Patents by Inventor Ralph Friedrich

Ralph Friedrich 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: 9910795
    Abstract: A method for managing access of virtual machines executed by a host computer system to storage area networks, the storage area networks connecting the host computer system with storage systems via switches, where the host computer system includes one or more host ports to connect with a switch each, and where one or more port names are assigned to each virtual machine. The method includes, for each storage area network connected with the host computer system, sending the port names of a virtual machine and a target port name as part of a validate access command to the respective switch; and when receiving the validate access command by the switch, the switch returning success information to the sending host computer system in case all received virtual machine port names have access to a target port assigned to the received target port name, otherwise returning a fail information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich
  • Patent number: 9888013
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment initiates sending of request(s) over a network of the computing environment by an activated virtual adapter. The activated virtual adapter is hosted on a physical adapter of a host system coupled to the network, and is for use by a guest, hosted by the host system, in performing data input and output. The request(s) retrieve access control information from the network indicative of access control(s) enforced in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to network component(s). The initiating provides indication(s) to the physical adapter, absent involvement of the guest, that the request(s) be sent by the virtual adapter. Based on the initiating, the control component obtains the access control information from the physical adapter, and determines, based on that information, the access control(s) being enforced by the network in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to the network component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Johnathon R. Pandich, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Patent number: 9888012
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment initiates sending of request(s) over a network of the computing environment by an activated virtual adapter. The activated virtual adapter is hosted on a physical adapter of a host system coupled to the network, and is for use by a guest, hosted by the host system, in performing data input and output. The request(s) retrieve access control information from the network indicative of access control(s) enforced in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to network component(s). The initiating provides indication(s) to the physical adapter, absent involvement of the guest, that the request(s) be sent by the virtual adapter. Based on the initiating, the control component obtains the access control information from the physical adapter, and determines, based on that information, the access control(s) being enforced by the network in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to the network component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Johnathon R. Pandich, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Patent number: 9886293
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Johnathon R. Pandich, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Patent number: 9880865
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Johnathon R. Pandich, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Publication number: 20180011808
    Abstract: An aspect of obtaining optical signal health data in a SAN includes receiving, by a computer processor, a request for data corresponding to current operational characteristics of elements of a storage area network to which a host system computer has access. A further aspect includes instantiating, by the computer processor, a virtual host bus adapter interface on the host system computer, transmitting, via the virtual host bus adapter interface, the request to the elements in the portion of the storage area network, aggregating data received from each of the elements, and displaying the aggregated data via the computer processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Publication number: 20180011644
    Abstract: An aspect of validating vHBA fabric zoning in a SAN includes receiving, by a computer processor, a request for data corresponding to zones in a storage area network to which an initiator in a host system computer has access; instantiating, by the computer processor, a virtual host bus adapter interface on the host system computer; and transmitting, via the virtual host bus adapter interface, the request to a fabric controller in the storage area network. An aspect also includes receiving a current active zone set from the fabric controller; parsing the current active zone set for the initiator; identifying, from the parsing, each of the zones in the current active zone set to which the initiator is indicated; and displaying the identified zones via the computer processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Ralph Friedrich, Raymond M. Higgs, George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Richard M. Sczepczenski
  • Patent number: 9722872
    Abstract: Assigning a set of port names to storage access paths of virtual machines accessing storage resources via storage area networks is provided. A first computing system cluster that is associated with a set of computing system identifiers is created. A first computing system identifier associated with a first computing system is added to the set of computing system identifiers. The first computing system is disassociated from the first computing system identifier. The first computing system is added to the first computing system cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Juliane Aulbach, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Juergen Leopold
  • Patent number: 9672070
    Abstract: Validating access consistency to a set of accessed resources over a set of virtual ports, including determining a number of virtual ports to provision, allocating each physical port and each virtual port among two or more buckets, and validating access to the set of accessed resources via each virtual port over each physical port that is allocated to the same bucket. At least one virtual port in the set of virtual ports shares no bucket with at least one physical port in the set of physical ports, and each virtual port is only validated over each physical port with which the virtual port shares a bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Muthumanikandan Nambi, Kishore Kumar G. Pillai, Parakh P. Verma
  • Publication number: 20170153832
    Abstract: Virtual machines in a computer system cluster, or cloud environment, require access to their assigned storage resources connected to the virtual machines via storage area networks (SAN). Such virtual machines may be independent from associated physical servers in the computer system cluster on which they are deployed. These virtual machines may dynamically migrate among assigned physical servers while maintaining access to their connected storage resources both from the source physical server and the target physical server during the migration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Muthumanikandan Nambi, Kishorekumar G. Pillai, Parakh P. Verma
  • Patent number: 9658898
    Abstract: Virtual machines in a computer system cluster, or cloud environment, require access to their assigned storage resources connected to the virtual machines via storage area networks (SAN). Such virtual machines may be independent from associated physical servers in the computer system cluster on which they are deployed. These virtual machines may dynamically migrate among assigned physical servers while maintaining access to their connected storage resources both from the source physical server and the target physical server during the migration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machies Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Muthumanikandan Nambi, Kishorekumar G. Pillai, Parakh P. Verma
  • Patent number: 9658897
    Abstract: Virtual machines in a computer system cluster, or cloud environment, require access to their assigned storage resources connected to the virtual machines via storage area networks (SAN). Such virtual machines may be independent from associated physical servers in the computer system cluster on which they are deployed. These virtual machines may dynamically migrate among assigned physical servers while maintaining access to their connected storage resources both from the source physical server and the target physical server during the migration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Muthumanikandan Nambi, Kishorekumar G. Pillai, Parakh P. Verma
  • Publication number: 20170039081
    Abstract: A method for managing access of virtual machines executed by a host computer system to storage area networks, the storage area networks connecting the host computer system with storage systems via switches, where the host computer system includes one or more host ports to connect with a switch each, and where one or more port names are assigned to each virtual machine. The method includes, for each storage area network connected with the host computer system, sending the port names of a virtual machine and a target port name as part of a validate access command to the respective switch; and when receiving the validate access command by the switch, the switch returning success information to the sending host computer system in case all received virtual machine port names have access to a target port assigned to the received target port name, otherwise returning a fail information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich
  • Publication number: 20170039147
    Abstract: A method for managing access of virtual machines executed by a host computer system to storage area networks, the storage area networks connecting the host computer system with storage systems via switches, where the host computer system includes one or more host ports to connect with a switch each, and where one or more port names are assigned to each virtual machine. The method includes, for each storage area network connected with the host computer system, sending the port names of a virtual machine and a target port name as part of a validate access command to the respective switch; and when receiving the validate access command by the switch, the switch returning success information to the sending host computer system in case all received virtual machine port names have access to a target port assigned to the received target port name, otherwise returning a fail information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich
  • Patent number: 9473353
    Abstract: Assigning a set of port names to storage access paths of virtual machines accessing storage resources via storage area networks is provided. A first computing system cluster that is associated with a set of computing system identifiers is created. A first computing system identifier associated with a first computing system is added to the set of computing system identifiers. The first computing system is disassociated from the first computing system identifier. The first computing system is added to the first computing system cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Amann, Juliane Aulbach, Gerhard Banzhaf, Ralph Friedrich, Juergen Leopold
  • Publication number: 20160253205
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph FRIEDRICH, Raymond M. HIGGS, George P. KUCH, Elizabeth A. MOORE, Johnathon R. PANDICH, Richard M. SCZEPCZENSKI
  • Publication number: 20160255094
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment initiates sending of request(s) over a network of the computing environment by an activated virtual adapter. The activated virtual adapter is hosted on a physical adapter of a host system coupled to the network, and is for use by a guest, hosted by the host system, in performing data input and output. The request(s) retrieve access control information from the network indicative of access control(s) enforced in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to network component(s). The initiating provides indication(s) to the physical adapter, absent involvement of the guest, that the request(s) be sent by the virtual adapter. Based on the initiating, the control component obtains the access control information from the physical adapter, and determines, based on that information, the access control(s) being enforced by the network in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to the network component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph FRIEDRICH, Raymond M. HIGGS, George P. KUCH, Elizabeth A. MOORE, Johnathon R. PANDICH, Richard M. SCZEPCZENSKI
  • Publication number: 20160255020
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment initiates sending of request(s) over a network of the computing environment by an activated virtual adapter. The activated virtual adapter is hosted on a physical adapter of a host system coupled to the network, and is for use by a guest, hosted by the host system, in performing data input and output. The request(s) retrieve access control information from the network indicative of access control(s) enforced in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to network component(s). The initiating provides indication(s) to the physical adapter, absent involvement of the guest, that the request(s) be sent by the virtual adapter. Based on the initiating, the control component obtains the access control information from the physical adapter, and determines, based on that information, the access control(s) being enforced by the network in controlling access by the activated virtual adapter to the network component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph FRIEDRICH, Raymond M. HIGGS, George P. KUCH, Elizabeth A. MOORE, Johnathon R. PANDICH, Richard M. SCZEPCZENSKI
  • Publication number: 20160253188
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph FRIEDRICH, Raymond M. HIGGS, George P. KUCH, Elizabeth A. MOORE, Johnathon R. PANDICH, Richard M. SCZEPCZENSKI
  • Patent number: 9424216
    Abstract: A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: George P. Kuch, Elizabeth A. Moore, Johnathon R. Pandich, Ralph Friedrich, Richard M. Sczepczenski, Raymond M. Higgs