Patents by Inventor Brent C. Beardsley

Brent C. Beardsley 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: 9542330
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20160217081
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Binny S. GILL, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 9323694
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one server are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one server is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one server is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 9317447
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20150261685
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Binny S. GILL, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Publication number: 20150261689
    Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one server are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one server is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one server is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Binny S. GILL, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 9069683
    Abstract: A system includes a cache and a processor coupled to the cache. The cache stores data in multiple storage tracks and each storage track includes an associated multi-bit counter. The processor is configured to perform the following method. One method includes incrementing the multi-bit counter on each respective storage track a predetermined amount each time the processor writes to a respective storage track. The method further includes decrementing each multi-bit counter each scan cycle, and destaging each storage track including a zero count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 9063863
    Abstract: Storage tracks are destaged from the write cache if the host(s) is/are idle and are not destaged from the write cache if one or more of the hosts is/are not idle. The storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from the write cache if the at least one host is not idle. Each rank is monitored for write operations from the at least one host, and a determination is made if the at least one host is idle with respect to each respective rank based on monitoring each rank for write operations from the at least one host such that the at least one host may be determined to be idle with respect to a first rank and not idle with respect to a second rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8996813
    Abstract: Destaging storage tracks from each rank that includes a greater than a predetermined percentage of a predetermined amount of storage space with respect to a current amount of storage space allocated to each rank until the current amount of storage space used by each respective rank is equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space. The destage storage tracks are declined from being destaged from each rank that includes less than or equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20140156937
    Abstract: Storage tracks are destaged from the write cache if the host(s) is/are idle and are not destaged from the write cache if one or more of the hosts is/are not idle. The storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from the write cache if the at least one host is not idle. Each rank is monitored for write operations from the at least one host, and a determination is made if the at least one host is idle with respect to each respective rank based on monitoring each rank for write operations from the at least one host such that the at least one host may be determined to be idle with respect to a first rank and not idle with respect to a second rank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Binny S. GILL, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Publication number: 20140156936
    Abstract: Destaging storage tracks from each rank that includes a greater than a predetermined percentage of a predetermined amount of storage space with respect to a current amount of storage space allocated to each rank until the current amount of storage space used by each respective rank is equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space. The destage storage tracks are declined from being destaged from each rank that includes less than or equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space rank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Binny S. GILL, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Publication number: 20140136790
    Abstract: A system includes a cache and a processor coupled to the cache. The cache stores data in multiple storage tracks and each storage track includes an associated multi-bit counter. The processor is configured to perform the following method. One method includes incrementing the multi-bit counter on each respective storage track a predetermined amount each time the processor writes to a respective storage track. The method further includes decrementing each multi-bit counter each scan cycle, and destaging each storage track including a zero count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent C. BEARDSLEY, Michael T. BENHASE, Lokesh M. GUPTA, Sonny E. WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 8661201
    Abstract: A system includes a cache partitioned into multiple ranks configured to store multiple storage tracks and a processor coupled to the cache. The processor is configured to perform the following method. One method includes allocating an amount of storage space in the cache to each rank and monitoring a current amount of storage space used by each rank with respect to the amount of storage space allocated to each respective rank. The method further includes destaging storage tracks from each rank until the current amount of storage space used by each respective rank is equal to a predetermined minimum amount of storage space with respect to the amount of storage space allocated to each rank. Also provided are physical computer storage mediums including code that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8661202
    Abstract: A system includes a cache and a processor coupled to the cache. The cache stores data in multiple storage tracks and each storage track includes an associated multi-bit counter. The processor is configured to perform the following method. One method includes writing data to the plurality of storage tracks and incrementing the multi-bit counter on each respective storage track a predetermined amount each time the processor writes to a respective storage track. The method further includes scan each of the storage tracks in each of multiple scan cycles, decrementing each multi-bit counter each scan cycle, and destaging each storage track including a zero count. Also provided are physical computer storage mediums including a computer program product for performing the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8656109
    Abstract: A system includes a write cache configured to store a plurality of storage tracks and configured to be coupled to one or more hosts, and a processor coupled to the write cache. The processor includes code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method below. One method includes monitoring the write cache for write operations from the host(s) and determining if the host(s) is/are idle based on monitoring the write cache for write operations from the host(s). The storage tracks are destaged from the write cache if the host(s) is/are idle and are not destaged from the write cache if one or more of the hosts is/are not idle. Also provided are physical computer storage mediums including a computer program product for performing the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8639888
    Abstract: A system includes a cache and a processor. The processor is configured to utilize a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilize a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time. One method includes utilizing a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilizing a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8595433
    Abstract: A system includes a cache partitioned into multiple ranks configured to store multiple storage tracks and a processor coupled to the cache. The processor is configured to perform the following method. One method includes allocating an amount of storage space in the cache to each rank and monitoring a current amount of storage space used by each rank with respect to the amount of storage space allocated to each respective rank. The method further includes destaging storage tracks from each rank until the current amount of storage space used by each respective rank is equal to a predetermined minimum amount of storage space with respect to the amount of storage space allocated to each rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8589624
    Abstract: A system includes a write cache configured to store a plurality of storage tracks and configured to be coupled to one or more hosts, and a processor coupled to the write cache. The processor includes code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method below. One method includes monitoring the write cache for write operations from the host(s) and determining if the host(s) is/are idle based on monitoring the write cache for write operations from the host(s). The storage tracks are destaged from the write cache if the host(s) is/are idle and are not destaged from the write cache if one or more of the hosts is/are not idle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Binny S. Gill, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8589623
    Abstract: A system includes a cache and a processor. The processor is configured to utilize a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilize a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time. One method includes utilizing a first thread to continually determine a desired scan time for scanning the plurality of storage tracks in the cache and utilizing a second thread to continually control an actual scan time of the plurality of storage tracks in the cache based on the continually determined desired scan time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Sonny E. Williams
  • Patent number: 8566518
    Abstract: Write caching for sequential tracks is performed by a processor device in a computing storage environment for destaging data from nonvolatile storage (NVS) to a storage unit. If a first track is determined to be sequential, and an earlier track is also determined to be sequential, a temporal bit associated with the earlier track is cleared to allow for destage of data of the earlier track. If a temporal bit for one of a plurality of additional tracks in one of a plurality of strides in a modified cache is determined to be not set, a stride associated with the one of the plurality of additional tracks is selected for a destage operation. If the NVS exceeds a predetermined storage threshold, a predetermined one of the plurality of strides is selected for the destage operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent C. Beardsley, Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Joseph S. Hyde, II, Sonny E. Williams