Patents Assigned to Quest Software, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8108429
    Abstract: A data management system or “DMS” provides a wide range of data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. To facilitate the data service, a host driver embedded in an application server connects an application and its data to a cluster. The host driver provides a method and apparatus for capturing real-time data transactions in the form of an event journal that is provided to the data management system. The driver functions to translate traditional file/database/block I/O into a continuous, application-aware, output data stream. Using the streams generated in this manner, the DMS offers a wide range of data services that include, by way of example only: data protection (and recovery), disaster recovery (data distribution and data replication), data copy, and data query and access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Siew Yong Sim-Tang, Daniel J. Fraisl
  • Patent number: 8108476
    Abstract: In a messaging system interfaced through the Internet, a method for processing a message from a sender and intended for delivery to at least one recipient, which sender is interfaced to the Internet through a sender server and which recipient is interfaced to the Internet through a recipient server, where the message includes at least recipient information and message body, is disclosed. The method includes testing the recipient information by establishing a temporary test connection through the Internet from the sender server to the recipient server, before relying on the recipient information for sending the message, so as to provide an indication of deliverability of the message to the recipient without using an SMTP VRFY command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott T. Brown, Kelly A. Wanser, Victor Ganora, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8086782
    Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the performance of data backups facilitates the storage of information being backed up on a non-tape storage device in a format that facilitates the subsequent transfer of the information to a tape storage device without substantial further processing by a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Chappell, Fabrice Helliker
  • Patent number: 8087075
    Abstract: One or more user service tickets are obtained (i.e. pre-fetched) from an authentication server and stored in a ticket cache. The user service tickets facilitate a login device communicating with one or more users or group members associated with the login device. Login credentials for the users or group members may be subsequently authenticated against the user service tickets within the ticket cache thereby eliminating the need for immediate access to the authentication server or a previous login session by the users or group members. The user service tickets within the ticket cache may be refreshed as needed. In one embodiment, the user service tickets are refreshed daily and also in response to login attempts if the authentication service is readily accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T Peterson, Jeff Marsden Webb
  • Patent number: 8086937
    Abstract: An efficient method to apply an erasure encoding and decoding scheme across dispersed data stores that receive constant updates. A data store is a persistent memory for storing a data block. Such data stores include, without limitation, a group of disks, a group of disk arrays, or the like. An encoding process applies a sequencing method to assign a sequence number to each data and checksum block as they are modified and updated onto their data stores. The method preferably uses the sequence number to identify data set consistency. The sequencing method allows for self-healing of each individual data store, and it maintains data consistency and correctness within a data block and among a group of data blocks. The inventive technique can be applied on many forms of distributed persistent data stores to provide failure resiliency and to maintain data consistency and correctness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Siew Yong Sim-Tang, Semen Alexandrovich Ustimenko
  • Patent number: 8086710
    Abstract: An identity migration program provides interfaces for a user to manage operations for migrating locally-managed identities to centrally-managed identities. The provided interfaces include a project management interface, an identity selection interface, a migration rule editor interface, and a project scheduling interface. In certain embodiments, the identity migration program includes a communication module that provides interfaces for managing communication between the identity migration program and locally-managed and centrally-managed servers. Interfaces may also be provided to manage identity group migration and migration error resolution. A migration process management interface enables the user to halt, roll back, or resume a migration project.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolay Vanyukhin, Oleg Shevnin, Alexey Korotich
  • Patent number: 8078728
    Abstract: An application reservation and delivery system with capacity pooling including a logical resource pool, an application library, a resource manager, and a deployment manager. The logical resource pool includes computer resource assets which includes asset type, amount, and asset source in which each computer resource asset is decomposed to a specified level of granularity. The application library includes application configurations, each including at least one server configuration and computer resource asset requirements. The resource manager tracks availability of the computer resource assets, receives requests for specific application configurations for specified time periods, compares each requested application configuration with available computer resource assets at the specified time periods, and reserves resources for each requested application configuration during the specified time periods. The deployment manager deploys each requested application configuration using the reserved resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Evan Pollan, Neal R. Prager, Sameer S. Jagtap
  • Patent number: 8060476
    Abstract: Improved backup and storage operations are disclosed for virtual computing environments using a backup proxy server to perform storage operations on one or more virtual machine disks. The proxy server can include a module that intercepts application programming interface (API) calls, for writing backup data to a first location, prior to the data arriving on the proxy disk. During the intercept process, the data can be compressed in memory pages of the proxy server and redirected to an alternative backup disk location. The proxy server can also include a differential engine that identifies changes to the virtual machine disk at the block level since the last full backup. The differential engine can advantageously leverage memory pages of the proxy server to compare differences between signatures of blocks of the last full backup with signatures of new blocks. Subsequently, only blocks with non-matching signatures are processed for backup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Delano Xavier Afonso, David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox, Jeremy Christopher Herman
  • Patent number: 8060889
    Abstract: A data management system or “DMS” provides a wide range of data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. To facilitate the data service, a host driver embedded in an application server connects an application and its data to a cluster. The host driver provides a method and apparatus for capturing real-time data modifications and application state notifications and, in response, generating data transactions in the form of an event journal that is provided to the data management system. The driver functions to translate traditional file/database/block I/O into a continuous, application-aware, output data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Siew Yong Sim-Tang
  • Patent number: 8051361
    Abstract: The present invention provides a distributed clustering method to allow multiple active instances of consistency management processes that apply the same encoding scheme to be cooperative and function collectively. The techniques described herein facilitate an efficient method to apply an erasure encoding and decoding scheme across dispersed data stores that receive constant updates. The technique can be applied on many forms of distributed persistent data stores to provide failure resiliency and to maintain data consistency and correctness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Siew Yong Sim-Tang, Semen Alexandrovich Ustimenko
  • Patent number: 8046550
    Abstract: Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Feathergill
  • Patent number: 8015454
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring and managing data transactions, such as SQL transactions. In certain examples, a management subsystem generates an alert identifying degrading database transactions to facilitate preventative tuning or other maintenance. In particular, a monitor module tracks performance measurements (e.g., logical reads) of select transactions. A modeler correlates the performance measurements and assigns first performance model(s) to represent the performance measurements and predicted performance measurements of a particular transaction. A trend change module detects a significant change in a trend and/or variance of the performance measurements and can cause the modeler module to generate a second performance model to represent at least a portion of the performance measurements and the predicted performance measurements of the particular transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Anthony Harrison, Guy le Mar
  • Patent number: 8001074
    Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting or analyzing time-series behavior are described. Some embodiments of computer-implemented methods include generating fuzzy rules from time series data. Certain embodiments also include resolving conflicts between fuzzy rules according to how the data is clustered. Some embodiments further include extracting a model of the time-series behavior via defuzzification and making that model accessible. Advantageously, to resolve conflicts between fuzzy rules, some embodiments define Gaussian functions for each conflicting data point, sum the Gaussian functions according to how the conflicting data points are clustered, and resolve the conflict based on the results of summing the Gaussian functions. Some embodiments use both crisp and non-trivially fuzzy regions and/or both crisp and non-trivially fuzzy membership functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Wai Yip To
  • Patent number: 7979441
    Abstract: A data management system or “DMS” provides data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. When providing continuous data protection and data distribution, the DMS nodes create distributed object storage to provide the necessary real-time data management services. The objects created by the DMS nodes are so-called active objects. The distributed object store can be built above raw storage devices, a traditional file system, a special purpose file system, a clustered file system, a database, and so on. According to the present invention, the DMS active object store provides an indexing service to the active objects. In an illustrative embodiment, any object property that has a given attribute is indexed and, as a result, the attribute becomes searchable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Siew Yong Sim-Tang
  • Patent number: 7979494
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring and/or auditing of events in an electronic messaging environment, such as Microsoft® Exchange, are described. One or more monitoring components are installed on messaging system servers to collect, in real-time, information on messaging system events. Certain embodiments are configured to audit and/or provide alerts regarding non-owner activity, such as when a user or administrator has gained access to another user's mailbox. Alerts can advantageously facilitate prompt corrective action by delivering detailed information about the access activity, such as which email message or folder was accessed, when the access occurred, from what location (e.g., IP address) when the access was initiated, and the type of access, as well as permission changes made to the mailbox or folders. The monitoring systems can also be configured to audit changes to client permissions for folders and delegate assignment and/or changes to configuration objects of the messaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Roman Alexandrovich Golovin, Dmitry Arkadievich Sotnikov, Konstantin Alexanderovich Galla, Evgeney Sergeevich Bushmakin, Artyom Vitalievich Agafonov, Lance Masten
  • Patent number: 7979404
    Abstract: A “forward” delta data management technique uses a “sparse” index associated with a delta file to achieve both delta management efficiency and to eliminate read latency while accessing history data. The invention may be implemented advantageously in a data management system that provides real-time data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. To facilitate a given data service, a host driver embedded in an application server connects an application and its data to a cluster. The host driver captures real-time data transactions, preferably in the form of an event journal that is provided to the data management system. In particular, the driver functions to translate traditional file/database/block I/O into a continuous, application-aware, output data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Siew Yong Sim-Tang
  • Patent number: 7979245
    Abstract: Modeling systems and methods for constructing one or more models of a computing system using collected data. Certain model-based systems build topology models and/or model instances by transforming collected performance data into a collection-location independent form. In certain examples, systems include at least one agent for collecting performance data from monitored resource(s), canonical data transform (CDT) configurations, and a data transformation module for performing data transform operation(s) on the performance data based on at least one CDT configuration. The data transform operation may include generating and/or updating a topology model, assigning metrics to model object(s), updating properties of model object(s), creating associations between existing model objects, or the like. Certain systems and methods also allow for a single piece of data to be processed by multiple models or for pieces of data collected from different locations to be matched and/or associated with the same model object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Bourlatchkov, Brendan Behan, Yu Li, Nils Meier, Leo Pechersky, Stephen P. Rosenberg, Geoff Vona
  • Patent number: 7979650
    Abstract: A method for enhancing computer data backup is disclosed. The method includes storing identifications and corresponding functionalities for a plurality of storage devices in a database. A storage device that is in data communication with a computer that is to be backed up is selected. An identification of the storage device selected for use in the backup is determined. If functionalities for the selected storage device are contained in the database, then at least one of the functionalities for the selected storage device is used to enhance a data backup to the selected storage device if functionalities for the selected storage device are stored in the database. If functionalities for the selected storage device are not contained in the database, then the selected storage device can be queried in an attempt to match it to one of the storage devices contained in the database, so that functionalities for the storage device contained within the database can be used to enhance data backup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Fabrice Helliker
  • Patent number: 7970748
    Abstract: The invention is a reorganization system having a reorganization application, a database management system, and one or more database files. The reorganization application communicates with the database management system and the one or more database files to reorganize an object, such as, for example, a table or index, while providing one or more clients substantially continuous access to the object. The reorganization application employs one or more trigger locks to synchronize the data in an original table and a reorganized table. The one or more trigger locks block select data modification operations while allowing one or more read-only operations and structural modification operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: William Romine, Ross Doering
  • Patent number: 7941385
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement, analysis, and optimization of content delivery over a communications network is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus detects data packets en route over a communications network. The detected data packets are read by the apparatus, combined into application messages, and further combined into user centric events. The events are analyzed to identify metrics and statistics relating to the delivery of content over a communications network and the experience of the end user. The metrics and statistics are saved in a data storage area. When the metrics exceed a configurable threshold, the apparatus provides real-time notification of content delivery problems or end user experience problems. Alternatively, the system can take action to proactively prevent anticipated content delivery problems or end user experience problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Vipul J. Pabari, Robert L. Willis, Mark P. Whitehouse, William G. Wixted