Patents by Inventor Kevin Allen Hughes

Kevin Allen Hughes 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: 11886283
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: detecting, by one or more processors, an indication that suggests a node has crashed, wherein the node is included in a distributed computing environment; in response to the detecting, confirming by the one or more processors whether the node has crashed by performing a set of probes on the node; and in response to the confirming that the node has crashed, initiating by the one or more processors a remediation of the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Juan Jose Alvarez, Malcolm S. Allen-Ware, Charles Lefurgy, Guillermo Jesus Silva
  • Publication number: 20230315560
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: detecting, by one or more processors, an indication that suggests a node has crashed, wherein the node is included in a distributed computing environment; in response to the detecting, confirming by the one or more processors whether the node has crashed by performing a set of probes on the node; and in response to the confirming that the node has crashed, initiating by the one or more processors a remediation of the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Juan Jose Alvarez, Malcolm S. Allen-Ware, Charles Lefurgy, Guillermo Jesus Silva
  • Patent number: 10728328
    Abstract: An Ethernet SAN system includes an initiator device and a target device coupled together by an Ethernet fabric that includes a plurality of Ethernet switch devices. The Ethernet switch devices exchange L2 FIP domain exchange multicast frames that include domain information associated with each of the Ethernet switch devices. That domain information is then used to exchange L2 FIP path exchange multicast frames that include path information associated with each of the Ethernet switch devices. That path information is then used to calculate path costs associated with at least some of the Ethernet switch devices. Those path costs are then used to exchange L2 FIP device exchange unicast frames that include device information associated with the initiator device and the target device. The Ethernet switch devices then transmit data between the initiator device and the target device based on the device information and the path costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Joseph LaSalle White, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 10178000
    Abstract: An integrated storage/SAN monitoring and control system includes a storage device, a switch device associated with an API, and a management system. The switch device receives storage device information from the storage device via an API call using the API, and transmits the storage device information and switch device information to the management system via an API call using the API. The management system receives the storage device information and the switch device information from the switch device, determines storage device control instruction(s) and switch device control instruction(s) using the storage device information and the switch device information, and transmits the storage device control instruction(s) and switch device control instruction(s) to the switch device via an API call using the API. The switch device then executes the switch device instruction and transmits the storage device instruction to the storage device for execution via an API call using the API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Sean Trevor McGinnis
  • Patent number: 10104015
    Abstract: A FC system includes an FC switch that receives local device FLOGIs that identify local devices through a first subset of ports, and provides a local address in a mapping database for each of the identified local devices. The FC switch then transmits an FC switch FLOGI using a second subset of ports through which no local device fabric login was received, and determines whether a FLOGI ACC has been received back. If a FLOGI ACC is received, the FC switch provides a fabric address in the mapping database for each of the identified local devices, and uses the local addresses/fabric addresses for each respective identified local device to provide communications between the identified local devices and an FC fabric. If no fabric login acceptance is received, the FC networking device uses the local addresses for respective identified local devices to provide communications between the identified local devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 10102008
    Abstract: A managed boot process system includes a management device coupled to a networking device through a network. The networking device includes a storage system with an assured boot image, a plurality of runtime images, and a plurality of session data, and a memory system having boot instructions. A processing system in the networking device stores the plurality of session details in the storage system during a management session with the management device and prior to a reboot. The processing system then performs a reboot and executes the boot instructions to load the assured boot image. The networking device then uses the session details to restart the management session without reauthorization subsequent to loading the assured boot image and prior to loading a runtime image. The networking device then provides a graphical user interface over the network to the management device and uses it to receive a management instruction for execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 9979637
    Abstract: A network flow management system includes controllers that are each coupled to a subset of switch devices, and a flow management server system that is coupled to each of the controllers. The flow management server system collects first-level flow information for the switch devices from the controllers, and filters and structures the first-level flow information to generate second-level flow information. The flow management server system then analyzes the second-level flow information based on current flow operation policies that are configured to cause the switch devices to perform first flow operations and, in response, determines flow operation policy changes. The flow management server system then distributes updated flow operation policies that includes the flow operation policy changes to each of the controllers, where the updated flow operation policies cause the switch devices to perform second flow operation that are different than the first flow operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Rabah S. Hamdi
  • Publication number: 20180131637
    Abstract: A FC system includes an FC switch that receives local device FLOGIs that identify local devices through a first subset of ports, and provides a local address in a mapping database for each of the identified local devices. The FC switch then transmits an FC switch FLOGI using a second subset of ports through which no local device fabric login was received, and determines whether a FLOGI ACC has been received back. If a FLOGI ACC is received, the FC switch provides a fabric address in the mapping database for each of the identified local devices, and uses the local addresses/fabric addresses for each respective identified local device to provide communications between the identified local devices and an FC fabric. If no fabric login acceptance is received, the FC networking device uses the local addresses for respective identified local devices to provide communications between the identified local devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 9935874
    Abstract: An Ethernet switch includes an Ethernet processing system. Layer two (L2) forwarding tables are provided with the Ethernet processing system, and a memory system is coupled to the Ethernet processing system and includes Ethernet processing system software. A control subsystem establishes communication with the Ethernet processing system and modifies the L2 forwarding tables by removing default Ethernet entries, adding Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) formatted FC well know addresses (WKAs), and setting the one or more L2 forwarding tables to remain persistent. The control subsystem also instructs the Ethernet processing system to forward FC control frames to the control subsystem, and replaces first link state instructions in the Ethernet processing system software with second link state instructions to change Ethernet behavior to FC behavior. The control subsystem may then process FC information in received FCoE format Ethernet frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Jason Garth Pearce, Kevin Allen Hughes, T. Bryan Varble, Jeffrey S. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20180026863
    Abstract: An integrated storage/SAN monitoring and control system includes a storage device, a switch device associated with an API, and a management system. The switch device receives storage device information from the storage device via an API call using the API, and transmits the storage device information and switch device information to the management system via an API call using the API. The management system receives the storage device information and the switch device information from the switch device, determines storage device control instruction(s) and switch device control instruction(s) using the storage device information and the switch device information, and transmits the storage device control instruction(s) and switch device control instruction(s) to the switch device via an API call using the API. The switch device then executes the switch device instruction and transmits the storage device instruction to the storage device for execution via an API call using the API.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Sean Trevor McGinnis
  • Publication number: 20170353383
    Abstract: A network flow management system includes controllers that are each coupled to a subset of switch devices, and a flow management server system that is coupled to each of the controllers. The flow management server system collects first-level flow information for the switch devices from the controllers, and filters and structures the first-level flow information to generate second-level flow information. The flow management server system then analyzes the second-level flow information based on current flow operation policies that are configured to cause the switch devices to perform first flow operations and, in response, determines flow operation policy changes. The flow management server system then distributes updated flow operation policies that includes the flow operation policy changes to each of the controllers, where the updated flow operation policies cause the switch devices to perform second flow operation that are different than the first flow operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Rabah S. Hamdi
  • Publication number: 20170302739
    Abstract: An Ethernet SAN system includes an initiator device and a target device coupled together by an Ethernet fabric that includes a plurality of Ethernet switch devices. The Ethernet switch devices exchange L2 FIP domain exchange multicast frames that include domain information associated with each of the Ethernet switch devices. That domain information is then used to exchange L2 FIP path exchange multicast frames that include path information associated with each of the Ethernet switch devices. That path information is then used to calculate path costs associated with at least some of the Ethernet switch devices. Those path costs are then used to exchange L2 FIP device exchange unicast frames that include device information associated with the initiator device and the target device. The Ethernet switch devices then transmit data between the initiator device and the target device based on the device information and the path costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Joseph LaSalle White, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 9736242
    Abstract: A Fiber Channel (FC) switch system includes a server IHS and a storage IHS that each communicate using an FC protocol. A switch IHS couples the server IHS to the storage IHS. A first converter in the switch IHS receives first FC data traffic from the server IHS and converts it to first FC over Ethernet (FCoE) data traffic. A protocol processing engine in the switch IHS is coupled to the first converter and receives the first FCoE data traffic from the first converter and processes it to provide second FCoE data traffic for delivery to the storage IHS. A second converter in the switch IHS is coupled to the protocol processing engine and the storage IHS and receives the second FCoE data traffic from the protocol processing engine, converts it to second FC data traffic, and sends the second FC data traffic to the storage IHS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Kirk, Jason Garth Pearce, Kevin Allen Hughes
  • Patent number: 9667753
    Abstract: An information handling system (IHS) network includes a server IHS and a Fiber Channel (FC) switch IHS that are each directly connected a FC gateway. The FC gateway is configured to establish communication with the FC switch IHS. The FC gateway then receives one of an FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) fabric login message and a FIP fabric discovery message from the server IHS and, in response, provides a FCoE fabric discovery message and converts the FCoE fabric discovery message to an FC fabric discovery message that is provided to the FC switch IHS. The FC gateway also receive a FC fabric discovery accept message from the FC switch IHS, converts the FC fabric discovery accept message to an FCoE fabric discovery accept message, and provides one of a FIP fabric login accept message and a FIP fabric discovery accept message to the server IHS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: T. Bryan Varble, Jeffrey S. Kirk, Jason Garth Pearce, Kevin Allen Hughes
  • Patent number: 9667540
    Abstract: An FCoE forwarding system includes a non-FCoE-enabled networking device coupled between a source device and an FC device and including a plurality of L3 forwarding tables. The non-FCoE-enabled networking device receives a first communication from the source device and determines that the first communication includes a first FCoE frame. The non-FCoE-enabled networking device then retrieves first data from a first standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, second data from a second standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, and third data from a third standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, and uses the first data to reference a first L3 forwarding table of the plurality of L3 forwarding tables. The first non-FCoE-enabled networking device then uses the first L3 forwarding table with the second data and the third data to forward the first FCoE frame on to the FC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Publication number: 20170085474
    Abstract: An FCoE forwarding system includes a non-FCoE-enabled networking device coupled between a source device and an FC device and including a plurality of L3 forwarding tables. The non-FCoE-enabled networking device receives a first communication from the source device and determines that the first communication includes a first FCoE frame. The non-FCoE-enabled networking device then retrieves first data from a first standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, second data from a second standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, and third data from a third standard IP frame location in the first FCoE frame, and uses the first data to reference a first L3 forwarding table of the plurality of L3 forwarding tables. The first non-FCoE-enabled networking device then uses the first L3 forwarding table with the second data and the third data to forward the first FCoE frame on to the FC device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Publication number: 20170060598
    Abstract: A managed boot process system includes a management device coupled to a networking device through a network. The networking device includes a storage system with an assured boot image, a plurality of runtime images, and a plurality of session data, and a memory system having boot instructions. A processing system in the networking device stores the plurality of session details in the storage system during a management session with the management device and prior to a reboot. The processing system then performs a reboot and executes the boot instructions to load the assured boot image. The networking device then uses the session details to restart the management session without reauthorization subsequent to loading the assured boot image and prior to loading a runtime image. The networking device then provides a graphical user interface over the network to the management device and uses it to receive a management instruction for execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jason Garth Pearce
  • Patent number: 9531629
    Abstract: An FCoE switch system includes a switch IHS that is directly connected to a first endpoint IHS through a first edge port and to a second endpoint IHS through a second edge port. The switch IHS is receives an FCoE communication through the first edge port from the first endpoint IHS that includes an FC header, a source MAC address, and a destination MAC address. The switch IHS then creates a derived MAC address using information included in the FC header, and replaces the destination MAC address in the FCoE communication with the derived MAC address. In response to determining that the second endpoint is directly connected to the second edge port, the switch IHS replaces the source MAC address in the FCoE communication with a local FCF-MAC address. The switch IHS then forwards the first FCoE communication to the second endpoint IHS through the second edge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jeffrey S. Kirk, Jason Garth Pearce, Joseph White
  • Publication number: 20160087886
    Abstract: An FCoE switch system includes a switch IHS that is directly connected to a first endpoint IHS through a first edge port and to a second endpoint IHS through a second edge port. The switch IHS is receives an FCoE communication through the first edge port from the first endpoint IHS that includes an FC header, a source MAC address, and a destination MAC address. The switch IHS then creates a derived MAC address using information included in the FC header, and replaces the destination MAC address in the FCoE communication with the derived MAC address. In response to determining that the second endpoint is directly connected to the second edge port, the switch IHS replaces the source MAC address in the FCoE communication with a local FCF-MAC address. The switch IHS then forwards the first FCoE communication to the second endpoint IHS through the second edge port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin Allen Hughes, Jeffrey S. Kirk, Jason Garth Pearce, Joseph White
  • Publication number: 20160065387
    Abstract: An Ethernet switch includes an Ethernet processing system. Layer two (L2) forwarding tables are provided with the Ethernet processing system, and a memory system is coupled to the Ethernet processing system and includes Ethernet processing system software. A control subsystem establishes communication with the Ethernet processing system and modifies the L2 forwarding tables by removing default Ethernet entries, adding Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) formatted FC well know addresses (WKAs), and setting the one or more L2 forwarding tables to remain persistent. The control subsystem also instructs the Ethernet processing system to forward FC control frames to the control subsystem, and replaces first link state instructions in the Ethernet processing system software with second link state instructions to change Ethernet behavior to FC behavior. The control subsystem may then process FC information in received FCoE format Ethernet frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Jason Garth Pearce, Kevin Allen Hughes, T. Bryan Varble, Jeffrey S. Kirk