Abstract: A method is implemented by one or more network devices to identify an originating point of failure in a composite service executed in a cloud computing environment. The execution of the composite service includes execution of a plurality of atomic services in an ordered sequence, where for each atomic service that is executed, an execution trace for that atomic service is stored in a blockchain to form an ordered sequence of execution traces, where the execution trace for a given atomic service is signed using the private key associated with that atomic service and analyzing one or more of the ordered sequence of execution traces to determine which of the plurality of atomic services originated the failure, where each execution trace that is analyzed is authenticated using the public key that corresponds to the private key associated with the atomic service that generated that execution trace.

Abstract: A particulate separating mechanism for an appliance includes a fluid inlet that receives an inlet fluid. The inlet fluid includes particulate matter. A labyrinth separator is positioned to generate a first turbulence of the fluid. The first turbulence separates a first portion of the particulate matter into a particulate collection portion. A main filter is positioned downstream of the labyrinth separator and has a constricting portion and opposing turbulence chambers that are vertically oriented to produce a second turbulence of the fluid. The second turbulence separates a second portion of the particulate matter from the fluid. A fluid outlet delivers the fluid having the first and second portions of the particulate matter removed into a processing chamber for processing articles.

Abstract: A method for training a central model in a federated learning system is provide. The method includes receiving a first update from a first local model of a set of local models; receiving a second update from a second local model of the set of local models; enqueueing the first update and the second update in one more queues corresponding to the set of local models; selecting an update from the one or more queues to apply to a central model based on determining that a selection criteria is satisfied, the selection criteria being related to a quality of the central model; and applying the selected update to the central model or instructing a node to apply the selected update to the central model.

Abstract: A method, performed by a first node, for handling firmware. The first node receives a first indication from a second node. The first indication indicates a task to be performed by a user equipment. The task indicates an action. The action corresponds to a module of a plurality of modules of firmware to perform the action. The entire plurality of modules of firmware is not installed in the user equipment. The first node downloads the module of firmware corresponding to the action onto the user equipment, based on whether or not the module is already downloaded. The first node then enables, in the user equipment, the downloaded module. The enabling is further based on whether or not the downloaded module of firmware corresponding to the action is already enabled in the user equipment.

Abstract: A method for managing provenance information associated to one or more interconnected provenance entities in a provenance system for data processing pipelines in a distributed cloud environment over a network interface, wherein each of the data processing pipelines is configured to read in data, transform the data, and output transformed data is disclosed.

Abstract: In a method performed by a first node, the node determines a plan based on: i) a first goal to be achieved according to capabilities of the first node, and a first set of first actions to be performed by the first node to achieve the first goal, and ii) for each second node of one or more second nodes: a) a respective goal to be achieved according to respective capabilities of each second node, and b) a respective set of first actions to be individually performed by each second node to achieve the respective goal. The plan is to collaboratively achieve each of the respective goals and the first goal, by determining a respective set of second actions to be respectively performed by each second node and the first node. The first node sends a respective indication indicating the determined second actions.

Abstract: A method for providing data streams to a client over a network interface wherein the data streams comprise message data streams which form provenance views based on provenance information is disclosed. The method comprises, by a routing component; receiving (101), from a client, a request comprising a query for a provenance view submitted, obtaining (104) provenance information from a provenance information database based on the query of the received request, wherein the provenance information database comprises provenance relationships between provenance entities, obtaining (105) message data from a message data database based on the query of the received request, wherein the message data database comprises data corresponding to the provenance entities, deriving (106) correlated data based on the obtained provenance information and the obtained message data, and providing (109), to the client, the derived correlated data as a provenance view in message data streams.

Abstract: A method on a central node or server is provided.

Abstract: A method and a network node for managing access, by a device, to a blockchain. The network node receives, a first request for creation of a first account. The first request includes information relating to a user of the device and a first hash value. The network node creates, based on the information and the first hash value, the first account on the blockchain, whereby a first address is obtained. The network node receives, a second request for recovering account information of the first account. The second request includes the first address of the first account, a source value from which the first hash value is derived and a second address of a second account. The network node generates a second hash value based on the source value. The network node initiates transfer of the account information of the first account to the second account.

Abstract: A method and a network device in a cloud computing system, including a first blockchain component that is one of a plurality of blockchain components forming a blockchain system, of dynamic discovery of another blockchain component of the blockchain system are described. A multicast address including a multicast group identifier is generated. The multicast group identifier is generated at least in part based on a genesis block identifier that uniquely identifies a blockchain serviced by the blockchain system. The network device joins a multicast group identified by the multicast group identifier; and transmits a message destined to the multicast address, where the message includes a request for a unicast address of another component of the blockchain system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for authorizing the access of a service are described. A server is operative to receive a request to subscribe to a service. The server is to receive from the requestor a selected service offer from the set of service offers, where the selected service offer is cryptographically signed with the private key of the requestor and the private key of the service. The server is further to record a delegation contract into a blockchain database, where the delegation contract includes an identification of the service, an identification of the requestor, and the service offer that is cryptographically signed with the private keys of the requestor and the service. The server is to transmit, to the requestor, a confirmation that the service can be accessed based on the selected service offer; and transmit to the service the delegation contract causing the service to provide access to the requestor.

Abstract: A method and network interface card providing central processor unit efficient storing of data. The NIC receives request for registering a memory address range in the NIC, the request comprising a rewrite protection granularity for the memory address range. When receiving data from a client process, subsequent to registering of said memory address range, said data having an address within the memory address range, the NIC determines whether the rewrite protection granularity of the NIC is reached, when receiving said data. In the event that the rewrite protection granularity is reached, the NIC inactivates the memory address range according to said reached rewrite protection granularity. The auto-inactivated memory address range also provides a rewrite protection of data when storing data. Remote logging or monitoring of data is also enabled, wherein the logging or monitoring may be regarded to become server-less.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for managing cloud services using smart contracts to facilitate various functions, such as tenant login, tenant enrollment, service registration, tenant usage charging, tenant usage tracking, tenant quota management, and tenant rights revocation. The proposed techniques allow tenant and service accounts to be represented as smart contracts, and for services to delegate authorization for bundles of service attributes to tenants and other services, for which the tenants and services are then charged. The business logic is implemented on a permissioned, distributed ledger (e.g., a private blockchain) and therefore is easily customized for specific classes of tenants and services.

Abstract: A method is implemented by one or more network devices to identify an originating point of failure in a composite service executed in a cloud computing environment. The execution of the composite service includes execution of a plurality of atomic services in an ordered sequence, where for each atomic service that is executed, an execution trace for that atomic service is stored in a blockchain to form an ordered sequence of execution traces, where the execution trace for a given atomic service is signed using the private key associated with that atomic service and analyzing one or more of the ordered sequence of execution traces to determine which of the plurality of atomic services originated the failure, where each execution trace that is analyzed is authenticated using the public key that corresponds to the private key associated with the atomic service that generated that execution trace.

Abstract: It is provided a method for managing a smart contract in real-time. The method is performed in a contract manager and comprises the steps of: obtaining a base version of the smart contract between the supplier and a first purchaser; recommending amendments to the base version of the smart contract, based on historic contract compliance data of the supplier, wherein the historic contract compliance data is based on smart contracts with the supplier and a plurality of purchasers; receiving a signal indicating an agreed smart contract between the first purchaser and the supplier; receiving a real-time monitoring signal relating to a compliance of the supplier in relation to at least one condition of a smart contract between the supplier and a second purchaser; and recommending amendments to the agreed smart contract, based on the monitoring signal.

Abstract: A particulate separating mechanism for an appliance includes a fluid inlet that receives an inlet fluid. The inlet fluid includes particulate matter. A labyrinth separator is positioned to generate a first turbulence of the fluid. The first turbulence separates a first portion of the particulate matter into a particulate collection portion. A main filter is positioned downstream of the labyrinth separator and has a constricting portion and opposing turbulence chambers that are vertically oriented to produce a second turbulence of the fluid. The second turbulence separates a second portion of the particulate matter from the fluid. A fluid outlet delivers the fluid having the first and second portions of the particulate matter removed into a processing chamber for processing articles.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network device to predict smart contract violations, where the network device is communicatively coupled to one or more computing nodes that execute one or more smart contracts that are configured to perform transactions on a blockchain. The method includes generating a control flow graph for each of the one or more smart contracts, retrieving, from the blockchain, a current state of a variable utilized by the one or more smart contracts following execution of a transaction that updates the variable, generating or updating a state space tree based on the current state of the variable and the control flow graphs generated for the one or more smart contracts, determining whether the state space tree meets a predefined violation requirement, and sending an alert to the one or more computing nodes in response to determining that the state space tree meets the violation requirement.

Abstract: A method and a network node for managing access, by a device, to a blockchain. The network node receives, a first request for creation of a first account. The first request includes information relating to a user of the device and a first hash value. The network node creates, based on the information and the first hash value, the first account on the blockchain, whereby a first address is obtained. The network node receives, a second request for recovering account information of the first account. The second request includes the first address of the first account, a source value from which the first hash value is derived and a second address of a second account. The network node generates a second hash value based on the source value. The network node initiates transfer of the account information of the first account to the second account.

Abstract: A method and a system are presented for enabling coordinated executions of actions in a distributed computing system with untrusted local computing agents. A smart contract including plans is recorded in a blockchain database. Each plan includes actions to be executed by a respective one of the local computing agents. Execution of a first action of a first set of actions to be executed by a first local computing agent is requested. Execution of a second action of a second set of actions to be executed by a second local computing agent is requested. Responsive to determining, based on the smart contract, that the first action can be executed, the first local computing agent is caused to execute the first action and responsive to determining, based on the smart contract, that the second action cannot be executed, the second local computing agent is caused to not execute the second action.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for managing cloud services using smart contracts to facilitate various functions, such as tenant login, tenant enrollment, service registration, tenant usage charging, tenant usage tracking, tenant quota management, and tenant rights revocation. The proposed techniques allow tenant and service accounts to be represented as smart contracts, and for services to delegate authorization for bundles of service attributes to tenants and other services, for which the tenants and services are then charged. The business logic is implemented on a permissioned, distributed ledger (e.g., a private blockchain) and therefore is easily customized for specific classes of tenants and services.