Abstract: A method of providing on-demand service through a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device. In response to receiving a request for a file associated with an instance of the virtual file system, the computing device checks the metadata of the requested file in the virtual file system to identify a first set of data blocks of the requested file that is not present at the computing device and retrieves the first set of data blocks from at least one of a plurality of storage devices associated with the virtual file system. The computing device generates a copy of the requested file using the retrieved first set of data blocks and returns the generated copy of the requested file to the requesting application or user.

Abstract: A computer related security mechanism requires that a human participate in an access verification sequence. Upon a request to access secure data, a puzzle is provided to the requester. Proper solution of the puzzle requires human participation. The puzzle is chosen such that its solution is within the capabilities of a human, but beyond the current state of the art for computer systems. The puzzled can be visually and/or audibly rendered to the user. In one configuration, the puzzle is obtained via a library of pluggable puzzle generators. Puzzle generators in the library can be replaced as the state of the art of computing technology improves.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies that facilitate delegation of keyset management to a platform presenting a centralized health-related data repository are provided. Effectively, a central keyset manager is provided that generates, manages and distributes key material to client applications and servers deploying the platform. Thus, communications with the platform storing sensitive health-related data can be secured without incurring the costs associated with implementing and enforcing policies associated with key generation and expiration among a plurality of servers and client applications. Additionally, the innovation can scale keyset management to meet short term demand needs.

Abstract: A method of resolving conflicts between revisions to a distributed virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to a plurality of storage devices. The virtual file system at the computing device has a first revision of the virtual file system. Upon receipt of a request to synchronize the first revision of the virtual file system with the storage devices, the computing device retrieves one or more blocks from the storage devices, which are associated with a second revision of the virtual file system. The computing device then merges a first component of the first revision with a corresponding component of the second revision if a first predefined condition is met or identifies a second component of the first revision as being conflicted with a corresponding component of the second revision if a second predefined set of conditions is met.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device. The virtual file system has a hierarchical tree structure including a plurality of tree nodes, each tree node having associated metadata and corresponding to a respective component of the virtual file system. Upon receipt of a request to generate a revision of a virtual file system in at least one storage device, the computing device serializes each tree node's associated metadata into an object, generates an object ID from the serialized object, and stores the object in the storage device if the object ID is not found in an object-storage mapping table associated with the virtual file system. Finally, the computing device inserts the object ID into the object-storage mapping table and stores the object-storage mapping table in the storage device after processing the last tree node.

Abstract: A method of recovering information missing from a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to one or more storage devices. Upon receipt of a request for a file associated with an instance of the virtual file system, the computing device retrieves a set of blocks associated with the file from one of the storage devices and identifies one or more of the set of blocks as missing blocks after failing to retrieve the missing blocks from the storage devices. For each missing block, the computing device retrieves one or more parity blocks from one of the storage devices and computes the missing block by applying a predefined recovery scheme to the retrieved parity blocks. Finally, the computing device reconstructs the requested file using the computed missing blocks and other blocks associated with the requested file.

Abstract: A method of resolving conflicts between revisions to a distributed virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to a plurality of storage devices. The virtual file system at the computing device has a first revision of the virtual file system. Upon receipt of a request to synchronize the first revision of the virtual file system with the storage devices, the computing device retrieves one or more blocks from the storage devices, which are associated with a second revision of the virtual file system. The computing device then merges a first component of the first revision with a corresponding component of the second revision if a first predefined condition is met or identifies a second component of the first revision as being conflicted with a corresponding component of the second revision if a second predefined set of conditions is met.

Abstract: A method for forming a virtual file system associated with a distributed storage system is implemented at a computing device communicatively connected to the distributed storage system. The computing device retrieves one or more metadata blocks associated with the virtual file system from the plurality of storage devices. After rendering a commit tree for the virtual file system, the computing device builds an instance of the virtual file system by traversing a plurality of directory nodes and file nodes associated with the tree in a recursive manner. For a respective directory node, the computing device creates a directory in accordance with the metadata associated with the directory node; for a respective file node, the computing device retrieves one or more data blocks from the plurality of storage devices in accordance with the metadata associated with the file node and creates a file using the retrieved data blocks.

Abstract: An authorization framework is provided that protects data records in a platform, such as a service-based platform, by requiring multiple level entities to be authorized with respect to the data records. For example, the data records can have an associated owner user that can grant access to other users with respect to the data. Additionally, however, the user can also grant access to certain applications that access the platform such that the data records can be initially closed for a user requiring the user to explicitly grant desired access to applications and/or users. In this regard, applications can be forbidden from accessing the data, even on behalf of the user, unless expressly authorized to do so by the user. Thus, the user can make informed decisions regarding who is to have access to its data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for instrumenting compiled software to include diagnostic information such that an origin of a call to one or more routines may be more easily identified. For example, a system is provided which unassembles or uncompiles software into a more readily identifiable instructional form, which is then searched to identify various calls to various routines of interest. Portions of the identified calls are then modified with diagnostic information that will identify the call. This diagnostic information and the call are then recorded so that the call may be subsequently traced back to its origin when, for example, an error occurs.

Abstract: A method for forming a virtual file system associated with a distributed storage system is implemented at a computing device communicatively connected to the distributed storage system. The computing device retrieves one or more metadata blocks associated with the virtual file system from the plurality of storage devices. After rendering a commit tree for the virtual file system, the computing device builds an instance of the virtual file system by traversing a plurality of directory nodes and file nodes associated with the tree in a recursive manner. For a respective directory node, the computing device creates a directory in accordance with the metadata associated with the directory node; for a respective file node, the computing device retrieves one or more data blocks from the plurality of storage devices in accordance with the metadata associated with the file node and creates a file using the retrieved data blocks.

Abstract: An authentication mechanism is provided for a web method platform that allows homogeneous access for different types of clients according to a bootstrapping procedure utilized to establish the session. Different clients can be assigned different levels of trust based in part on the bootstrapping procedure and/or information provided during the procedure. The bootstrapping procedure can produce a token that is used by the clients in subsequent requests to provide previous authentication or state information to the platform. The token can comprise a shared secret used to ensure integrity of communications in some cases, and the token can be opaque to the client. Tokens can expire and require a client to re-bootstrap to provide higher levels of authentication protection, and tokens can be shared among a plurality of application servers to facilitate effective handling of requests in a farmed environment.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device. The virtual file system has a hierarchical tree structure including a plurality of tree nodes, each tree node having associated metadata and corresponding to a respective component of the virtual file system. Upon receipt of a request to generate a revision of a virtual file system in at least one storage device, the computing device serializes each tree node's associated metadata into an object, generates an object ID from the serialized object, and stores the object in the storage device if the object ID is not found in an object-storage mapping table associated with the virtual file system. Finally, the computing device inserts the object ID into the object-storage mapping table and stores the object-storage mapping table in the storage device after processing the last tree node.

Abstract: A method of recovering information missing from a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to one or more storage devices. Upon receipt of a request for a file associated with an instance of the virtual file system, the computing device retrieves a set of blocks associated with the file from one of the storage devices and identifies one or more of the set of blocks as missing blocks after failing to retrieve the missing blocks from the storage devices. For each missing block, the computing device retrieves one or more parity blocks from one of the storage devices and computes the missing block by applying a predefined recovery scheme to the retrieved parity blocks. Finally, the computing device reconstructs the requested file using the computed missing blocks and other blocks associated with the requested file.

Abstract: A method of resolving conflicts between revisions to a distributed virtual file system is implemented at a computing device that is communicatively connected to a plurality of storage devices. The virtual file system at the computing device has a first revision of the virtual file system. Upon receipt of a request to synchronize the first revision of the virtual file system with the storage devices, the computing device retrieves one or more blocks from the storage devices, which are associated with a second revision of the virtual file system. The computing device then merges a first component of the first revision with a corresponding component of the second revision if a first predefined condition is met or identifies a second component of the first revision as being conflicted with a corresponding component of the second revision if a second predefined set of conditions is met.

Abstract: A method of providing on-demand service through a virtual file system is implemented at a computing device. In response to receiving a request for a file associated with an instance of the virtual file system, the computing device checks the metadata of the requested file in the virtual file system to identify a first set of data blocks of the requested file that is not present at the computing device and retrieves the first set of data blocks from at least one of a plurality of storage devices associated with the virtual file system. The computing device generates a copy of the requested file using the retrieved first set of data blocks and returns the generated copy of the requested file to the requesting application or user.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies that facilitate delegation of keyset management to a platform presenting a centralized health-related data repository are provided. Effectively, a central keyset manager is provided that generates, manages and distributes key material to client applications and servers deploying the platform. Thus, communications with the platform storing sensitive health-related data can be secured without incurring the costs associated with implementing and enforcing policies associated with key generation and expiration among a plurality of servers and client applications. Additionally, the innovation can scale keyset management to meet short term demand needs.

Abstract: Ordered list management is described. An item's position within an ordered list is represented by a path value. A globally unique identifier (GUID) is appended to the path value to enable simultaneous or near-simultaneous modifications to the ordered list without conflict. Furthermore, an ordered list-specific seed value may be prepended to each item's path value to ensure clustering of ordered list items when two or more ordered lists are merged.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provides for an authorization agnostic access in web service environments to privileged information. A query component can specify how a call is to be made to a data store and predefines the data that is retrievable in response to a query defined thereby (e.g., thru HTTPS, Java script, and the like). The query component can employ a plurality of filters that are implemented as part thereof, to customize retrieval for a predetermined portion of the data for a designated period, and encompass an end-to-end scenario from the browser up to the storage.

Abstract: A computer related security mechanism requires that a human participate in an access verification sequence. Upon a request to access secure data, a puzzle is provided to the requester. Proper solution of the puzzle requires human participation. The puzzle is chosen such that its solution is within the capabilities of a human, but beyond the current state of the art for computer systems. The puzzled can be visually and/or audibly rendered to the user. In one configuration, the puzzle is obtained via a library of pluggable puzzle generators. Puzzle generators in the library can be replaced as the state of the art of computing technology improves.