David J Beal

US Patent:

6442709, Aug 27, 2002

Filed:

Feb 9, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/247132

Inventors:

David Grant Beal - Longmont CO
Scott Adam States - Arvada CO
Christopher James West - Boulder CO

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H02H 305

US Classification:

714 33, 714 6, 709208, 711165

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a method for testing the operability of a Peer to Peer Remote Copy (PPRC) data storage system in disaster situations. A PPRC data storage system includes a host processor, a primary storage subsystem and a secondary storage subsystem where the secondary storage subsystem is coupled to the primary storage subsystem for mirroring of data therebetween. A command is sent from the host processor directing the primary storage subsystem to simulate a disaster. Upon detection of the disaster, the host establishes direct communication with the secondary storage subsystem, and validates the integrity of the system by comparing data from the secondary storage subsystem to data from the primary storage subsystem.

US Patent:

6904238, Jun 7, 2005

Filed:

Oct 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/267409

Inventors:

David A. Beal - Loveland CO, US
Patricia S Miller - Berthoud CO, US

Assignee:

Agilent Technologies, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

H04B017/00
H04B010/08

US Classification:

398 37, 398 16

Abstract:

A system and method that effectively measures the polarization dependent gain of an optical amplifier without significantly introducing error into that measurement is provided. A saturating optical signal source generates an optical signal capable of saturating the optical amplifier. A slow polarization scrambler then randomly polarizes the optical signal to yield a polarized optical signal, which is used as an input signal of the optical amplifier. The output signal of the optical amplifier is then transferred to a fast polarization scrambler, resulting in a PDG measurement signal, which is then presented to an optical signal analyzer that measures the intensity level of each channel of the PDG measurement signal. Alternately, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) polarization mixer is employed to mix the polarization states of WDM channels of the polarized optical signal from the slow polarization scrambler with respect to each other, yielding the input signal for the optical amplifier under test.

US Patent:

6959150, Oct 25, 2005

Filed:

Dec 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/328219

Inventors:

David A Beal - Loveland CO, US
John Bernard Medberry - Windsor CO, US
Patricia S Miller - Berthoud CO, US

Assignee:

Agilent Technologies, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

H04B017/00

US Classification:

398 37

Abstract:

A method for measuring in-band crosstalk in an optical amplifier, such as a Raman amplifier, in which a modulated optical signal is generated using an input modulator. The modulated optical signal is passed through the optical amplifier to obtain a first output optical signal, the power level of which is measured when the input modulator is in its off-state. The modulated optical signal is then attenuated by a factor equal to the extinction ratio of the input modulator to obtain an attenuated modulated optical signal which is passed through the optical amplifier to obtain a second output optical signal. The power level of the second output optical signal is measured when the input modulator is in its on-state. The in-band crosstalk is calculated by subtracting the power level of the second output optical signal from the power level of the first output optical signal.

US Patent:

20070061813, Mar 15, 2007

Filed:

Aug 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/215877

Inventors:

David Beal - Longmont CO, US
James Rodgers - Boulder CO, US
Brian Burrell - Niwot CO, US
Douglas Goodin - Boulder CO, US
William Cox - Boulder CO, US
Michael Crater - Arvada CO, US

International Classification:

G06F 9/46

US Classification:

718105000

Abstract:

A flexible architecture for embedded firmware of a multiple protocol switch can be implemented on a variety of hardware platforms. Hardware components of a SAN switch are embodied as cooperative modules (e.g., switch modules, port modules, service modules, etc.) with one or more processors in each module. Likewise, firmware components of a SAN switch can be assigned at initialization and/or run time across a variety of processors in any of these modules. The processors and firmware components can communicate via a messaging mechanism that is substantially independent of the underlying communication medium or the module in which a given processor resides. In the manner, firmware components can be reassigned (e.g., in a failover condition), added or removed without substantial disruption to the operation of the SAN.

US Patent:

51558459, Oct 13, 1992

Filed:

Jun 15, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/538911

Inventors:

David G. Beal - Longmont CO
Fred C. Eifert - Louisville CO
Henry S. Ludlam - Longmont CO
Charles A. Milligan - Golden CO
George A. Rudeseal - Boulder CO
Paul R. Swiatek - Lafayette CO

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G06F 1120
G06F 1300

US Classification:

395575

Abstract:

A disk storage system that writes multiple copies of records directed to user-specified volumes. A plurality of spaced apart control units interconnected by direct data links and a corresponding plurality of sets of recording means communicate over the direct data links when a write request is received by one control unit to cause one volume in each set of recording means to write a copy of the received record.

US Patent:

62532952, Jun 26, 2001

Filed:

Jul 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/119114

Inventors:

David Grant Beal - Longmont CO
Michael Steven Milillo - Louisville CO
Christopher James West - Boulder CO

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711162

Abstract:

A data storage system including first, second, third and fourth virtual storage volumes, the first and second virtual storage volumes controlled to enable a mirroring and synchronization of data therebetween. The data storage system further includes a first processor that is responsive to a "copy pair" command or its equivalent to copy a directory from the first virtual storage volume to a directory of the third virtual storage volume. The first processor also dispatches a copy command, or its equivalent, to copy the directory of the second virtual storage volume to the directory of the fourth storage volume. A second processor is responsive to the copy command to cause a copying of the directory of the second virtual storage volume to the directory of the fourth virtual storage volume. Thus, the third and fourth virtual storage volumes are controlled to include directories which duplicate directories of the first and second virtual storage volumes.

US Patent:

56757247, Oct 7, 1997

Filed:

Mar 25, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/622552

Inventors:

David Grant Beal - Longmont CO
Jo Etta Hill - La Veta CO
Fletcher Lawrence Hill - La Veta CO
Nancy Rosann Jurestovsky - Golden CO
Michael Robert Stephens - Westminster CO

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G06F 1122

US Classification:

39518202

Abstract:

The knowledge based system identifies the occurrence of a failure within the customer equipment and functions using its rules, hypotheses and collected data to isolate the functional resource which is the source of the error in the customer equipment and, whenever possible, "fence" or isolate the failed functional resource that has caused the error. In addition, the knowledge based system makes use of resource related rules to remove a resource or set of resources available for concurrent other failure management operations. The resource related rules allow resources to function in any one non-operational or operational mode or to functional simultaneously in multiple non-operational modes.

US Patent:

62370081, May 22, 2001

Filed:

Jul 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/119124

Inventors:

David Grant Beal - Longmont CO
Michael Steven Milillo - Louisville CO
Christopher James West - Boulder CO

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

707204

Abstract:

A data storage system includes at least first, second and third virtual storage volumes, the second and third virtual storage volumes being remotely coupled as a PPRC pair to enable a mirroring of data therebetween. The storage system is responsive to a snapshot command from a host processor, to cause transfer of the directory of the first virtual storage volume to the second virtual storage volume. The storage system then invokes a PPRC mirroring procedure which (i) detects an unsynchronized condition between the second and third virtual storage volumes (upon transfer of the directory from the first virtual storage volume to the second virtual storage volume), and (ii) causes a transfer of data, pointed to by the transferred directory, to the third virtual storage volume, until the second and third virtual storage volumes are again in synchronism. This action achieves a synchronization of the first and third virtual storage volumes, while the first virtual storage volume is relieved from certain processing overhead incident to transfer of data to the remotely located third virtual storage volume.