Patents by Inventor David Allen Feathergill

David Allen Feathergill 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: 9569446
    Abstract: Examples of systems and methods for cataloging image-based backups are disclosed. In certain implementations, these systems and methods can obtain information about file system structure from a volume undergoing image-based backup. The systems and methods can generate a catalog of the file system structure that can be stored with the backup image. The systems and methods can generate a searchable index of the catalog so that users can search for files within the backup image without being required to manually mount the backup image containing the searched-for file. As a result, in certain embodiments, users advantageously can more quickly locate and restore files from image-based backups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Software Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Feathergill, Matthew S. Hrycko
  • Patent number: 9547562
    Abstract: A boot restore system and associated processes for rapidly restoring virtual machine images are described. The boot restore system can boot a virtual machine from a set of one or more backup files in a backup repository. The boot restore system can make the backup set available for use by the virtual machine immediately or otherwise rapidly. Thus, users may not have to wait for an actual virtual disk image to be copied to a separate file system before accessing the restored backup set. While a user is accessing the virtual machine, a live migration process can migrate the backup set to a target file system, without any disruption or substantial disruption in use of the running virtual machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Software Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox
  • Patent number: 9311318
    Abstract: Improved backup and storage operations are disclosed for virtual computing environments using a backup proxy server to perform storage operations on one or more virtual machine disks. The proxy server can include a module that intercepts application programming interface (API) calls, for writing backup data to a first location, prior to the data arriving on the proxy disk. During the intercept process, the data can be compressed in memory pages of the proxy server and redirected to an alternative backup disk location. The proxy server can also include a differential engine that identifies changes to the virtual machine disk at the block level since the last full backup. The differential engine can advantageously leverage memory pages of the proxy server to compare differences between signatures of blocks of the last full backup with signatures of new blocks. Subsequently, only blocks with non-matching signatures are processed for backup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Dell Software Inc.
    Inventors: Delano Xavier Afonso, David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox, Jeremy Christopher Herman
  • Patent number: 8898114
    Abstract: Multitier deduplication can reduce the amount of bandwidth and storage resources used during deduplication. In certain embodiments, the system can determine if a data block is stored in a first archive data storage. If so, the system can skip the data block. If not, the system can determine if the data block is stored or identified in a second archive data storage. In various implementations, the first archive data storage can be local to the system and the second archive data storage can be a global archive that may be remote from the system. The system can create a map of a plurality of backups stored at the first archive enabling the system to quickly check multiple archives. The multitier data deduplication can filter out inactive data blocks during or before performing the deduplication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Software Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox
  • Patent number: 8856790
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing operations on a host system with one or more virtual machines without persistently storing an agent or daemon thereon. In certain examples, a management server is configured to inject dependencies, such as binary data, over a network to the host system for performing a requested operation. For instance, systems and methods can establish a secure shell (SSH) port forwarding connection through which dependencies stored on the management server are injected into a service console of the host system. The injected dependencies can then be executed and/or used to perform the requested operation, such as a backup or compression operation on virtual machine data. Once the requested operation has completed, the injected binaries are preferably removed from the host system so as to conserve system resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Software Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Feathergill, Dimitry Kherson
  • Patent number: 8429649
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing operations on a host system with one or more virtual machines without persistently storing an agent or daemon thereon. In certain examples, a management server is configured to inject dependencies, such as binary data, over a network to the host system for performing a requested operation. For instance, systems and methods can establish a secure shell (SSH) port forwarding connection through which dependencies stored on the management server are injected into a service console of the host system. The injected dependencies can then be executed and/or used to perform the requested operation, such as a backup or compression operation on virtual machine data. Once the requested operation has completed, the injected binaries are preferably removed from the host system so as to conserve system resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Feathergill, Dimitry Kherson
  • Patent number: 8375003
    Abstract: Improved backup and storage operations are disclosed for virtual computing environments using a backup proxy server to perform storage operations on one or more virtual machine disks. The proxy server can include a module that intercepts application programming interface (API) calls, for writing backup data to a first location, prior to the data arriving on the proxy disk. During the intercept process, the data can be compressed in memory pages of the proxy server and redirected to an alternative backup disk location. The proxy server can also include a differential engine that identifies changes to the virtual machine disk at the block level since the last full backup. The differential engine can advantageously leverage memory pages of the proxy server to compare differences between signatures of blocks of the last full backup with signatures of new blocks. Subsequently, only blocks with non-matching signatures are processed for backup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Vizioncore, Inc.
    Inventors: Delano Xavier Afonso, David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox, Jeremy Christopher Herman
  • Patent number: 8335902
    Abstract: Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Vizioncore, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Feathergill
  • Patent number: 8166265
    Abstract: Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Vizioncore, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Feathergill
  • Patent number: 8135930
    Abstract: Hybrid replication systems and methods for a virtual computing environment utilize snapshot rotation and differential replication. During snapshot rotation, data modifications intended for a source virtual machine disk (VMDK) are captured by a primary snapshot. Once a particular criterion is satisfied, the data modifications are redirected to a secondary snapshot while the primary snapshot is committed to both source and target VMDKs. The secondary snapshot is then promoted to primary, and a new secondary snapshot is created with writes redirected thereto. If the VMDKs become out-of-sync, disclosed systems can automatically perform a differential scan of the source data and send only the required changes to the target server. Once the two data sets are synchronized, snapshot replication can begin at the previously configured intervals. Certain systems further provide for planned failover copy operations and/or account for migration of a virtual machine during the copying of multiple VMDKs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Vizioncore, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Mattox, David Allen Feathergill, Delano Xavier Afonso, Jeremy Christopher Herman, Thomas H. Bryant, III
  • Patent number: 8060476
    Abstract: Improved backup and storage operations are disclosed for virtual computing environments using a backup proxy server to perform storage operations on one or more virtual machine disks. The proxy server can include a module that intercepts application programming interface (API) calls, for writing backup data to a first location, prior to the data arriving on the proxy disk. During the intercept process, the data can be compressed in memory pages of the proxy server and redirected to an alternative backup disk location. The proxy server can also include a differential engine that identifies changes to the virtual machine disk at the block level since the last full backup. The differential engine can advantageously leverage memory pages of the proxy server to compare differences between signatures of blocks of the last full backup with signatures of new blocks. Subsequently, only blocks with non-matching signatures are processed for backup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Delano Xavier Afonso, David Allen Feathergill, Jason Mattox, Jeremy Christopher Herman
  • Patent number: 8046550
    Abstract: Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Feathergill
  • Publication number: 20100011178
    Abstract: Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: VIZIONCORE, INC.
    Inventor: David Allen Feathergill