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).

  • Publication number: 20250013614
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20240427799
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
  • Publication number: 20240370410
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Patent number: 12079242
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 12045207
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Patent number: 12038886
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20230367746
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Patent number: 11693737
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
  • Publication number: 20230121460
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Arindam Banerjee, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Ananthan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 11627097
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Austino Longo, Christopher Cason, Daniel McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20220391359
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Ravikanth Dronamraju, Ananthan Subramanian, Daniel McCarthy, Christopher Cason, Arindam Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20220278943
    Abstract: Systems and methods for quality of service management are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Austino Longo, Christopher Cason, Daniel McCarthy
  • Patent number: 11372544
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ankit Kumar, Christopher Cason, Daniel David McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20220091739
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Ankit Kumar, Christopher Cason, Daniel David McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20220075691
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
  • Patent number: 11194501
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: James Philip Wittig, Forrest Trimbell, Daniel David McCarthy, Jared Cantwell, Mark Olson, Christopher Cason
  • Patent number: 11175989
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
  • Publication number: 20210334160
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Sneheet Kumar Mishra, Daniel David McCarthy, Christopher Clark Corey, Austino Nicholas Longo, Christopher Cason
  • Patent number: 11157372
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Cason
  • Publication number: 20210232314
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: James Philip Wittig, Forrest Trimbell, Daniel David McCarthy, Jared Cantwell, Mark Olson, Christopher Cason