Patents by Inventor Ian James Mitchell

Ian James Mitchell 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: 9223823
    Abstract: Managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system, where the transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. Confirmation that the backout has completed is awaited before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log, and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 9110801
    Abstract: At least one physically inconsistent system resource is identified in response to a failure of an application, where the physically inconsistent system resource was left in a physically inconsistent state as a result of the failure of the application. Available backout operations for any system resources updated by the failed application other than the physically inconsistent system resource are ignored. An automated partial backout of the physically inconsistent system resource is performed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Kettley, Ian James Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9104471
    Abstract: A transaction processing system comprising a transaction log, a log management policy, a profile and a log manager, and method for managing the transaction log are provided. The method comprises maintaining a transaction log of recoverable changes made by transaction processing tasks, each task having an associated transaction type; storing a log management policy including at least one log threshold and a plurality of possible actions associated therewith; and storing a profile of log resource usage characteristics of tasks for different types of transactions. Usage of the log by transaction processing tasks is monitored to determine when a log threshold is reached. The profile indicates the normal logging behavior of particular types of transaction by identifying ranges of acceptable values for a plurality of log resource usage characteristics. Such characteristics may include time taken for a task to complete, CPU resource consumed, number of log records made, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen John Burghard, Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 9086911
    Abstract: A multiprocessing transaction recovery manager, operable with a transactional application manager and a resource manager, comprises a threadsafety indicator for receiving and storing positive and non-positive threadsafety data of at least one transactional component managed by one of the transactional application manager and the resource manager; a commit protocol component for performing commit processing for the at least one transactional component; and a thread selector responsive to positive threadsafety data for selecting a single thread for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component. The thread selector is further operable to select plural threads for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component responsive to non-positive threadsafety data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, John Simon Tilling
  • Patent number: 8918370
    Abstract: A method of dynamic allocation of program libraries to an application server is provided. In addition to a static allocation of libraries to the server at initialization time, libraries can be added to or removed from the set available to a server while that server is active. New libraries are created as resource objects specifying a set of locations from which programs can be loaded. Each library is allocated a ranking which the system can use to identify its place in the loader's search order relative to other libraries. New library resources are dynamically installed and added to a list of available libraries, including the system's pre-defined library of locations, in a position in the loader's search order determined in accordance with the allocated ranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher John Baker, Ian James Mitchell, Catherine Mary Moxey, Arthur James Neil, Jonathan Andrew Scott
  • Publication number: 20130275984
    Abstract: A multiprocessing transaction recovery manager, operable with a transactional application manager and a resource manager, comprises a threadsafety indicator for receiving and storing positive and non-positive threadsafety data of at least one transactional component managed by one of the transactional application manager and the resource manager; a commit protocol component for performing commit processing for the at least one transactional component; and a thread selector responsive to positive threadsafety data for selecting a single thread for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component. The thread selector is further operable to select plural threads for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component responsive to non-positive threadsafety data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, John Simon Tilling
  • Patent number: 8499298
    Abstract: A multiprocessing transaction recovery manager, operable with a transactional application manager and a resource manager, comprises a threadsafety indicator for receiving and storing positive and non-positive threadsafety data of at least one transactional component managed by one of the transactional application manager and the resource manager; a commit protocol component for performing commit processing for the at least one transactional component; and a thread selector responsive to positive threadsafety data for selecting a single thread for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component. The thread selector is further operable to select plural threads for the commit processing to be performed by the commit protocol component responsive to non-positive threadsafety data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, John Simon Tilling
  • Publication number: 20130185262
    Abstract: Managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system, where the transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. Confirmation that the backout has completed is awaited before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log, and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Ian James MITCHELL, Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 8341125
    Abstract: Managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system, where the transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. Confirmation that the backout has completed is awaited before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log, and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Publication number: 20120124021
    Abstract: Managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system, where the transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. Confirmation that the backout has completed is awaited before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log, and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 8140483
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system are provided. The transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. The method waits for confirmation that the backout has completed before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Publication number: 20100205478
    Abstract: At least one physically inconsistent system resource is identified in response to a failure of an application, where the physically inconsistent system resource was left in a physically inconsistent state as a result of the failure of the application. Available backout operations for any system resources updated by the failed application other than the physically inconsistent system resource are ignored. An automated partial backout of the physically inconsistent system resource is performed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Kettley, Ian James Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20090240742
    Abstract: A transaction processing system comprising a transaction log, a log management policy, a profile and a log manager, and method for managing the transaction log are provided. The method comprises maintaining a transaction log of recoverable changes made by transaction processing tasks, each task having an associated transaction type; storing a log management policy including at least one log threshold and a plurality of possible actions associated therewith; and storing a profile of log resource usage characteristics of tasks for different types of transactions. Usage of the log by transaction processing tasks is monitored to determine when a log threshold is reached. The profile indicates the normal logging behaviour of particular types of transaction by identifying ranges of acceptable values for a plurality of log resource usage characteristics. Such characteristics may include time taken for a task to complete, CPU resource consumed, number of log records made, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen John Burghard, Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Publication number: 20090089339
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system are provided. The transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. The method waits for confirmation that the backout has completed before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log and normal logging is resumed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Publication number: 20080243964
    Abstract: A method of dynamic allocation of program libraries to an application server is provided. In addition to a static allocation of libraries to the server at initialization time, libraries can be added to or removed from the set available to a server while that server is active. New libraries are created as resource objects specifying a set of locations from which programs can be loaded. Each library is allocated a ranking which the system can use to identify its place in the loader's search order relative to other libraries. New library resources are dynamically installed and added to a list of available libraries, including the system's pre-defined library of locations, in a position in the loader's search order determined in accordance with the allocated ranking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher John Baker, Ian James Mitchell, Catherine Mary Moxey, Arthur James Neil, Jonathan Andrew Scott
  • Patent number: 7349970
    Abstract: In a workload managed system comprising a plurality of server processes each capable of supporting a given program entity, such as an Enterprise JavaBeans™ specified stateful session bean, a stateful session bean instance is passivated, by writing it to a bean store, on completion of a unit of work. On next use the session bean is reactivated, by reading it from the bean store, in any one of the plurality of servers thereby allowing workload management for stateful session beans. A routing table is maintained, in non-volatile mass storage, that contains location information for units of work and stateful session bean instances, used to maintain unit of work-server affinity for the lifetime of the unit of work Stateful session beans instances are associated with ID keys that include a flag that is used to indicate whether or not the routing table contains location information for the bean instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Simon Clement, Ann Eleanor Dalton, Barry Dickinson, Thomas James Freund, Jonathan Peter Hoare Lawrence, Ian James Mitchell, Glyn Normington, Steven Powell, R. Anthony Storey
  • Publication number: 20070260908
    Abstract: To generate a recovery time estimate in a transaction environment, a system includes a recovery manager, a recovery file containing recovery data, a store of historical restart data, and a recovery time estimation component. The recovery manager includes a component which is operable to measure the volume of active data on the recovery file, and to generate a recovery time estimate based on the measured volume and the historical restart data. This recovery time estimate can then be used as a characteristic of the system's keypointing policy to provide a more flexible and efficient keypointing procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian James Mitchell, Andrew Wright
  • Publication number: 20040078782
    Abstract: In a workload managed system comprising a plurality of server processes each capable of supporting a given program entity, such as an Enterprise JavaBeans™ specified stateful session bean, a stateful session bean instance is passivated, by writing it to a bean store, on completion of a unit of work. On next use the session bean is reactivated, by reading it from the bean store, in any one of the plurality of servers thereby allowing workload management for stateful session beans. A routing table is maintained, in non-volatile mass storage, that contains location information for units of work and stateful session bean instances, used to maintain unit of work-server affinity for the lifetime of the unit of work Stateful session beans instances are associated with ID keys that include a flag that is used to indicate whether or not the routing table contains location information for the bean instance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Andrew Simon Clement, Ann Eleanor Dalton, Barry Dickinson, Thomas James Freund, Jonathan Peter Hoare Lawrence, Ian James Mitchell, Glyn Normington, Steven Powell, R Anthony Storey
  • Publication number: 20040068428
    Abstract: A business process software application (5) is arranged to perform a composite business process (10) which includes a number of business function components (20, 30), each of which is executable in order to provide a business software function. The business process application uses a temporal layout manager (40) to instantiate an executor (50, 60) for managing the execution of the business function components, such that the business function components (20, 30) are executed in an order defined by a user via the temporal layout manager (40) in order to perform the composite business process (10). In this way complex event handling for the coordination of the business function components is achieved by a simplified user interface for the selection of those activities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ian James Mitchell
  • Patent number: 6457042
    Abstract: An application server system has a constructed environment for executing application programs where the system has a plurality of processors, for receiving data from client requests and then modifying the constructed execution environment accordingly and for receiving and returning server data, and an interface for each of the processors, for receiving client request data and server data and returning server data, via the interface to/from its corresponding processor for modification of the execution environment and determination of server data to be returned. Each processor includes a receiving unit for calls containing client request data, a unit for processing the client request data and modifying the execution environment, and a unit for determining that another processor must be invoked, locating the other processor and invoking the other processor using the interface, and passing server data and client request data corresponding to the other processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jerzy Tadeusz Czaykowski, Ian James Mitchell, Steven Powell