Stratus Computer, Inc.

Netezza Corporation

Ibm International Group Bv

David A Utter

Barry M Zane

Foster D Hinshaw

Steven T Almy

Paul H Hansen

Gregory S LeBlanc

Laurie E Friedman

Susan J Lo Verso

A database appliance in which two or more internetworked data storage units are used to coordinate the storage and retrieval of database records. One or more central database processing units are also associated with the data storage units. A network infrastructure provides the ability for the central database processors and storage processors to communicate as network nodes, with the network infrastructure using a communication protocol. A software application for executing database operations executes in a distributed fashion with portions of the database application executing on at least one central database processor and other portions executing on the data storage processors. At least a portion of the database application is implemented within and/or coordinated by a communication process that is executing the communication protocol. This coordination takes place such that data blocks are passed between the communication process and at least one portion of the database application process by passing data block reference information. In accordance with other aspects of the present invention, the communication process may have at least portions of the database application process executing within it. These database application operations executing within the same context as the communication process may include database operations such as join, sort, aggregate, restrict, reject, expression evaluation, statistical analysis or other operations.

Network interface for distributed intelligence database system

A database appliance having multiple internetworked data storage units and central database processing units. The central database processors and storage units communicate as network nodes. Execution of a distributed database application is coordinated by a communication process such that data blocks are passed by using data block reference information. Operations executing within the same context as the communication process may include join, sort, aggregate, restrict, reject, expression evaluation, statistical analysis or other database operations.

A fault-tolerant computer system comprises a plurality of processing nodes and a plurality of storage nodes interconnected by a network. The processing nodes perform processing operations in connection with user-generated processing requests. The processing nodes, in connection with processing a processing request, generate storage and retrieval requests for transmission to the storage node to enable storage of data thereon and retrieval of data therefrom. The storage nodes store data in at least one replicated partition group comprising a plurality of replicated partitions distributed across the storage nodes. A storage node, on receiving a retrieval request from a processing node provide the requested data to the processing node. In addition, on receiving a storage request from a processing node, a storage node initiates an update operation to update all of the replicated partitions in the replicated partition group. Following correction of a malfunction or failure of a storage node, partitions maintained by the malfunctioning or failed storage node can be recovered by use of the other members of the replicated partition group.

Distributed fault tolerant digital data storage subsystem for fault

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Princeton, MA, United States of America

David A Utter