Patents by Inventor Kenneth Halligan

Kenneth Halligan 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: 8667494
    Abstract: Described are techniques for allocating resources. Two consumer processes using two resources are provided. A first threshold of a first of the resources for a first of said two consumer processes is provided. A second threshold of a second of said resources for said first consumer process is provided. Consumption information is received regarding actual consumption of the two resources by the first consumer process. Execution of the first consumer process is scheduled in accordance with the first and the second thresholds and the consumption information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Brian Riordan, David Joshua Brown, Kenneth A. Halligan, Arieh Don
  • Patent number: 7707331
    Abstract: Described is a distributed copying technique that may be used in migrating large amounts of data from one or more source devices to one or more destination devices. The data source is divided into partitions. As Fibre Channel adapters (FAs) become available, each of the FAs may copy a partition of the data. In connection with specifying paths used for the distributed copying technique, a preferred path selection (source port-target port mapping) may be made by executing code in a controlling data storage system to perform discovery processing. The preferred path selection is used for the duration of the distributed copying unless the preferred path is unable to transmit data. A target port of the preferred path may be randomly selected from all accessible target ports, and/or in accordance with a specified portion of the target ports. Preferred paths may also be specified using an API (application programming interface).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: David Joshua Brown, Michael Scharland, Patrick Brian Riordan, Kenneth A. Halligan, Arieh Don
  • Patent number: 7640408
    Abstract: Described are techniques for use with online data copying or migration. Data is pushed from a source to a target device while one or both of the source and target devices are available for use by one or more host systems. The host systems may perform I/O operations to the source and/or target devices while the data migration is ongoing if a copy session is defined on the data storage system(s) of the source and/or target devices. A copying operation performs data migration from the source to the target device. A migration vector is used to indicate which portions of the source have been migrated. A change vector may be associated with each of the source and/or target devices to indicate portions that have been modified in order to perform a differential copy operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Halligan, Arieh Don, Michael Scharland, David Joshua Brown, Patrick Brian Riordan
  • Patent number: 7634595
    Abstract: Described is a distributed copying technique that may be used in migrating large amounts of data from one or more source devices to one or more destination devices. The data source is divided into partitions. As Fibre Channel adapters (FAs) become available, each of the FAs may copy a partition of the data. In connection with specifying paths used for the distributed copying technique, a preferred path selection (source port-target port mapping) may be made by executing code in a controlling data storage system to perform discovery processing. The preferred path selection is used for the duration of the distributed copying unless the preferred path is unable to transmit data. A target port of the preferred path may be randomly selected from all accessible target ports, and/or in accordance with a specified portion of the target ports. Preferred paths may also be specified using an API (application programming interface).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: David Joshua Brown, Michael Scharland, Patrick Brian Riordan, Kenneth A. Halligan, Arieh Don
  • Patent number: 7565581
    Abstract: Described are techniques for use with an error handling policy for a data storage system. Error handling criteria may be specified for controlling behavior of the data storage system upon the occurrence of an internal processing error occurring when performing an ancillary task associated with a data operation received by the data storage system. The error handling criteria may include a threshold counter value, and one or more of: a device, a specific device location or address, and a host. An error may be conditionally returned to the host upon the occurrence of an internal processing error in accordance with the error handling criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Halligan, Michael Scharland, David Joshua Brown, Patrick Brian Riordan, Arieh Don
  • Patent number: 7478205
    Abstract: Two data operations, such as write operations, may be processed at a same time in which the two write operations operate on a same address range span. A first of the write operations may write to the first track and the last track in the span but not tracks therebetween. When processing the first write operation, a lock for the first track is obtained and the data is written to the first track data. A lock for the last track is obtained and it is determined whether all tracks between the first and last tracks are unlocked. If so, data is written to the last track. If not, steps of releasing and then reacquiring the lock for the last track and determining whether intervening tracks are locked are repeated until the intervening tracks are not locked. The last track is then written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Pei-Ching Hwang, Michael J. Scharland, Arieh Don, Kenneth A. Halligan
  • Patent number: 7434022
    Abstract: Described is a distributed copying technique that may be used in migrating large amounts of data from one or more source devices to one or more destination devices. The data source is divided into partitions. As Fibre Channel adapters (FAs) become available, each of the FAs may copy a partition of the data. A copy indicator value indicates the last partition delegated to an FA for copying. The last FA to complete copying is responsible for ensuring completed copying of any other data partitions delegated to an FA which has died during migration of the other data partitions. In the event that the last FA dies prior to completing its processing, additional steps are performed by other remaining FAs to copy all data partitions not known to be successfully migrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Scharland, Arieh Don, Patrick Brian Riordan, David Joshua Brown, Kenneth A. Halligan
  • Patent number: 6901480
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an on-line reconfiguration of striped data in a disk array storage device. A replicated copy of the striped logical device is made in parallel with host operations. A logical device with a new configuration is then substituted for access by the host application even before any data is transferred to locations within the newly configured logical device. Independent processes operating in this disk array storage device reconfigure the data transparently to any host operations while accommodating host I/O requests directed to locations in the new configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Arieh Don, Mathieu Gagne, Kenneth Halligan, Ishay Kedem, Hana Moreshet, Alexandr Veprinsky, Natan Vishlitzky, Aviram Cohen
  • Publication number: 20040162957
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an on-line reconfiguration of striped data in a disk array storage device. A replicated copy of the striped logical device is made in parallel with host operations. A logical device with a new configuration is then substituted for access by the host application even before any data is transferred to locations within the newly configured logical device. Independent processes operating in this disk array storage device reconfigure the data transparently to any host operations while accommodating host I/O requests directed to locations in the new configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Arieh Don, Mathieu Gagne, Kenneth Halligan, Ishay Kedem, Hana Moreshet, Alexandr Veprinsky, Natan Vishlitzky, Aviram Cohen
  • Patent number: 6718437
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an on-line reconfiguration of striped data in a disk array storage device. A replicated copy of the striped logical device is made in parallel with host operations. A logical device with a new configuration is then substituted for access by the host application even before any data is transferred to locations within the newly configured logical device. Independent processes operating in this disk array storage device reconfigure the data transparently to any host operations while accommodating host I/O requests directed to locations in the new configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Arieh Don, Mathieu Gagne, Kenneth Halligan, Ishay Kedem, Hana Moreshet, Alexandr Veprinsky, Natan Vishlitzky, Aviram Cohen
  • Publication number: 20030182505
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an on-line reconfiguration of striped data in a disk array storage device. A replicated copy of the striped logical device is made in parallel with host operations. A logical device with a new configuration is then substituted for access by the host application even before any data is transferred to locations within the newly configured logical device. Independent processes operating in this disk array storage device reconfigure the data transparently to any host operations while accommodating host I/O requests directed to locations in the new configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Arieh Don, Mathieu Gagne, Kenneth Halligan, Ishay Kedem, Hana Moreshet, Alexandr Veprinsky, Natan Vishlitzky, Aviram Cohen
  • Patent number: 6546457
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an on-line reconfiguration of striped data in a disk array storage device. A replicated copy of the striped logical device is made in parallel with host operations. A logical device with a new configuration is then substituted for access by the host application even before any data is transferred to locations within the newly configured logical device. Independent processes operating in this disk array storage device reconfigure the data transparently to any host operations while accommodating host I/O requests directed to locations in the new configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Arieh Don, Mathieu Gagne, Kenneth Halligan, Ishay Kedem, Hana Moreshet, Alexandr Veprinsky, Natan Vishlitzky, Aviram Cohen
  • Patent number: 6311257
    Abstract: A method and data storage system using the method, provides an efficiently approach for allocating a static amount of buffer space (e.g., records) among a number of logical volumes of a data storage system on the basis of the computing environment within which the data storage system is used. The method includes providing the data storage system from logical volumes, each including a command queue. Each command queue includes records, each for storing a command request. A memory pool is established from which one or more records can be allocated to each command queue associated with each logical volume. The memory pool has a predetermined number of records which can be allocated by the command queues of the logical volumes. Based on the computing environment, one of a number of allocation schemes for allocating records to a command queue is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Fitzgerald, Erez Ofer, Kenneth Halligan
  • Patent number: 6311256
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for reordering, at a disk drive controller, a received sequence of read and write commands. The reordering can be system driven so that the system, when a command stalls, examines the command queue for another command to execute. Alternatively, the command queue itself can be reordered depending upon the expected time it takes for various commands to execute. Reordered commands can be flagged so that they cannot be reordered again. The resulting increase in throughput and efficiency occurs without reference to the particular disk drive or disk drive array configuration to which the controller is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Halligan, Erez Ofer, John T. Fitzgerald
  • Publication number: 20010008007
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for reordering, at a disk drive controller, a received sequence of read and write commands. The reordering can be system driven so that the system, when a command stalls, examines the command queue for another command to execute. Alternatively, the command queue itself can be reordered depending upon the expected time it takes for various commands to execute. Reordered commands can be flagged so that they cannot be reordered again. The resulting increase in throughput and efficiency occurs without reference to the particular disk drive or disk drive array configuration to which the controller is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Inventors: KENNETH A. HALLIGAN, EREZ OFER, JOHN T. FITZGERALD
  • Patent number: 6260109
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing very large logical volumes (Meta Device) in a storage system is provided. The storage system includes host controllers and disk controllers which communicate through a shared memory. I/O requests are received by the host controller and placed into request queues. The request queues are associated with logical devices. A number of request queues in the host controller are concatenated together to produce the larger logical volume. The large logical volume appears to the host as a single addressable logical unit. I/O requests to the large logical volume are analyzed by the host controller to determine which logical devices are actually needed to service the request. The host controller then makes the appropriate queue entries. Processing of the requests then occurs in the same fashion as if the request had been to a non-Meta Device. This allows the disk controllers and memory to operate without modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erez Ofer, John Fitzgerald, Kenneth Halligan
  • Patent number: 6209059
    Abstract: A method of dynamically reconfiguring the logical devices in a storage system is provided. The method allows a logical devices to be added, removed, or repositioned without requiring the storage system to be taken off-line. The method includes manipulating the request queues associated with host controllers within the storage system. The request queues associated with each logical device may be repositioned in the request queue memory in order to make room for new logical devices or to take advantage of free space associated with a removed logical device. The storage system communicates with the host computer in order to manage the reconfiguration of the request queues while still providing storage services to the host computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erez Ofer, John Fitzgerald, Kenneth Halligan
  • Patent number: 6148369
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing very large logical volumes (Meta Device) in a storage system is provided. The storage system includes host controllers and disk controllers which communicate through a shared memory. I/O requests are received by the host controller and placed into request queues. The request queues are associated with logical devices. A number of request queues in the host controller are concatenated together to produce the larger logical volume. The large logical volume appears to the host as a single addressable logical unit. I/O requests to the large logical volume are analyzed by the host controller to determine which logical devices are actually needed to service the request. The host controller then makes the appropriate queue entries. Processing of the requests then occurs in the same fashion as if the request had been to a non-Meta Device. This allows the disk controllers and memory to operate without modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventors: Erez Ofer, John Fitzgerald, Kenneth Halligan
  • Patent number: 6141707
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide input/output allocation between a host and a data storage system. Input/output allocation is accomplished by organizing logical volumes (e.g., disk drives) in the data storage system and queuing requests to the data storage system in a manner which increases the speed and throughput of input/output (I/O) operations. The data storage system is provided from a plurality of logical volumes, each of the logical volumes including a command queue. A master command queue is established from one of the command queues of the logical volumes. The master command queue receives command requests from the host, each command request including an address of data being requested. Each command request is received from the host and stored in the master command queue. The logical volume where the address of the data associated with each command request resides is determined. Each command request is then forwarded to the logical volume where the data being requested resides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Halligan, Erez Ofer
  • Patent number: 6055603
    Abstract: A method of improving the performance of a storage system is provided. The method includes sending a pre-request to a logical device before data associated with the previous request is transferred from a cache to the requesting host device. Additionally, while a host controller of the storage system is transferring data from the cache to the requesting host, it will also check to see if any other requests are entered in a request queue for that logical device. To do this, the host controller checks a status flag in a mailbox location within the host controller. A disk controller is also responsive to the placement of requests in the mailbox location and can set the status flag upon a completion of a data transaction. If there has been an entry, a pre-request will be sent to the logical device while the data from the previous request is being transferred to the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erez Ofer, John Fitzgerald, Kenneth Halligan