International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Franck Excoffier

Michael Paul Groover

Edward Lin

Xu Han

Andreas B M Koster

Mario Sweeney

Andrew Dale Walls

Yang Liu

Aaron Daniel Fry

Gary A Tressler

Lincoln T Simmons

Robin Han

Adam C Chunn

Mario Kiessling

Itzhack Goldberg

Brent William Yardley

Jeffery Michael Franke

Steven Douglas Johnson

Shawn P Authement

Michael Robert Groseclose, Jr

Edward George Butt

Nhan Q Vo

Ofir D Cohen

Kevin A Bosien

Matthew Hulsey Caughman

Diana Y Ong

Bader Ali-Saleh

Rayyan Memon

David S Drinnan

An approach for optimizing server-based loads between data centers. The approach receives data from a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) associated with servers in a plurality of data centers. The approach filters the data associated with a portion of the data centers having the highest power usage and thermal state conditions. The approach aggregates the filtered data into performance data groups based on association with a data center. The approach creates two-ratio statistics of the aggregated groups. The approach generates a data center score based on the two-ratio statistics. The approach selects data center sites with the lowest scores. The approach initiates a request to transfer server-based loads from the servers associated with the filtered data to the data center sites with the lowest scores.

Cloud financial load optimization based on power and thermal statistics aggregation

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving configuration information which corresponds to hardware and software configurations of a user computing environment. This configuration information is used to create a test computing environment which emulates the hardware and software configurations of the user computing environment. Moreover, a software update is applied to the test computing environment, and the test computing environment is operated with the software update applied thereto. Results which correspond to performance of the test computing environment during the operation are received, and a determination is made as to whether one or more errors were experienced by the test computing environment during the operation. In response to determining that at least one error was experienced by the test computing environment during the operation, implementation of the software update in the user computing environment is postponed.

Performing software updates using environment emulation

A sequence for distributing at least one of a plurality of code packages to the at least one facility according to different states of a fixed state machine is set. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is maintained in at least one staging area in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is stopped. Pursuant to a resumption of the fixed state machine at a subsequent time, a current code package is swapped with the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area to activate the at least one of the plurality of code packages.

Updating elements in data storage facility using predefined state machine over extended time period

A data retention methodology for use in electrically rewritable nonvolatile storage systems is disclosed. The methodology collects characteristic data of the storage system (e.g., time stamps, program/erase cycles, sensed temperature over time, and others) and uses at least a portion of that data to associate various data retention schemes with the collected characteristic data. At power-on, the methodology determines a duration of a time during which power was not supplied to the storage system. The methodology also uses the power-on time to trigger the selection of an appropriate data protection scheme (e.g., enhanced ECC and/or read/scrub frequency). Dynamic selection and adjustment of the applied protection scheme may be based on the predetermined and/or calculated association between various protection schemes and the collected characteristic data of the storage system.

Dynamic adjustment of data protection schemes in flash storage systems based on temperature, power off duration and flash age

To emulate a hardware component of a target hardware system including a plurality of hardware components, a component model of the hardware component is built, where the component model includes a register interface through which a host application provides inputs to and reads outputs from the component model, one or more parameter registers that hold values of state variables of the component model, and a state machine that models behavior of the hardware component without explicitly emulating logic implemented in the hardware component. During modeling of the hardware component utilizing the component model the component model is dynamically modified other than by modifying values of the state variables.

Dynamically modifiable component model

A setup module organizes a single software image for a management command. A process module creates a plurality of processes independently executing the management command on each of the plurality of devices from a management console. Each process employs the software image. A termination module ends the management command after each process has completed on each of the plurality of devices.

Concurrent management console operations

A data retention methodology for use in electrically rewritable nonvolatile storage systems is disclosed. The methodology collects characterization data of the storage system (e.g., time stamps, program/erase cycles, sensed temperature over time, and others) and uses at least a portion of that data to associate various data retention schemes with the collected characterization data. At power-on, the methodology determines a duration of a time during which power was not supplied to the storage system. The methodology also uses the power-on time to trigger the selection of an appropriate data protection scheme (e.g., enhanced ECC and/or read/scrub frequency). Dynamic selection and adjustment of the applied protection scheme may be based on the predetermined and/or calculated association between various protection schemes and the collected characterization data of the storage system.

A sequence for distributing at least one of a plurality of code packages to the at least one facility according to different states of a fixed state machine is set. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is installed in at least one staging area. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is maintained in the at least one staging area in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is stopped. Pursuant to a resumption of the fixed state machine at a subsequent time, a current code package is swapped with the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area to activate the at least one of the plurality of code packages.

Various embodiments for providing an update to at least one storage facility in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, media is received in one or more updatable elements of one or more components of the at least one storage facility, each of the one or more updatable elements including one or more unique update images and one or more unique update commands, a security verification is performed on the update via a certificate authentication mechanism to confirm a validity of the update, a safety verification is performed on the update to confirm a suitability of the update to the at least one storage facility, the update is installed in the at least one storage facility, and the update in the at least one storage facility is processed by traversing a fixed state machine for each updatable element.

Unattended code update of storage facility

A method for managing persistent data in a multi-image code load system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes providing first and second code images for loading onto a computing system. The method stores, in a common repository, persistent data that is shared by each of the first and second code images. When changes are made to the shared persistent data associated with the first and second code images, the changes are recorded in the form of content deltas. When generating such content deltas, the method determines which of the first and second code images the content deltas apply to and marks the content deltas accordingly. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Persistent data management in multi-image code load systems

Various embodiments for providing an update to at least one storage facility in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, a security verification is performed on the update via a certificate authentication mechanism to confirm a validity of the update. Subsequent to confirming the validity of the update, a safety verification on the update is performed to confirm a suitability of the update to the at least one storage facility. If the security and safety verifications are validated, the update is provided and installed in the at least one storage facility.

A technique for updating elements in a data storage facility, including a single server or a multi-server system, such as by providing updated internal code packages to the elements. The update is performed using a fixed state machine, where the elements are updated in a coordinated manner within the constraints of the state machine. In a multi-server device, the code packages are distributed to elements associated with the different servers in one traversal of the state machine, during distribute states of the state machine. The distributed code packages are activated in activate states of the state machine in one traversal of the state machine, so there is parallel activation. The code packages can be grouped in a flexible way by configuring an external update bundle used by the state machine. The distributing of the code is based on the grouping.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Franck Excoffier