Patents Examined by Michael C Maskulinski
  • Patent number: 7653831
    Abstract: Proposed is a storage system and a data guarantee method capable of guaranteeing and verifying the reliability of data in a short period of time even with the heavy usage of inexpensive hard disk drives. This storage system having a storage apparatus that provides a storage extent for reading and writing data from and in a host system, and a storage controller for controlling the storage apparatus includes a first generation unit for generating a guarantee number in data from a host system to be stored in the storage apparatus showing the guarantee of the data, a second generation unit for generating a guarantee number showing the guarantee of parity data corresponding to data from the host system, and a verification unit for verifying the guarantee number showing the guarantee of data from the host system and the guarantee number showing the guarantee of the parity data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Okamoto, Takao Sato, Mikio Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 7650534
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring and correcting data errors in a computer system, in particular transient data errors in computer systems having very limited tolerance for deteriorations in performance. The method comprises the steps of: writing a set of data to a plurality of separate databases (50, 80), the databases including at least a first database (50) and a second database (80), reading the set of data from the first database and applying an error correction code (ECC) to detect possible multiple bit errors in the set of data which was read from the first database, and in case an error is detected, the error is reported to an error management unit (30). Furthermore, the error management unit manages a switch of means from which data are read from the first database to the second database, and applying the error correction code for correcting single bit errors in the previously read set of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventors: Ulf Stuchly, Björn Habberstad
  • Patent number: 7644313
    Abstract: A method for detecting a failure in a computing system and for restoring the system is provided. The method comprises providing a system connected to a network communications channel, creating, using a configured backup automation tool, a full system backup image and incremental archive logs of the system before attempting to remotely install software on the system and executing a point-in-time detection and restoration tool configured to detect a system failure when attempting to remotely install software on the system and, if the system failure is detected, to restore the system to a desired restoration point before the system failure occurred, using the full system backup image and incremental archive logs created of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mickey Iqbal, Rajeev Puri, H. Choong Thio
  • Patent number: 7640460
    Abstract: Exemplary methods, computer-readable media, and systems for detecting a fault by a packet trace, includes monitoring at least one packet transmitted to or received from, an computing device of an end user, between one or more computing devices implementing at least one of a service or an application on an enterprise network. The process also includes identifying whether an abnormal condition occurred on the computing device of the end user based on monitoring at least one packet transmitted to or received from, the computing device of the end user; and detecting a fault by using an algorithm based on monitoring at least one packet transmitted or received from, the computing device of the end user; wherein the fault indicates a desired course of action did not occur while the computing device of the end user uses at least one of the service or the application in the enterprise network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Paramvir Bahl, Ranveer Chandra, Lun Li, David A. Maltz, Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 7634685
    Abstract: Computer tools and methods novelly combine periodic backup and restore features with migration features to transfer the components of a failed system to a new system, which new system may be dissimilar to the old system. As well as backing up and transferring critical data files during the disaster recovery operation, the present invention also transfers, inter alia, applications, user states, hardware settings, software settings, user preferences and other user settings, menus, and directories. In another aspect of the present invention, a network of shared end-user computers periodically backs up each individual end-user computer to a central instrumentality, in a novel manner to reduce storage and time requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: David L. Henrickson
  • Patent number: 7631221
    Abstract: A method for identifying power supply modules is adopted for use on a backup-type power supply system that includes real power supply modules and a dummy power supply module structured in a N+1 architecture to output power. By altering PG signal issue time and identifying PG signal delivery time difference of different power supply modules, the real power supply modules and the dummy power supply module can be identified. Thus operators can clearly understand coupling and installation conditions of the power supply modules of the backup-type power supply system to facilitate power risk management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chun Chen
  • Patent number: 7631217
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exemplary system and method for event driven recovery management. One or more data blocks that are generated from a computing device are continually copied. At least one event marker is associated with the copies of the one or more data blocks. Access to the copies of the one or more data blocks according to the at least one event marker is allowed in order to provide event driven recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Anderson, John P. Woychowski, Pratik Wadher, Balaji Narasimhan
  • Patent number: 7631218
    Abstract: A RAID system access a physical disk according to a host I/O request, and perform Rebuild/Copy back processing, for implementing high-speed Rebuild/Copy back processing without interrupting the processing of a normal I/O. When one disk device out of a plurality of disk devices constituting the RAID configuration fails, the processing size for one time of Rebuild/Copy back to reconstruct the RAID is changed according to the presence of a normal I/O managed in RAID control. When a normal I/O is present, Rebuild/Copy back can be executed without interrupting the processing of the normal I/O, and in a static state where a normal I/O is absent, a processing size larger than the size in that state can be specified so as to implement Rebuild/Copy back processing at high-speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hidejirou Daikokuya, Mikio Ito, Kazuhiko Ikeuchi, Shinya Mochizuki, Hideo Takahashi, Yoshihito Konta, Yasutake Sato, Hiroaki Ochi, Tsukasa Makino, Norihide Kubota
  • Patent number: 7627786
    Abstract: With detection of a selected error event involving a data storage drive and data storage media, a subsystem attempts to move the media to another drive, and conduct a similar operation. The subsystem separately tracks successive error events of individual drives and individual media, wherein a complete successful operation breaks the chain of the successive error events; and upon the number of successive error events reaching a threshold, fails the data storage drive or the data storage media. Error events are categorized into: 1) error events before or during a mount of a media into a drive; and 2) error events after a successful mount of a media into a drive; and conducts the tracking, comparing and failing steps separately for each of the categories for the drives and the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Anthony Bello, Cheryl Marie Friauf, Gregory Tad Kishi, Duke Andy Lee
  • Patent number: 7627785
    Abstract: Mechanisms and methods for capturing an execution state of a failing program in a computing environment are disclosed. Embodiments can enable detection of user initiated program terminations and error information capture without incurring the overhead of a separate monitoring process. It is possible to obtain an execution trace and related state information in the event that a program has incurred a program error causing the user to terminate the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Grodnik, Cliff W. Draper, Chris Webster, Venkatesar Amirisetty
  • Patent number: 7627779
    Abstract: A shared system resource such as a file server includes an integrated, cooperative cluster of domains that include hierarchically related domains and peer related domains, each performing functions supporting the services provided by the system resource. Hierarchically related domains include a higher level domain and a lower level domain respectively performing higher and lower level operations of functions supporting the system resource services and peer related domains include parallel domains performing operations in mutual support of functions supporting the system resource services. A domain may include fault handling mechanisms operating independently of and cooperatively with fault handling mechanisms of other domains, and domain may be comprised of domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Lawrence Fair
  • Patent number: 7627789
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for managing embedded devices may include one or more of the following steps: (a) loading an embedded web server module, (b) loading a first webpage when loading a first embedded module, (c) replacing the first webpage with a second webpage when a second embedded module is loaded or when a failure is detected by the first embedded module, (d) loading a boot loader module, (e) interacting with the computer system to correct the failure condition, (f) loading an embedded operating system module, and (g) loading a third webpage when loading a RAID application module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Hetrick
  • Patent number: 7624300
    Abstract: Storage stability is managed. It is detected that a disk drive is requesting to be taken offline. The disk drive is begun to be treated as being in a probation state. If within an acceptable period of time the disk drive requests to be put back online, treatment of the disk drive as being in a probation state is stopped, and only any portions of the disk drive data that were the subject of write requests involving the disk drive while the disk drive was being treated as being in a probation state are rebuilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Manning, Ashok Tamilarasan
  • Patent number: 7620846
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for redundant power and data over a wired data telecommunications network permits power to be received at a local powered device (PD) from remote power sourcing equipment (PSE) via at least one conductor at a first time and power and/or data to be obtained by the local device from another port of the remote device or another remote device at a second different time. Power levels obtained may be adjusted from time to time in response to circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Biederman, Kenneth Coley, Frederick R. Schindler
  • Patent number: 7620842
    Abstract: A highly available transaction recovery service migration system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention implements a server's Transaction Recovery Service (TRS) as a migratable service. In one embodiment of the present invention, the TRS is a server instance or software module implemented in JAVA. The TRS migrates to an available server that resides in the same cluster as the failed server. The migrated TRS obtains the TLOG of the failed server, reads the transaction log, and performs transaction recovery on behalf of the failed server. The migration may occur manually or automatically on a migratable services framework. The TRS of the failed server migrates back in a fail back operation once the failed primary server is restarted. Failback operation may occur whether recovery is completed or not. This expedites recovery and improves availability of the failed server thereby preserving the efficiency of the network and other servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: BEA Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Priscilla C. Fung, Alexander J. Somogyi
  • Patent number: 7620856
    Abstract: An automated testing framework enables automated testing of complex software systems. The framework can be configured for test selection, flow definition, and automated scheduled testing of complex computer systems. The framework has facilities for result analysis, comparison of key performance indicators with predefined target values, and test management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: SAP Portals Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Dmitry Kagan, Noam Dishon, Evgeny Himmelreich
  • Patent number: 7607037
    Abstract: Described are techniques used in performing data replication processing. Data is replicated on a recovery site from a production site. When a disaster occurs, the state of the replication processing is determined and a restart copy of the data is made available from the recover site. Processing continues based on whether protection mode is desired such that the system executes using the recovery site as the restart with a replicated copy of the data. Data is propagated from the recovery site to the production site to resume operations and replication processing originating from the production site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas E. LeCrone, Brett A. Quinn, Ronald G. Haupert, Gary H. Cox, Eugene D. Pflueger
  • Patent number: 7596716
    Abstract: The system and method of the present invention apply information filters (83A) hierarchically to information (14) such as, for example, alerts/events generated by an operational electronic system (10). Further, the system and method can display the results of the application of the information filters (83A) to information (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sobha Renaissance Information Technology
    Inventors: Lee Kevin Frost, Michael Paul Hauger, Gregory A. Cottrill, William Paul Burdgick
  • Patent number: 7596722
    Abstract: A multi-cell disk drive test system that provides for asynchronous software module updates that includes a test platform, one or more test manager computers (TMCs), and a test coordinator computer (TCC). The test platform includes a plurality of cells in which each cell is configured to receive and to provide communication with a disk drive. The TCC is configured to communicate with one or more TMCs and to store a plurality of updated software module versions. After a disk drive is determined to be in an appropriate cell, the TMC: determines a test step to be performed on the disk drive and a cell software module currently stored for the cell; determines if an updated software module version associated with the test step is stored on the TCC, and if so, downloads the updated software module version, and updates the TMC with the updated cell software module version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mostafa Pakzad, Peter Cheok Him Pang, Mohammad R. Bahadori, Joseph M. Viglione, Roma Leang, Boon Nee Yang
  • Patent number: 7596721
    Abstract: Methods and structures for providing patches or updates to embedded ROM firmware simply and inexpensively while avoiding imposition of execution or memory fetch overhead. A patch memory includes locations storing addresses and optional alternate data values. Read/fetch operations addressed to a firmware ROM memory are applied in parallel to the patch memory. All locations of the patch memory may be compared in parallel to the supplied address to determine if a match is found in patch memory. If no match is found, the read/fetch memory cycle completes normally retrieving data from the ROM memory. If a match is found, the alternate data value is applied to the data bus in place of the ROM memory data retrieved. Any ROM location may therefore be patched regardless of whether the location stores instruction or data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Lance Flake, Andrew W. Vogan