Patents by Inventor Walter A. O'Brien, III

Walter A. O'Brien, III 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).

  • Publication number: 20240143764
    Abstract: An information handling system ransomware protection device has a ransomware protection engine that implements secure snapshot policies in a domain of a storage device by taking a secure snapshot of a data object, by creating a point in time image of a storage object and retaining the point in time image of the storage object until a retention timer has expired. The ransomware protection engine also implements snapshot virtualization in the domain of the storage device by mapping the secure snapshot, and may implement vault semantics and operational controls to data in the domain of the storage device as management functions of the secure snapshot. The ransomware protection device may be, or include, an application specific integrated circuit that includes the ransomware protection engine and is coupled to, or in, the storage device, or a memory controller of the storage device may include the ransomware protection engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Wai Chuen Yim, Walter O'Brien, III, Ali Aiouaz
  • Publication number: 20240143749
    Abstract: A ransomware protection smart network interface controller (SmartNIC) is configured to implement data protection in a domain of the SmartNIC by taking a secure snapshot, a point in time image of a storage object, and retaining the point in time image of the storage object until a retention timer has expired, and implementing vault semantics and operational controls. The ransomware protection SmartNIC is also configured to implement ransomware detection in the domain of the SmartNIC by implementing inline ransomware attack detection and/or near-line ransomware attack detection, using periodic snapshots, by evaluating probability of a ransomware attack based, at least in part, on a delta change set in consecutive snapshots. The ransomware protection SmartNIC is further configured to implement ransomware protection policies in the domain of the SmartNIC by implementing policies of when the secure snapshots are taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Wai Chuen Yim, Walter O'Brien, III
  • Publication number: 20240143339
    Abstract: A ransomware protection smart network interface controller (SmartNIC) is configured to create a secure snapshot of a boot device of an information handling system (IHS), create a secure alternate boot device on each boot of the IHS, and export the boot device and the secure alternate boot device to the IHS. The IHS is configured to set a boot order of the IHS, with the secure alternate boot device immediately after the boot device in the boot order. The ransomware protection SmartNIC may also be configured to create a read and writeable snapshot from the secure snapshot of the IHS boot device, and may delete, on each subsequent boot of the IHS, the read and writeable snapshot for the prior boot, and create a new read and writeable snapshot from a secure snapshot of the IHS boot device from the subsequent boot of the IHS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Wai Chuen Yim, Walter O'Brien, III
  • Publication number: 20240111414
    Abstract: A method for facilitating a connection to a storage volume, that includes receiving, by a storage manager, an access request from compute node, where the access request includes a storage volume identifier associated with the storage volume, performing a lookup, in a target database, to identify a target entry that includes the storage volume identifier, making a first determination that the target database does not comprise the target entry, and based on the first determination, creating a first storage target cluster for the storage volume, and sending first connection instructions to the compute node, where the first connection instructions comprise a first storage target cluster identifier associated with the first storage target cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Xiangping Chen, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Xunce Zhou
  • Patent number: 11928354
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature determination system includes a storage device that is coupled to a read temperature adjustment subsystem. The storage device receives data from the read temperature adjustment subsystem, stores the data in a block in the storage device, identifies read disturb information for a row in the block at a plurality of different times, processes the read disturb information to generate a read temperature for the row, provides the read temperature in a local logical storage element read temperature map and, based on instructions from the read temperature adjustment subsystem, adjusts the read temperature provided in the local logical storage element read temperature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11929135
    Abstract: A read disturb information determination system includes a storage device coupled to a global read temperature identification system. The storage device reads, from a first row in a storage subsystem in the storage device, data stored in bits that were previously identified as being susceptible to read disturb effects, and error correction information associated with the data. The storage device uses the error correction information to identify a number of the bits that store portions of the data with errors and, based on the number of bits that store portions of the data with errors, determines read disturb information for the first row in the storage subsystem in the storage device. The storage device then uses the read disturb information to generate a read temperature for a second row in the storage subsystem in the storage device, and provides the read temperature to the global read temperature identification system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11928515
    Abstract: A system for providing computer implemented services using information handling systems includes persistent storage and a system control processor manager. The system control processor manager instantiates composed information handling systems using the information handling systems; monitors, using system control processors of the composed information handling systems, operation of the composed information handling systems to obtain operation information; makes a determination, based on the operation information, that the computing implemented services provided by the composed information handling systems are substandard; and in response to the determination: manages operation of the composed information handling systems to provide standards compliant computer implemented services by modifying a composition of at least one of the composed information handling systems using a system control processor of the system control processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: William Price Dawkins, Mark Steven Sanders, Jimmy Doyle Pike, Elie Antoun Jreij, Robert Wayne Hormuth, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Mukund P. Khatri, Gaurav Chawla, Yossef Saad
  • Patent number: 11922019
    Abstract: A storage device read-disturb-based block read temperature utilization system includes a storage device chassis housing a storage subsystem. A local read temperature utilization subsystem in the storage device chassis determines that data in a first block in the storage subsystem should be moved and, in response determines read disturb information for the first block and uses it to identify relative read temperatures for a plurality of rows in the first block in the storage subsystem. The local read temperature utilization system then moves the data from the first block in the storage subsystem to at least one second block in the storage subsystem based on the relative read temperatures identified for the plurality of rows in the first block in the storage subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11922020
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature information persistence system includes a storage device coupled to a host subsystem. The storage device receives a first instruction from the host subsystem to write first data to the storage device, writes the first data to a first block in the storage device, and determines first read temperature(s) for the first data based on first read disturb information associated with the first block in the storage device. When a second instruction is received from the host subsystem to write second data to the storage device that is an updated version of the first data, the storage device identifies the first read temperature(s) determined for the first data in the first block in the storage device, and writes the second data and a first read temperature indication of the at least one first read temperature to a second block in the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11922035
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature adjustment system includes a read temperature adjustment subsystem that is coupled to the storage device. The read temperature adjustment subsystem identifies data that is stored in a block in the storage device and that is associated with a read temperature that is based on read disturb information associated with the block, determines a read temperature adjustment level for the data based on one or more data characteristics of the data and, based on the read temperature adjustment level, transmits a read temperature adjustment instruction to the storage device that causes the storage device to adjust the read temperature associated with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11922067
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based logical storage read temperature information maintenance system includes a global read temperature identification subsystem coupled to storage device(s). Each storage device identifies, from a physical block in that storage device, current read disturb information associated with a row provided by the physical block in that storage device, and maps the current read disturb information to logical storage element(s) included in a logical-to-physical storage element mapping for that storage device along with previous read disturb information that was previously mapped to those logical storage element(s) included in the logical-to-physical storage element mapping for that storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11914494
    Abstract: A storage device read-disturb-based read temperature map utilization system includes a storage device chassis housing a storage subsystem. A local read temperature utilization subsystem in the storage device chassis determines read disturb information for a plurality of blocks in the storage subsystem, uses it to identify a subset of rows in block(s) in the storage subsystem that have a relatively higher read temperature and, based on those read temperature identifications, generates a local logical storage element read temperature map that identifies a subset of logical storage elements associated with the storage subsystem that have a relatively higher read temperature. The local read temperature utilization subsystem then moves data from first block(s) in the storage subsystem to second block(s) in the storage subsystem based on relative read temperatures identified in the local logical storage element read temperature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11907063
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based physical storage read temperature information identification system includes a global read temperature identification subsystem coupled to at least one storage device. Each at least one storage device reads valid data and obsolete data from at least one physical block in that storage device and, based on the reading of the valid data and the obsolete data, generates read disturb information associated with each row provided by the at least one physical block in that storage device. Each at least one storage devices then uses the read disturb information associated with each row provided by the at least one physical block in that storage device to generate a local logical storage element read temperature map for that storage device that it provides to the global read temperature identification subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11907386
    Abstract: A platform root-of-trust system includes a System Control Processor (SCP) subsystem coupled to a central processing subsystem, a BIOS subsystem, and an I/O device. In response to an initialization instruction, the SCP subsystem begins initialization operations prior to the beginning of initialization operations for the central processing subsystem, the BIOS subsystem, and the I/O device. As part of SCP initialization operations, the SCP subsystem validates SCP subsystem initialization information to provide validated SCP subsystem initialization information, and uses the validated SCP subsystem initialization information to complete the SCP initialization operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Mukund P. Khatri, Robert W. Hormuth, Jimmy D. Pike, Gaurav Chawla, William Price Dawkins, Elie Jreij, Mark Steven Sanders, Walter A. O'Brien, III
  • Patent number: 11868223
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature information utilization system includes a read-disturb-based read temperature information utilization subsystem coupled to a storage subsystem including storage devices that each generate local read-disturb-based read temperature information associated with that storage device. The read-disturb-based read temperature information utilization subsystem retrieves at least some of the local read-disturb-based read temperature information generated by each storage device and a number of reads associated with that storage device and, based on the number of reads associated with each of the storage devices, normalizes the at least some of the local read-disturb-based read temperature information retrieved from each of the storage devices to generate normalized local read-disturb-based read temperature information for each of the storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11853782
    Abstract: A device for managing composition of composed information handling includes persistent storage and a computer processor that obtains a composition request for a composed information handling system; makes a determination that the composition request is an intent based request; in response to the determination: matches an application specified by the composition request to computing resource requirements for the application; identifies, based on the computing resource requirements, at least one compute resource set having resources meeting the computing resources requirement; identifies, based on the computing resource requirements, at least one hardware resource set having resources meeting the computing resource requirements; sets up management services for the at least one hardware resource set using at least one control resource set to obtain logical hardware resources; and presents the logical hardware resources to the at least one compute resource set as bare metal resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Gaurav Chawla, Mark Steven Sanders, William Price Dawkins, Jimmy Doyle Pike, Elie Antoun Jreij, Robert Wayne Hormuth, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Mukund P. Khatri, Yossef Saad
  • Patent number: 11853803
    Abstract: A workload compliance governor system includes a management system coupled to a computing system. A workload compliance governor subsystem in the computing system receives a workload performance request associated with a workload, exchanges hardware compose communications with the management system to compose hardware components for the workload, and receives back an identification of hardware components. The workload compliance governor subsystem then determines that the identified hardware components satisfy hardware compliance requirements for the workload, and configures the identified hardware components in the computing system based on the software compliance requirements for the workload in order to cause those identified hardware components to provide an operating system and at least one application that operate to perform the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Mukund P. Khatri, Gaurav Chawla, William Price Dawkins, Elie Jreij, Mark Steven Sanders, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Robert W. Hormuth, Jimmy D. Pike
  • Patent number: 11829466
    Abstract: A device access control system includes a first computing system that is coupled to a second computing system via a network, and that includes a device access controller subsystem coupled to devices, a central processing subsystem, and a device access control manager subsystem. The device access control manager subsystem identifies first application(s) configured for provisioning by the central processing subsystem and second application(s) configured for provisioning by the second computing system, configures the device access controller subsystem to provide the central processing subsystem access to a first subset of the devices to allow the central processing subsystem to provide the first application(s), and configures the device access controller subsystem to provide the second computing system access via the device access control manager subsystem to a second subset of the devices to allow the second computing device to provide the second application(s) using the second subset of the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Walter A. O'Brien, III, Mukund P. Khatri, Mark Steven Sanders, William Price Dawkins, Elie Jreij, Robert W. Hormuth, Jimmy D. Pike, Gaurav Chawla
  • Patent number: 11829493
    Abstract: A device access control system includes a computing system having a device access controller subsystem coupled to devices and a central processing subsystem. A device access control manager subsystem is coupled to the device access controller subsystem and operates, during initialization operations for the computing system, to identify application(s) that are configured to be provided by the central processing subsystem, and identify a first subset of the devices that satisfy application provisioning requirements for the application(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Walter A O'Brien, III, Mukund P. Khatri, Jimmy D. Pike, Mark Steven Sanders, Elie Jreij, Gaurav Chawla, William Price Dawkins
  • Patent number: 11809912
    Abstract: A system control processor manager for servicing workloads using composed information handling systems instantiated using information handling systems includes persistent storage and a workload manager. The workload manager obtains a workload request for a workload of the workloads; predicts future resource needs for the workload during a future time period; makes a determination that a portion of free resources of the information handling systems are available to meet the future resource needs; reserves the portion of the free resources based on the determination to obtain reserved resources during the future time period; and composes a composed information handling system of the composed information handling systems using the reserved resources during the future time period to service the workload request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
    Inventors: Elie Antoun Jreij, William Price Dawkins, Gaurav Chawla, Mark Steven Sanders, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Mukund P. Khatri, Robert Wayne Hormuth, Yossef Saad, Jimmy Doyle Pike