Abstract: Systems and methods provide automatic discovery of cluster membership based on transaction processing. An example method includes, at a source node of a first tier of nodes, generating a service identifier for a transaction that requests a service hosted by a second tier, the service identifier being based on a logical identifier for the second tier. The method also includes sending the transaction, including the service identifier, from the source node to the service hosted by the second tier. The method includes, at a destination node in the second tier, obtaining the service identifier from the transaction and reporting the service identifier with a destination node identifier to a visibility server as cluster information. The method also includes, at the visibility server, receiving cluster information from a plurality of destination nodes and assigning each of the plurality of destination nodes to a cluster based on the service identifiers.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include receiving a data query request that includes one or more search parameters to be searched for within a plurality of files that are stored according to a hierarchical organizational structure, wherein each file includes at least one data record. The method may include scanning a plurality of files to determine if one or more files match a sub portion of the search parameters. The method may further include parsing the candidate files to determine which, if any, records included by the respective candidate files meet the search parameters. The method may include generating, by one or more result analyzers, query results from the resultant data. The method may also include streaming, to the user device, the query results as at least one query result becomes available and to start streaming before the query requests have been fully generated.

Abstract: A management system for determining causal relationships among system entities may include a causal relationship detector configured to receive events from a computing environment having a plurality of entities, and detect causal relationships among the plurality of entities, during runtime of the computing environment, based on the events, and a rules converter configured to convert one or more of the causal relationships into at least one behavioral rule. The at least one behavioral rule may indicate a causal relationship between at least two entities of the plurality of entities.

Abstract: A computer system for classifying one or more servers by server type in a networked computing system to institute server-type based monitoring and or maintenance of the networked computing system. The computer system includes a processor, a memory, a data receiver, a server signature generator, and a server-type tagging service. The data receiver collects server performance data for a first server over a time interval. The server signature generator determines a signature of the first server based on the collected server performance data. The server-type tagging service compares the signature of the first server to a signature of a second server of known server type, determines a similarity of the signature of the first server to the signature of the second server, and, based on the similarity, classifies the first server as being of the same server type as the second server.

Abstract: Data is often populated into Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs) from different sources. Because the data can come from a variety of sources, it may have inconsistencies—and may even be incomplete. A Normalization Engine (NE) may be able to automatically clean up the incoming data based on certain rules and knowledge. In one embodiment, the NE takes each Configuration Item (CI) or group of CIs that are to be normalized and applies a rule or a set of rules to see if the data may be cleaned up, and, if so, updates the CI or group of CIs accordingly. In particular, one embodiment may allow for the CI's data to be normalized by doing a look up against a Product Catalog and/or an Alias Catalog. In another embodiment, the NE architecture could be fully extensible, allowing for the creation of custom, rules-based plug-ins by users and/or third parties.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems to make compressed backup copies of in-use compressed database indices are described. In general, an “oldest” time at which index pages in working memory had been updated is identified. Compressed index pages may be directly copied without the need to bring them into working memory or uncompressing them. The identified “oldest” time is then associated with the compressed backup copy. In some embodiments, an entire compressed backup copy may be associated with a single point in time (e.g., the identified “oldest” time). In other embodiments, a compressed backup copy may be associated with multiple points in time (e.g., one time for each portion of the compressed index that is being backed-up). Compressed indices copied in accordance with the invention may be used during restore operations to reconstruct database indices using the identified “oldest” time and database log files.

Abstract: A mainframe computing system includes a central processor complex, and a plurality of billing entities, each billing entity having a respective capacity limit, and a workload manager that schedules work requested by the plurality of billing entities on the central processor complex and tracks, by billing entity, a rolling average of service units. The mainframe computing system also includes a dynamic capping policy for the central processor complex that identifies a maximum service unit limit, a subset of the plurality of billing entities, and, for each identified billing entity, information from which to determine a service unit entitlement value. The mainframe computing system also includes a dynamic capping master that adjusts the respective capacity limits of the subset of the plurality of billing entities at scheduled intervals based on the dynamic capping policy to favor billing entities having high-importance workload within the maximum service unit limit.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to automatically integrate work requests from multiple Spoke systems at a centralized Hub system. In one embodiment, a Hub system receives a portion of a work request from a problem tracking system executing in the region (e.g., geographic area or network subnet) of an associated Spoke system. The request comprises enough information for the Hub system to prioritize this work request against other work requests already received from this same Spoke system, other Spoke systems in the same region, or even other Spoke systems from other regions. A Hub user can then be presented with an integrated work queue of requests to service after they have been properly prioritized. The Hub user may be supporting multiple clients in an outsourcing style Information Technology (IT) support model or a call center model. Supported clients can execute on different data center platforms, at the same time.

Abstract: Overlay datasets provide an efficient, flexible and scalable mechanism to represent the logical replication of one or more prior defined datasets. Only changes made to an entity in an overlay dataset's underlying dataset are replicated into the overlay dataset (such changes do not affect the underlying dataset). Read operations directed to the overlay dataset will find entities in the overlay dataset if they exist and in the underlying dataset(s) if no overlay-specific entity exists. Accordingly, overlay datasets provide an efficient mechanism for making changes to an existing dataset without suffering the high processing time and storage overhead associated with prior art copying and versioning techniques. Overlay datasets also provide a natural mechanism to keep two or more datasets in synchronization because changes to a base or underlying dataset's entities are “visible” in its associated overlay dataset (unless the entity has been modified in the overlay dataset).

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that allow client programs using APIs for accessing local DB2 databases to access DB2 systems on remote logical partitions and remote zSeries mainframes rather than from a local DB2 system. For example, a method may include intercepting a DB2 request using a documented API for accessing local DB2 databases from a client program executing on a source mainframe system. The method may also include selecting a destination mainframe system and sending a buffer including information from the request from the source mainframe system to the destination mainframe system and establishing, at the destination mainframe system, a DB2 connection with the DB2 system from the request. The method may further include receiving a response from the DB2 system, sending a buffer having information from the response from the destination mainframe system to the source mainframe system, and providing the information to the client program.

Abstract: A method to efficiently create a consistent image of a database index at any point-in-time by reversing the effect of uncommitted updates by applying database transaction logs to an index page set in a single pass. The created image can be used to recover the database index to a point in time that is consistent with its associated table, or for physical migration where data and indexes are migrated to another database that may or may not be on the same DBMS and the indexes and data must be consistent as of the same point in time.

Abstract: Techniques are described to allow the deprecation of classes in an object-oriented data model, such as a CDM for a CMDB. When a class is deprecated and replaced by another existing or new class, data associated with instances of the deprecated class may be migrated to the replacement class. A mapping between the deprecated class and its replacement class may be provided to allow existing applications to continue to access data using the deprecated class without change until the deprecated class is finally deleted or the application is updated to use the replacement class. New applications written to use the object-oriented data model after the deprecation may use the replacement class to access data instances created using the original data model.

Abstract: Processes and integrations include a method for managing a business process application development lifecycle. The method includes initiating, in a planning stage, requirements for an application based on adding new features to the application or a new application, implementing, in a development stage, a service process node (SPN) as a business process, and managing, in an operations stage, software code representing the application in a production environment. The SPN is configured to encapsulate at least one business service object and generate an interface configured to expose internal processes of the at least one business service object.

Abstract: A method to reconcile multiple instances of a single computer resource identified by resource discovery operations includes: (1) accessing information describing one or more resources; (2) identifying, via the accessed information, at least one resource that has been detected or discovered by at least two of the discovery operations; and (3) merging attributes associated with the identified resource from each of the at least two discovery operations into a single, reconciled resource object. Illustrative “resources” include, but are not limited to, computer systems, components of computer systems, data storage systems, switches, routers, memory, software applications (e.g., accounting and database applications), operating systems and business services (e.g., order entry or change management and tracking services).

Abstract: A generic discovery methodology collects data pertaining to components of a computer network using various discovery technologies. From the collected data, the methodology identifies, filters and analyzes information related to inter-component communications. Using the communication and application information, the methodology determines reliable relationships for those components having sufficient information available. To qualify more components, the methodology implements a decision service to generate hypothetical relationships between components that are known and components that are unqualified or unknown. The hypothetical relationships are presented to a user for selection, and each hypothetical relationship is preferably associated with an indication of its reliability.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that intercept access to mainframe computing systems' messaging systems. For example, a method may include using a replacement messaging interface adapter to intercept a messaging request being directed from a client program to a messaging interface module of a messaging subsystem that is identified by a messaging stub interface module that implements a documented messaging interface. The method may also include performing an auxiliary function on the messaging request. The method may additionally include transmitting the messaging request to the messaging interface module of the messaging subsystem. The method may further include receiving a response from the messaging subsystem. Additionally, the method may include providing the response to the client program.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reorganizing a partition-by-growth database with LOB columns. An example method includes creating a partition assignment table by performing a logical reorganization of the partition-by-growth database, wherein an assignment of at least one base table row and its corresponding LOB in the partition assignment table differs from a current assignment of the at least one base table row. The method also includes performing a base table reorganization based on the partition assignment table in parallel with a LOB auxiliary table reorganization based on the partition assignment table and a LOB dataset assignment table. The method may also include applying changes to the reorganized base tables and the reorganized LOB auxiliary tables using the partition assignment table.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include creating an action, the creating including annotating a block of code with metadata, and encapsulating the annotated block of code into a reusable building block of code. The method can further include publishing the action, the publishing including registering the action in a service registry. The method can further include dynamically discovering the action in the service registry by an application during runtime, invoking the action by the application, and executing the action by the application, the executing performing a method specified by the action.

Abstract: A graphical representation of a service model provides a full view of a portion of the graphical representation. A sub graph view may be displayed for nodes of the graphical representation of the service model that are associated with a selected node, including nodes that may not be visible in the full view. The sub graph view may be interactive, providing additional information regarding the nodes displayed in the sub graph view, and allowing making nodes in the sub graph view visible or invisible in the full view. Information may be displayed in the sub graph view about the status of the components being modeled by the service model corresponding to nodes displayed in the sub graph view.

Abstract: Detection of anomalous events in the operation of information technology (IT) components includes receiving messages, which describe events in the operation of the IT components in real time, and categorizing and condensing the messages received in a first time interval into message patterns by message pattern type. Based on a distribution of occurrences of the message patterns in the first time interval and in preceding time intervals, anomaly scores are assigned to the message patterns, and one or more of the message patterns are classified as being anomalous message patterns that correspond to potentially anomalous events in the operation of the IT infrastructure installation. A degree of correlation between occurrences of the anomalous message patterns and occurrences of application alarms is determined. Message patterns with high anomaly scores and having a high degree of correlation with application alarms are deemed significant and prioritized for display to users.