Abstract: A framework is provided that uniformly stores in a central repository data collected from various locations in an enterprise computing network. One or more measurements for data of interest in the central repository are pre-calculated. The pre-calculated measurement(s) are normalized to reflect the relative importance of the data of interest in comparison to other data in the central repository. Reports may be generated based on the pre-calculated measurements for the data of interest.

Abstract: A system for automatically switching a computer to a password protected screen saver mode when a computer user leaves the proximity of the computer. The system includes a proximity sensor that determines whether or not an individual is located proximate the computer. The proximity sensor interfaces with either the computer a bus bridge, a keyboard controller, a keyboard, or some another component of the computer to cause the computer to start executing a screen saver program responsive to an output signal from the proximity sensor. A variety of proximity sensors may be used, including ultrasound, infrared, or electromagnetic proximity sensors. A proximity sensor may also detect the presence of the computer user by detecting the weight of the user at a location proximate the computer.

Abstract: A classification system (10) having a controller (12), a document storage memory (14), and a document input (16) is used to classify documents (20). The controller (12) is programmed to generate a theme score from a plurality of source documents in a plurality of predefined source documents. A theme score is also generated for the unclassified document. The unclassified document theme score and the theme scores for the various classes are compared and the unclassified document is classified into the classification having the nearest theme score.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing predicate usage and proposing solutions to improve query performance. The system comprises a system for collecting performance statistics for database queries; an aggregation system that organizes the performance statistics based on predicate combinations used in the database queries; and an evaluation system that compares the performances of queries having similar predicate combinations. Further features include a problem identification system that identifies a predicate, which when added to a query, results in a low performing query, and a solution proposal system that automatically proposes a solution to address the low performing query.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for storing data sets in and retrieving data sets from a data storage system in a given number and sorted by a data attribute of the data set comprises storing data sets each including one or more attributes in a plurality of binary tree structures (1), each of said binary tree structures (1) with their nodes (2) representing the entity of one of the data attributes of the data sets in a sorted manner, receiving a query for searching and returning data sets according to query conditions in said given number and sorted by a sort attribute, accessing the binary tree structure (1) of said sort attribute, serially traversing the nodes (2) of said binary tree structure (1) according to the sort attribute, at each node (2) checking whether the data set associated to said node meets the query conditions and, if true, returning said data set, terminating said traversing when said given number of data sets is reached.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for taking snapshots of a storage volume. According to aspects of one method, each snapshot is represented as a unique sequence number. Every fresh write access to a volume in a new snapshot lifetime is allocated a new section in the disk, called a provision, which is labeled with the sequence number. Read-modify-write operations are performed on a sub-provision level at the granularity of a chunk. Because each provision contains chunks with valid data and chunks with invalid data, a bitmap is utilized to identify the valid and invalid chunks with each provision. Provisions corresponding to different snapshots are arranged in a linked list. Branches from the linked list can be created for storing writable snapshots. Provisions may also be deleted and rolled back by manipulating the contents of the linked lists.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that implements a hash table that is fully dynamic and lock-free. During a lookup in the hash table the system first uses a hash key to lookup a bucket pointer in a bucket array. Next, the system follows the bucket pointer to a data node within a linked list that contains all of the data nodes in the hash table, wherein the linked list contains only data nodes and at most a constant number of dummy nodes. The system then searches from the data node through the linked list to locate a node that matches the hash key, if one exists.

Abstract: A system for distributed discovery and management of frozen images includes a first and a second computer host, a first and a second frozen image agent and a frozen image server. Each of the first and second frozen image agents may be configured to identify one or more storage hierarchies hosted at a respective computer host, and to provide an encoding representing the identified storage hierarchies to the frozen image server. The frozen image server may be configured to aggregate the encodings provided by the frozen image agents into a system-level storage hierarchy catalog.

Abstract: A method embodied in a computer program product for combining first and second attribute sets each comprising at least one attribute and value pair by which a named attribute is assigned a value that comprises one of a end value and a further attribute set involves carrying out a merge operation that combines the attribute and value pairs of the first and second attribute sets according to their levels in respective attribute trees with conflicts arising between attributes having the same path in each tree being resolved, on a top-down basis, according to predetermined rules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transforming large messages using a scalable process. This scalable process decomposes the message into nodes and node values. Navigation between related tree node tree is carried out based upon the decomposed message. Following decomposition a first node to be transformed is retrieved. Following retrieval of the first node a second node to be transformed is requested. The process obtains the node from the node files. This process repeats until the message is transformed.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for creation, implementation, and use of computer-generated “smart” documents to which functionality is attached for providing contextually sensitive tools, controls and help content to users of those documents. Portions of documents are annotated with Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags and structure so that when a user enters those portions, such as by placing a computer cursor in those portions, the user is provided contextually sensitive tools, controls and/or help content. A document tools pane may open on the user's computer screen adjacent to the document being edited for providing the document tools, controls or help content related to the context of the text or data in which the cursor is located. If the user moves the cursor to another portion of the document, the user may obtain information associated with the context of the new portion of the document in which the cursor is located.

Abstract: A method for performing business control task notification is proposed. The method comprises processing a combination of one or more databases and one or more user profiles to generate a schedule template and receive a request for a schedule. A computer program product compares attributes of the request for the schedule to a user profile and a schedule template to identify one or more events of the schedule template to be accessed from one or more of a plurality of distributed databases and forms a query to be sent to the one or more distributed databases. The query is sent to a particular database among the plurality of distributed databases. The computer program product receives a positive response to the query, indicating that the particular database contains a first event for the schedule, and the event. In response to receiving the event, the schedule is created. The schedule is stored.

Abstract: A data processing system is provided for determining clinical outcomes of medical data gathered by the system. The system can allow a person to define a medical study and can then administer the medical study and can collect and analyze data from potentially geographically diverse doctors, patients and other people associated with a study. Users enter sets of medical information. The system can analyze the medical data according to any number of clinical algorithms that may be custom defined and edited before and during the study. The system conditionally outputs the clinical outcome to the user. The clinical outcome can be used for treatment of patients participating in the study immediately after the data is input and analyzed. The medical outcomes can indicate such things as performance comparisons, composite outcomes, and risk stratification and assessments for such things as treatments, drugs, illnesses, doctors, patients and physician groups.

Abstract: A dynamic construct is associated with one or more operational parameters of one or more components of a storage management system, wherein a pointer to the construct is retained in metadata for the storage management system, the values of the construct are stored in a first repository separate from a second repository normally used to store the metadata for the storage management system. The value of the construct in the first repository is allowed to change dynamically at any point of time without affecting the metadata in the second repository. Thereafter, the value of the construct in the first repository is retrieved and used as the operational parameter, instead of a static value in the metadata in the second repository. This provides a level of indirection that allows the construct to be applied dynamically in the storage management system.

Abstract: Methods and systems receive a query, receive a control statement that represents at least a portion of a desired execution plan associated with the query, and produce an execution plan that conforms to the desired plan to the extent that the produced plan preserves the semantics of the query, without requiring an exhaustive search. These methods also enable realization of bushy shaped plans that are outside the scope of the optimizer search space.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a unique primary key is generated to identify an original message which is received for processing. The record for the original message is stored at the primary key. As the message is propagated to the services that are to be performed on the original message, the primary key is also passed to the service. Derivative messages which are produced as a result of the services applied to the original message are identified with the primary key code along with additional derivative key codes related to services applied to the original message. The resulting derivative message storing and tracking process provides a means by which derivative messages are readily identified and associated with an original message as well as the services performed upon the original message in generating the derivative message.

Abstract: According to the method of the invention, a set of target files is linked to a main file by encoding the target addresses or URLs of these target files into the primary filename of the main file. Separator characters are used to distinguish the primary filename of the main file and the encoded address of each linked target file. Linked target files may be of any kind including, source files of the main file, metadata, multimedia information and services. Since most file systems do not accept certain characters on valid filenames, addresses of linked target files are encoded so that any forbidden character is replaced by an associated authorized character. A lexicography table stores all pairs of forbidden and corresponding authorized characters. Likewise, since filenames length is generally limited to 256 characters, the encoding process may be optimized to reduce the length of the encoded addresses or URLs.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates the analysis of binaries, components, configurations, and their footprints for component design and optimization. Complete and meaningful binary, component, configuration, and footprint information allows formal methods for component analysis and configuration optimization. A binary dependency database persists and stores binary dependency information. The binary dependency database provides detailed dependency information among binaries.

Abstract: This invention introduces a new concept called virtual construct intervals (VCI), where each predicate interval is decomposed into one or more of these construct intervals. These VCIs strictly cover the predicate interval. Namely, every attribute value covered by the predicate interval is also covered by at least one of the decomposed VCIs, and vice versa. Each construct interval has a unique ID or interval coordinate and a set of endpoints. A construct interval is considered activated when a predicate interval using it in its decomposition is added to the system. The predicate ID is then inserted into the ID lists associated with the decomposed VCIs. To facilitate fast search, a bitmap vector is used to indicate the activation of VCIs that cover an event value. The challenge is to find an appropriate set of construct intervals to make predicate decomposition simple and, more importantly, to build efficient bitmap indexes.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating textual information are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a method of generating textual information is disclosed that comprises identifying a plurality of candidate summaries related to textual information based at least in part on a document, determining first and second attribute values based at least in part on the candidate summaries, and determining an optimal candidate summary based at least in part on the first and second attribute values.