International Business Machines Corporation

Lei Liu

Brian D Hatfield

Jason James Graves

Wenjeng Ko

Darren Christopher Douglas

Yoshihiko Terashita

David Darden Chambliss

Rui Zhang

Shah Mohammad Rezaul Islam

Joseph Edward Bolan

William Griswold Sherman

Sudhir Gurunandan Rao

David Michael Morton

Keith D Richeson

Gregory L Sylvester, Ii

Gregory Ii Sylvester

A method, system, and computer program product for facilitating power instability in a central electronics complex (CEC) of data storage computing environment in advance of a potential power failure is provided. Upon receipt of a first early power off warning (EPOW) signal indicating power instability, a first priority of execution of a first data storage task to be performed pursuant to a new data storage request is decreased, while a second priority of execution of a second data storage task to destage data in nonvolatile storage (NVS) to disk is increased. Upon receipt of a second EPOW signal indicating power failure, a system shutdown procedure is executed.

Power management mechanism for data storage environment

A method is disclosed to play a multiplayer online game. The method provides a handset and a multiplayer game stored on a server, where that server comprises (N) user profiles including the (i)th user profile comprising the (i)th game status and the (i)th digital signature assigned to the (i)th user, wherein the (i)th user is one of the (N) users. The method establishes a communication link between the handset and the server, such that the (i)th user can play the multiplayer game, using the handset and the (i)th game status, with one or more other users in communication with the server. The method downloads to the handset the game software and the (i)th user profile comprising the (i)th game status and the (i)th digital signature, before discontinuing the communication link between the handset and the server.

Apparatus and method to play a multiplayer, online game

Embodiments for managing read-only memory. A system includes a memory device including a real memory and a tracking mechanism configured to track relationships between multiple virtual memory addresses and real memory. The system further includes a processor configured to perform the below method and/or execute the below computer program product. One method includes mapping a first virtual memory address to a real memory in a memory device and mapping a second virtual memory address to the real memory.

Systems and methods for managing read-only memory

Embodiments for managing read-only memory. A system includes a memory device including a real memory and a tracking mechanism configured to track relationships between multiple virtual memory addresses and real memory. The system further includes a processor configured to perform the below method and/or execute the below computer program product. One method includes mapping a first virtual memory address to a real memory in a memory device and mapping a second virtual memory address to the real memory. Here, the first virtual memory address is authorized to modify data in the real memory and the second virtual memory address is not authorized to modify the data in the real memory.

A system includes a memory device including a real memory and a tracking mechanism configured to track relationships between multiple virtual memory addresses and real memory. The system further includes a processor configured to perform the below method and/or execute the below computer program product. One method includes mapping a first virtual memory address to a real memory in a memory device and mapping a second virtual memory address to the real memory. Here, the first virtual memory address is authorized to modify data in the real memory and the second virtual memory address is not authorized to modify the data in the real memory. One computer storage medium includes a computer program product for performing the above method.

A first virtual memory address is mapped to a real memory in a memory device, and a second virtual memory address is mapped to the real memory. Here, the first virtual memory address is authorized to modify data in the real memory and the second virtual memory address is not authorized to modify the data in the real memory.

For managing a storage server having improving overall system performance, a first input/output (I/O) request is received. A first priority level is dynamically assigned to the first I/O request, the first I/O request associated with a performance level for an application residing on a host in communication with the storage server. A second I/O request of a second priority level is throttled to allow at least a portion of a predetermined amount of resources previously designated for performing the second I/O request to be re-allocated to performing the first I/O request. The second priority level is different than the first priority level.

Methods, computer systems, and physical computer storage media for managing resources of a storage server

In a communication interconnect such as PCIe which favors post transmissions such as write requests over non-post transmissions such as read requests and completions, methods and systems for shortening the delay for non-post transmissions while maintaining fairness among the post transmissions. Undispatched non-post transmission requests are monitored on a running basis; and when a running value of the undispatched non-post transmission requests exceeds a threshold; ones of the post transmission requests are randomly dropped.

Adjustment of post and non-post packet transmissions in a communication interconnect

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for non-interruptively updating firmware on a redundant hardware controller. The apparatus includes a routing module, a receiving module, and a forwarding module. The routing module routes communications between a redundant hardware controller and a service processor associated with a flash update. The receiving module receives a flash command for the flash update from the service processor via a shared serial connection. The forwarding module forwards the flash command via a dedicated point to point connection to the redundant hardware controller configured to receive the flash command over the point to point connection. The apparatus, system, and method provide a non-interruptive overlay of the firmware image on a redundant hardware controller, minimizing system downtime and user intervention.

Apparatus, system, and method for non-interruptively updating firmware on a redundant hardware controller

Provided are a techniques for processing a download. Under control of a first target device, a download command is received via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded. The download command is issued to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device. The update is received via the first communication medium. In response to determining that the update has been downloaded, run with the update.

Simultaneous download to multiple targets

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for receiving digital instructions at devices or controllers sharing an identity. A first controller receives a digital instruction instance over a communications medium. The digital instruction instance may be a firmware instance. The first controller has ownership of the communications medium and shares the communications medium and a common identity with a second controller. An ownership module transfers ownership of the communications medium from the first controller to the second controller. The ownership module may transfer ownership in response to the first controller successfully receiving the digital instruction instance. A request module requests a retransmission of the digital instruction instance, and may request the retransmission in response to the transfer of ownership of the communications medium. The second controller receives the retransmitted digital instruction instance in response to the retransmission request.

Apparatus, system, and method for receiving digital instructions at devices sharing an identity

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for uninterrupted storage configuration. The apparatus for uninterrupted storage configuration is provided with a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the steps of generating a temporary location for storage configuration information, saving the storage configuration information to the temporary location, and copying the storage configuration information from the temporary location to a storage medium in response to a determination that the storage medium is physically configurable. In one embodiment, these modules include an initialization module, a storage manager interface, and a storage medium interface. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would streamline the configuration process, improving the efficiency of a typical storage manager, and allowing a storage system administrator to focus his attention on other tasks.

Apparatus, system, and method for uninterrupted storage configuration

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for updating firmware to a plurality of memory devices residing on disparate controllers wherein each controller includes an identical communication path address. A management module writes a firmware image to a memory device residing on a primary controller. The primary controller, in turn, copies the firmware image to another memory device residing on a secondary controller. In this manner, the apparatus, system, and method may update firmware on a plurality of memory devices. Because the primary controller is tasked with updating the secondary controller, the management module is only aware that the firmware of the primary controller has been updated. In this manner, updating of the firmware on the secondary controller is transparent to the management module.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Lei Liu