Patents by Inventor Aaron J. Passey

Aaron J. Passey 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: 20110145195
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack, Peter J. Godman, Robert J. Anderson, Neal T. Fachan
  • Patent number: 7962779
    Abstract: The intelligent distributed file system enables the storing of file data among a plurality of smart storage units which are accessed as a single file system. The intelligent distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy within a single file system, to facilitate the change of redundancy parameters, to provide high-level protection for metadata, to replicate and move data in real-time, and to permit the creation of virtual hot spares among the smart storage units without the need to idle any single smart storage unit in the intelligent distributed file system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Sujal M Patel, Paul A Mikesell, Darren P Schack, Aaron J Passey
  • Patent number: 7953709
    Abstract: In general, embodiments of the invention relate to reading data from and writing data to a storage system. Specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a read only mode for a portion of a storage system. In one embodiment, a selective read-only mode for a portion of a storage system is implemented by monitoring a condition that affects a subset of persistent storage in a storage system, by detecting the condition, by entering a read-only mode for the subset, and by enforcing a policy of processing write requests and read requests to the storage system, which includes processing the write requests without modifying user data stored on the subset and processing the read requests, including requests for user data stored on the subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tyler A. Akidau, Aaron J. Passey, Neal T. Fachan, Jonathan Walton
  • Patent number: 7953704
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. According to one embodiment, the system stores and updates metadata, including a governance list, for each of the files and directories. The governance list provides a representation of the snapshots which govern a file or directory and its descendants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Anderson, Neal T. Fachan, Eric M. Lemar, Aaron J. Passey, David W. Richards, Darren P. Schack
  • Patent number: 7949636
    Abstract: In general, embodiments of the invention relate to reading data from and writing data to a storage system. Specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a read only mode for a portion of a storage system. In one embodiment, a selective read-only mode for a portion of a storage system is implemented by monitoring a condition that may affect a subset of persistent storage in a storage system, by detecting the condition, by entering a read-only mode for the subset, and by enforcing a policy of processing write requests and read requests to the storage system, which includes processing the write requests without modifying user data stored on the subset and processing the read requests, including requests for user data stored on the subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tyler A. Akidau, Neal T. Fachan, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110113211
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that implements domain quotas within a data storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110087928
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing stalled storage devices of a storage system. In one embodiment, a method for managing access to storage devices includes determining that a first storage device, which stores a first resource, is stalled and transitioning the first storage device to a stalled state. The method also includes receiving an access request for at least a portion of the first resource while the first storage device is in the stalled state and attempting to provide access to a representation of the portion of the first resource from at least a second storage device that is not in a stalled state. In another embodiment, a method of managing access requests by a thread for a resource stored on a storage device includes initializing a thread access level for an access request by a thread for the resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Asif Daud, Tyler A. Akidau, Ilya Maykov, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7917474
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack, Peter J. Godman, Robert J. Anderson, Neal T. Fachan
  • Patent number: 7899800
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7900015
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that implements domain quotas within a data storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110035412
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack
  • Publication number: 20110022790
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110016155
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that determines whether multiple incremental changes to a data field could pass a threshold based on keeping track of a possible value range for the data field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7870345
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing stalled storage devices of a storage system. In one embodiment, a method for managing access to storage devices includes determining that a first storage device, which stores a first resource, is stalled and transitioning the first storage device to a stalled state. The method also includes receiving an access request for at least a portion of the first resource while the first storage device is in the stalled state and attempting to provide access to a representation of the portion of the first resource from at least a second storage device that is not in a stalled state. In another embodiment, a method of managing access requests by a thread for a resource stored on a storage device includes initializing a thread access level for an access request by a thread for the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Asif Daud, Tyler A. Akidau, Ilya Maykov, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20100306786
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for tracking events wherein an event system monitors certain areas of a system. When an event occurs in one area of the system, the event system notifies the processes listening to that area of the system of the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Neal T. Fachan
  • Patent number: 7822932
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7797283
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack
  • Publication number: 20100223235
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7779048
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that determines whether multiple incremental changes to a data field could pass a threshold based on keeping track of a possible value range for the data field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7756898
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for tracking events wherein an event system monitors certain areas of a system. When an event occurs in one area of the system, the event system notifies the processes listening to that area of the system of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Neal T. Fachan