Oracle Assigned Eleven Patents

Modular expansion in data storage libraries
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,467,168) developed by Buhlman, Craig A., Boulder, CO, Manes, Kenneth Lee, Brighton, CO, Cacka, Steven Craig, Longmont, CO, and Phadnis, Vrushank Shripad, Cambridge, MA, for “systems and methods for modular expansion in data storage libraries.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Systems and methods are described herein for modular expansion of data storage libraries. In one or more embodiments, an apparatus for modularly expanding a base module apparatus comprises a plurality of drive trays and a network switch for coupling the apparatus to the base module apparatus. The first drive tray may be coupled to the network switch and include a first hardware processor that sends status information about a first hardware device to the base module apparatus over a first network path. The second drive tray may also be coupled to the network switch and include a second hardware processor that sends status information about a second hardware device to the base module apparatus over a second network path. Network addresses may be assigned to the hardware devices based on the module’s position in the library relative to the base module.”

The patent application was filed on August 18, 2017 (15/681,253).

Techniques for automated installation, packing, and configuration of cloud storage services
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,462,210) developed by Mayer, Stephen, and Revanuru, Naresh, Redwood Shores, CA, for “techniques for automated installation, packing, and configuration of cloud storage services.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In some embodiments, a method of automatically configuring nodes in a storage service can include receiving, from an administrative computer, a configuration script at an installation framework executing in a cloud-based storage service. The configuration script can define a plurality of nodes to be deployed in the cloud-based storage service. The method can further include parsing the configuration script to identify configuration data for the plurality of nodes, and automatically installing each node in the plurality of nodes based on the configuration data, and, in response to a deployment instruction, deploying the plurality of nodes in the cloud-based storage service.”

The patent application was filed on February 13, 2015 (14/622,638).

Techniques for implementing data storage device as security device for managing access to resources
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,462,142) developed by Pattar, Nagaraj, Gulbarga, India, and Maheshwari, Harsh, Indore, India, for “techniques for implementing a data storage device as a security device for managing access to resources.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Techniques are disclosed for implementation of a data storage device as a security device for managing access to resources. These techniques can be implemented for multi-factor authentication, (MFA) to provide multiple layers of security for managing access to resources in an enterprise and/or a cloud computing environments. As a security device, a storage device can be used a portable device to provide a point of trust for multi-factor authentication across any client application or device operated to access resources. A storage device may be configured with security data for authentication with an access management system. After configuration, a portable storage device may be used for authentication of a user without credential information at any client device based on accessibility of the device to the portable storage device. A storage device configured as a security device can ensure that legitimate users have an easy way to authenticate and access the resources.”

The patent application was filed on November 7, 2018 (16/183,047).

Highly performant reliable message storage using in-memory replication technology
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,455,019) developed by Barnes, Thomas E., Whitehouse Station, NJ, Frank, Richard L., Naples, FL, Kaimalettu, Arun, Kerala, India, Gambino, Sal, Ringoes, NJ, Susairaj, Margaret M., Sugar Land, TX, Sengodan, Kathiravan, Alpharetta, GA, Xiao, Dongbo, Edison, NJ, and Patel, Rajesh V., Burlington, MA, for a “highly performant reliable message storage using in-memory replication technology.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system and method can provide a scalable data storage in a middleware environment. The system can include a cluster of replicated store daemon processes in a plurality of processing nodes, wherein each machine node can host a replicated store daemon process of the cluster of replicated store daemon processes. Additionally, the system can include one or more replicated stores associated with an application server the processing node. The replicated store daemon cluster can persist data from a replicated store to another node, the other node also being associated with the replicated store daemon cluster. The system and method can additionally support a messaging service in a middleware environment. The messaging service can use the replicated store to store a copy of a message in the local processing node and on another processing node associated with the same replicated store daemon cluster.”

The patent application was filed on September 9, 2015 (14/849,262).

Continuously available network file system, state data
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,452,482) developed by Baker, William Eugene, and Shivam, Piyush, Austin, TX, for “systems and methods for continuously available network file system, (NFS) state data.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”According to some embodiments of the invention, systems and methods are provided for capturing and storing state information corresponding to various states of the network file system, (NFS) for use in recovery during a system failure. In various aspects, the disclosed systems and methods may automatically collect and synchronously write state changes made to the NFS to non-volatile storage. In the event of an NFS system failure or crash, (e.g., a failure of the NFS server), the state information corresponding to the NFS system may be automatically imported from the non-volatile storage, thereby enabling NFS services to be resumed immediately and transparently.”

The patent application was filed on December 14, 2016 (15/378,721).

Techniques for activity tracking, data classification, and in database archiving
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,430,391) developed by Guo, Liang, San Jose, CA, Raja, Vivekanandhan, San Mateo, CA, Ganesh, Amit, San Jose, CA, and Gould, Joshua, San Carlos, CA, for “techniques for activity tracking, data classification, and in database archiving.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Techniques for activity tracking, data classification, and in-database archiving are described. Activity tracking refers to techniques that collect statistics related to user access patterns, such as the frequency or recency with which users access particular database elements. The statistics gathered through activity tracking can be supplied to data classification techniques to automatically classify the database elements or to assist users with manually classifying the database elements. Then, once the database elements have been classified, in-database archiving techniques can be employed to move database elements to different storage tiers based on the classifications. However, although the techniques related to activity tracking, data classification, and in-database archiving may be used together as described above, each technique may also be practiced separately.”

The patent application was filed on January 25, 2013 (13/750,873).

Selectively reading data from cache and primary storage based on whether cache is overloaded
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,430,338) developed by Umamageswaran, Kothanda, Sunnyvale, CA, Loaiza, Juan R., Woodside, CA, Panchaksharaiah, Umesh, Richmond, CA, Tsukerman, Alexander, Foster City, CA, Shetler, Timothy L., San Francisco, CA, Baddepudi, Bharat C. V., San Jose, CA, Erlikhman, Boris, Mountain View, CA, Goyal, Kiran B., Foster City, CA, Choudhury, Nilesh, Belmont, CA, Fan, Susy, Palo Alto, CA, Kumar, Poojan, Mountain View, CA, Aya, Selcuk, Redwood, CA, and Lee, Sue-Kyoung, Foster City, CA, for “selectively reading data from cache and primary storage based on whether cache is overloaded.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Techniques are provided for using an intermediate cache to provide some of the items involved in a scan operation, while other items involved in the scan operation are provided from primary storage. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to service an I/O request for an item with a copy of the item that resides in the intermediate cache based on factors such as (a) an identity of the user for whom the I/O request was submitted, (b) an identity of a service that submitted the I/O request, (c) an indication of a consumer group to which the I/O request maps, (d) whether the I/O request is associated with an offloaded filter provided by the database server to the storage system, or (e) whether the intermediate cache is overloaded. Techniques are also provided for determining whether to store items in an intermediate cache in response to the items being retrieved, based on logical characteristics associated with the requests that retrieve the items.”

The patent application was filed on January 21, 2010 (12/691,146).

Z-drive shipping lock for storage library robotic assembly
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,427,922) developed by Manes, Joseph Paul, Arvada, CO, for a “Z-drive shipping lock for storage library robotic assembly.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system for selectively disallowing unwinding of a storage library robotic mechanism cable assembly in a direction that would otherwise allow a platform of the robotic mechanism to move downwardly via the force of gravity while at the same time allowing for winding up of the cable assembly and the platform, such as during shipping, manual access, replacement of the robotic mechanism, and/or the like. The system may include a ratchet pawl for engaging between adjacent teeth of a drive assembly of the robotic mechanism and an actuator for selectively moving or allowing for movement of the ratchet pawl into and out of the engaged position. In one embodiment, the system may include an electric switch or the like to sense when the pawl is engaged with the drive assembly.”

The patent application was filed on March 7, 2016 (15/062,345).

Scalable processing of abort commands in host bus adapter
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,423,333) developed by Zia, Sajid, Fremont, CA, Krishnamurthy, Viswa, Santa Clara, CA, and Yeung, Louise, San Carlos, CA, for “system and method for scalable processing of abort commands in a host bus adapter system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An HBA or proxy HBA device is configured to use separate Abort Buffer and I/O Buffer in each channel thereby allowing parallel queuing of regular I/O commands and Abort commands. Processing of Abort commands is prioritized such that Abort commands can be processed before all I/O commands received before the abort command are processed. The use of parallel queuing of regular I/O commands and Abort commands is of particular advantage in systems where multiple channels may receive abort commands simultaneously in the situation where the multiple channels share a common communication resource. In a particular embodiment the abort processing logic is implemented in a fiber channel adapter card which includes a proxy host bus adapter device which connects multiple HBAs via fiber channel to a storage area network.”

The patent application was filed on June 9, 2016 (15/178,161).

Rapid recovery from downtime of mirrored storage device
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,380,021) developed by Loaiza, Juan R., Woodside, CA, Umamageswaran, Kothanda, Sunnyvale, CA, Friedman, David, New York, NY, Shi, Jia, Burlingame, CA, Tao, Zuoyu, Belmont, CA, and Tsukerman, Alex, Foster City, CA, for a “rapid recovery from downtime of mirrored storage device.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”No-loss rapid recovery performs resynchronization efficiently while concurrently allowing availability to mirrored data on the storage device. No-loss rapid recovery has two stages and involves storage devices that have both a non-volatile cache and primary storage and that operate as mirror buddies. The first stage is referred to herein as the buddy-retention stage. During the buddy-retention stage, writes to mirrored data are not performed on the offline mirror buddy but are performed on the online mirror buddy. The mirrored data changed in the online mirrored buddy is retained in the non-volatile cache of the retention buddy. The next stage is referred to herein as the rapid resynchronization stage. In this stage, the changed mirrored data retained by the retention buddy for no-loss rapid recovery is used to resynchronize the offline buddy. The storage device is resynchronized using the changed mirrored data retained in the cache of the mirror buddy.”

The patent application was filed on March 13, 2013 (13/801,319).

Manufacturing tape storage data cartridge
Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,360,941) developed by Wiley, Stephen A., Parker, CO, for “system and method for manufacturing a tape storage data cartridge.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method of manufacturing magnetic tape storage data cartridges may include cutting a master tape having a first width into multiple tape sections that each have a smaller width than the first width, cleaning the tape sections to remove debris caused by the cutting, and writing the servo tracks on each tape section after the tape section is cleaned. The method may further include spooling each tape section into a respective tape cartridge after writing the servo track on the tape section.”

The patent application was filed on August 21, 2017 (15/682,239).