Patents by Inventor Colin R. DeVilbiss

Colin R. DeVilbiss 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: 20230089565
    Abstract: A first operation in a computing environment with a set of nodes is monitored. A subset of nodes that are utilized by the first operation is identified. The subset of nodes is a subset of the set of nodes. For each node in the subset of nodes, an operation counter for the respective node is incremented and an operation time for the first operation is added to a total operation timer for the respective node. For each node in the subset of nodes, the respective total operation timer is divided by the respective operation counter. A node in the subset of nodes that appears to be slow is identified based on the dividing. The data for multiple operations could be aggregated in the operation counters and total operation timers for each node within the set of nodes, enabling nodes that appear to be slow to be identified on aggregate data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Adrian C. Gerhard, Colin R. Devilbiss, Timothy J. Schimke
  • Patent number: 11184430
    Abstract: Automated dynamic load balancing across VNIC fast switchover devices including monitoring, by a resource monitor, resource utilization metrics of at least one resource used to send data along a first communications path through a hypervisor; in response to detecting, by the resource monitor based on the resource utilization metrics, that the at least one resource crosses a resource utilization threshold, sending a notification to a rebalancer, wherein the notification comprises a subset of the resource utilization metrics; generating, by the rebalancer based on the subset of the resource utilization metrics, a resource optimized mapping for the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path; and issuing, by the rebalancer, the resource optimized mapping to the hypervisor, wherein the hypervisor reconfigures, based on the resource optimized mapping, the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Steven E. Royer, Charles S. Graham
  • Publication number: 20200236161
    Abstract: Automated dynamic load balancing across VNIC fast switchover devices including monitoring, by a resource monitor, resource utilization metrics of at least one resource used to send data along a first communications path through a hypervisor; in response to detecting, by the resource monitor based on the resource utilization metrics, that the at least one resource crosses a resource utilization threshold, sending a notification to a rebalancer, wherein the notification comprises a subset of the resource utilization metrics; generating, by the rebalancer based on the subset of the resource utilization metrics, a resource optimized mapping for the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path; and issuing, by the rebalancer, the resource optimized mapping to the hypervisor, wherein the hypervisor reconfigures, based on the resource optimized mapping, the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: COLIN R. DEVILBISS, STEVEN E. ROYER, CHARLES S. GRAHAM
  • Patent number: 10705929
    Abstract: The present invention provides computer implemented method, system, and computer program product of switching servers without interrupting a client command-response queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, James B. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 10681117
    Abstract: Automated dynamic load balancing across VNIC fast switchover devices including monitoring, by a resource monitor, resource utilization metrics of at least one resource used to send data along a first communications path through a hypervisor; in response to detecting, by the resource monitor based on the resource utilization metrics, that the at least one resource crosses a resource utilization threshold, sending a notification to a rebalancer, wherein the notification comprises a subset of the resource utilization metrics; generating, by the rebalancer based on the subset of the resource utilization metrics, a resource optimized mapping for the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path; and issuing, by the rebalancer, the resource optimized mapping to the hypervisor, wherein the hypervisor reconfigures, based on the resource optimized mapping, the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Steven E. Royer, Charles S. Graham
  • Patent number: 10552271
    Abstract: The present invention provides computer implemented method, system, and computer program product of switching servers without interrupting a client command-response queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, James B. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20190356728
    Abstract: Automated dynamic load balancing across VNIC fast switchover devices including monitoring, by a resource monitor, resource utilization metrics of at least one resource used to send data along a first communications path through a hypervisor; in response to detecting, by the resource monitor based on the resource utilization metrics, that the at least one resource crosses a resource utilization threshold, sending a notification to a rebalancer, wherein the notification comprises a subset of the resource utilization metrics; generating, by the rebalancer based on the subset of the resource utilization metrics, a resource optimized mapping for the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path; and issuing, by the rebalancer, the resource optimized mapping to the hypervisor, wherein the hypervisor reconfigures, based on the resource optimized mapping, the at least one resource used to send data along the first communications path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: COLIN R. DEVILBISS, STEVEN E. ROYER, CHARLES S. GRAHAM
  • Publication number: 20190034300
    Abstract: The present invention provides computer implemented method, system, and computer program product of switching servers without interrupting a client command-response queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, James B. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20190034299
    Abstract: The present invention provides computer implemented method, system, and computer program product of switching servers without interrupting a client command-response queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, James B. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9628374
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing Ethernet link aggregation for logically independent entities that share a plurality of physical ports. A client operating system (OS) executing in a host computing system receives a selection of two or more logical Ethernet ports. Each logical Ethernet port is assigned to one of a plurality of physical Ethernet ports of a network adapter. The client OS generates a first link aggregate from the logical Ethernet ports. System firmware assigns an identifier to the first link aggregate that associates an aggregate configuration with the first link aggregate. The firmware registers the aggregate configuration with a network device that maintains configurations of at least a second link aggregate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, Timothy J. Schimke
  • Patent number: 9552264
    Abstract: Virtual Network Interface Connection (VNIC) is a client-server protocol that virtualizes access to a single physical Ethernet network adapter. “Dedicated VNIC” describes a configuration where a VNIC server is connected to a single VNIC client via a command/response queue (CRQ), allowing minimal overhead when communicating between the client and the Ethernet network adapter. A VNIC server failover mechanism includes multiple VNIC servers on a prioritized list. The top VNIC server on the prioritized list is selected to serve a VNIC client when a CRQ is opened by the client. When the selected VNIC server stops working, the VNIC server failover mechanism selects the next VNIC client in the prioritized list as the active VNIC server, and establishes a connection to the VNIC client's CRQ. In this manner, recovery of a failure in a VNIC server is done in a way that does not require any changes to the VNIC client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Charles S. Graham, Nicholas J. Rogness, Kristopher C. Whitney
  • Patent number: 9537798
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing Ethernet link aggregation over physical ports shared by logically independent entities. An aggregation manager receives a frame at a first logical port that receives frames targeted to at least a second logical port. A client operating system receives the frame at the second logical port. The aggregation manager determines whether the second logical port received the frame. Upon determining that the second logical port did not receive the frame, the aggregation manager forwards the frame to the client OS via a sideband interface associated with the client OS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin R. Devilbiss, Charles S. Graham, Timothy J. Schimke
  • Patent number: 9473400
    Abstract: Virtual Network Interface Connection (VNIC) is a client-server protocol that virtualizes access to a single physical Ethernet network adapter. “Dedicated VNIC” describes a configuration where a VNIC server is connected to a single VNIC client via a command/response queue (CRQ), allowing minimal overhead when communicating between the client and the Ethernet network adapter. A VNIC server failover mechanism includes multiple VNIC servers on a prioritized list. The top VNIC server on the prioritized list is selected to serve a VNIC client when a CRQ is opened by the client. When the selected VNIC server stops working, the VNIC server failover mechanism selects the next VNIC client in the prioritized list as the active VNIC server, and establishes a connection to the VNIC client's CRQ. In this manner, recovery of a failure in a VNIC server is done in a way that does not require any changes to the VNIC client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Charles S. Graham, Nicholas J. Rogness, Kristopher C. Whitney
  • Patent number: 8750120
    Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce table lookups and network traffic are provided. A bridging device may receive a unicast frame to be bridged. The unicast frame may be transmitted to at least one network of a plurality of networks. The bridging device may determine if the unicast frame was successfully delivered to the at least one network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Scott T. Robinson
  • Publication number: 20130107710
    Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce table lookups and network traffic are provided. A bridging device may receive a unicast frame to be bridged. The unicast frame may be transmitted to at least one network of a plurality of networks. The bridging device may determine if the unicast frame was successfully delivered to the at least one network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Scott T. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8135934
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product dynamically allocate limited system memory for direct memory access (DMA) among a plurality of input/output (I/O) adapters in a system partition. Initially a minimum entitlement of I/O entitled memory capacity is allocated to each of the respective multiple I/O adapters. The minimum entitlement enables operation of an I/O adapter driver. Additional entitlement of I/O entitled memory capacity is selectively allocated based upon I/O demands of each I/O adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Wayne G. Holm, David B. Murray, Kristopher C. Whitney
  • Publication number: 20100306494
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product dynamically allocate limited system memory for direct memory access (DMA) among a plurality of input/output (I/O) adapters in a system partition. Initially a minimum entitlement of I/O entitled memory capacity is allocated to each of the respective multiple I/O adapters. The minimum entitlement enables operation of an I/O adapter driver. Additional entitlement of I/O entitled memory capacity is selectively allocated based upon I/O demands of each I/O adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin R. DeVilbiss, Wayne G. Holm, David B. Murray, Kristopher C. Whitney