Linda Ann Riedle

US Patent:

6378038, Apr 23, 2002

Filed:

Mar 31, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/282852

Inventors:

Philip Anthony Richardson - Apex NC
Shah Mohammad Rezaul Islam - Cary NC
Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1120

US Classification:

711114, 711173, 714 6, 714 7

Abstract:

A method and system for storing data in a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) data storage subsystem is disclosed. The RAID data storage subsystem includes a plurality of drives. The method and system include temporarily storing data in a first portion of the plurality of drives using a first RAID level and relatively permanently storing the data in a second portion the plurality of drives using a second RAID level. The step of relatively permanently storing the data is performed at a time when performance of the system is not substantially affected by storage using the second RAID level. Furthermore, the temporary storing step and the step of storing the data using the second RAID level may be performed throughout operation of the RAID data storage subsystem. Thus, RAID data may be cached using the first RAID level, then relatively permanently stored using the second RAID level.

US Patent:

6611827, Aug 26, 2003

Filed:

Oct 1, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/411810

Inventors:

Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707 1, 711114, 711200, 711112

Abstract:

A redundant disk array and improved method for redundant disk array access improve the performance of storage systems for computers. The disk array and method retrieve data from redundant drives according to an algorithm that will fetch contiguous pages from a single storage device, rather than alternating accesses between storage devices. The result is a reduced access time and increased data throughput.

US Patent:

6629211, Sep 30, 2003

Filed:

Apr 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/838788

Inventors:

Gregory Joseph McKnight - Chapel Hill NC
Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC
Charles Thorpe Stephan - Knightdale NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711141, 142143, 142113

Abstract:

A method and system for accessing data in a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) subsystem is disclosed. The RAID subsystem includes a RAID controller having a cache and a plurality of disks. The method and system include utilizing the cache in a write back mode if the RAID subsystem is lightly loaded. In write back mode, the data is written to the cache prior to storing the data on at least one disk of the plurality of disks or prior to outputting the data from the RAID subsystem. The method and system also include utilizing the cache in a write through mode if the RAID subsystem is heavily loaded. In the write through mode, the data is written directly to at least one disk of the plurality of disks and, in a preferred embodiment, at the same time written to any cache buffer. Thus, data is written to the disks without the delay associated with managing a full cache when in write back mode required to flush an existing cache buffer to make a free buffer available.

US Patent:

6718435, Apr 6, 2004

Filed:

Aug 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/929445

Inventors:

Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 306

US Classification:

711114, 711161, 711162, 712228, 714 6, 714 16, 714 17, 714 19

Abstract:

A method and system for improving data migration from source data stripes to destination stripes in a Redundant Array of Independent Drives (RAID) logical drive migration (LDM). The invention describes a procedure for checkpointing data migrations, so that if the system should fail in the middle of the LDM, the computer can resume the LDM from the last checkpointed destination stripes, thus ensuring accurate tracking of data location. Further, the invention also provides the capability of properly checkpointing a data write to a stripe according to whether or not the stripe unit has been migrated previously.

US Patent:

6728833, Apr 27, 2004

Filed:

Feb 28, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/085401

Inventors:

Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC
Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711114, 711112, 711161, 711162, 714 6

Abstract:

A method, system and computer program product for updating firmware in a disk in a disk array in a RAID storage system without deactivating a server coupled to the disk array. Upon selecting the disk whose firmware is to be updated, the selected disk may enter a degrade mode of operation where a RAID controller coupled to the RAID storage system may prevent requests from reaching the selected disk thereby suppressing activity on the selected disk to allow the firmware to be updated. During the updating of the firmware, any stripes updated may be tracked. Upon completion of the firmware update, the stripe units in the selected disk associated with the stripes updated may be rebuilt. In this manner, firmware may be updated on a disk in a RAID storage system without deactivating the server thereby allowing the server to continuously stay active.

US Patent:

6862661, Mar 1, 2005

Filed:

Jun 26, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/892377

Inventors:

Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC, US
Dean Alan Kalman - Cary NC, US
Richard Christopher Fore - Apex NC, US
Albert Andre Asselin - Holly Springs NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F012/08

US Classification:

711114, 711117

Abstract:

A method and system for managing data in a data storage system including a plurality of physical storage devices is disclosed. The method and system comprises providing a plurality of modules, where each of the plurality of modules includes at least one child. Each module receives an input command related to the data from a source, where the source is transparent to the module. The module decides to which one of its children to pass the input command, and passes the input command to that child for processing the data accordingly.

US Patent:

6966006, Nov 15, 2005

Filed:

May 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/142142

Inventors:

Joaquin Fernando Pacheco - Holly Springs NC, US
William Joseph Piazza - Apex NC, US
Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC, US
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC, US
Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F001/26

US Classification:

713300, 713330

Abstract:

A method and system for adaptively implementing a disk drive startup sequence for a disk drive array. Prior to a next disk drive spin-up sequence a currently available power supply resource capacity and a startup metric of each of the array disk drives are determined. Each of the disk drives are scheduled into designated startup groups as a function of both the determined currently available power supply resource capacity and the determined startup metric. The scheduling of disk drives into designated startup groups includes determining an activation sequence timing schedule for each of the disk drives. The activation sequence timing schedule determines the relative times at which spindle motors for each of said plurality of disk drives will be activated as a function of the determined startup metric for each of the disk drives and the available power supply resource capacity as reduced by the steady state power requirements of each of the startup groups.

US Patent:

6983334, Jan 3, 2006

Filed:

Nov 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/007190

Inventors:

Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709250

Abstract:

A method, system, and program product for efficiently tracking lost data packets in a multicast TFTP network environment. An algorithm is encoded within the receiving client processing system that tracks received packets within a 64 Kbit tracking array. The array is stored in memory. If the number of packets of a file being transmitted is larger than 64K, the algorithm performs a grouping function, by which each set of two neighboring spaces within the array are combined. Combining of the spaces involves ANDing the spaces together, and the ANDed results stored within a single space indicates whether or not the packets within the group needs to be re-requested. Thus if either one of the values in the spaces is a zero (indicating that the corresponding packet is lost) then the combined space is tagged with a zero. In this way, when the client is determining which packet(s) or groups to re-request, the client checks the array for holes (i. e. , 0's) and re-requests the packet(s) represented by each hole found.