Patents by Inventor Gregory Edward McBride

Gregory Edward McBride 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: 20090043980
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for processing a request. When the request is to read a data unit, information regarding the closest physical block locations is returned. When the request is to write to the data unit, information regarding one or more source block locations is returned, wherein the write is applied to one or more source blocks of the data unit. When a number of requests for the data unit exceed a threshold level and at least one quality of a service policy is not being met, a copy of the one or more source blocks of the data unit is created at a location selected based on proximity to at least one client computer from which the number of requests are high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20090037497
    Abstract: Provided are a system and article of manufacture for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment. Data is stored at a primary storage site. A data structure is processed indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies. In response to processing the data structure, a determination is made of one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and a determination is made of at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency. The determined data set is transmitted to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tarek Makansi, Gregory Edward McBride, David Michael Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7487192
    Abstract: Provided is a method for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment. Data is stored at a primary storage site. A data structure is processed indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies. In response to processing the data structure, a determination is made of one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and a determination is made of at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency. The determined data set is transmitted to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tarek Makansi, Gregory Edward McBride, David Michael Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20090024812
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for copying writes from primary storages to secondary storages across different networks. A failure notification is communicated, using a first network protocol, from a primary device in a first group of at least one primary device and at least one corresponding primary storage managed by the at least one primary device to a control system in response to the primary device determining that a write to the primary storage cannot be copied to a corresponding secondary storage. A failure notification is communicated, using a second network protocol, from a primary device in a second group of at least one primary device and at least one corresponding primary storage managed by the at least one primary device to the control system in response to the primary device determining that a write to the corresponding primary storage cannot be copied to a corresponding secondary storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth Wayne Boyd, Kenneth Fairclough Day, III, Stephen Francis Edel, Gregory Edward McBride
  • Publication number: 20090024676
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for managing the copying of writes from primary storages to secondary storages across different networks. Information is maintained on a first group of at least one primary storage, at least one primary device managing Input/Output (I/O) access to the at least one primary storage, and at least one corresponding secondary storage to which writes to the at least one primary storage are copied and a second group of at least one primary storage, at least one primary device managing Input/Output (I/O) access to the at least one primary storage, and at least one corresponding secondary storage to which writes to the at least one primary storage are copied. A failure notification is received from one of the primary devices in the first or second group of a failure to copy a write from the primary device to the secondary device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth Wayne Boyd, Kenneth Fairclough Day, III, Stephen Francis Edel, Gregory Edward McBride
  • Patent number: 7478211
    Abstract: Provided are methods for copying storage, wherein a first unit receives data updates from a second unit. The data updates are stored in a plurality of physical storage locations associated with the first unit. Links are generated to at least one of the plurality of physical storage locations to achieve consistent data between the first unit and the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Michael Shackelford, Gregory Edward McBride
  • Publication number: 20090013015
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for distributing data. It is determined that a source storage device is becoming a bottleneck. One or more blocks to be moved from the source storage device to one or more other storage devices are identified. The one or more other storage devices are selected. Copy services are used to move the blocks from the source storage device to the one or more other storage devices. A metadata store is updated with locations of the blocks that have been moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7464124
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for processing a request. When the request is to read a data unit, information regarding the closest physical block locations is returned. When the request is to write to the data unit, information regarding one or more source block locations is returned, wherein the write is applied to one or more source blocks of the data unit. When a number of requests for the data unit exceed a threshold level and at least one quality of a service policy is not being met, a copy of the one or more source blocks of the data unit is created at a location selected based on proximity to at least one client computer from which the number of requests are high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7457930
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for distributing data. It is determined that a source storage device is becoming a bottleneck. One or more blocks to be moved from the source storage device to one or more other storage-devices are identified. The one or more other storage devices are selected. Copy services are used to move the blocks from the source storage device to the one or more other storage devices. A metadata store is updated with locations of the blocks that have been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20080209015
    Abstract: A technique for performing configuration checking of a network is provided. A network data store is scanned for at least one transaction. At least one event is generated for the transaction. At least one configuration policy is associated with the event. The configuration policy is compared with configuration data associated with the event. It is determined whether the configuration policy has been violated based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford, Gregory Edward McBride, James Mitchell Ratliff, Kaladhar Voruganti, Sandeep Gopisetty, Robert Beverley Basham, Dinesh C. Verma, Kang-Won Lee, Dakshi Agrawal, Brent William Yardley, Khalid Filali-Adib
  • Publication number: 20080205300
    Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for correcting a configuration problem. The configuration problem is detected. It is determined whether there is at least one solution for the configuration problem in a knowledge data store. When it is determined that there is at least one solution in the knowledge data store, automatically selecting a solution to solve the configuration problem. When said solution can be automatically applied, automatically applying said solution. When said solution cannot be automatically applied, notifying a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford, Gregory Edward McBride, James Mitchell Ratliff, Kaladhar Voruganti, Sandeep Gopisetty, Robert Beverley Basham, Dinesh C. Verma, Kang-Won Lee, Dakshi Agrawal, Brent William Yardley, Khalid Filali-Adib
  • Publication number: 20080189572
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for locating data. Mapping information for blocks associated with a file is provided. It is determined that a copy service has copied source blocks to target blocks. It is determined whether the mapping information should be updated to refer to the target blocks. Then, updated mapping information is provided in response to determining that the mapping information should be updated to refer to the target blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Publication number: 20080189341
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for initializing a synchronized remote database. A creation module creates a first backup table of a backup database from a schema for a primary table of a primary database. A read module reads each row from the primary table with an application server configured to manage access to the primary database by a database application. A construction module constructs a SQL command for each row of the primary table. Each SQL command inserts data of a primary table row in the first backup table. An application module applies each SQL command to the first backup table to mirror the primary table at the first backup table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: David Randall Blea, Errol Jay Calder, Gregory Edward McBride, Todd Benjamin Schlomer, John Jay Wolfgang
  • Publication number: 20080189340
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for synchronizing a remote database. A monitor module monitors an update from a database application to a primary table of a primary database. The update is communicated through an application server. The application server is configured to manage access to the primary database by the database application. A construction module constructs a SQL command in text format that is equivalent to the update. An update module applies the SQL command to a backup table of a backup database. The backup table is a logical mirror image of the primary table prior to the application of the update to the primary table. In one embodiment, a verification module verifies that the SQL command is successfully applied to the backup table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: David Randall Blea, Errol Jay Calder, Gregory Edward McBride, Todd Benjamin Schlomer, John Jay Wolfgang
  • Publication number: 20080172572
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for using virtual copies in a failover and failback environment. Updates are copied from a primary first storage at the primary site to a secondary first storage at the secondary site during system operations. A second storage is maintained at at least one of the primary and secondary sites. A failover is performed from the primary site to the secondary site after a failure at the primary site. The at least one second storage is used after recovery of the primary site to synchronize the secondary site to the primary site. Only updates made to the secondary site during the failover are copied to or from the at least one second storage in response to the recovery at the primary site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent Cameron Beardsley, Gregory Edward McBride, Robert Francis Bartfai
  • Patent number: 7397770
    Abstract: A technique for performing configuration checking of a network is provided. A network data store is scanned for at least one transaction. At least one event is generated for the transaction. At least one configuration policy is associated with the event. The configuration policy is compared with configuration data associated with the event. It is determined whether the configuration policy has been violated based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford, Gregory Edward McBride, James Mitchell Ratliff, Kaladhar Voruganti, Sandeep Gopisetty, Robert Beverley Basham, Dinesh C. Verma, Kang-Won Lee, Dakshi Agrawal, Brent William Yardley, Khalid Filali-Adib
  • Patent number: 7383406
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for locating data. Mapping information for blocks associated with a file is provided. It is determined that a copy service has copied source blocks to target blocks. It is determined whether the mapping information should be updated to refer to the target blocks. Then, updated mapping information is provided in response to determining that the mapping information should be updated to refer to the target blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Cuong Minh Le, David Michael Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7269701
    Abstract: A computer program for automatically pairing target resources 20 such as volumes or logical units to source resources 20 containing data to be copied. Available target pools 48, 50, 52, 54 of target volumes are determined eligible for copying based on a technical compatibility and a user-defined metric such as recovery point or recovery time. User defined metrics and a policy to implement the metrics may be stored in a medium and selected by a user. The source volumes are prioritized, and progressively larger segments of the eligible target pools are searched for a target volume that satisfies the technical compatibility and user-defined metric. Where subgroups such as nested volumes are present in the source volumes, subgroups are also prioritized for searching. Where no target volume can be paired, the corresponding source volume is marked as processed and a search begins for the next source volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Michael Shackelford, Gregory Edward McBride, David Randall Blea, Errol Jay Calder, Todd B. Schlomer, Jimmie Lee Brundidge
  • Patent number: 7130874
    Abstract: Provider are a method, system, and program for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment. Data is stored at a primary storage site. A data structure is processed indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies. In response to processing the data structure, a determination is made of one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and a determination is made of at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency. The determined data set is transmitted to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tarek Makansi, Gregory Edward McBride, David Michael Shackelford
  • Patent number: 7003706
    Abstract: Disclosed is an article of manufacture, system, and program for determining device suspension and device blocking. Local session cache usage and residual counts are compared against limit values associated with that session, wherein the limit values comprise a device blocking count, a device blocking percent, a suspend count, and a suspend percent for the local session. If a cache in trouble condition is detected based on the comparison, the cache in trouble condition is processed to determine whether one or more volumes are to be blocked or suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Edward McBride, Alan George McClure, Robert Nelson Crockett, Donald Reynold Blea