Patents by Inventor Nicholas E. Bofferding

Nicholas E. Bofferding 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: 8819693
    Abstract: A mechanism, in a data processing system, is provided for logical partition defragmentation. The mechanism gathers resource requirements for a plurality of logical partitions running in a plurality of power domains within one or more servers. The mechanism determines optimal hardware utilization for the plurality of logical partitions. The mechanism migrates one or more of the plurality of logical partitions to run in a subset of the plurality of power domains such that at least one power domain within the plurality of power domains is unused. The mechanism puts the at least one unused power domain in a low power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anis M. Abdul, Nicholas E. Bofferding, Ajay K. Mahajan, Rashmi Narasimhan
  • Publication number: 20120284549
    Abstract: A mechanism, in a data processing system, is provided for logical partition defragmentation. The mechanism gathers resource requirements for a plurality of logical partitions running in a plurality of power domains within one or more servers. The mechanism determines optimal hardware utilization for the plurality of logical partitions. The mechanism migrates one or more of the plurality of logical partitions to run in a subset of the plurality of power domains such that at least one power domain within the plurality of power domains is unused. The mechanism puts the at least one unused power domain in a low power state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anis M. Abdul, Nicholas E. Bofferding, Ajay K. Mahajan, Rashmi Narasimhan
  • Publication number: 20120284484
    Abstract: A mechanism, in a data processing system, is provided for logical partition defragmentation. The mechanism gathers resource requirements for a plurality of logical partitions running in a plurality of power domains within one or more servers. The mechanism determines optimal hardware utilization for the plurality of logical partitions. The mechanism migrates one or more of the plurality of logical partitions to run in a subset of the plurality of power domains such that at least one power domain within the plurality of power domains is unused. The mechanism puts the at least one unused power domain in a low power state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anis M. Abdul, Nicholas E. Bofferding, Ajay K. Mahajan, Rashmi Narasimhan
  • Publication number: 20120110665
    Abstract: A computer implemented method monitors activity within a device driver layer of a computer. An arrival rate is identified within a device driver for the node. The arrival rate is a rate at which packets arrive at a network adapter of the node from all other nodes within a network. If the arrival rate exceeds at least one threshold, the node undergoes a state change. The at least one threshold delineates between a plurality of states for the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anis M. Abdul, Nicholas E. Bofferding, Nikhil Hegde, Ajay K. Mahajan, Rashmi Narasimhan
  • Patent number: 8001287
    Abstract: During an initial generation/assignment of location codes for field replaceable units (FRUs) that are and/or may be attached to the computer system, the service processor provides an alias location code for each FRU not currently attached. When the service processor later detects a concurrent install of the FRU, the service processor's firmware generates the correct location code from data retrieved from the FRU, and replaces the alias location code stored within the service processor's internal data structures with the correct location code. The firmware also forwards the correct location code back to a serviceability application, and the application utilizes the new location code in all remaining concurrent install commands to maintain a single, consistent view of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas E. Bofferding, Erlander Lo, Kanisha Patel
  • Patent number: 7558874
    Abstract: A method of reducing Ethernet power consumption in a network having an operating system by reducing an Ethernet link speed to a minimum rate required for current data link traffic, and automatically commanding an Ethernet adapter/cable to decrease or increase a link rate by dynamically auto-negotiating an Ethernet port by IEEE standards to a lower or higher link rate without user intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sivarama K. Kodukula, Omar Cardona, James B. Cunningham, Binh K. Hua, Nicholas E. Bofferding
  • Publication number: 20080155368
    Abstract: During an initial generation/assignment of location codes for field replaceable units (FRUs) that are and/or may be attached to the computer system, the service processor provides an alias location code for each FRU not currently attached. When the service processor later detects a concurrent install of the FRU, the service processor's firmware generates the correct location code from data retrieved from the FRU, and replaces the alias location code stored within the service processor's internal data structures with the correct location code. The firmware also forwards the correct location code back to a serviceability application, and the application utilizes the new location code in all remaining concurrent install commands to maintain a single, consistent view of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Nicholas E. Bofferding, Erlander Lo, Kanisha Patel
  • Publication number: 20080133962
    Abstract: A method of preventing failed field replaceable units (FRUs) directly connected to an interprocessor bus or fabric from interfering with the operation of a computer system during concurrent maintenance operations. When a FRU fails a concurrent maintenance operation, the service processor stores identification information corresponding to the failed FRU in an alert fail registry or a hot add fail registry and reports the failure status to a user. When a user attempts to perform a new concurrent maintenance operation on a FRU, the service processor compares that FRU to the alert fail registry or the hot add fail registry. If a concurrent maintenance operation on the requested FRU would cause a system crash due to interference with the failed FRU, the service processor notifies the repair and verify application (which notifies the user) and prevents concurrent maintenance operations from occurring on the new FRU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Nicholas E. Bofferding, Erlander Lo, Kanisha Patel, Timothy A. Smith