Abstract: An approach for provisioning network devices generally involves supplying boot data to network devices over a network so that the network devices can be booted up in an imaging mode or an application mode, depending upon the particular boot data supplied to the network device. When booted up in the imaging mode, imaging data can be downloaded and stored on network devices. When booted up in the application mode, the network devices execute one or more programs contained in the image data stored on the network devices. The first and second boot data may be in the form of boot loader scripts. Furthermore, the first and second boot data may be provided to the network device in the payload of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) reply. The DHCP reply may be generated and provided by a DHCP server to the network device in response to receiving a DHCP request from the network device. The approach may be implemented using a secure network environment.

Abstract: A flow manager may receive packet flow rules from one or more network services and may generate a unified rule set according to the received packet flow rules. A flow manager may additionally split the unified rule set into subsets for enforcement by one or more flow enforcement devices and may install the rule subsets onto the flow enforcement devices. When splitting the unified rule set into subsets, a flow manager may analyze a network topology connecting the flow enforcement devices. A flow manager may also receive additional packet flow rules, integrate them into the unified rule set, update the rule subsets according to the additional rules, and install the updated subsets onto the flow enforcement devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides for token based signing of an unsigned binary which may be a stream of bits (e.g., 0's and 1's). The unsigned binary is signed using a secret key which resides in a token (e.g., a smart card), which makes the secret key available to the token holder. The unsigned binary is downloaded and verified for authenticity by the token coupled to a computing device. In one embodiment, the downloaded unsigned binary is encrypted. If the unsigned binary is authentic, it may be used to replace the prior firmware on that computing device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for replicating an image from a source to a destination disk are provided. Specific embodiments may be optimized for single source to multiple destination replication requests, for example. In one embodiment, the present invention provides tools and techniques for synchronous data replication responsive to asynchronous same-source-to-different-destination replication requests.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for synchronizing firmware associated with a first computer device and a second computer device, such as a server and a client computer. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of providing information regarding a characteristic of the firmware associated with the first and second devices, comparing the provided firmware information to determine if the firmware is synchronized, and associating new firmware with the second device to synchronize the firmware if the firmware is found to not be synchronized in the comparing step. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the firmware associated with the second device is not modified unless the integrity of the firmware to be installed on the second device is verified using a digital signature.

Abstract: Authentication and session management can be used with a system architecture that partitions functionality between a human interface device (HID) and a computational service provider such as a server. An authentication manager executing on a server interacts with the HID to validate the user when the user connects to the system via the HID. The authentication manager interacts with authentication modules. Each authentication module may be configured to authenticate a user based on a different authentication mechanism (e.g., using a smart card, using a login and password, using biometric data, etc.) and may be utilized in connection with one or more sessions. The authentication manager and authentication modules are also responsible for controlling access to services/sessions and may remove/revoke or augment such access. A session manager executing on a server manages services running on computers providing computational services (e.g., programs) on behalf of the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides for token based signing of an unsigned binary which may be a stream of bits (e.g., 0's and 1's). The unsigned binary is signed using a secret key which resides in a token (e.g., a smart card), which makes the secret key available to the token holder. The unsigned binary is downloaded and verified for authenticity by the token coupled to a computing device. In one embodiment, the downloaded unsigned binary is encrypted. If the unsigned binary is authentic, it may be used to replace the prior firmware on that computing device.

Abstract: A distributed settings control protocol. One or more embodiments of the invention provide the ability for an application running on a server across a network to modify various settings related to the terminals such as display resolution, audio output configuration (such as volume control or headphones v. speaker), and energy saver procedures. These abilities are provided by adhering to several protocol properties.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively logically adding storage to a host features dynamically mapping one or more disk volumes to the host using a storage virtualization layer, without affecting an operating system of the host or its configuration. Storage devices participate in storage area networks and are coupled to gateways. A boot port of the host is coupled to a direct-attached storage network that includes a switching fabric. When a host needs storage to participate in a virtual server farm, software elements allocate one or more volumes or concatenated volumes of disk storage, and command the gateways and switches in the storage networks to logically and physically connect the host to the allocated volumes. As a result, the host acquires access to storage without modification to a configuration of the host, and a real-world virtual server farm or data center may be created and deployed substantially instantly.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for securely mixing and splitting multiple audio data streams and determining the order of processing the audio streams. A audio server and an audio device driver are in kernel space of a given computer system. In one embodiment, the computer system has a data flow checker and adjuster for checking the flow of data into data queues and a setup application for connecting the audio server and the audio device driver. The data flow checker and adjuster adjusts the flow of data by sending a message up or downstream instructing the up or downstream processes/devices to send more data or stop sending data depending on how full the data queues are.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for securely mixing and splitting multiple audio data streams and determining the order of processing the audio streams. A audio server and an audio device driver are in kernel space of a given computer system. In one embodiment, the computer system has a data flow checker and adjuster for checking the flow of data into data queues and a setup application for connecting the audio server and the audio device driver. The data flow checker and adjuster adjusts the flow of data by sending a message up or downstream instructing the up or downstream processes/devices to send more data or stop sending data depending on how full the data queues are.