Patents by Inventor Barry D. Whyte

Barry D. Whyte has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190391744
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 10444996
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 10444995
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 10078591
    Abstract: A method of managing a data storage cache, comprising: providing a redundant cache comprising first and second caches associated with first and second storage volumes. One of the first and second storage volumes is an active, and one is a passive volume. A write request is received at one of the volumes. If the write request is received at the passive volume, it is forwarded to the active volume. It is determined whether the active volume is a low latency volume. If it is a low latency volume, it is determined whether data exists in the cache associated with the active volume which overlaps with data contained in the write request. If no data exists in that cache which overlaps with data contained in the write request, the write request is processed straight down to said active volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Boden, Nicolas M. Clayton, Lee J. Sanders, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20180089080
    Abstract: A method of managing a data storage cache, comprising: providing a redundant cache comprising first and second caches associated with first and second storage volumes. One of the first and second storage volumes is an active, and one is a passive volume. A write request is received at one of the volumes. If the write request is received at the passive volume, it is forwarded to the active volume. It is determined whether the active volume is a low latency volume. If it is a low latency volume, it is determined whether data exists in the cache associated with the active volume which overlaps with data contained in the write request. If no data exists in that cache which overlaps with data contained in the write request, the write request is processed straight down to said active volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Boden, Nicolas M. Clayton, Lee J. Sanders, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 9250808
    Abstract: 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 Input/Output (IO) access to the storage mediums. In operation, the controller is 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 IO access for the image to the second storage medium, and periodically age data from the second storage medium to the first storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos F. Fuente, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20150100750
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20150100751
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 8965937
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 8959124
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 8468299
    Abstract: An apparatus for real-time performance management of a virtualized storage system operable in a network having managed physical storage and virtual storage presented by an in-band virtualization controller comprises: a monitoring component operable in communication with the network for acquiring performance data from the managed physical storage and the virtual storage; and a cache controller component responsive to the monitoring component for adjusting cache parameters for the virtual storage. The apparatus may further comprise a queue controller component responsive to the monitoring component for adjusting queue parameters for the managed physical storage. The monitoring component, the cache controller component and the queue controller component may be configured to operate periodically during operation of the virtualized storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas M. O'Rourke, Lee J. Sanders, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20130080728
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20130080408
    Abstract: A plurality of functions to configure a unit of a storage volume is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of functions, in response to being applied to the unit of the storage volume, configures the unit of the storage volume differently. Statistics are computed on growth rate of data and access characteristics of the data stored in the unit of the storage volume. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of functions to apply to the unit of the storage volume, based on the computed statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul N. Cashman, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20120221787
    Abstract: 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 Input/Output (IO) access to the storage mediums. In operation, the controller is 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 IO access for the image to the second storage medium, and periodically age data from the second storage medium to the first storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carlos F. Fuente, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 8250335
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data. Data is selectively compressed based on a pre-defined compression policy and metadata is stored for physical storage blocks. A stored compression policy identifies at least one criterion for compression, and physical blocks of data meeting the compression policy are identified. A physical block is selected as a source block for data compression, and one or more physical locations are selected as target locations. Data is read from the source block, compressed, and written to the target locations. Metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the target locations and the virtual blocks previously mapped to the source block. Extra storage capacity can be freed up until more physical storage is ordered and installed, while more important data, such as recently or frequently accessed data, is retained in an uncompressed and accessible state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Barry D. Whyte, Geoff Lane, Simon Walsh
  • Patent number: 7987330
    Abstract: A method for migrating data between heterogeneous data storage devices within a storage area network is disclosed. A first virtualizer presents stored data as a first virtual disk, and then communicates a managed disk representation of the first virtual disk to a second virtualizer. After receiving the managed disk representation, the second virtualizer virtualizes the stored data from the managed disk representation as a second virtual disk. At such point, the stored data can be progressively migrated from the first virtualizer to the second virtualizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Dalton, Geoff Lane, Stephen P. Legg, Robert B. Nicholson, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20110047329
    Abstract: An apparatus for real-time performance management of a virtualized storage system operable in a network having managed physical storage and virtual storage presented by an in-band virtualization controller comprises: a monitoring component operable in communication with the network for acquiring performance data from the managed physical storage and the virtual storage; and a cache controller component responsive to the monitoring component for adjusting cache parameters for the virtual storage. The apparatus may further comprise a queue controller component responsive to the monitoring component for adjusting queue parameters for the managed physical storage. The monitoring component, the cache controller component and the queue controller component may be configured to operate periodically during operation of the virtualized storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas M. O'Rourke, Lee J. Sanders, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 7849167
    Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and computer program storage device for dynamically adjusting a maximum limit of concurrent service requests directed to a shared storage resource that can be issued by a plurality of host devices is disclosed. The method, system, computer program product, and computer program storage device operate based on a rotating turn, in which a host device has a chance to be able to increase its currently available maximum number of concurrent service requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce McNutt, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20090259752
    Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and computer program storage device for dynamically adjusting a maximum limit of concurrent service requests directed to a shared storage resource that can be issued by a plurality of host devices is disclosed. The method, system, computer program product, and computer program storage device operate based on a rotating turn, in which a host device has a chance to be able to increase its currently available maximum number of concurrent service requests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce McNutt, Barry D. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20080307191
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data. Data is selectively compressed based on a pre-defined compression policy and metadata is stored for physical storage blocks. A stored compression policy identifies at least one criterion for compression, and physical blocks of data meeting the compression policy are identified. A physical block is selected as a source block for data compression, and one or more physical locations are selected as target locations. Data is read from the source block, compressed, and written to the target locations. Metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the target locations and the virtual blocks previously mapped to the source block. Extra storage capacity can be freed up until more physical storage is ordered and installed, while more important data, such as recently or frequently accessed data, is retained in an uncompressed and accessible state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Geoff Lane, Simon Walsh, Barry D. Whyte