Rodney A Dekoning

US Patent:

6356969, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Aug 13, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/373864

Inventors:

Rodney A DeKoning - Augusta KS
Dennis E. Gates - Wichita KS
Keith W. Holt - Wichita KS
John R. Kloeppner - Buhler KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1324

US Classification:

710261, 710262, 710263, 710264, 710266, 710 48, 710 6, 711114

Abstract:

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a storage system controller ( ) having a main processor ( ), a memory ( ) and a device interface ( ) adapted to interface with a peripheral component ( ). The controller further includes an interrupt management scoreboard ( ) adapted to receive a plurality of writes from the peripheral component(s) prior to interrupting the main processor. The main processor identifies a group of tasks to be executed, and sets up the scoreboard to await the completion of the tasks before interrupting the main processor.

US Patent:

6381674, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Sep 30, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/941770

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Wichita KS
Bret S. Weber - Wichita KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711113, 711114, 711130, 711118

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods which allow multiple storage controllers sharing access to common data storage devices in a data storage subsystem to access a centralized intelligent cache. The intelligent central cache provides substantial processing for storage management functions. In particular, the central cache of the present invention performs RAID management functions on behalf of the plurality of storage controllers including, for example, redundancy information (parity) generation and checking as well as RAID geometry (striping) management. The plurality of storage controllers (also referred to herein as RAID controllers) transmit cache requests to the central cache controller. The central cache controller performs all operations related to storing supplied data in cache memory as well as posting such cached data to the storage array as required. The storage controllers are significantly simplified because the present invention obviates the need for duplicative local cache memory on each of the plurality of storage controllers. The storage subsystem of the present invention obviates the need for inter-controller communication for purposes of synchronizing local cache contents of the storage controllers.

US Patent:

6385683, May 7, 2002

Filed:

Aug 13, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/374053

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Augusta KS
Dennis E. Gates - Wichita KS
Keith W. Holt - Wichita KS
John R. Kloeppner - Buhler KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1324

US Classification:

710261, 710262, 710263, 710264, 710266, 710 48, 710 6, 711114

Abstract:

The present invention provides storage system controllers and methods of controlling storage systems therewith. The controller ( ) includes a main processor ( ), a memory ( ), a device interface ( ) adapted to interface a peripheral component ( ), such as a RAID storage device, with the storage system controller, and an operations sequencer ( ). The main processor sequences a plurality of tasks to be executed to complete an operation. The operations sequencer coordinates an execution of the plurality of tasks. Methods of the invention include receiving a task status for each of the plurality of tasks that is executed, and issuing an interrupt to the main processor after all of the plurality of tasks of the operation are finished executing. In this manner, the operations sequencer offloads at least some of the main processor overhead to improve processor efficiency.

US Patent:

6412045, Jun 25, 2002

Filed:

May 23, 1995

Appl. No.:

08/447594

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Wichita KS
Donald R. Humlicek - Wichita KS
Max L. Johnson - Wichita KS
Curtis W. Rink - Wichita KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711135, 711133

Abstract:

An apparatus and method is disclosed which enables a host computer to adjust the caching strategy used for writing its write request data to storage media during execution of various software applications. The method includes the step of generating a caching-flushing parameter in the host computer. The cache flushing parameter is then transferred from the host computer to a controller which has a cache memory. Thereafter, a quantity of write request data is written from the cache memory to a storage medium in accordance with the cache-flushing parameter.

US Patent:

6457098, Sep 24, 2002

Filed:

Feb 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/499926

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Wichita KS
Gerald J. Fredin - Wichita KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1202

US Classification:

711114, 711150, 711152, 714 6

Abstract:

Methods and associated apparatus for performing concurrent I/O operations on a common shared subset of disk drives (LUNs) by a plurality of RAID controllers. The methods of the present invention are operable in all of a plurality of RAID controllers to coordinate concurrent access to a shared set of disk drives. The plurality of RAID controllers operable enhance the performance of a RAID subsystem by better utilizing available processing power among the plurality of RAID controllers. Each of a plurality of RAID controllers may actively process different I/O requests on a common shared subset of disk drives. One of the plurality of controllers is designated as primary with respect to a particular shared subset of disk drives. The plurality of RAID controllers then exchange messages over a communication medium to coordinate concurrent access to the shared subset of disk drives through the primary controller.

US Patent:

6480901, Nov 12, 2002

Filed:

Jul 9, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/350515

Inventors:

Bret S. Weber - Wichita KS
Rodney A. DeKoning - Augusta KS
William P. Delaney - Wichita KS
Ray M. Jantz - Wichita KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709246, 709223

Abstract:

A system and method for monitoring and managing devices on a network. The system and method preferably comprises a proxy server connected to the network and a managed device connected to the proxy server. The system further comprises storage means for storing a device management application program associated with the managed device, and a management station in communication with the managed device via the proxy server and in communication with the storage means. The management station preferably is configured to retrieve the device management application program from the storage means and process the device management application program. As the management station processes the device management application program, the management station is able to monitor and manage the managed device. In particular, the management station can send management commands to a controller of the managed device via the proxy server, and the management station can receive notifications from the managed device, also via the proxy server.

US Patent:

6480970, Nov 12, 2002

Filed:

Jun 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/876713

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Augusta KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

H02H 305

US Classification:

714 6, 714 5

Abstract:

Data consistency is verified between geographically separated and connected active and mirroring data processing systems by creating metadata which describes user data, such as a cyclical redundancy code (CRC), and time stamp information which describes the time at which user data was first stored on the active system. The metadata and the time stamp information sent from the active system is compared at the mirroring system with the time stamp information and metadata read from the mirroring system. Upon detecting a discrepancy when comparing the metadata from the active and mirroring systems, the user data from the active or mirroring system which is less current temporally, as determined by the time stamp information, is replaced by the user data from the other one of the active or mirroring systems having the more current temporal time stamp information.

US Patent:

6567889, May 20, 2003

Filed:

Dec 19, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/994250

Inventors:

Rodney A. DeKoning - Wichita KS
Gerald J. Fredin - Wichita KS
Donald R. Humlicek - Wichita KS

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

711114, 711113

Abstract:

A portion of a storage controllers cache memory is used as a virtual solid state disk storage device to improve overall storage subsystem performance. In a first embodiment, the virtual solid state disk storage device is a single virtual disk drive for storing controller based information. In the first embodiment, the virtual solid state disk is reserved for use by the controller. In a second embodiment, a hybrid virtual LUN is configured as one or more virtual solid state disks in conjunction with one or more physical disks and managed using RAID levels 1-6. Since the hybrid virtual LUN is in the cache memory of the controller, data access times are reduced and throughput is increased by reduction of the RAID write penalty. The hybrid virtual LUN provides write performance that is typical of RAID 0. In a third embodiment, a high-speed virtual LUN is configured as a plurality of virtual solid state disks and managed as an entire virtual RAID LUN.