Patents by Inventor Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister

Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister 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: 9529682
    Abstract: A network-based services provider may reserve and provision primary resource instance capacity for a given service (e.g., enough compute instances, storage instances, or other virtual resource instances to implement the service) in one or more availability zones, and may designate contingency resource instance capacity for the service in another availability zone (without provisioning or reserving the contingency instances for the exclusive use of the service). For example, the service provider may provision resource instance(s) for a database engine head node in one availability zone and designate resource instance capacity for another database engine head node in another availability zone without instantiating the other database engine head node. While the service operates as expected using the primary resource instance capacity, the contingency resource capacity may be leased to other entities on a spot market. Leases for contingency instance capacity may be revoked when needed for the given service (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Samuel James McKelvie, Anurag Windlass Gupta
  • Publication number: 20160323154
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for tracking service requests are described. Embodiments may include call tree generation logic configured to receive multiple request identifiers associated with a respective one of multiple service requests. Each given request identifier may include an origin identifier, a depth value, and a request stack comprising one or more interaction identifiers. The call tree generation logic may also be configured to, based on multiple request identifiers that each include an origin identifier associated with a particular root request, generating a data structure that specifies a hierarchy of services called to fulfill that particular root request. Based on one or more of the interaction identifiers and one or more of the depth values, the generated data structure may specify for each given service of the hierarchy: a parent service that called the given service, and one or more child services called by the given service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff B. Beal, Alan Stuart Robbins, Jeromey R. Goetz, Brandon William Porter, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Joseph L. Ellsworth
  • Publication number: 20160253400
    Abstract: A replicated database can be provisioned that provides primary and secondary replicas that can be provisioned in different data zones or geographical locations. The database can be installed on the primary replica, and both the primary and secondary replica can have installed a block level replication mechanism that allows any I/O operation to be replicated by between the primary and secondary replicas. Any failure or outage of the primary replica can be addressed by performing a failover operation to the secondary replica. A DNS name or other such approach can be used such that the name can be aliased to the secondary replica during a failover, such that there is no action needed on the part of the customer to utilize the “new” primary replica. The creation of the database and provisioning of the replicated instance can be initiated using a Web service call to a control environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Swaminathan Sivasubramanian
  • Patent number: 9432459
    Abstract: A system that implements a scalable data storage service may maintain tables in a non-relational data store on behalf of clients. The system may provide a Web services interface through which service requests are received, and an API usable to request that a table be created, deleted, or described; that an item be stored, retrieved, deleted, or its attributes modified; or that a table be queried (or scanned) with filtered items and/or their attributes returned. An asynchronous workflow may be invoked to create or delete a table. Items stored in tables may be partitioned and indexed using a simple or composite primary key. The system may not impose pre-defined limits on table size, and may employ a flexible schema. The service may provide a best-effort or committed throughput model. The system may automatically scale and/or re-partition tables in response to detecting workload changes, node failures, or other conditions or anomalies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Stefano Stefani, Chiranjeeb Buragahain, Rande A. Blackman, Timothy Andrew Rath, Raymond S. Bradford, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Jakub Kulesza, James R. Hamilton, Luis Felipe Cabrera
  • Publication number: 20160210205
    Abstract: Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can periodically communicate with a primary and a secondary replica for an instance, with each capable of residing in a separate data zone or geographic location to provide a level of reliability and availability. A database running on the primary instance can have information synchronously replicated to the secondary replica at a block level, such that the primary and secondary replicas are in sync. In the event that the monitoring component is not able to communicate with one of the replicas, the monitoring component can attempt to determine whether those replicas can communicate with each other, as well as whether the replicas have the same data generation version. Depending on the state information, the monitoring component can automatically perform a recovery operation, such as to failover to the secondary replica or perform secondary replica recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: GRANT ALEXANDER MACDONALD MCALISTER, SWAMINATHAN SIVASUBRAMANIAN
  • Patent number: 9336292
    Abstract: A replicated database can be provisioned that provides primary and secondary replicas located in different data zones or geographical locations. The database can be installed on the primary replica, and both the primary and secondary replica can include a block level replication mechanism that allows any I/O operation to be replicated between the replicas. Any failure of the primary replica can be addressed by performing a failover operation to the secondary replica. A DNS name or other such approach can be used such that the name can be aliased to the secondary replica during a failover. The creation of the database and provisioning of the replicated instance can be initiated using a Web service call to a control environment. A replicated database can also be scaled according to storage or computing capacity with no disruption of service using a Web service call to the control environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Swaminathan Sivasubramanian
  • Patent number: 9298728
    Abstract: Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can periodically communicate with a primary and a secondary replica for an instance, with each capable of residing in a separate data zone or geographic location to provide a level of reliability and availability. A database running on the primary instance can have information synchronously replicated to the secondary replica at a block level, such that the primary and secondary replicas are in sync. In the event that the monitoring component is not able to communicate with one of the replicas, the monitoring component can attempt to determine whether those replicas can communicate with each other, as well as whether the replicas have the same data generation version. Depending on the state information, the monitoring component can automatically perform a recovery operation, such as to failover to the secondary replica or perform secondary replica recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Swaminathan Sivasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20160085643
    Abstract: A network-based services provider may reserve and provision primary resource instance capacity for a given service (e.g., enough compute instances, storage instances, or other virtual resource instances to implement the service) in one or more availability zones, and may designate contingency resource instance capacity for the service in another availability zone (without provisioning or reserving the contingency instances for the exclusive use of the service). For example, the service provider may provision resource instance(s) for a database engine head node in one availability zone and designate resource instance capacity for another database engine head node in another availability zone without instantiating the other database engine head node. While the service operates as expected using the primary resource instance capacity, the contingency resource capacity may be leased to other entities on a spot market. Leases for contingency instance capacity may be revoked when needed for the given service (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: GRANT ALEXANDER MACDONALD MCALISTER, SAMUEL JAMES MCKELVIE, ANURAG WINDLASS GUPTA
  • Publication number: 20160077929
    Abstract: A method for backing up a database includes identifying n portions of a database wherein each of the n portions is greater than 0% and less than 100% of the database. The method also includes performing a complete backup of a first 1/n portion of the database and performing an incremental backup on the remaining (n?1)/n portion of the database, and for each subsequent backup, performing a complete backup of a next 1/n portion of the database and performing an incremental backup on the remaining (n?1)/n portion of the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: GRANT ALEXANDER MACDONALD MCALISTER
  • Publication number: 20160004731
    Abstract: The values of various operating and/or configuration parameters of a data environment are managed using a set of self-service Web services and interfaces of a separate control environment. A customer can submit a Web services call into an externally-facing application programming interface (API) or other such externally-facing interface of the control environment. The API receiving the call, as well as information extracted from the call, can be used to determine appropriate adjustments to be performed in the data environment. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks used to validate and/or apply the adjustments to the target resources, such as databases, data instances, data stores, instance classes, etc. Various real-time functions such as monitoring and auto-scaling also can be performed via the control plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: SWAMINATHAN SIVASUBRAMANIAN, GRANT ALEXANDER MACDONALD MCALISTER, RAJESH SUDHAKAR SHETH
  • Patent number: 9218245
    Abstract: Aspects of a data environment, such as the cloning, hibernation, and recovery of databases, are managed using a separate control environment. A monitoring component of the control environment can periodically communicate with the data environment to determine any necessary actions to be performed, such as to recover from faults or events for a data instance in the data environment. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks necessary to perform actions such as recovery, hibernation, resumption from hibernation, or backup or cloning. Tasks of the workflow can cause certain jobs to be performed by host managers in the data environment to affect calls made to the control environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Milovan Milovanovic
  • Patent number: 9207984
    Abstract: Aspects of a data environment, such as various capacities of data stores and instances, can be managed using a separate control environment. A monitoring component of the control environment can periodically communicate with the data environment to obtain performance information. The information is analyzed, using algorithms such as trending and extrapolation algorithms, to determine any recommended scaling of resources in the data environment. The scaling can be performed automatically, or as authorized by a customer. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks necessary to perform the scaling. The scaling of storage capacity can be performed without affecting the availability of the data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Milovan Milovanovic
  • Patent number: 9208032
    Abstract: A network-based services provider may reserve and provision primary resource instance capacity for a given service (e.g., enough compute instances, storage instances, or other virtual resource instances to implement the service) in one or more availability zones, and may designate contingency resource instance capacity for the service in another availability zone (without provisioning or reserving the contingency instances for the exclusive use of the service). For example, the service provider may provision resource instance(s) for a database engine head node in one availability zone and designate resource instance capacity for another database engine head node in another availability zone without instantiating the other database engine head node. While the service operates as expected using the primary resource instance capacity, the contingency resource capacity may be leased to other entities on a spot market. Leases for contingency instance capacity may be revoked when needed for the given service (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Samuel James McKelvie, Anurag Windlass Gupta
  • Patent number: 9135283
    Abstract: The values of various operating and/or configuration parameters of a data environment are managed using a set of self-service Web services and interfaces of a separate control environment. A customer can submit a Web services call into an externally-facing application programming interface (API) or other such externally-facing interface of the control environment. The API receiving the call, as well as information extracted from the call, can be used to determine appropriate adjustments to be performed in the data environment. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks used to validate and/or apply the adjustments to the target resources, such as databases, data instances, data stores, instance classes, etc. Various real-time functions such as monitoring and auto-scaling also can be performed via the control plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Rajesh Sudhakar Sheth
  • Patent number: 9122741
    Abstract: Described herein are system and methods for mitigating index contention issues in databases. The database server may generate additional storage locations to prevent overloading one or more current storage locations. A variety of database conditions may be used to trigger an increase or decrease in storage locations. In one embodiment, more storage locations may be generated when the amount of data records waiting to be written at a storage location exceeds or equals a threshold amount. Likewise, the database server may reduce the amount of current storage locations when the amount of data records is less than a threshold amount. The record identifiers may incorporate a location reference for their designated storage location. The reference may be a string that includes numbers, letters, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander Macdonald McAlister, Chelsea C. Krueger, Dallas L. Willett, Michael J. Russo, Ramnath R. Iyer
  • Publication number: 20150112999
    Abstract: A system that implements a scalable data storage service may maintain tables in a non-relational data store on behalf of clients. The system may provide a Web services interface through which service requests are received, and an API usable to request that a table be created, deleted, or described; that an item be stored, retrieved, deleted, or its attributes modified; or that a table be queried (or scanned) with filtered items and/or their attributes returned. An asynchronous workflow may be invoked to create or delete a table. Items stored in tables may be partitioned and indexed using a simple or composite primary key. The system may not impose pre-defined limits on table size, and may employ a flexible schema. The service may provide a best-effort or committed throughput model. The system may automatically scale and/or re-partition tables in response to detecting workload changes, node failures, or other conditions or anomalies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: SWAMINATHAN SIVASUBRAMANIAN, STEFANO STEFANI, CHIRANJEEB BURAGAHAIN, RANDE A. BLACKMAN, TIMOTHY ANDREW RATH, RAYMOND S. BRADFORD, GRANT ALEXANDER MACDONALD MCALISTER, JAKUB KULESZA, JAMES R. HAMILTON, LUIS FELIPE CABRERA
  • Patent number: 8918435
    Abstract: A system that implements a scalable data storage service may maintain tables in a non-relational data store on behalf of clients. The system may provide a Web services interface through which service requests are received, and an API usable to request that a table be created, deleted, or described; that an item be stored, retrieved, deleted, or its attributes modified; or that a table be queried (or scanned) with filtered items and/or their attributes returned. An asynchronous workflow may be invoked to create or delete a table. Items stored in tables may be partitioned and indexed using a simple or composite primary key. The system may not impose pre-defined limits on table size, and may employ a flexible schema. The service may provide a best-effort or committed throughput model. The system may automatically scale and/or re-partition tables in response to detecting workload changes, node failures, or other conditions or anomalies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Stefano Stefani, Chiranjeeb Buragahain, Rande A. Blackman, Timothy Andrew Rath, Raymond S. Bradford, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Jakub Kulesza, James R. Hamilton, Luis Felipe Cabrera
  • Publication number: 20140229698
    Abstract: Aspects of a data environment, such as the creation, provisioning, and management of data stores and instances, are managed using a separate control environment. A user can call into an externally-facing interface of the control environment, the call being analyzed to determine actions to be performed in the data environment. A monitoring component of the control plane also can periodically communicate with the data environment to determine any necessary actions to be performed, such as to recover from faults or events in the data environment. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks necessary to perform the action. For each task, state information can be passed to a component in the data environment operable to perform the task, until all tasks for an action are completed. Data in the data environment can be accessed directly using an externally-facing interface of the data environment, without accessing the control plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Paul David Franklin, Rajesh Sudhakar Sheth, James Horsley
  • Publication number: 20140201363
    Abstract: Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can obtain a lease enabling the component to periodically communicate with, and monitor, one or more data instances in the data environment, where the data instance can be a replicated instance including a primary and a secondary replica. For a large number of instances, the data environment can be partitioned such that each monitoring component can be assigned a partition of the workload. In the event of a failure of a monitoring component, the instances can be repartitioned and the remaining monitoring components can be assigned to the new partitions to substantially evenly distribute the workload.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Barry B. Hunter, JR., Silas M. Brazil
  • Patent number: 8706764
    Abstract: Aspects of a data environment, such as the creation, provisioning, and management of data stores and instances, are managed using a separate control environment. A user can call into an interface of the control environment, the call being analyzed to determine actions to be performed in the data environment. A monitoring component of the control plane also can periodically communicate with the data environment to determine any necessary actions to be performed, such as to recover from faults or events in the data environment. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks necessary to perform the action. For each task, state information can be passed to a component in the data environment operable to perform the task, until all tasks for an action are completed. Data in the data environment can be accessed directly using a separate interface of the data environment, without accessing the control plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Paul David Franklin, Rajesh Sudhakar Sheth, James Horsley