DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/08/2025 and 07/30/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The Preliminary Amendment, filed 04/10/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending in the Application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1, 10 and 19, the claims recite the limitation “obtaining/obtain the metadata of the first data from storage medium of the compute node/the data access apparatus”. It is unclear whether the metadata is obtained from the first storage medium or the second storage medium previously recited in the claims above or another different storage medium. The Examiner notes that the metadata is obtained from either the first or the second storage medium based on a result of the searching of the first and the second storage medium as described in the Specification (see figure 3, steps S302, S303a and S303b). Appropriate clarification is suggested.
Other claims are rejected because they are dependent of the rejected claims above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-3, 7, 9-12, 16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahmad et al US Patent No. 8,229,972, and in view of Popovski et al US 20110029580.
Regarding claim 1, Ahmad teaches a method, comprising:
obtaining, by a compute node, a first input/output (I/O) request, wherein the first I/O request is used to access first data in a first dataset which is stored in a storage system connected to the compute node via a network (see figure 4, extended storage 110 connected to data handling system 104 via a network, see col 5 ln 54-64, data storage interface 164 may comprise communication links for communication with extended data storage 110. The communication links may comprise a Local Area Network (LAN), also see col 7 ln 28-34, a command to retrieve a data file from the data storage system 100… The command having access information is received at a host interface 150, 154 of data handling system 140);
obtaining, by the compute node, a metadata of the first data from storage medium of the compute node (storage 120, see col 7 ln 36-45, accessing the first level of metadata 300 a for the metadata entry 301 relating to the desired data… the associated second level of metadata 400 a is also located in the entry 301 for the desired data in the first data storage 120, and the first and second levels of metadata are extracted by the data handling system 140); and
obtaining, by the compute node, the first data from the storage system based on the obtained metadata of the first data (see col 7 ln 46-48, the extracted second level of metadata 400 a is used to retrieve the data file 200 from the extended data storage 110).
But Ahmad fails to teach searching, by the compute node, a first storage medium of the compute node before searching a second storage medium of the compute node for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request, wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium, a data access rate of the second storage medium is lower than a data access rate of the first storage medium;
However, Popovski teaches searching, by the compute node, a first storage medium of the compute node before searching a second storage medium of the compute node for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request (see figure 1, second level metadata table 106 and first level metadata table 104, also see figure 3, the second level data table 106 is searched first at step 308 and the first level metadata table 104 is searched later at step 312), wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium, a data access rate of the second storage medium is lower than a data access rate of the first storage medium (see para 0030, Storage controller 102 may process second level metadata table 106 stored in memory 202… first level metadata 104 stored directly on one or more storage devices 108-112, which may be slower to access than memory 202);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the metadata storage of Ahmad and incorporate multiple metadata storage mediums of Popovski.
The motivation for doing so is to reducing or eliminating processing delays associated with accessing a single metadata storage medium and improve the performance of the storage system as taught by Popovski (see para 0030).
Regarding claim 2, Popovski further teaches obtaining, by the compute node, the metadata of the first data from the second storage medium when the metadata of the first data is not found in the first storage medium (see para 0037, if the metadata related attribute associated with the requested entry does not specifically define the status of the requested entry, then a derivation of the status may not be possible. In such cases, the first level metadata table may be processed directly as illustrated in step 312 of FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Ahmad further teaches determining, by the compute node, a storage path of the metadata of the first data in the second storage medium based on a storage path that is of the first data in the storage system and that is carried in the first I/O request; and obtaining, by the compute node, the metadata of the first data based on the storage path of the metadata of the first data in the second storage medium (see col 7 ln 30-34, to access the stored data, a host or using entity 105 employs access information of the first level of metadata 300 a. The command having access information is received at a host interface 150, 154 of data handling system 140).
Regarding claim 7, Popovski further teaches the first storage medium is a non-persistent storage medium, and the second storage medium is a persistent storage medium (see para 0042, In some cases the second level metadata table may be stored in a volatile memory of the storage controller… the first level metadata tables stored persistently on one or more storage devices coupled with the storage controller).
Regarding claim 9, Ahmad further teaches the storage system is a distributed storage system (see figure 4 shows that the storage system 100 is a distributed system since it utilizes multiple storage media shared by multiple clients to store data).
Regarding claim 10, Ahmad teaches a data access apparatus (see figure 4), comprising:
a memory configured to store a computer program; and at least one processor configured to execute the computer program stored in the memory (see col 2 ln 60-67, the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code, wherein the computer readable program code, when executed on a computer processing system), to enable the data access apparatus to:
obtain a first input/output (I/O) request, wherein the first I/O request is used to access first data in a first dataset which is stored in a storage system connected to the data access apparatus via a network (see figure 4, extended storage 110 connected to data handling system 104 via a network, see col 5 ln 54-64, data storage interface 164 may comprise communication links for communication with extended data storage 110. The communication links may comprise a Local Area Network (LAN), also see col 7 ln 28-34, a command to retrieve a data file from the data storage system 100… The command having access information is received at a host interface 150, 154 of data handling system 140);
obtain the metadata of the first data from storage medium of the data access apparatus (storage 120, see col 7 ln 36-45, accessing the first level of metadata 300 a for the metadata entry 301 relating to the desired data… the associated second level of metadata 400 a is also located in the entry 301 for the desired data in the first data storage 120, and the first and second levels of metadata are extracted by the data handling system 140); and
obtain the first data from the storage system based on the obtained metadata of the first data (see col 7 ln 46-48, the extracted second level of metadata 400 a is used to retrieve the data file 200 from the extended data storage 110).
But Ahmad fails to teach search a first storage medium of the data access apparatus before searching a second storage medium of the data access apparatus for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request, wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium, a data access rate of the second storage medium is lower than a data access rate of the first storage medium;
However, Popovski teaches search a first storage medium of the data access apparatus before searching a second storage medium of the data access apparatus for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request (see figure 1, second level metadata table 106 and first level metadata table 104, also see figure 3, the second level data table 106 is searched first at step 308 and the first level metadata table 104 is searched later at step 312), wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium, a data access rate of the second storage medium is lower than a data access rate of the first storage medium (see para 0030, Storage controller 102 may process second level metadata table 106 stored in memory 202… first level metadata 104 stored directly on one or more storage devices 108-112, which may be slower to access than memory 202);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the metadata storage of Ahmad and incorporate multiple metadata storage mediums of Popovski.
The motivation for doing so is to reducing or eliminating processing delays associated with accessing a single metadata storage medium and improve the performance of the storage system as taught by Popovski (see para 0030).
Regarding claims 11-12, 16 and 18, please refer to the rejection of claims 2-3, 7 and 9 since the claimed subject matter is substantially similar.
Regarding claim 19, Ahmad teaches a system (see figure 4), comprising:
a storage system configured to store a first dataset (extended storage 110 storing data file 200); and
a compute node connected to the storage system via a network (data handling system 104 connected to extended storage 110 via a network, see col 5 ln 54-64, data storage interface 164 may comprise communication links for communication with extended data storage 110. The communication links may comprise a Local Area Network (LAN)), which comprises:
a storage medium (storage 120);
and at least one processor (see figure 3, processor 147), configured to:
obtain a first input/output (I/O) request, wherein the first I/O request is used to access first data in the first dataset (see col 7 ln 28-34, a command to retrieve a data file from the data storage system 100… The command having access information is received at a host interface 150, 154 of data handling system 140);;
obtain the metadata of the first data from storage medium of the compute node (see col 7 ln 36-45, accessing the first level of metadata 300 a for the metadata entry 301 relating to the desired data… the associated second level of metadata 400 a is also located in the entry 301 for the desired data in the first data storage 120, and the first and second levels of metadata are extracted by the data handling system 140); and
obtain the first data from the storage system based on the obtained metadata of the first data (see col 7 ln 46-48, the extracted second level of metadata 400 a is used to retrieve the data file 200 from the extended data storage 110).
But Ahmad fails to teach a first storage medium; a second storage medium, wherein a data access rate of the first storage medium is greater than a data access rate of the second storage medium and search the first storage medium before searching the second storage medium for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request, wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium;
However, Popovski teaches a first storage medium; a second storage medium (see figure 1, second level metadata table 106 and first level metadata table 104), wherein a data access rate of the first storage medium is greater than a data access rate of the second storage medium (see para 0030, Storage controller 102 may process second level metadata table 106 stored in memory 202… first level metadata 104 stored directly on one or more storage devices 108-112, which may be slower to access than memory 202) and search the first storage medium before searching the second storage medium for metadata of the first data based on the first I/O request (see figure 3, the second level data table 106 is searched first at step 308 and the first level metadata table 104 is searched later at step 312), wherein the metadata of the first data is stored in the first storage medium or the second storage medium (see para 0030, see para 0030, Storage controller 102 may process second level metadata table 106 stored in memory 202… first level metadata 104 stored directly on one or more storage devices 108-112);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the metadata storage of Ahmad and incorporate multiple metadata storage mediums of Popovski.
The motivation for doing so is to reducing or eliminating processing delays associated with accessing a single metadata storage medium and improve the performance of the storage system as taught by Popovski (see para 0030).
Regarding claim 20, please refer to the rejection of claim 2 since the claimed subject matter is substantially similar.
Claims 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Ahmad and Popovski as applied to claims above, and further in view of Branchaud-Charron et al US 20210241153.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Ahmad and Popovski teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
But, the combination of Ahmad and Popovski fails to teach the compute node is any training node in an artificial intelligence AI model training cluster, and the first dataset is a dataset used for AI model training.
However, Branchaud-Charron discloses a compute node as a training node in an artificial intelligence AI model training cluster (see para 0051, The cluster manager 2500, dispatches the received trusted labels to the relevant processing nodes 2124 for training their local AI models), and a dataset used for AI model training (see para 0060, the dataset to be used during training of the AI models may be stored in a local 2300B, 2300C or remote storage system 2300A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the storage system of Ahmad and further incorporate the storage system into an AI training node to store training dataset.
The motivation for doing so is to improve the efficiency of the AI training system.
Regarding claim 17, please refer to the rejection of claim 8 above since the claimed subject matter is substantially similar.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 and 13-14 are regarded as comprising allowable subject matter, and would be allowable if (1) rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and (2) amended to overcome the 112(b)rejection set forth above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bonanno et al US Patent No. 11,556,474 discloses an integrated semi-inclusive hierarchical metadata predictor
Cronan US 20210382855 discloses a metadata-driven file system prioritizes the distribution of files across different storage devices based on arbitrary file metadata matching
Royes et al US 20170160987 discloses accessing of a physical memory unit of a second level main memory using indirection information stored in a first level main memory
Chang et al US 20150286722 discloses metadata that may be employed as searchable tags that may be used by a search engine to locate the resources
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/PHONG H DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2184