Patents by Inventor Alan Burton
Alan Burton 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).
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Patent number: 7945944Abstract: A system and method for authenticating a host on a network enables the host to update IP configuration and internal configuration of a storage controller connected to the network. The host has an algorithm to decrypt a security key supplied by the storage controller. The host broadcasts a discovery command which includes an IP address of the host and a service requested by the host. The discovery command conforms to a proprietary discovery command protocol. In response to the discovery command, the host receives a response from a storage controller which is able to provide the requested service. The response includes a WWN, IP configuration and a security key of the storage controller, and conforms to the discovery command protocol. Next, the host decrypts the security key received from the storage controller using the decryption algorithm, and sends an updated IP configuration to the storage controller along with the security key for authentication.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2007Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Chi-Hsang Chen, Deven Muir Hubbard, Alan Lee Stewart
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Patent number: 7809917Abstract: An apparatus for managing incremental storage includes a storage pool management module that allocates storage volumes to a virtual volume. Also included is an incremental log corresponding to the virtual volume, which maps virtual addresses to storage addresses. The apparatus may also include a replication module that sends replicated data to the virtual volume and a policy management module that determines allocation criteria for the storage pool management module. In one embodiment, the incremental log includes a lookup table that translates read and write requests to physical addresses on storage volumes within the virtual volume. The replicated data may include incremental snapshot data corresponding to one or more primary volumes. The various embodiments of the virtual incremental storage apparatus, method, and system facilitate dynamic adjustment of the storage capacity of the virtual volume to accommodate changing amounts of storage utilization.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
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Patent number: 7721022Abstract: The invention classifies volumes (e.g., file systems or LUNs) of a data storage system according to application requirements and allocates space for the volumes on storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) accordingly. A person such as an IT administrator configures the volumes specifying size, type (e.g., file system or SAN LUN), and priority (e.g., high, medium, low, or archive). The host schedules I/O requests to the storage devices in priority queues using the volume definition to match the application requirements and reduce storage seek time between volumes of different priorities. The host also allocates high performance bands of the storage devices to high performance applications and lower performance bands to lower performance applications. In this manner, the data storage system places data on the band of the storage device that best supports its performance needs.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2009Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Allan Brewer, David Alan Burton, Michael Lee Workman
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Patent number: 7685176Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods of asynchronous data replication. In an embodiment, the system includes a primary host that asynchronously transmits write and sync commands where each write and sync command includes a data set ID and a sequence number. A secondary host coupled to the primary host receives the write and sync commands out of order, tracks receipt of write and sync commands, and after receipt of the write and sync commands of the data set writes blocks associated with the write commands to data storage coupled to the secondary host.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Kurt Alan Shoens
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Publication number: 20090271543Abstract: The invention classifies volumes (e.g., file systems or LUNS) of a data storage system according to application requirements and allocates space for the volumes on storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) accordingly. A person such as an IT administrator configures the volumes specifying size, type (e.g., file system or SAN LUN), and priority (e.g., high, medium, low, or archive). The host schedules I/O requests to the storage devices in priority queues using the volume definition to match the application requirements and reduce storage seek time between volumes of different priorities. The host also allocates high performance bands of the storage devices to high performance applications and lower performance bands to lower performance applications. In this manner, the data storage system places data on the band of the storage device that best supports its performance needs.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Michael Allan Brewer, David Alan Burton, Michael Lee Workman
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Patent number: 7594044Abstract: The invention classifies volumes (e.g., file systems or LUNs) of a data storage system according to application requirements and allocates space for the volumes on storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) accordingly. A person such as an IT administrator configures the volumes specifying size, type (e.g., file system or SAN LUN), and priority (e.g., high, medium, low, or archive). The host schedules I/O requests to the storage devices in priority queues using the volume definition to match the application requirements and reduce storage seek time between volumes of different priorities. The host also allocates high performance bands of the storage devices to high performance applications and lower performance bands to lower performance applications. In this manner, the data storage system places data on the band of the storage device that best supports its performance needs.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Allan Brewer, David Alan Burton, Michael Lee Workman
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Patent number: 7496725Abstract: The invention relates to methods of snapshot operation for a data storage system with a host communicating with a cache memory, a source Virtual Logical Unit Number (VLUN) and a target VLUN, including generating first metadata (e.g., bitmaps and log files pointers) to locate first snapshot data and to indicate when the first snapshot data is in the target VLUN and generating second metadata to locate second snapshot data and to indicate when the second snapshot data is in the target VLUN, wherein the first and second metadata locate the same data in the target VLUN. The invention relates to systems that implement the methods. It relates to destaging data to maintain data consistency including reading metadata for snapshots, searching the metadata to identify snapshots that require original data to be destaged, destaging the original data to target storage, and updating metadata to locate original data and indicate destage completion.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2006Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
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Patent number: 7467266Abstract: Snapshot sets comprising snapshot criteria are created, maintained, and executed via a command set designed to facilitate managing and conducting snapshots on data distributed across multiple volumes. Snapshot criteria such as source volume, target volume, redundancy level, copy mode, and the like are added as desired to a snapshot set. Upon invocation of an execute command, the fast replication operations defined by the snapshot set are executed, providing a logically atomic data replication utility potentially involving multiple sources and targets. In one embodiment auto selection of a target may be specified, thus facilitating over-subscription of target resources. The present invention reduces the complexity of archiving data—particularly data distributed across multiple volumes such as data associated with database applications and the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2003Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Mohamad H. El-Batal, Noel Simen Otterness, Alan Lee Stewart
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Publication number: 20080222376Abstract: An apparatus for managing incremental storage includes a storage pool management module that allocates storage volumes to a virtual volume. Also included is an incremental log corresponding to the virtual volume, which maps virtual addresses to storage addresses. The apparatus may also include a replication module that sends replicated data to the virtual volume and a policy management module that determines allocation criteria for the storage pool management module. In one embodiment, the incremental log includes a lookup table that translates read and write requests to physical addresses on storage volumes within the virtual volume. The replicated data may include incremental snapshot data corresponding to one or more primary volumes. The various embodiments of the virtual incremental storage apparatus, method, and system facilitate dynamic adjustment of the storage capacity of the virtual volume to accommodate changing amounts of storage utilization.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
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Publication number: 20080205301Abstract: Provided are a system, program, and data structure for selecting one of multiple data paths to a device. A selection is made of one of multiple paths indicated as enabled to transmit data. A path is indicated as enabled or disabled. Transfer time data is gathered for each enabled path capable of being selected. Paths having transfer time data satisfying a threshold are indicated as disabled. Paths indicated as disabled are not capable of being selected to use to transmit data.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: David Alan Burton, Robert Louis Morton, Erez Webman
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Patent number: 7418531Abstract: The invention classifies volumes (e.g., file systems or LUNs) of a data storage system according to application requirements and allocates space for the volumes on storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) accordingly. A person such as an IT administrator configures the volumes specifying size, type (e.g., file system or SAN LUN), and priority (e.g., high, medium, low, or archive). The host schedules I/O requests to the storage devices in priority queues using the volume definition to match the application requirements and reduce storage seek time between volumes of different priorities. The host also allocates high performance bands of the storage devices to high performance applications and lower performance bands to lower performance applications. In this manner, the data storage system places data on the band of the storage device that best supports its performance needs.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2005Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael Allan Brewer, David Alan Burton, Michael Lee Workman
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Patent number: 7412583Abstract: A method for managing incremental storage includes a storage pool management module that allocates storage volumes to a virtual volume. Also included is an incremental log corresponding to the virtual volume, which maps virtual addresses to storage addresses. The method may also include a replication module that sends replicated data to the virtual volume and a policy management module that determines allocation criteria for the storage pool management module. In one embodiment, the incremental log includes a look up table that translates read and write requests to physical addresses on storage volumes within the virtual volume. The replicated data may include incremental snapshot data corresponding to one or more primary volumes. The various embodiments of the virtual incremental storage method facilitate dynamic adjustment of the storage capacity of the virtual volume to accommodate changing amounts of storage utilization.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2003Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
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Patent number: 7404005Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, program, and data structure for selecting one of multiple data paths to a device. A selection is made of one of multiple paths indicated as enabled to transmit data. A path is indicated as enabled or disabled. Transfer time data is gathered for each enabled path capable of being selected. Paths having transfer time data satisfying a threshold are indicated as disabled. Paths indicated as disabled are not capable of being selected to use to transmit data.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2000Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Robert Louis Morton, Erez Webman
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Patent number: 7380059Abstract: The present invention relates to a cache memory management system suitable for use with snapshot applications. The system includes a cache directory including a hash table, hash table elements, cache line descriptors, and cache line functional pointers, and a cache manager running a hashing function that converts a request for data from an application to an index to a first hash table pointer in the hash table. The first hash table pointer in turn points to a first hash table element in a linked list of hash table elements where one of the hash table elements of the linked list of hash table elements points to a first cache line descriptor in the cache directory and a cache memory including a plurality of cache lines, wherein the first cache line descriptor has a one-to-one association with a first cache line.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2006Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventor: David Alan Burton
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Publication number: 20080087268Abstract: A cooking bag for supporting a food item between top and bottom halves of a clam shell type grill. The cooking bag is positionable on a bottom cooking surface on the bottom half of the grill and included a support member for engaging the bottom half of the grill. The bag support member maintains the position of the bag on the bottom cooking surface of the grill.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2007Publication date: April 17, 2008Inventor: Alan Burton
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Patent number: 7287269Abstract: A system and method for authenticating a host on a network enables the host to update IP configuration and internal configuration of a storage controller connected to the network. The host has an algorithm to decrypt a security key supplied by the storage controller. The host broadcasts a discovery command which includes an IP address of the host and a service requested by the host. The discovery command conforms to a proprietary discovery command protocol. In response to the discovery command, the host receives a response from a storage controller which is able to provide the requested service. The response includes a WWN, IP configuration and a security key of the storage controller, and conforms to the discovery command protocol. Next, the host decrypts the security key received from the storage controller using the decryption algorithm, and sends an updated IP configuration to the storage controller along with the security key for authentication.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: International Buiness Machines CorporationInventors: David Alan Burton, Chi-Hsang Chen, Deven Muir Hubbard, Alan Lee Stewart
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Patent number: 7287134Abstract: The invention relates to management of I/O in data storage systems. In an embodiment, the invention provides a data storage subsystem processing I/O requests each having a priority, comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a disk array, an array controller coupled to the processor and the disk array, a network interface, coupled to the processor, to receive an I/O request with a priority, and a program in the memory for managing the I/O request based on the priority, a clip level of the priority, the total workload in the data storage subsystem, and processing I/O requests based on priority, workload clip levels, and fairness levels. The invention also contemplates the use of static and dynamic adjusted clip levels.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2007Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.Inventors: Wayne Eugene Miller, Yuri Vladimirovich Bagashev, David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Paul Michael Remley
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Patent number: D564285Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2006Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Sunbeam Products, IncInventors: Alan Burton, Brooks Rorke, Augusto Picozza
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Patent number: D630463Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.Inventors: Augusto Picozza, Alan Burton, John James Bernhard Whittaker, Remi Bigot
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Patent number: D644477Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.Inventors: Alan Burton, Augusto Picozza