Michael R Mallo, Age 5312516 Sir Christophers Cv, Austin, TX 78729

6421676, Jul 16, 2002

Jun 30, 1999

09/345628

Raghavendra Krishnamurthy - Austin TX
Michael Mallo - Austin TX

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06F 1730

707102, 709232, 709102, 709201

Scheduling in a distributed data collection process is performed locally, within collectors. Scheduling of data transfers from endpoints or downstream collectors or to upstream collectors is based on local queues, without global management. Additionally, scheduling for the collector input queue, which manages data collection from endpoints or downstream collectors, is bifurcated from scheduling for the output queue, which manages notifications to upstream collector(s) regarding the availability of collection data for pickup. Such bifurcation permits simpler scheduling logic and different functional responses to similar events, and further localizes scheduling. Scheduling of collection data transfer is controlled, within parameters specified by the output scheduler for the endpoint or downstream collector, by the input queue for the upstream collector. Scheduling is thus based primarily on the portion of the data transfer mechanism mostly likely to comprise a bottle-neck, the upstream collector, but accommodates large numbers of fully parallel data generation endpoints as well as nondeterministic endpoint availability.

6701324, Mar 2, 2004

Jun 30, 1999

09/345627

Stephen Thomas Cochran - Austin TX
Raghavendra Krishnamurthy - Austin TX
Michael Mallo - Austin TX
Vinod Thankappan Nair - Austin TX

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06F 1730

7071041

A collector for distributed data collection includes input and output queues employed for priority based queuing and dispatch of data received from endpoints and downstream collector nodes. Collection Table of Contents (CTOC) data structures for collection data are received by the collector from the endpoints or downstream collectors and are placed in the input queue, then sorted by the priority within the CTOC. Within a given priority level, collection of the data is scheduled based on the activation time window within the CTOC, which specifies the period during which the endpoint or downstream collector node will be available to service data transfer requests. The collected data, in the form of data packs and constituent data segments, is stored in persistent storage (depot). A CTOC is then transmitted to the next upstream collector node. Network bandwidth utilization is managed by adjusting the activation time window specified within a CTOC and the route employed between source and recipient.

6374254, Apr 16, 2002

Jun 30, 1999

09/345626

Stephen Thomas Cochran - Austin TX
Raghavendra Krishnamurthy - Austin TX
Michael Mallo - Austin TX
Vinod Thankappan Nair - Austin TX

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06F 1730

707102, 709102, 709201, 709232

The âscanâ phase of a distributed data collection process is decoupled from upload of the return collection data, with the âscanâ consisting merely of an infrequent profile push to configure autonomous scanners at the data collection endpoints. Distributed data collection is initiated by endpoints within the distributed network, which autonomously perform a scan and transmit a Collection Table of Contents (CTOC) data structure to a nearest available collector, then await a ready message from the collector. When ready to receive the return collection data, the collector signals the endpoint, which transfer the data collection in small packets to the collector. The collector stores the received data collection in persistent storage, then initiates collection to a higher collector or recipient in substantially the same manner as the endpoint. A routing manager controls the routing of data from endpoints through one or more collectors to the recipient. Scans for the data collection may thus be performed fully parallel, and upload of the collection data proceeds by direct channel under the control of the collectors.