David Kent Rhoades

US Patent:

6473655, Oct 29, 2002

Filed:

May 2, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/562535

Inventors:

Christopher Britton Gould - Raleigh NC
David Rhoades - Apex NC
Walter Leslie Robinson - Raleigh NC
Gary Anthony Vaiskauckas - Morrisville NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G05B 1918

US Classification:

700 5, 700 2, 700 4, 709104, 709222, 711163, 711173, 711112, 714 5, 714 10, 714 36

Abstract:

A data processing system and method are described for creating a virtual partition within an existing partition within a hard disk drive included within the system. A first master boot record is written which includes a partition. The partition defines a first file system to be utilized by the hard drive. A file is created within the partition. The first master boot record is temporarily overwritten with a second master boot record without altering the first file system. The second master boot record includes a designation of the file as a second partition. The second partition defines a second file system. The second partition is designated as the active partition. The data processing system is booted utilizing the second master boot record. The second partition is a virtual partition within the existing partition.

US Patent:

6658563, Dec 2, 2003

Filed:

May 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/574729

Inventors:

Robert Duane Johnson - Raleigh NC
Kofi Kekessie - Durham NC
David Rhoades - Apex NC
Gary Anthony Vaiskauckas - Morrisville NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 15177

US Classification:

713 2, 713 1, 713100

Abstract:

A data processing system and method are described for booting a computer system from a virtual floppy diskette. A native operating system is executed by the computer system which utilizes a native file system. A boot able floppy diskette image is stored on the hard drive. The image includes a second operating system which utilizes a second file system. A master boot record stored on the hard drive is modified to include a boot bit. The boot bit is set in response to a storage of the image. The computer system is then booted from the image in response to the boot bit being set. The native operating system and the native file system are unchanged during the booting of the computer system from the image.

US Patent:

6728833, Apr 27, 2004

Filed:

Feb 28, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/085401

Inventors:

Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC
Linda Ann Riedle - Apex NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711114, 711112, 711161, 711162, 714 6

Abstract:

A method, system and computer program product for updating firmware in a disk in a disk array in a RAID storage system without deactivating a server coupled to the disk array. Upon selecting the disk whose firmware is to be updated, the selected disk may enter a degrade mode of operation where a RAID controller coupled to the RAID storage system may prevent requests from reaching the selected disk thereby suppressing activity on the selected disk to allow the firmware to be updated. During the updating of the firmware, any stripes updated may be tracked. Upon completion of the firmware update, the stripe units in the selected disk associated with the stripes updated may be rebuilt. In this manner, firmware may be updated on a disk in a RAID storage system without deactivating the server thereby allowing the server to continuously stay active.

US Patent:

6883125, Apr 19, 2005

Filed:

Jan 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/057643

Inventors:

Antonio Abbondanzio - Raleigh NC, US
Simon C. Chu - Chapel Hill NC, US
Gregory William Dake - Durham NC, US
William Gavin Holland - Cary NC, US
William Joseph Piazza - Holly Springs NC, US
Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC, US
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F011/00

US Classification:

714100, 702 34, 702127, 710302

Abstract:

This invention is comprised of a data processing system containing at least one main processor connected to a system bus, a system memory connected to the system bus and accessible to each of the main processors, a tamper mechanism, and a local service processor. The tamper mechanism is configured to change state each time the system is inserted into a slot in a rack enclosure. The local service processor is connected to the tamper mechanism and configured to update an insertion log upon detecting a change in state of the tamper mechanism. The insertion log provides a count and a history of rack insertions to which the system has been subjected. The system may include a non-volatile storage element which is updated exclusively by the local service processor that contains the insertion log. The insertion log may include an insertion counter. In this embodiment, the local service processor is configured to increment the insertion counter upon each insertion.

US Patent:

6968414, Nov 22, 2005

Filed:

Dec 4, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/006976

Inventors:

Antonio Abbondanzio - Raleigh NC, US
Gregory William Dake - Durham NC, US
Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC, US
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F013/00

US Classification:

710301, 710104

Abstract:

A system for monitoring server blades includes a cabinet having a plurality of racks configured to receive a server blade. The server blade includes one or more microprocessors, memory, and a service processor all interconnected via one or more busses. The system includes a management blade to monitor the local service processors. Upon installation, a new blade identifies itself to the management blade by its physical slot position within the cabinet. In response to a reset, the local blade service processor determines from a tamper latch whether the blade has been removed from the chassis since the last power-on event. If the tamper latch is broken, the local service processor informs the management blade and resets the tamper latch. The local service processor of each blade may send a periodic heartbeat to the management blade, which monitors for loss of the heartbeat signal to determine when a blade is removed.

US Patent:

7013385, Mar 14, 2006

Filed:

Jun 4, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/064012

Inventors:

Antonio Abbondanzio - Raleigh NC, US
Gregory William Dake - Durham NC, US
William Joseph Piazza - Holly Springs NC, US
Gregory Brian Pruett - Raleigh NC, US
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 9/445

US Classification:

713 2, 713100

Abstract:

A system for storing and configuring CMOS setting information remotely in a sewer blade environment includes a management module having includes persistent storage containing a table of CMOS setting information for each server blade. Each server blade includes boot block software that executes when the blade is booted. The boot block software initiates communication with the management module and retrieves its CMOS settings from the table. Thus, CMOS settings for a particular blade location remain unchanged each time a blade is replaced or upgraded. The management module and saver blades may implement a programming interface tat includes command abstractions for each CMOS setting. The management module sends command abstractions to each sewer blade during the CMOS configuration process. The server blade interprets the commands and maps the commands to specific CMOS bit addresses thereby making the specific CMOS implementation employed by any server blade transparent to the management module.

US Patent:

7107443, Sep 12, 2006

Filed:

Dec 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/748431

Inventors:

David B. Rhoades - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 9/00

US Classification:

713 1, 713 2

Abstract:

The present invention is related to a system and method for customizing a computer system. According to a first aspect of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes providing a configuration mechanism in the computer system and transmitting customization information for the computer system to the configuration mechanism. The customization information in the configuration mechanism is then retrieved by the computer system to customize the computer system. In a second aspect, a computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU), memory coupled to the CPU, and a configuration mechanism coupled to the CPU for storing customization information for the computer system, whereby the CPU retrieves during a first system boot the customization information in the configuration mechanism to automatically customize the computer system.

US Patent:

7171479, Jan 30, 2007

Filed:

Apr 26, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/133865

Inventors:

William W. Buchanan - Wake Forest NC, US
Simon C. Chu - Chapel Hill NC, US
William J. Piazza - Holly Springs NC, US
David B. Rhoades - Apex NC, US
Linda A. Riedle - Apex NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709228, 718103

Abstract:

A network and method for servicing simultaneously pending boot image download requests in a multi-client, networked environment. A boot image server on the network is configured to satisfy boot image sessions initiated by one or more client systems on the network. The image server is configured to prioritize requests from different clients to minimize or reduce the network's average download time, which represents the amount of time required to boot a theoretical average client. In one embodiment, the image server is configured to minimize the average download time by prioritizing client requests according to the amount of time required to complete a each client's download such that requests from clients with short remaining download times are given higher priority and, conversely, request from clients with long remaining download times are given lower priority. The amount of download time remaining is estimated by maintaining a log the response time (round trip delay) of recently transmitted packets for each client. In one embodiment, a rolling average of recent response times is used to provide an estimate of the client's overall response time.