Abstract: A fire hydrant tool for opening a fire hydrant in a controlled manner includes a cordless tool that has an output shaft and a trigger. A socket is attachable to the output shaft of the cordless tool and the socket has dimensions matching a top nut of a fire hydrant thereby facilitating the cordless tool to open the fire hydrant. A rod is attachable to the handle of the cordless tool thereby facilitating the rod to be gripped for manipulating the cordless tool. A ratchet driver is attached to the rod and the socket is attachable to the ratchet driver when the cordless tool has insufficient torque to loosen the top nut. A prying tool is coupled to the rod and the prying tool has a claw element and a hook element to grip an object for prying the object.

Abstract: This invention relates to a means for locating and accessing an object on one side of a partition from the other side of the partition, for the purpose of easy and convenient access and inspection of the object.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the secure deletion of data stored within a data processing system. The method includes the steps of executing a flag routine, wherein data is flagged for possible future deletion; executing an authorization routine to authorize the deletion of the flagged data; and receiving a deletion trigger, the deletion trigger initiating the execution of a data deletion routine to delete the flagged data. An exemplary data processing system configured to delete the flagged data is also provided.

Abstract: A storage controller (104) for a storage system (100) in which there are multiple storage devices (109) and a method for recording diagnostic information are provided. The storage controller (104) includes a storage device manager (203) which has means for allocating a storage device (109) in the storage system (100) for storing diagnostic data. The storage controller (104) also includes means for generating diagnostic data regarding the operation of the storage controller (104). Two buffers (207, 208) are used for alternately recording and writing batches of diagnostic data to the allocated storage device (109). The allocated storage device may be a storage device which is normally reserved for disaster recovery in the storage system (100).

Abstract: A storage controller (104) for a storage system (100) in which there are multiple storage devices (109) and a method for recording diagnostic information are provided. The storage controller (104) includes a storage device manager (203) which has means for allocating a storage device (109) in the storage system (100) for storing diagnostic data. The storage controller (104) also includes means for generating diagnostic data regarding the operation of the storage controller (104). Two buffers (207, 208) are used for alternately recording and writing batches of diagnostic data to the allocated storage device (109). The allocated storage device may be a storage device which is normally reserved for disaster recovery in the storage system (100).

Abstract: According to a first general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a logic arrangement for reducing incidence of errors in connections between a power consumer apparatus and a power supply apparatus, the logic arrangement comprising: a pattern-generating component for generating an identifiable pattern in a load to be drawn from a power supply connection to a power supply apparatus; and a testing component for monitoring across a signal connection to the power supply apparatus, the testing component monitoring for a change in the load corresponding to the pattern. A positive result of the testing by the testing component indicates a correct configuration. Additional embodiments are also presented.

Abstract: An apparatus operable with a host and at least first and second data storage for avoiding overwriting of a stored data item in the second data storage by a copy services system is provided. The apparatus includes a storage use analyzer for determining the availability of the second data storage. A copy services requester communicates with the host to receive a request to establish a copy services relationship, using the second data storage as a target data storage. A request blocking and passing component passes the request to establish a copy services relationship using the second data storage as the target data storage, responsive to a positive determination of availability of the second storage. The request blocking and passing component may also block the request responsive to a negative determination of availability of the second data storage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus having a memory operable with a virtualised RAID controller to determine an optimum I/O configuration by testing performance characteristics of a plurality of I/O operations.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for update of configuration cache data in a disk storage subsystem in which a cache memory (110) is updated using two-phase (220, 250) commit technique. This provides the advantage that known changes to the subsystem do not require an invalidate/rebuild style operation on the cache. This is especially important where a change will invalidate the entire cache.

Abstract: A method for migrating data between heterogeneous data storage devices within a storage area network is disclosed. A first virtualizer presents stored data as a first virtual disk, and then communicates a managed disk representation of the first virtual disk to a second virtualizer. After receiving the managed disk representation, the second virtualizer virtualizes the stored data from the managed disk representation as a second virtual disk. At such point, the stored data can be progressively migrated from the first virtualizer to the second virtualizer.

Abstract: A method for software upgrade in a first node operable in a distributed computing system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a receiving component, a new version of application software and a new version of infrastructure software and installing, by an installation component, the new version of application software and the new version of infrastructure software. A first startup component starts the new version of infrastructure software. A second startup component starts an old version of application software to run with the new version of the infrastructure software. Responsive to an indication from a second node that the new version of application software and the new version of infrastructure software have been installed at the second node, the old version of application software is quiesced by a transition component. The old version is unloaded the new version of application software is loaded.

Abstract: A controller for use at a node of a clustered computer apparatus comprises an exception detection component for detecting an exception raised by a service component at the node; a quiesce component responsive to the exception detection component for quiescing lease-governed activity by the service component prior to termination of a lease; a lease control component responsive to the quiesce component for pre-expiry relinquishing of the lease; and a communication component responsive to the lease control component for communicating the pre-expiry relinquishing of the lease to one or more further nodes of the clustered computer apparatus. The controller may further include a second communication component for receiving a communication indicating the pre-expiry relinquishing of a lease; a second lease control component responsive to the communication to control failure processing; and a second service component to perform a service in place of the service component at the node.

Abstract: Apparatus and computer program product for enabling an error strategy in a storage system with an initiator and a plurality of storage devices connected by a network, such as a storage area network (SAN). The computer program product is operable for recording timing statistics for transactions between an initiator and a target storage device; analyzing the recorded timing statistics for a target storage device; and applying the statistical analysis for a target storage device to error recovery procedures for the target storage device. The computer program product may also record statistics for transactions between an initiator and a target storage device using a particular network route. The recorded and analyzed timing statistics can be used to provide a dynamic error strategy based on the performance of individual target devices and routes.

Abstract: A method, system, and machine-readable medium for providing high-performance lock management for a flash copy image of a region of data in N-way shared storage systems is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a data processing system is provided which comprises a cache to store a copy of metadata specifying a coherency relationship between a region of data and a flash copy image of the region of data, wherein the metadata is subject to one or more lock protocols controlled by an owner storage controller node; and a client storage controller node, coupled with the cache, comprising an input/output performing component to receive a request to perform an input/output operation on at least one of the region of data and the flash copy image of the region of data and to perform the input/output operation utilizing the copy of the metadata.

Abstract: A storage control apparatus, in communication with a cluster of storage devices in a storage network having plural administrator systems, comprises a cluster lock requester component, a cluster lock receiver component and a configuration component, wherein, responsive to receipt of a cluster lock by said cluster lock receiver component, the configuration component is operable to configure a logical resource object within said cluster. The apparatus may also include a cluster lock granter component operable to grant a cluster lock to the cluster lock receiver component responsive to said cluster lock requester component. A method of operating a storage control apparatus includes method steps corresponding to functional components of an apparatus and may be embodied in computer program codes.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for isolating a storage application from a network interface driver. The apparatus includes a definition module, an application interface, a translation module, and a data buffer. The definition module defines a set of storage application functions. The translation module translates each storage application function to one or more network interface driver functions. The data buffer transfers data blocks between the storage application and the network interface driver.

Abstract: An apparatus for data transmission over a network includes a buffer and a timer mechanism for timing an optimum interval (less than the round-trip error response delay) for retransmission of data. A first accessor accesses data in the buffer for transmission and starts a first timeout clock. Second or further accessors of the buffer are responsive to a timeout to access the data, start a timeout clock and attempt to transmit the data on a path avoiding path elements used by prior accessors. A counter increments and decrements a count of the references to the buffer by accessors and signals when the count reaches zero. A memory manager returns the buffer to a free buffer pool responsive to the reference counter signaling that the count has reached zero. An analysis mechanism can be used to determine the optimum interval and tune the timer mechanism.

Abstract: A method and system for transmitting an application message between nodes of a clustered data processing system is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method, embodied within a machine-readable medium, is provided according to which a determination is made whether one or more application messages to be transmitted to a first node of a plurality of nodes from a second node of the plurality may be currently transmitted. The method of the described embodiment further includes the processing of the one or more application messages in response to a determination whether the one or more application messages of may be currently transmitted.

Abstract: A host data processing system includes a data storage system having a cache memory and a back end storage. In response to a detection of an event failure during an input/output (I/O) request from the host data processing system to the data storage system, the data associated with the I/O request is forwarded to the back end storage data, and a copy of the data associated with the I/O request is sent to the cache memory. A determination is made as to whether or not there is an acknowledgement from the back end storage regarding the receipt of the data associated with the I/O request. If there is an acknowledgement from the back end storage regarding the receipt of the data associated with the I/O request, the data associated with the I/O request is flushed from the cache memory, and the received acknowledgement is routed to the host data processing system.

Abstract: A storage controller for a storage system in which there are multiple storage devices and a method for recording diagnostic information are provided. The storage controller includes a storage device manager which has means for allocating a storage device in the storage system for storing diagnostic data. The storage controller also includes means for generating diagnostic data regarding the operation of the storage controller. Two buffers are used for alternately recording and writing batches of diagnostic data to the allocated storage device. The allocated storage device may be a storage device which is normally reserved for disaster recovery in the storage system.