Patents by Inventor Donald MacGregor

Donald MacGregor 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: 11030038
    Abstract: Performance data is collected for input/output operations executed at a storage device of a plurality of storage devices of a software-defined storage network. Based on the collected performance data, a time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device is determined. A characteristic time-based I/O performance profile is determined for a representative group of storage devices having common characteristics with the storage device and based on previously collected performance data for devices of the representative group. It is determined that the difference between the time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device and the characteristic time-based I/O performance profile exceeds a predetermined deviance threshold that is indicative of a probable failure of the storage device. An indication is generated that the storage device exceeded the predetermined deviance threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cosmos Darwin, Bryan S. Matthew, Donald MacGregor, Scott Chao-Chueh Lee
  • Patent number: 10983855
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating and utilizing a time-based distribution of I/O latency and other performance characteristics to identify potential device failures in a system that includes storage devices, such as a distributed software-defined storage system. A user interface is implemented that allows users to request and selectively view I/O latency and other data over a configurable time-based or histogram-based distribution. The user interface further enables comparison of the I/O latency distribution to data from other devices in the same class to identify potential failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cosmos Darwin, Bryan S. Matthew, Donald MacGregor, Scott Chao-Chueh Lee
  • Publication number: 20200257581
    Abstract: Performance data is collected for input/output operations executed at a storage device of a plurality of storage devices of a software-defined storage network. Based on the collected performance data, a time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device is determined. A characteristic time-based I/O performance profile is determined for a representative group of storage devices having common characteristics with the storage device and based on previously collected performance data for devices of the representative group. It is determined that the difference between the time-based I/O performance profile for the storage device and the characteristic time-based I/O performance profile exceeds a predetermined deviance threshold that is indicative of a probable failure of the storage device. An indication is generated that the storage device exceeded the predetermined deviance threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Cosmos DARWIN, Bryan S. MATTHEW, Donald MACGREGOR, Scott Chao-Chueh LEE
  • Publication number: 20200257448
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating and utilizing a time-based distribution of I/O latency and other performance characteristics to identify potential device failures in a system that includes storage devices, such as a distributed software-defined storage system. A user interface is implemented that allows users to request and selectively view I/O latency and other data over a configurable time-based or histogram-based distribution. The user interface further enables comparison of the I/O latency distribution to data from other devices in the same class to identify potential failures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Cosmos Darwin, Bryan S. Matthew, Donald MacGregor, Scott Chao-Chueh Lee
  • Patent number: 10180869
    Abstract: Monitoring the health of a computer system and suggesting an order of repair when problems within the computer system have been identified. Problem(s) and problem entity(s) within the computer system are identified during monitoring. Relationship(s) of the problem entities with other entities in the computer system are identified. A relationship type for each of the identified relationship(s) is determined. A combination of the identified problem(s), the identified problem entity(s), and the determined relationship type(s) is analyzed to determine an order in which repairs of one or more user-visible entities of the computing system should occur in order to address the identified problem(s). An alert comprising the determined order of the repairs is then presented to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Say Go, Donald MacGregor, Gregorio Maeso, Noah Aaron Cedar Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170235629
    Abstract: Monitoring the health of a computer system and suggesting an order of repair when problems within the computer system have been identified. Problem(s) and problem entity(s) within the computer system are identified during monitoring. Relationship(s) of the problem entities with other entities in the computer system are identified. A relationship type for each of the identified relationship(s) is determined. A combination of the identified problem(s), the identified problem entity(s), and the determined relationship type(s) is analyzed to determine an order in which repairs of one or more user-visible entities of the computing system should occur in order to address the identified problem(s). An alert comprising the determined order of the repairs is then presented to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander Say Go, Donald MacGregor, Gregorio Maeso, Noah Aaron Cedar Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170237602
    Abstract: Monitoring the health of a computer system based on the relationships of entities, and the intelligent presentation of alerts based thereon. A rule-based engine may perform the monitoring and alerting. Problem(s) and problem entity(s) within a computing system are identified during the monitoring. Relationship(s) of the problem entity(s) with other entities in the computer system are then identified. A relationship type for each of the identified relationship(s) is determined. A combination of the identified problem(s), the identified problem entity(s), and the determined relationship type(s) are analyzed to determine root cause(s) of the problem(s). Based on the root cause(s), an alert is presented to a user comprising one or more actions the user can take regarding one or more user-visible entities of the computer system to fix the identified problem(s). The alerts may be fewer in number and more intuitive due to the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Andrea DAmato, Alexander Say Go, Donald MacGregor, Galen Dean Barbee, Noah Aaron Cedar Davidson, Gregorio Maeso
  • Patent number: 8874720
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring telecommunications network elements, especially where direct access to those network elements is not available. The invention allows a network manager to build and maintain significant relationship information, as well as model the state of network elements with a high degree of accuracy, but based only on the information contained within the transactions built from the network traffic which is being monitored. In particular, it allows the network manager to obtain the same results that would previously have required direct access to an operator's network elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Gilmour, Donald MacGregor Scobbie, Gavin David Lauchlan, Stuart Edward Thomson
  • Patent number: 8737243
    Abstract: Properties of data transmission are measured in a telecommunications network (2) comprising an access network segment (6) and a core network segment (4). A packet switched network endpoint device (10) in communication with the access network segment passively monitors data throughput between the telecommunication network and the endpoint device and conducts active tests of data transmission latency and data transmission loss by exchanging active test data packets with an active test server (8). Test result data is transmitted to the active test server in active test data packets (106, 118), avoiding additional network traffic. Active tests are conducted from the application layer. The resulting metrics accurately represent the experience of users of the endpoint devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ciqual Limited
    Inventor: Donald MacGregor Scobbie
  • Patent number: 8331246
    Abstract: A measurement system comprises a pair of probes located at different points in a communications network. The probes generate transaction records related to messages observed, an exchange of the messages constituting a transaction. The transaction records are passed to a data store, the data store being mined by a correlator engine to match transaction records. The timestamps contained in the matching transaction records obtained are used to calculate a transit metric by a measurement engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Donald MacGregor Scobbie
  • Publication number: 20110170433
    Abstract: Properties of data transmission are measured in a telecommunications network (2) comprising an access network segment (6) and a core network segment (4). A packet switched network endpoint device (10) in communication with the access network segment passively monitors data throughput between the telecommunication network and the endpoint device and conducts active tests of data transmission latency and data transmission loss by exchanging active test data packets with an active test server (8). Test result data is transmitted to the active test server in active test data packets (106, 118), avoiding additional network traffic. Active tests are conducted from the application layer. The resulting metrics accurately represent the experience of users of the endpoint devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: CIQUAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Donald MacGregor SCOBBIE
  • Patent number: 7720028
    Abstract: In the field of monitoring communications systems, it is necessary for a monitoring system to be aware of an association of a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC) and an IP Address of a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) of a first network when a mobile terminal is roaming into a second network. Probes monitoring links with the second network generate transaction data. The transaction data is generated from messages communicated as part of a dialogue to establish a data “tunnel” between a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) of the second network and the GGSN of the first network. The MCC, MNC and IP address data are extracted from the transaction data and used to update an address network name table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Angus Maclean, Paul Maurice Saunders, Donald MacGregor Scobbie
  • Patent number: 7313108
    Abstract: A method of creating service usage records summarising usage of mobile data communications services, comprises monitoring message packets traversing a signalling link between a serving support node and a gateway support node, these message packets including packets for tunnelling data being transported by a mobile data communications service. First information is extracted from the data tunnelling packets, relating to data being tunnelled by said packets, and second information is extracted, relating to implementation of the data tunnelling. The correlating said first and second information are correlated to generate a service usage record. A source of data packets can be characterised by examining a tunnel destination address in each monitored message packet, and characterising the message packet as mobile-originated if the tunnel destination address is a gateway support node and as mobile-terminated if the tunnel destination address is a serving support node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald MacGregor Scobbie
  • Publication number: 20040264405
    Abstract: A method of creating service usage records summarising usage of mobile data communications services, comprises monitoring message packets traversing a signalling link between a serving support node and a gateway support node, these message packets including packets for tunnelling data being transported by a mobile data communications service. First information is extracted from the data tunnelling packets, relating to data being tunnelled by said packets, and second information is extracted, relating to implementation of the data tunnelling. The correlating said first and second information are correlated to generate a service usage record. A source of data packets can be characterised by examining a tunnel destination address in each monitored message packet, and characterising the message packet as mobile-originated if the tunnel destination address is a gateway support node and as mobile-terminated if the tunnel destination address is a serving support node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald MacGregor Scobbie