Patents by Inventor Walter O'Brien

Walter O'Brien 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: 12254177
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Xiangping Chen, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Xunce Zhou
  • Patent number: 12229266
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Wai Chuen Yim, Walter O'Brien, III, Ali Aiouaz
  • Patent number: 12222811
    Abstract: A self-healing Hard Disk Drive (HDD) system includes a chassis housing an HDD device self-healing subsystem coupled to an HDD data storage system that includes a plurality of HDD data storage resources. The HDD device self-healing subsystem prevents data from being stored on a first HDD data storage resource that is included in the plurality of HDD data storage resources included in the HDD data storage system. When the HDD device self-healing subsystem determines that data storage operations using a second HDD data storage resource that is included in the plurality of HDD data storage resources will be subsequently unavailable, it remaps logical addresses associated with the second HDD data storage resource to the first HDD data storage resource, and provides the data that was stored using the second HDD data storage resource on the first HDD data storage resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Gregory Martin Allen, Frank Widjaja Yu, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Marcelo Silva Saraiva
  • Patent number: 12223359
    Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to a method for performing computational offloads for composed information handling systems. The method includes obtaining, by a system control processor associated with a composed information handling system, a computational offload request associated with a dataset from an application executing on an at least one compute resource set; in response to obtaining the computational offload request: identifying a dataset location associated with the dataset in the composed information handling system; identifying resources of the composed information handling system capable of performing the computational offload request; selecting a resource of the resources to perform the computational offload; and initiating performance of the computational offload request on the selected resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Gaurav Chawla, Amnon Izhar, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Ali Aiouaz, Doron Tal, David L. Black, William Price Dawkins
  • Publication number: 20250021394
    Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to a method for providing software defined storage (SDS) services on edge information handling systems (IHSs). The method includes obtaining a composition request associated with performing an SDS service on edge IHSs, wherein the SDS service is associated with a minimum quantity of SDS nodes that is greater than a quantity of available edge IHSs; identifying a first edge IHS and a second edge IHS specified by the composition request; identifying a number of nodes associated with the SDS nodes; allocating heterogeneous compute resources of the first IHS and the second IHS to each SDS node of the SDS nodes; allocating a power domain to each SDS node of the SDS nodes; allocating portions of an at least one hardware resource set to each SDS node of the SDS nodes; and preparing the SDS nodes to perform the SDS service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Xiangping Chen, William Price Dawkins, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Xunce Zhou
  • Publication number: 20240330110
    Abstract: A self-healing Hard Disk Drive (HDD) system includes a chassis housing an HDD device self-healing subsystem coupled to an HDD data storage system that includes a plurality of HDD data storage resources. The HDD device self-healing subsystem prevents data from being stored on a first HDD data storage resource that is included in the plurality of HDD data storage resources included in the HDD data storage system. When the HDD device self-healing subsystem determines that data storage operations using a second HDD data storage resource that is included in the plurality of HDD data storage resources will be subsequently unavailable, it remaps logical addresses associated with the second HDD data storage resource to the first HDD data storage resource, and provides the data that was stored using the second HDD data storage resource on the first HDD data storage resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Gregory Martin Allen, Frank Widjaja Yu, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Marcelo Silva Saraiva
  • Patent number: 11995340
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature information access system includes a read-disturb-based read temperature information management subsystem coupled to a plurality of storage devices that each include a read-disturb-based read temperature information Application Programming Interface (API). Each storage device generates and stores read-disturb-based read temperature information associated with that storage device, and when a read-disturb-based read temperature information command is received from the read-disturb-based read temperature information management subsystem that conforms to the read-disturb-based read temperature information API, the storage device receiving that read-disturb-based read temperature information command will execute it to perform at least one operation using the read-disturb-based read temperature information associated with and stored by that storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson, James Ulery
  • Patent number: 11989452
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based logical storage read temperature identification system includes a global read temperature identification subsystem coupled to at least one storage device. Each at least one storage device identifies read disturb information associated with rows provided by the at least one physical block in that storage device from at least one physical block in that storage device, and maps the read disturb information associated with the rows provided by the at least one physical block in that storage device to one or more logical storage elements included in a logical-to-physical storage element mapping for that storage device to generate a local logical storage element read temperature map. Each at least one storage device may then provide its local logical storage element read temperature map to the global read temperature identification subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11989441
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature identification system includes storage device(s) that each determine read disturb information for each block in that storage device, use that read disturb information to identify a subset of rows in at least one block in that storage device that have a higher read temperature than the other rows in the at least one block in that storage device and, based on that identification, generate and store a local logical storage element read temperature map that identifies a subset of logical storage elements associated with that storage device that have a higher read temperature than the other logical storage elements associated with that storage device. A global read temperature identification subsystem coupled to the storage device(s) may then retrieve at least a portion of the local logical storage element read temperature map(s) and use them to generate a global logical storage element read temperature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11983424
    Abstract: A read disturb information isolation system includes a storage subsystem including a plurality of blocks that each include a plurality of rows, and a read disturb information isolation subsystem that is coupled to the storage system. For at least one of the plurality of blocks, the read disturb information isolation system retrieves data from at least a subset of rows in that block, identifies read disturb information for that data, performs at least one isolation operation on that read disturb information to generate isolated read disturb information, and provides that isolated read disturb information to a read temperature identification subsystem. The read temperature identification subsystem may then use the isolated read disturb information provided by the read disturb information isolation subsystem to generate a local logical storage element read temperature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, Leland W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11983431
    Abstract: A read-disturb-based read temperature time-based attenuation system includes a storage device that is coupled to a global read temperature identification subsystem. The storage device determines current read disturb information for data stored in a block in the storage device during a current time period, processes the current read disturb information and previous read disturb information that was determined during at least one previous time period that was prior to the current time period in order to generate a read temperature for the data stored in the block, generates a local logical storage element read temperature map that includes the read temperature, and provides the local logical storage element map to the global read temperature identification subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Leland W. Thompson, James Ulery
  • Patent number: 11983276
    Abstract: A communication system personality provisioning system includes a communication system included in a computing system and coupled to a management system. The communication system stores authentication information in a UEFI database of a UEFI system in the communication system. The communication system receives a first operating software image and application/service from the management system, authenticates the first operating software image and application/service via first secure initialization operations performed by the UEFI system using the authentication information and, in response, installs the first operating software image and application/service on the communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Mukund P. Khatri, Jimmy D. Pike, Gaurav Chawla, William Price Dawkins, Elie Jreij, Mark Steven Sanders, Walter A. O'Brien, III, Robert W. Hormuth
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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