Patents by Inventor George W. Priester

George W. Priester 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).

  • Patent number: 7356730
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Adaptec, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 7054927
    Abstract: A computer network file system is described. The computer network file system includes first metadata, which is managed primarily by a first file server that is operably connected to a network fabric. The first metadata includes first file location information, and the first file location information includes at least one server id. The computer network file system also includes second metadata, which is managed primarily by a second file server that is operably connected to a network fabric. The second metadata includes second file location information, and the second file location information includes at least one server id. The first metadata and the second metadata are configured to allow a requester to locate files that are stored by the first file server and files that are stored by the second file server in a directory structure that spans the first file server and the second file server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Adaptec, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 6990547
    Abstract: A system and method for replacing file system processors, also known as hot swapping, is described. The system and method operate on a fault-tolerant network file system that includes a first file server that is operably connected to a network fabric and a second file server that is operably connected to the network fabric. The fault-tolerant network file system includes a first disk array that is operably coupled to the first file server and to the second file server and a second disk array that is operably coupled to the first file server and to the second file server. First file system information is loaded on the first file server. The first file system information includes a first intent log of proposed changes to first metadata. Second file system information is loaded on the second file server. The second file system information includes a second intent log of proposed changes to second metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Adaptec, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 6871295
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic data recovery is described. The system and method for dynamic data recovery operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer storage system further includes a recovery module to dynamically recover data that is lost when at least a portion of one disk drive in the plurality of disk drives becomes unavailable. The recovery module is configured to produce a reconstructed block by using information in the remaining storage blocks of a parity set that corresponds to an unavailable storage block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Adaptec, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 6862692
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Adaptec, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 6775792
    Abstract: A system and method for discrete mapping of parity blocks in a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the one or more data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. File system metadata includes information to describe the data blocks in one or more parity groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Snap Appliance, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester
  • Patent number: 6754773
    Abstract: A programmable data path accelerator is described. The programmable data path accelerator operates on a file server that includes a network interface for communicating with one or more clients. The network interface includes a network transaction queue. A metafile processor is configured to communicate with the network interface across a first memory-mapped bus and is configured to communicate with the storage interface across a second memory-mapped bus. A data engine configured to communicate with the network interface across the first memory-mapped bus and to communicate with the storage interface across the second memory-mapped bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Snap Appliance, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, George W. Priester, David H. Barry, Leonard D. Olsen, Danny Lam, Ronald K. Godshalk, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6745286
    Abstract: A data interface architecture is described. The data interface architecture includes a network-side interface for communicating with a first bus and a storage-side interface for communicating with a second bus. The data interface architecture further includes a first data cache and a second data cache. The data interface architecture further includes a first parity engine, which is configured to perform parity operations for data transactions between the network-side interface and the first data cache, and a second parity engine, which is configured to perform parity operations for data transactions between the storage-side interface and the first data cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Snap Appliance, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Staub, David H. Barry, George W. Priester, Leonard D. Olsen, Gregory D. Bolstad, Danny Lam, Ronald K. Godshalk, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020194526
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, Wilbur George W. Priester