Patents by Inventor Christopher Cason
Christopher Cason 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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Publication number: 20250013614Abstract: A distributed storage management system comprising nodes that form a cluster, a distributed block layer that spans the nodes in the cluster, and file system instances deployed on the nodes. Each file system instance comprises a data management subsystem and a storage management subsystem disaggregated from the data management subsystem. The storage management subsystem comprises a node block store that forms a portion of the distributed block layer and a storage manager that manages a key-value store and virtualized storage supporting the node block store. A file system volume hosted by the data management subsystem maps to a logical block device hosted by the virtualized storage in the storage management subsystem. The key-value store includes, for a data block of the logical block device, a key that comprises a block identifier for the logical block device and a value that comprises the data block.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Publication number: 20240427799Abstract: Systems and methods for scaling application and/or storage system functions of a distributed storage system based on a heterogeneous resource pool are provided. According to one embodiment, the distributed storage system has a composable, service-based architecture that provides scalability, resiliency, and load balancing. The distributed storage system includes a cluster of nodes each potentially having differing capabilities in terms of processing, memory, and/or storage. The distributed storage system takes advantage of different types of nodes by selectively instating appropriate services (e.g., file and volume services and/or block and storage management services) on the nodes based on their respective capabilities. Furthermore, disaggregation of these services, facilitated by interposing a frictionless layer (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2024Publication date: December 26, 2024Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
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Publication number: 20240370410Abstract: In various examples, data storage is managed using a distributed storage management system that is resilient. Data blocks of a logical block device may be distributed across multiple nodes in a cluster. The logical block device may correspond to a file system volume associated with a file system instance deployed on a selected node within a distributed block layer of a distributed file system. Each data block may have a location in the cluster identified by a block identifier associated with each data block. Each data block may be replicated on at least one other node in the cluster. A metadata object corresponding to a logical block device that maps to the file system volume may be replicated on at least another node in the cluster. Each data block and the metadata object may be hosted on virtualized storage that is protected using redundant array independent disks (RAID).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2024Publication date: November 7, 2024Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Patent number: 12079242Abstract: Systems and methods for scaling application and/or storage system functions of a distributed storage system based on a heterogeneous resource pool are provided. According to one embodiment, the distributed storage system has a composable, service-based architecture that provides scalability, resiliency, and load balancing. The distributed storage system includes a cluster of nodes each potentially having differing capabilities in terms of processing, memory, and/or storage. The distributed storage system takes advantage of different types of nodes by selectively instating appropriate services (e.g., file and volume services and/or block and storage management services) on the nodes based on their respective capabilities. Furthermore, disaggregation of these services, facilitated by interposing a frictionless layer (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2022Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
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Patent number: 12045207Abstract: A distributed storage management system comprising nodes that form a cluster, a distributed block layer that spans the nodes in the cluster, and file system instances deployed on the nodes. Each file system instance comprises a data management subsystem and a storage management subsystem disaggregated from the data management subsystem. The storage management subsystem comprises a node block store that forms a portion of the distributed block layer and a storage manager that manages a key-value store and virtualized storage supporting the node block store. A file system volume hosted by the data management subsystem maps to a logical block device hosted by the virtualized storage in the storage management subsystem. The key-value store includes, for a data block of the logical block device, a key that comprises a block identifier for the logical block device and a value that comprises the data block.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2021Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Patent number: 12038886Abstract: In various examples, data storage is managed using a distributed storage management system that is resilient. Data blocks of a logical block device may be distributed across multiple nodes in a cluster. The logical block device may correspond to a file system volume associated with a file system instance deployed on a selected node within a distributed block layer of a distributed file system. Each data block may have a location in the cluster identified by a block identifier associated with each data block. Each data block may be replicated on at least one other node in the cluster. A metadata object corresponding to a logical block device that maps to the file system volume may be replicated on at least another node in the cluster. Each data block and the metadata object may be hosted on virtualized storage that is protected using redundant array independent disks (RAID).Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2023Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Publication number: 20230367746Abstract: In various examples, data storage is managed using a distributed storage management system that is resilient. Data blocks of a logical block device may be distributed across multiple nodes in a cluster. The logical block device may correspond to a file system volume associated with a file system instance deployed on a selected node within a distributed block layer of a distributed file system. Each data block may have a location in the cluster identified by a block identifier associated with each data block. Each data block may be replicated on at least one other node in the cluster. A metadata object corresponding to a logical block device that maps to the file system volume may be replicated on at least another node in the cluster. Each data block and the metadata object may be hosted on virtualized storage that is protected using redundant array independent disks (RAID).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Patent number: 11693737Abstract: A technique provides efficient data protection, such as erasure coding, for data blocks of volumes served by storage nodes of a cluster. Data blocks associated with write requests of unpredictable client workload patterns may be compressed. A set of the compressed data blocks may be selected to form a write group and an erasure code may be applied to the group to algorithmically generate one or more encoded blocks in addition to the data blocks. Due to the unpredictability of the data workload patterns, the compressed data blocks may have varying sizes. A pool of the various-sized compressed data blocks may be established and maintained from which the data blocks of the write group are selected. Establishment and maintenance of the pool enables selection of compressed data blocks that are substantially close to the same size and, thus, that require minimal padding.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
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Publication number: 20230121460Abstract: Systems and methods for scaling application and/or storage system functions of a distributed storage system based on a heterogeneous resource pool are provided. According to one embodiment, the distributed storage system has a composable, service-based architecture that provides scalability, resiliency, and load balancing. The distributed storage system includes a cluster of nodes each potentially having differing capabilities in terms of processing, memory, and/or storage. The distributed storage system takes advantage of different types of nodes by selectively instating appropriate services (e.g., file and volume services and/or block and storage management services) on the nodes based on their respective capabilities. Furthermore, disaggregation of these services, facilitated by interposing a frictionless layer (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2022Publication date: April 20, 2023Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
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Patent number: 11627097Abstract: Systems and methods for quality of service management are provided. According to one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises instructions that when executed by the processing resource cause the processing resource to receive, in a normalizing agent, one or more compute load parameters from one or more background compute processes executing on the one or more computer systems and one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for one or more client compute processes executing on the one or more computer systems, convert the one or more compute load parameters to one or more normalized utilization metrics, and execute instructions that cause a processor to adjust a compute resource allocation dedicated to the one or more background compute processes based at least in part on the one or more normalized utilization metrics and the one or more QoS parameters.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Austino Longo, Christopher Cason, Daniel McCarthy
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Publication number: 20220391359Abstract: A distributed storage management system comprising nodes that form a cluster, a distributed block layer that spans the nodes in the cluster, and file system instances deployed on the nodes. Each file system instance comprises a data management subsystem and a storage management subsystem disaggregated from the data management subsystem. The storage management subsystem comprises a node block store that forms a portion of the distributed block layer and a storage manager that manages a key-value store and virtualized storage supporting the node block store. A file system volume hosted by the data management subsystem maps to a logical block device hosted by the virtualized storage in the storage management subsystem. The key-value store includes, for a data block of the logical block device, a key that comprises a block identifier for the logical block device and a value that comprises the data block.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2021Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
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Publication number: 20220278943Abstract: Systems and methods for quality of service management are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2021Publication date: September 1, 2022Applicant: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Austino Longo, Christopher Cason, Daniel McCarthy
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Patent number: 11372544Abstract: A technique manages bandwidth allocated among input/output operations, such as reads and writes, to storage devices coupled to storage nodes of a cluster. The technique balances the writes in a manner that reduces latency of reads, while allowing the writes to complete in a desired amount of time. The writes include write types, such as client writes, data migration writes, block transfer writes, and recycling writes, which are defined by differing characteristics and relative priorities. To ensure timely completion of the write types, the technique provides periodic time intervals over which the writes may be balanced and allocated sufficient bandwidth to access the storage devices. The time intervals may include shuffle intervals within a larger distribution interval. In addition, the technique throttles certain write types at the storage device level to maintain consistent read performance. Throttling is based on a credit system that allocates bandwidth as “credits” based on write type.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Ankit Kumar, Christopher Cason, Daniel David McCarthy
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Publication number: 20220091739Abstract: A technique manages bandwidth allocated among input/output operations, such as reads and writes, to storage devices coupled to storage nodes of a cluster. The technique balances the writes in a manner that reduces latency of reads, while allowing the writes to complete in a desired amount of time. The writes include write types, such as client writes, data migration writes, block transfer writes, and recycling writes, which are defined by differing characteristics and relative priorities. To ensure timely completion of the write types, the technique provides periodic time intervals over which the writes may be balanced and allocated sufficient bandwidth to access the storage devices. The time intervals may include shuffle intervals within a larger distribution interval. In addition, the technique throttles certain write types at the storage device level to maintain consistent read performance. Throttling is based on a credit system that allocates bandwidth as “credits” based on write type.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2020Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Ankit Kumar, Christopher Cason, Daniel David McCarthy
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Publication number: 20220075691Abstract: A technique provides efficient data protection, such as erasure coding, for data blocks of volumes served by storage nodes of a cluster. Data blocks associated with write requests of unpredictable client workload patterns may be compressed. A set of the compressed data blocks may be selected to form a write group and an erasure code may be applied to the group to algorithmically generate one or more encoded blocks in addition to the data blocks. Due to the unpredictability of the data workload patterns, the compressed data blocks may have varying sizes. A pool of the various-sized compressed data blocks may be established and maintained from which the data blocks of the write group are selected. Establishment and maintenance of the pool enables selection of compressed data blocks that are substantially close to the same size and, thus, that require minimal padding.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
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Patent number: 11194501Abstract: A technique is configured to maintain multiple copies of data served by storage nodes of a cluster during upgrade of a storage node to ensure continuous protection of the data served by the nodes. The data is logically organized as one or more volumes on storage devices of the cluster and includes metadata that describe the data of each volume. A data protection system may be configured to maintain at least two copies of the data in the cluster during upgrade to a storage node that is assigned to host one of the copies of the data but that is taken offline during the upgrade. As a result, an original slice service of the node may be rendered unavailable during the upgrade. In response, the technique redirects replicated data targeted to the original slice service to a standby pool of slice services in accordance with a degraded redundant metadata service of the cluster.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: James Philip Wittig, Forrest Trimbell, Daniel David McCarthy, Jared Cantwell, Mark Olson, Christopher Cason
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Patent number: 11175989Abstract: A technique provides efficient data protection, such as erasure coding, for data blocks of volumes served by storage nodes of a cluster. Data blocks associated with write requests of unpredictable client workload patterns may be compressed. A set of the compressed data blocks may be selected to form a write group and an erasure code may be applied to the group to algorithmically generate one or more encoded blocks in addition to the data blocks. Due to the unpredictability of the data workload patterns, the compressed data blocks may have varying sizes. A pool of the various-sized compressed data blocks may be established and maintained from which the data blocks of the write group are selected. Establishment and maintenance of the pool enables selection of compressed data blocks that are substantially close to the same size and, thus, that require minimal padding.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
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Publication number: 20210334160Abstract: A technique provides efficient data protection, such as erasure coding, for data blocks of volumes served by storage nodes of a cluster. Data blocks associated with write requests of unpredictable client workload patterns may be compressed. A set of the compressed data blocks may be selected to form a write group and an erasure code may be applied to the group to algorithmically generate one or more encoded blocks in addition to the data blocks. Due to the unpredictability of the data workload patterns, the compressed data blocks may have varying sizes. A pool of the various-sized compressed data blocks may be established and maintained from which the data blocks of the write group are selected. Establishment and maintenance of the pool enables selection of compressed data blocks that are substantially close to the same size and, thus, that require minimal padding.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2020Publication date: October 28, 2021Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
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Patent number: 11157372Abstract: A technique is configured to reduce an amount of memory (i.e., memory footprint) usage by each storage node of a cluster needed to store metadata while providing fast and efficient servicing of data in accordance with storage requests issued by a client of the cluster. Illustratively, a block identifier (ID) is used to identify a block of data serviced by the storage node. Metadata embodied as mappings between block IDs and locations of data blocks in the cluster are illustratively maintained in map fragments. A map fragment may be embodied as “active” map fragment or a “frozen” map fragment. An active map fragment refers to a map fragment that has space available to store a mapping, whereas a frozen map fragment refers to a map fragment that is full, i.e., has no available space for storing a mapping.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventor: Christopher Cason
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Publication number: 20210232314Abstract: A technique is configured to maintain multiple copies of data served by storage nodes of a cluster during upgrade of a storage node to ensure continuous protection of the data served by the nodes. The data is logically organized as one or more volumes on storage devices of the cluster and includes metadata that describe the data of each volume. A data protection system may be configured to maintain at least two copies of the data in the cluster during upgrade to a storage node that is assigned to host one of the copies of the data but that is taken offline during the upgrade. As a result, an original slice service of the node may be rendered unavailable during the upgrade. In response, the technique redirects replicated data targeted to the original slice service to a standby pool of slice services in accordance with a degraded redundant metadata service of the cluster.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2020Publication date: July 29, 2021Inventors: James Philip Wittig, Forrest Trimbell, Daniel David McCarthy, Jared Cantwell, Mark Olson, Christopher Cason