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Patent US6041366A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6041366A
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System and method for dynamic specification of input/output attributes
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1998-02-02
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Granted: 2000-03-21
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Expires: 2018-02-02
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is a system, method, and computer readable medium for dynamically specifying one or more attributes for an I/O transaction, or group of I/O transactions. There are situations where it is advantageous to allow a process (i.e. user or application) to dynamically change I/O attributes, such as the primary mirror and scheduling type, for a single I/O operation or for groups of I/O operations. The present invention allows a process to request a particular attribute (e.g., a primary mirror or a scheduling type, such as parallel or sequential) or set of attributes for an I/O transaction. If the dynamically requested attribute or attributes are available, they are used to complete the I/O transaction. If any requested attributes are not available, a default attribute or attributes are used, so that the I/O transaction completes. One or more attributes may be dynamically requested, and the dynamically requested attributes may be in effect for a single I/O transaction, for a specified group of I/O transactions, or until the attributes are re-requested. I/O attributes may be dynamically changed while the system is executing, without having to shut down the system or the I/O sub-system.
Inventors
- 👤 John Maddalozzo, Jr.
- 👤 Gerald Francis McBrearty
- 👤 Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/382; G06F13/385
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A method for performing an I/O operation in a mirrored information handling system, comprising the steps of: specifying a mirroring attribute; if the specified mirroring attribute is available, performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and if the specified mirroring attribute is not available, performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
56 words
A method for performing an I/O operation in a mirrored information handling system, comprising the steps of: specifying a mirroring attribute; if the specified mirroring attribute is available, performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and if the specified mirroring attribute is not available, performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of saving the specified mirroring attribute for use in one or more future I/O operations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of specifying a mirroring attribute comprises the step of specifying a primary mirror.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises the steps of: writing data to the specified primary mirror; and after writing the data to the specified primary mirror, writing the data to one or more remaining mirrors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation using default mirroring attributes comprises the step of writing the data to the remaining mirrors using a default scheduling policy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the default scheduling policy is sequential write policy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the default scheduling policy is a parallel write policy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises the step of reading data from the specified primary mirror.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes comprises the step of reading the data from a default mirror.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of specifying a mirroring attribute comprises the step of specifying a scheduling policy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises the step of writing data to one or more mirrors according to a sequential write policy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises the step of writing data to one or more mirrors according to a parallel write policy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
An information handling system, comprising: an I/O subsystem, wherein said I/O subsystem includes a mirrored disk system; means for specifying a mirroring attribute for an I/O operation; means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
An information handling system, comprising: an I/O subsystem, wherein said I/O subsystem includes a mirrored disk system; means for specifying a mirroring attribute for an I/O operation; means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
An information handling system according to claim 13, further comprising means for saving the specified mirroring attribute for use in one or more future I/O operations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
An information handling system according to claim 13, wherein said means for specifying a mirroring attribute comprises means for specifying a primary mirror.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
An information handling system according to claim 15, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to the specified primary mirror before writing the data to one or more remaining mirrors.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
An information handling system according to claim 16, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using default mirroring attributes comprises means for writing the data to the remaining mirrors using a default scheduling policy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
An information handling system according to claim 15, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for reading data from the specified primary mirror.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An information handling system according to claim 18, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes comprises means for reading the data from a default mirror.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
An information handling system according to claim 13, wherein said means for specifying a mirroring attribute comprises means for specifying a scheduling policy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
An information handling system according to claim 20, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to one or more mirrors according to a sequential write policy.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
An information handling system according to claim 20, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to one or more mirrors according to a parallel write policy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
A computer readable medium for controlling I/O operations in a mirrored information handling system, comprising: means for specifying a mirroring attribute for an I/O operation; means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
49 words
A computer readable medium for controlling I/O operations in a mirrored information handling system, comprising: means for specifying a mirroring attribute for an I/O operation; means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute; and means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 23, further comprising means for saving the specified mirroring attribute for use in one or more future I/O operations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 23, wherein said means for specifying a mirroring attribute comprises means for specifying a primary mirror for the I/O operation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to the specified primary mirror before writing the data to one or more remaining mirrors.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 26, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using default mirroring attributes comprises means for writing the data to the remaining mirrors using a default scheduling policy.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for reading data from the specified primary mirror.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 28, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation according to default mirroring attributes comprises means for reading the data from a default mirror.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 23, wherein said means for specifying a mirroring attribute comprises means for specifying a scheduling policy.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to one or more mirrors according to a sequential write policy.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein said means for performing the I/O operation using the specified mirroring attribute comprises means for writing data to one or more mirrors according to a parallel write policy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-21 | 2003-09-20 | 2004-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-21 | 2007-09-20 | 2008-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-21 | 2011-09-20 | 2012-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |