IBM Assigned Five Patents

Incomplete Write Protection for Disk Array

IBM Corp., Armonk, NY has been assigned a patent (8,214,684) developed by Steven R. Hetzler, Los Altos, CA, and Daniel F. Smith, San Jose, CA, for an "incomplete write protection for disk array."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "The embodiments of the invention provide methods of protecting data blocks while writing to a storage array, wherein storage units in the storage array include write logs. The data protection level of the write logs is equal to or greater than the data protection level of the storage units. Moreover, the write logs have metadata describing contents of the write logs, wherein the metadata include a sequence number identifying the age of the metadata. Each of the data blocks is a member of a parity group having addressable data blocks and first parity blocks. The addressable data blocks have at least one host data block and at least one associated data block."

The patent application was filed on March 31, 2008 (12/059,011).

Manufacture for Mirroring Data at Storage Locations

IBM Corp., Armonk, NY has been assigned a patent (8,209,282) developed by four co-inventors for a "method, system, and article of manufacture for mirroring data at storage locations."

The co-inventors are Robert Frederic Kern, William Frank Micka, Gail Andrea Spear, Tucson, AZ, and David B. Petersen, Great Falls, VA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Provided are a system and article of manufacture for mirroring data. A mirror policy indicating volumes in a first storage system is processed to mirror to volumes in a second storage system and volumes in the second storage system to mirror to volumes in a third storage system. The third storage system is at a first geographical location remote with respect to a second geographical location including the first and second storage systems. A command is transmitted to cause the copying of updates to the volumes in the first storage system to corresponding volumes in the second storage system indicated in the mirror policy. Upon an occurrence of an event, the causing the suspension of the copying of updates to the volumes in the first storage system indicated in the mirroring policy to the volumes in the second storage system. During the suspension of the copying of volumes between the first and second storage systems, causing the copying of updates to the volumes in the second storage system indicated in the mirroring policy to the volumes in the third storage system indicated in the mirroring policy."

The patent application was filed on Sept. 19, 2008 (12/234,538).

Program for Controlling Storage Device
Having Per-Element Selectable Power Supply Voltages

IBM Corp., Armonk, NY has been assigned a patent (8,208,339) developed by five co-inventors for a "computer program product for controlling a storage device having per-element selectable power supply voltages."

The co-inventors are Rajiv V. Joshi, Yorktown Heights, NY, Jente B. Kuang, Austin, TX, Rouwaida N. Kanj, Round Rock, TX, Sani R. Nassif, and Hung Cai Ngo, Austin, TX.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A computer program product for controlling a storage device using per-element selectable power supply voltages provides energy conservation in storage devices while maintaining a particular performance level. The storage device is partitioned into multiple elements, which may be sub-arrays, rows, columns or individual storage cells. Each element has a corresponding virtual power supply rail that is provided with a selectable power supply voltage. The power supply voltage provided to the virtual power supply rail for an element is set to the minimum power supply voltage unless a higher power supply voltage is required for the element to meet performance requirements. A control cell may be provided within each element that provides a control signal that selects the power supply voltage supplied to the corresponding virtual power supply rail. The state of the cell may be set via a fuse or mask, or values may be loaded into the control cells at initialization of the storage device."

The patent application was filed on May 25, 2011 (13/115,149).

Virtual Binding for Worm Storage System
on Rewritable Media

IBM Corp., Armonk, NY has been assigned a patent (8,195,724) developed by Windsor Wee Sun Hsu, San Jose, CA, and Lan Huang, Sunnyvale, CA, for "providing a virtual binding for a worm storage system on rewritable media."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A virtual binding system ensures that the WORM logic for protecting data immutability cannot be circumvented, effectively guaranteeing WORM property of a WORM storage system composed of rewritable magnetic hard disks. To close the security hole between the rewritable media and the WORM logic, virtual binding securely authenticates the legitimacy of a WORM logic controller before granting data access on a WORM storage media. Furthermore, the system verifies the legitimacy of the WORM logic controller during data access. This approach virtually binds together the WORM logic controller and the WORM storage media even though the WORM logic controller and the WORM storage media may be physically separate."

The patent application was filed on May 17, 2010 (12/781,021).

Workflow-Driven Storage

IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (8,201,145) developed by Windsor Hsu and Lesley W. Mbogo, San Jose, CA, for a "system and method for workflow-driven data storage."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Programs, systems and methods are described for efficiently storing data as used under a workflow-driven model. A workflow process is defined to control the processing of data objects through different states, e.g., such as an insurance claim document passing through different stages of processing. The workflow process is modeled and employed to manage the storage system based upon predicted state changes derived from state statistics that can be applied to enhance efficiency. For example, copies of the data object may be automatically made when the data object is expected to change state. Some anticipated states implicating high access may direct a storage location with low access time. Hints or requirements for the data object may be applied upon occurrence of an expected state change. Storage management of expected state changes may be further enhanced through dynamic adjustment of the state statistics using collected historical state information to further enhance efficiency."

The patent application was filed on Nov. 13, 2007 (11/939,364).