Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing end user license agreements and taking action based on the analysis outcome. In one embodiment, the method includes sensing initialization of an installable software program installation, extracting a EULA from the installable during installation, pausing presentation of the EULA to a user, providing a database of suspect terms, analyzing whether a suspect term exists in the EULA, and presenting at least one of the EULA or a suspect term to the user.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for providing input/output virtualization for a file are disclosed. The system may include a filter program that intercepts a write request for a particular file and stores change information specifying the data and the write location indicated by the write request. However, the file itself is not modified. The filter program may also intercept a read request referencing the file and determine whether change information representing a write request to write data at the location specified by the read request has been previously stored. If so then the data specified by the change information is returned in response to the read request.

Abstract: A method to create a version map to represent the data state of a file at a particular point in time when an incremental backup is performed. In one embodiment, a logical memory backup file is created that is known as a cumulative data file. Changes to the cumulative data file according to one embodiment of the present invention include appending copies of modified data when the modified data meets a certain condition. A new version map may be created each time an incremental backup occurs. Locations of both modified and unmodified data in the backup data file are mapped for future reference to the data.

Abstract: A method of creating a synthetic backup set which can be used as a baseline for subsequent incremental backup or for the restoration of a data volume. The method includes copying a first data object from a first backup set to a memory media for storing the synthetic backup set, and copying a second data object from a second backup set to the memory media. The second data object is copied to the memory media when both the first and second backup sets are open for read access. In one embodiment, the first backup set data of data objects is stored on a first magnetic tape, and the second backup set data of data objects is stored on a second magnetic tape. When the second data object is copied to the memory media, the first and second magnetic tapes are simultaneously mounted on first and second tape drives, respectively.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes encrypting a first data, wherein the encrypting the first data set is performed using a first key, and the encrypting the first data set is performed using a dedicated encryption circuit. The first data set is stored on a first storage medium. A second data set is encrypted, wherein the encrypting the second data set is performed using a second key, and the encrypting the second data set is performed using the dedicated encryption circuit. The second data set is stored on the first storage medium.

Abstract: An online expert system that can communicate software installation instructions to a remote node through the use of a generic installer executing on the remote node is provided. Embodiments of the online expert system can identify a set of installation instructions configured to install a software product on the remote node, execute the set of installation instructions, record results of the execution of the installation instructions, and, if an error is detected in the results, submit the results for analysis to determine whether a solution to the error is available and execute the solution, if any. Aspects of the online expert system provide for the executing of the installation instructions to include communicating installation-related information to the remote node over a network. Further aspects of the online expert system provide for executing a solution to an error to include communicating solution-related information to the remote node over the network.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for assembling and publishing frequent malware signature definition updates through the use of additive or “streaming” definition packages is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by publishing not only full malware signature definition updates on a long periodicity but also streaming malware signature definition updates containing newly certified signature definitions on a short periodicity. As newly-certified malware signature definitions are received, those newly-certified signature definitions are incorporated not only in the full signature definition file but also in a streaming signature definition update that contains only newly-certified signature definitions received during a streaming update period. At the end of the streaming update period, a streaming signature definition file is made available by publication to anti-malware clients.

Abstract: A method to create a version map to represent the data state of a file at a particular point in time when an incremental backup is performed. In one embodiment, a logical memory backup file is created that is known as a cumulative data file. Changes to the cumulative data file according to one embodiment of the present invention include periodically appending copies of data modified since the prior backup. A new version map may be created each time an incremental backup occurs. Locations of both modified and unmodified data in the backup data file are mapped for future reference to the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a multipathing connection to a storage volume, where in one embodiment, the invention prohibits the disk driver from reading the storage parameter information (e.g., table of contents) upon initialization. The method commences with a multipathing disk driver determining at least on active port and at least on passive port for the storage volume. The disk driver then sends a request via the active port to the storage volume for the storage parameter information that is contained in the disk array. After the host computer's operating system disk driver receives the storage parameter information, it copies the information and distributes the information to the port definitions for the passive ports. Consequently, the ports are defined without causing a failover within the storage volume.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for reporting a failure in execution of a software transaction (e.g., scripts and executables to install software on a computer) to a network resource that can then store the error-related information and automatically provide a previously determined solution to the error or links to resources to which the customer can refer for help in resolving the problem is provided. Automatically searching a database of reported errors and their solutions for a variety of products and providing a found solution to a customer experiencing an error (e.g., an installation error) is further provided. In the event that a solution to a customer-experienced error is not found by the network resource, alternate sites for information such as a customer support website can also be provided.

Abstract: System and method for the opportunistic allocation of copies of data across data storage resources in file systems. Embodiments may opportunistically and transparently trade storage space in a file system for performance. In embodiments, when data is stored to the file system, copies of the data may be opportunistically stored to two or more data storage resources. The data may then be opportunistically accessed from a less active resource if the resource storing a primary copy of the data is busy. The opportunistically stored copies of data remain online in the file system. In hierarchical file systems or tiered storage hierarchies, embodiments may allow higher-level storage tiers to “borrow” performance from lower-level tiers by opportunistically allocating copies of data from a higher-level tier within a lower-level tier. Copies of data stored on a data storage resource may be deleted if storage space is needed on that data storage resource.

Abstract: A method, system, computer system, and computer-readable medium to search contents of a large number of files. Data are read sequentially from a storage device without using a file system. Physical location information for the files is obtained and used to construct files from the data read. Such physical location information can be obtained, for example, by accessing a file system mapping catalog without causing the file system to read the files. Accessing the mapping catalog can be performed quickly because only metadata is read from the mapping catalog. The constructed files can then be searched for content without the overhead of the file system. Content such as virus signatures and keywords can therefore be discovered much more quickly. Furthermore, because the device is read sequentially, storage locations belonging to more than one file are read only once, further improving the performance of the content search.

Abstract: One method of testing multi-threaded code involves accessing a first set of instructions which are configured to be executed, in execution order, as a thread of a multi-threaded process. A memory space is modified, based upon the first set of instructions. The modified memory space represents one or more values that are generated by executing the first set of program instructions in a different order than execution order. The memory space is processed by a second set of program instructions, which is configured to be executed as a second thread of the multi-threaded process.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for providing input/output virtualization for a file are disclosed. The system may include a filter program that intercepts a write request for a particular file and stores change information specifying the data and the write location indicated by the write request. However, the file itself is not modified. The filter program may also intercept a read request referencing the file and determine whether change information representing a write request to write data at the location specified by the read request has been previously stored. If so then the data specified by the change information is returned in response to the read request.

Abstract: A method and system for improving performance with single-instance-storage volumes by leveraging data locality is provided. A client provides a set of fingerprints generated from data segments to be saved to a single-instance storage volume and receives the information on whether a data segment exists on the single-instance storage volume and where it is stored if a data segment exists. Based on its received information, the client determines if a number of non-sequential accesses of a computer-readable medium for the said set of segments from the single-instance-storage volume exceeds a predetermined threshold. If so, the client provides the whole set of data segments for storage within the single-instance storage volume regardless of whether or not the data segments are duplicate data segments. These sent data segments will be stored contiguously within the single-instance storage volume while the duplicates will be removed from their previous stored locations.

Abstract: A system and method for performing goal-oriented storage management for a distributed data storage network. Storage management software may execute on each node to cause the distributed data storage network to converge toward a system-wide storage goal. In various embodiments, the system-wide storage goal may be defined to accomplish any of various kinds of optimizations or performance improvements for the system, such as balancing storage utilization, achieving appropriate data replication, increasing performance, increasing fault tolerance, etc.

Abstract: A system for describing computing environments as electronic documents, programs or other types of electronic representation or data is disclosed. The environment description can be created, transferred and ultimately used to create the specified computing environment for use by an end user, or users, in many different applications. The invention provides abstraction software and a user interface to allow a human user to specify a definition for the computing environment. Desired components are selected and included in the environment definition. Environment definitions can be stored and transferred in a manner compatible with typical electronic information. Environment definitions can be installed onto hardware and software resources by installation software. Environments can be installed on specific components from which the environment was originally abstracted, or on other sufficiently similar components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure network access using a virtual machine are disclosed. The method includes provisioning a virtual machine, downloading content to the virtual machine, and sending information from the virtual machine. The information that is sent from the virtual machine is configured to allow the display of output from the virtual machine. The output from the virtual machine is based on the content. The apparatus includes a number of virtual machine servers. Each of the virtual machine servers is configured to support at least one of a number of virtual machines. A first virtual machine of the virtual machines includes an antivirus module. The first virtual machine is configured to download content. The antivirus module is configured to detect a virus by virtue of being configured to analyze the content.

Abstract: Providing authentication of users accessing an NFS shared file system. A shared secret is used as a component of the mount point used to access the NFS share. Upon receiving a request to access to the data in the NFS share, the process creates at least one cryptographic value and then creates a path to the mount point which incorporates the cryptographic value. The process then creates the mount point at the path, e.g., /PATH:k1, where k1 is the cryptographic value. Creation of the mount point is preferably performed using NFS protocol semantics, without requiring any changes to the NFS protocol semantics. A second cryptographic value, k2, may be used for unmounting the mount point.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a shared data resource coordinator within a storage virtualizing data processing system is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first node of a plurality of nodes is configured to process requests to access a shared data resource on behalf of the plurality of nodes, where the plurality of nodes includes a logical volume configuration server configured to present a logical volume to one or more logical volume configuration clients. A second node is then selected from the plurality of nodes and configured to process requests to access the shared data resource on behalf of the plurality of nodes.