Abstract: A system and method for out-of-band network management is provided wherein one or more different management interfaces are converted into a common format management data. The system may encrypt the common format management data. The system may also authenticate each user that attempts to access the management interfaces.

Abstract: A communication system (110) for connecting in real-time an Internet-based network interface (130) to a plurality of backend systems (136), each of the plurality of backend systems having an associated backend communications protocol and requiring an associated backend data format. The system includes a router (112) for receiving a job (124) having a front-end data format and a front-end communications protocol from the Internet-based network interface. The router selects one or more backend systems from the plurality of backend systems as a function of attributes of the job for delivery of the job to the one or more backend systems. The system also includes a plurality of service agents (114, 116, 118), each in communication with an associated one of the plurality of backend systems and configured to translate and reformat the job prior to delivery to the one or more backend systems.

Abstract: An infrastructure for on-demand service delivery receiving a request for a service to be performed from a service consumer with an information payload; decomposing requested service into essential or primitive functions; dynamically composing a sequence of a plurality of service elements corresponding to the essential or primitive functions to accomplish the service by employing a function call and return decomposition and recomposition paradigm; creating a control header and information payload, the control header encapsulating the sequence; repeatedly dispatching the control header to each service element in the sequence until all service elements have processed the information payload; and returning the processed information payload to the service consumer.

Abstract: Network device discovery method and system performs network device discovery in a more efficient manner by retrieving information from a registration network device about other network devices and then using the retrieved information to select discovery tests to discover the configuration of the other network devices in a more efficient manner. For instance, video network device discovery process identifies a gatekeeper and retrieves the registration list of video devices from the gatekeeper. The video devices on the gatekeeper registration list are then queried with selected discovery tests to determine network configuration for the devices, such as device type, without having to use unnecessary discovery tests associated with the discovery of other types of network devices.

Abstract: A method of enabling conferencing using printed forms includes, in a computer system, receiving indicating data generated by a sensing device through interaction with conference information and coded tags printed on a first form, determining a parameter relating to the conference information and outputting a second form with coded tags and information on the parameter and a form version hierarchial tree. Each tag encodes an identity of, and the location of that tag on, the respective form. The indicating data includes the first form's identity and a sensing device position relative to the tags sensed on the first form. The computer system has a form description associated with the first form's identity and produces the hierarchical tree by associating the second form's identity with the form description by determining whether any other form is associated therewith. The parameter is determined from the indicating data and digital description.

Abstract: A system for providing online service reports to user subscribers. The service reports contain service information about services rendered by one or more service providers operating at the direction of a service administrator. The system includes a service hub coupled between the service administrator and the one or more service providers. The service hub receives an access message that defines access rights for the user subscribers. A decoder decodes the service information from one or more operational messages exchanged between the service administrator and the one or more service providers. A network server is coupled between the service hub and the user subscribers via a communication network. The network server receives a request from a selected user subscriber, and in response, provides at least a portion of the selected service information to the selected user subscriber based on the access rights.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing functionality on a network. A mobile agent moves from a first node to a target node and, at the target node, performs as an application layer gateway.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing scaleable flow based application control in private and public Internet. A flow table can be used to control the application and subscriber traffic for communication flows in access networks. The flow table entry can provide granular, unidirectional packet transmission of data for all or a subset of all host and application communications originating from or destined to network hosts in the access network. Using a flow table entry for multiple unidirectional packet transmissions of data provides efficient use of flow table entries and allows varying operator control of application communication exchanges between network hosts and applications. By using variable masking techniques, the flow table can be used for varying degrees of control over the packet transmissions in the network.

Abstract: System, method and program product for managing field service of a computer. Configuration information of the computer is wirelessly sent to a remote server. In response, a determination is made as to a recommended list of updates to install in the computer which are compatible with the configuration information and not currently resident in the computer. The recommended list is wirelessly sent to the computer. In response, the recommended list is written into an RFID associated with the computer such that the RFID broadcasts the recommended list. The RFID also broadcasts an identification of the computer. A person visits a room containing the computer and uses an RFID reader to read the broadcast from the RFID. Based on the broadcast read by the RFID reader, a determination is made whether to install the recommended list of updates into the computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving a search request associated with a hospitality service from a client device, the search request including a plurality of search criteria, are described herein. Additionally, the methods, apparatuses, and articles further return to the client device an answer page having a plurality of answers potentially associated with the hospitality service, the plurality of answers identifying a plurality of information locations having information potentially associated with at least a one of the plurality of search criteria, where at least one of the answers includes at least one input field of a query answer page for entry of at least one feature of the hospitality service, the query answer page to be dynamically generated by one of the information locations in response to a query.

Abstract: Data is synchronized among multiple web servers, each of which is coupled to a common data server. Each web server retrieves a scheduled activation time from the data server. If the current time is prior to the scheduled activation time, then each web server retrieves updated data from the data server into a staging cache in the web server. At the scheduled activation time, each web server copies data from its staging cache to an active cache in the web server. If a new web server is added or an existing web server is initialized, then data is copied from an active cache in the data server to an active cache in the new or initialized web server. The multiple web servers may be arranged to form a web farm.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving a search request associated with a transportation service from a client device, the search request including a plurality of search criteria, are described herein. Additionally, the methods, apparatuses, and articles further return to the client device an answer page having a plurality of answers potentially associated with the transportation service, the plurality of answers identifying a plurality of information locations having information potentially associated with at least a one of the plurality of search criteria, where at least one of the answers includes at least one input field of a query answer page for entry of at least one feature of the transportation service, the query answer page to be dynamically generated by one of the information locations in response to a query.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling transmission of data packets in an information network comprises a Regional Transaction Processor (RTP) operable to communicate with a Data Enabling Device (DED) and at least one workstation. The DED searches data packets for content match information. The RTP includes instructions to generate information to include in a prompt to be presented at the workstation when the content match information is detected in at least one of the data packets. The prompt is based on information in the data packet. Transmission of the data packets through the information network is suspended by the DED until a response to the prompt is received that authorizes downloading the data packets to the workstation. If transmission of the data packets to the workstation is not authorized, the data packets are discarded by the DED.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using watermarks to indicate alerts in a storage area network management console are disclosed. An alert provides notification of the occurrence of an event in a storage area network. An event associated with a component of the storage area network is detected. An alert level corresponding to the detected event is determined. A watermark is placed on the graphical user interface to indicate an alert. An initial characteristic of the watermark depends on the determined alert level, and the watermark is oriented to be visible at a distance from the graphical user interface. Multiple alerts may be indicated through changes in a characteristic of the watermark or by changing a watermark initially placed on the graphical user interface upon initiation of the graphical user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing the cost of sending messages over an intermittent network of computing devices via multiple communication channels by creating a first message on a first device, the message intended to be sent to a second device over the network multiple communication channels; applying a first policy to reduce the cost of sending messages over the intermittent network of computing devices, the first policy containing one or more rules to determine whether to send the first message to the second device, each rule being a function of one or more messaging attributes of messages, channels or the system environment; and dynamically updating the first policy by sending a second message to the first device, the second message being a system message that results in the addition, deletion or other modification of the rules contained in the policy to reduce the cost of sending messages over the intermittent network of computing devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for marking Web pages for later revisiting the Web pages are provided. With the method and apparatus, data structures are provided in the Web site server for tracking information regarding the Web pages associated with the Web sites, users that have visited the Web site, what pages were visited by the users, and portions of the web pages that were marked by the users. This information is maintained by the Web site server so that, upon subsequent visits to the Web site server, the marked portions of the Web pages visited by the user may be identified for special processing by the Web browser of the client device being used to access the Web site. Such special processing may include conspicuously identifying the marked portions in a display of the Web browser, providing the ability to jump to marked portions of the Web pages, displaying only the marked portions of the Web pages, and the like.

Abstract: Applications and users dynamically make QoS provisioning requests for individual traffic flows traversing client and server hosts. A traffic flow provisioning request is conveyed to a services manager, which determines a set of traffic attributes for the flow and determines the networks the flow traverses between the client and server hosts. The services manger then oversees the admission of the flow to appropriate traffic classes in each determined network and the obtaining of a DSCP value for each network. Lastly, the services manger conveys the DSCP value of the first network traversed back to the client or server host, depending on the direction of the flow, which host is then configured to appropriately mark the DSCP field of the traffic flow packets. In a further embodiment, the services manager also instructs the client or server host to perform packet policing and shaping for the flow.

Abstract: Associated query parameters of queries of query answer web pages of a plurality of websites corresponding to a set of search criteria are identified and reconciled. Proxy web page specifications comprising the queries and their associated query parameters are created, and submitted for processing by a search engine to create a plurality of indices to effectively index the dynamic query answer web pages. For associated query parameters to be posted to the websites, the associated query parameters for pre-filling the forms are pre-stored at a proxy server, and the corresponding queries included in the indices, modified to address the proxy servers. During operation, on receipt of the search criteria from a client, the search engine returns a search answer web page including the indices that effectively indexes the dynamic query answer web pages.

Abstract: A system and method provide comprehensive and highly automated testing of vulnerabilities to intrusion on a target network, including identification of operating system, identification of target network topology and target computers, identification of open target ports, assessment of vulnerabilities on target ports, active assessment of vulnerabilities based on information acquired from target computers, quantitative assessment of target network security and vulnerability, and hierarchical graphical representation of the target network, target computers, and vulnerabilities in a test report. The system and method employ minimally obtrusive techniques to avoid interference with or damage to the target network during or after testing.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention provide a dynamic service delivery system based on a capability to provide services through a distributed system using qualitative and quantitative Quality of Service (QoS) attributes. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for providing a service that includes collecting capability information reflecting a current operating condition of a compute resource and determining a platform capability and a measurable capability value for a depletion-oriented characteristic of the compute resource based on the collected capability information. Based on at least one of the platform capability and the measurable capability value; a capability value for the compute resource is determined and this value is provided to a provision manager that determines whether the compute resource is worthy of being an available resource in the distributed system based on the capability value.