Abstract: Applications in a data center can be consolidated by identifying different combinations of software executing on hardware. The software can include a set of applications that execute upon a set of servers. The different combinations can have different arrangements of applications running on different ones of the servers. For each of the different combinations, a licensing cost, an operating cost, and a total cost can be calculated. The total cost of operation for each of the configurations can be calculated by summing the licensing costs, the operating costs adjusted for the cost savings for complementary workload patterns, and migration costs for adjusting a current configuration of the applications and servers to arrive at the configuration. The total cost results per configuration can be reported to a user for at least a set of the configurations.

Abstract: A dynamically correcting cache memory is capable of correcting itself by dynamically reflecting any modifications inflicted upon the data/information to be stored therein. Further, the cache memory is refreshed at predetermined time intervals and also based on predetermined criteria, thereby ensuring a high cache hit rate. The dynamically correcting cache memory is bypassed for certain user queries prioritized based on a predetermined criteria. The dynamically correcting cache manages an inventory shared between multiple non-cooperative web-based, computer-implemented platforms. The dynamically correcting cache is directed to reducing caching errors in web based computer implemented platforms. The dynamically correcting cache responds to rapid changes associated with (online) behavior of users accessing web based computer implemented platforms by dynamically configuring TTL (Time-To-Live) values, in order to ensure that the data/information stored in the cache memory remains accurate.

Abstract: During a process of migrating a source system into a standardized virtual environment, virtual machine instances of the source system executing in a hypervisor are snapshotted as virtual machine images in an operational repository of the hypervisor. The virtual machine images in the operational repository are short-term snapshots. From time to time during the migration process, long-term snapshots of the source system are created by checking given ones of the virtual machine images from the hypervisor operational repository into an image library as image objects.

Abstract: An arbitrary customer instance is transferred from a customer environment to a target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a transferred image. An image adjustment plan, capturing at least one adjustment required to render the transferred image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment, is formulated. The image adjustment plan is executed to adjust the transferred image to obtain an adjusted image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment. The adjusted image is on-boarded into the managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a standard image thereof.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for managing a consistency group for computing sites. A plurality of computing sites contained within a consistency group are communicated with by using an aggregator, each of the plurality of computing sites comprising one or more of a virtual machine and a server. The aggregator acts as a central communication hub between the plurality of computing sites and combines data changes from the plurality of computing sites. Updates captured at each of the sites are received and the updates are batched. The updates are communicated, after the batching, to the plurality of computing sites, thereby ensuring data consistency across the plurality of sites. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: An arbitrary customer instance is transferred from a customer environment to a target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a transferred image. An image adjustment plan, capturing at least one adjustment required to render the transferred image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment, is formulated. The image adjustment plan is executed to adjust the transferred image to obtain an adjusted image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment. The adjusted image is on-boarded into the managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a standard image thereof.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for providing cooperative caching in a distributed system. A cache and a communicator are provided at a node in a distributed system. The communicator is used to communicate with at least one other node with respect to related data stored at the node and the at least one other node, via: communicating a status of the cache at the node and receiving notification of a status of at least one cache of at least one other node. There is updated, upon communicating with the at least one other node, at least one of: a cache replacement policy at the node and a cache pre-fetching policy at the node. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: An arbitrary customer instance is transferred from a customer environment to a target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a transferred image. An image adjustment plan, capturing at least one adjustment required to render the transferred image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment, is formulated. The image adjustment plan is executed to adjust the transferred image to obtain an adjusted image compliant with standards of the target managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment. The adjusted image is on-boarded into the managed-infrastructure-as-a-service cloud environment as a standard image thereof.

Abstract: During a process of migrating a source system into a standardized virtual environment, virtual machine instances of the source system executing in a hypervisor are snapshotted as virtual machine images in an operational repository of the hypervisor. The virtual machine images in the operational repository are short-term snapshots. From time to time during the migration process, long-term snapshots of the source system are created by checking given ones of the virtual machine images from the hypervisor operational repository into an image library as image objects.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking a virtual machine is provided. The method includes determining updates applied to virtual machine instances and tracking updates associated with a master image used to generate the virtual machine instances. High level semantic updates to the master image are identified by performing a breadth-first search on a version graph to identify a cut on the version graph such that each edge in the cut comprises all elements of the high level semantic updates and splitting a node that immediately follows the cut into a node V1 and a node V2. The node V1 captures changes of the high level semantic updates and the node V2 captures changes not in the high level semantic updates. The node V1 is promoted to a root. A version tree configured to track drift of each virtual machine instance with respect to the master image is maintained.

Abstract: During a process of migrating a source system into a standardized virtual environment, virtual machine instances of the source system executing in a hypervisor are snapshotted as virtual machine images in an operational repository of the hypervisor. The virtual machine images in the operational repository are short-term snapshots. From time to time during the migration process, long-term snapshots of the source system are created by checking given ones of the virtual machine images from the hypervisor operational repository into an image library as image objects.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method for implementing a dynamically correcting cache is disclosed. The dynamically correcting cache is capable of correcting itself by dynamically reflecting any modifications inflicted upon the data/information to be stored in the cache memory. Further, the cache memory is refreshed at predetermined time intervals and also based on predetermined criteria, thereby ensuring a high cache hit rate. The dynamically correcting cache memory is bypassed for certain user queries prioritized based on a predetermined criteria. The dynamically correcting cache manages an inventory shared between multiple non-cooperative web-based, computer-implemented platforms. The dynamically correcting cache is directed to reducing caching errors in web based computer implemented platforms.

Abstract: A service method and associated system is provided. The method includes generating event types for events and services associated with the events. Virtual or physical machines associated with the services are provisioned and a message associated with a first event is published. The message is routed to a queue of a second service and the second service is notified of the message. The services are enabled and a selection for a sub-set of the services is received. The selection is enabled.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for managing a consistency group for computing sites. A plurality of computing sites contained within a consistency group are communicated with by using an aggregator, each of the plurality of computing sites comprising one or more of a virtual machine and a server. The aggregator acts as a central communication hub between the plurality of computing sites and combines data changes from the plurality of computing sites. Updates captured at each of the sites are received and the updates are batched. The updates are communicated, after the batching, to the plurality of computing sites, thereby ensuring data consistency across the plurality of sites. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for providing assistance with troubleshooting for system updates. There is sent, to a first database, a feature log associated with an update event at a first location. The feature log is pooled in the first database with feature logs associated with update events at other locations. A signature is created of at least one update from the first database, and the signature is added to a signature database. The signature database is employed to identify one or more deviations, when the at least one update fails in at least one location. The one or more deviations are ranked with respect to at least one other deviation. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: N applications are placed on M virtualized servers having power management capability. A time horizon is divided into a plurality of time windows, and, for each given one of the windows, a placement of the N applications is computed, taking into account power cost, migration cost, and performance benefit. The migration cost refers to cost to migrate from a first virtualized server to a second virtualized server for the given one of the windows. The N applications are placed onto the M virtualized servers, for each of the plurality of time windows, in accordance with the placement computed in the computing step for each of the windows.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for managing a consistency group for computing sites. A plurality of computing sites are communicated with, each of the sites comprising one or more of (i) and (ii): (i) at least one virtual machine; and (ii) at least one server. Updates captured at each of the sites are received, and the captured updates are batched. The batched updates are communicated to the plurality of sites, thereby ensuring data consistency across the plurality of sites. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for automatically propagating updates in a data center. A method includes dividing multiple virtual machines in a data center into one or more equivalence classes, wherein each equivalence class is based on a signature corresponding to an offline, online and/or manual update, automatically creating an offline and/or online virtual machine manifest for a first virtual machine of the multiple virtual machines based on one or more file system changes during the offline, online and/or manual update for the first virtual machine, wherein said manifest is applicable to each additional virtual machine in the same equivalence class as the first virtual machine, and applying the offline and/or online virtual machine manifest for the first virtual machine to the remaining multiple virtual machines in the same equivalence class to automatically update the remaining multiple virtual machines in the same equivalence class.

Abstract: A method and system for image instance mapping is provided. The method includes receiving from change agents on virtual machine instances periodic monitoring data indicating changes for each virtual machine instance. The periodic monitoring data is analyzed and unique updates are applied to the virtual machine instances. High level semantic updates to the virtual machine instances are identified and updates associated with a golden master image are tracked. High level semantic updates to the golden master image are identified and in response, a version tree configured to track drift of each virtual machine instance with respect to golden master image is maintained.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for managing a consistency group for computing sites. A plurality of computing sites are communicated with, each of the sites comprising one or more of (i) and (ii): (i) at least one virtual machine; and (ii) at least one server. Updates captured at each of the sites are received, and the captured updates are batched. The batched updates are communicated to the plurality of sites, thereby ensuring data consistency across the plurality of sites. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.