communication apparatus and packet transfer method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “To efficiently retransmit discarded packets and to reduce discarded location storage capacity, it is provided a communication apparatus to be coupled to a network, the communication apparatus being configured to: transmit data to a correspondent communication apparatus coupled to the network, receive an acknowledgement transmitted from the correspondent communication apparatus, monitor whether or not a storage capacity shortage for storing discarded locations of transmitted data in the correspondent communication apparatus, and retransmit data by setting a retransmission priority for discarded locations in a case of the storage capacity shortage.“

The patent application was filed on November 20, 2013 (14/650,438).

Storage apparatus and hierarchy control
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (9,448,740) developed by Aiura, Hiromichi, Yokohama, Japan, and Koizumi, Hiroshi, Odawara, Japan, for a “storage apparatus and hierarchy control method.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Proposed are a storage apparatus and a hierarchy control method capable of reducing the workload of system operation and the workload of performance investigation. An access frequency of each of a plurality of measurement cycles for each unit area in a virtual volume is measured in a storage apparatus loaded with a hierarchy control function, the storage hierarchy which is proper as a placement destination of data written in each of the unit areas of the virtual volume is determined based on a measurement result, and the data written in a necessary unit area in the virtual volume is relocated to the storage area to which belongs the storage hierarchy that was determined as being proper based on a determination result.”

The patent application was filed on November 27, 2012 (13/978,819).