Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automated object classification using temperature profiles. An object in an environment (such as an exemplary data center) is classified by obtaining a surface temperature profile of the object; and classifying the object as a particular type of equipment based on the obtained surface temperature profile. The surface temperature profile of the object can be compared to a plurality of predefined characteristic surface temperature profiles each associated with a given type of equipment.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for passively monitoring a computer system. In an embodiment, a read-only target is created based on the configuration of the virtual server disk used by the virtual server to access the storage associated therewith. This read-only target can be used to expose the virtual server disk for access by a monitoring crawler. Using the read-only target, a monitoring crawler can acquire a set of features regarding the virtual server from the virtual server disk. One or more of this set of features can be analyzed to perform passive monitoring of the virtual server.

Abstract: A system and method for reordering storage levels in a virtualized environment includes identifying a virtual machine (VM) to be transitioned and determining a new storage level order for the VM. The new storage level order reduces a VM live state during a transition, and accounts for hierarchical shared storage memory and criteria imposed by an application to reduce recovery operations after dynamic resource allocation actions. The new storage level order recommendation is propagated to VMs. The new storage level order applied in the VMs. A different storage-level order is recommended after the transition.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for creating a snapshot of a virtual server. In an embodiment, a first write storage is created in response to a snapshot request. For each write from the virtual server to primary storage that is the first write of that particular data block since the snapshot request, the data that resided in the data block previous to the write is copied from the primary storage to the first write storage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for self-detection of lost device status using device-to-device communications with one or more expected neighboring devices. A device can detect when the device itself is lost, by determining one or more expected neighboring devices for one or more time periods; monitoring a local environment for one or more of the expected neighboring devices using device-to-device communication; detecting when the device is lost based on device-to-device communication and whether a threshold criteria of the expected neighboring devices in proximity to the device for a given interval of time; and sending at least one relay message to notify an owner of the lost device. The threshold criteria comprises, e.g., whether a minimum number of expected neighboring devices are nearby or whether at least one fixed neighboring device is nearby. The device-to-device communications employ one or more of short range relay communications and low-power mesh communications.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the location of computing assets within an organization. These mechanisms determine first location information identifying a location of at least one first physical asset housing in a predetermined physical area of the organization relative to a predetermined coordinate system, and second location information identifying a location of at least one second physical asset housing within the at least one first asset housing. The mechanisms automatically determine third location information identifying a location of at least one computing asset within the at least one second physical asset housing. In addition, the mechanisms generate an asset location map data structure for the organization based on the first, second and third location information. The mechanisms also perform at least one management operation for managing resources of the organization, based on the asset location map data structure for the organization.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the location of computing assets within an organization. These mechanisms determine first location information identifying a location of at least one first physical asset housing in a predetermined physical area of the organization relative to a predetermined coordinate system, and second location information identifying a location of at least one second physical asset housing within the at least one first asset housing. The mechanisms automatically determine third location information identifying a location of at least one computing asset within the at least one second physical asset housing. In addition, the mechanisms generate an asset location map data structure for the organization based on the first, second and third location information. The mechanisms also perform at least one management operation for managing resources of the organization, based on the asset location map data structure for the organization.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for monitoring a virtual machine in a distributed computing system. An out-of-virtual machine monitor receives, via an out-of-band path, disk and memory state data of the virtual machine exposed in a hypervisor hosting the virtual machine. The out-of-virtual machine monitor interprets logical information from the virtual machine disk and memory state data. The out-of-virtual machine monitor parses the logical information to extract related system or log information for a monitoring endpoint. The out-of-virtual machine monitor translates the system or log information to a standard format expected by the monitoring endpoint. The out-of-virtual machine monitor forwards a monitoring data stream to the monitoring endpoint.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for generating a dynamically generated ad hoc cloud storage system of mobile devices. A mobile device transmits a request to dynamically generate an ad hoc cloud storage system, to other devices within a local vicinity of the mobile device. Responses are received from the other devices within the local vicinity of the mobile device indicating that a corresponding device is available to participate in the dynamically generated ad hoc cloud storage system. The dynamically generated ad hoc cloud storage system is generated using memory resources of the other devices corresponding to the responses. The mobile device captures recording data and distributes the recording data to the other devices for storage in memory resources of the other devices.

Abstract: A system and method for reordering storage levels in a virtualized environment includes identifying a virtual machine (VM) to be transitioned and determining a new storage level order for the VM. The new storage level order reduces a VM live state during a transition, and accounts for hierarchical shared storage memory and criteria imposed by an application to reduce recovery operations after dynamic resource allocation actions. The new storage level order recommendation is propagated to VMs. The new storage level order applied in the VMs. A different storage-level order is recommended after the transition.

Abstract: A system and method for reordering storage levels in a virtualized environment includes identifying a virtual machine (VM) to be transitioned and determining a new storage level order for the VM. The new storage level order reduces a VM live state during a transition, and accounts for hierarchical shared storage memory and criteria imposed by an application to reduce recovery operations after dynamic resource allocation actions. The new storage level order recommendation is propagated to VMs. The new storage level order applied in the VMs. A different storage-level order is recommended after the transition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for self-detection of lost device status using device-to-device communications with one or more expected neighboring devices. A device can detect when the device itself is lost, by determining one or more expected neighboring devices for one or more time periods; monitoring a local environment for one or more of the expected neighboring devices using device-to-device communication; detecting when the device is lost based on device-to-device communication and whether a threshold criteria of the expected neighboring devices in proximity to the device for a given interval of time; and sending at least one relay message to notify an owner of the lost device. The threshold criteria comprises, e.g., whether a minimum number of expected neighboring devices are nearby or whether at least one fixed neighboring device is nearby. The device-to-device communications employ one or more of short range relay communications and low-power mesh communications.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for creating a snapshot of a virtual server. In an embodiment, a first write storage is created in response to a snapshot request. For each write from the virtual server to primary storage that is the first write of that particular data block since the snapshot request, the data that resided in the data block previous to the write is copied from the primary storage to the first write storage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for navigating a vehicle to a target address using position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter in a vicinity of the target address. A location of a target address is determined by receiving position information for the target address, upon entry of a searching vehicle in search of a target address into a vicinity of the target address, wherein the received position information for the target address is based upon position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter located in the vicinity of the target address; and generating a navigation route to direct the searching vehicle to the target address using the received position information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for navigating a vehicle to a target address using position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter in a vicinity of the target address. A location of a target address is determined by receiving position information for the target address, upon entry of a searching vehicle in search of a target address into a vicinity of the target address, wherein the received position information for the target address is based upon position information transmitted by a position identifying transmitter located in the vicinity of the target address; and generating a navigation route to direct the searching vehicle to the target address using the received position information.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for passively monitoring a computer system. In an embodiment, a read-only target is created based on the configuration of the virtual server disk used by the virtual server to access the storage associated therewith. This read-only target can be used to expose the virtual server disk for access by a monitoring crawler. Using the read-only target, a monitoring crawler can acquire a set of features regarding the virtual server from the virtual server disk. One or more of this set of features can be analyzed to perform passive monitoring of the virtual server.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

Abstract: A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. In response to a request, a computer system operates to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for self-detection of lost device status using device-to-device communications with one or more expected neighboring devices. A device can detect when the device itself is lost, by determining one or more expected neighboring devices for one or more time periods; monitoring a local environment for one or more of the expected neighboring devices using device-to-device communication; detecting when the device is lost based on device-to-device communication and whether a threshold criteria of the expected neighboring devices in proximity to the device for a given interval of time; and sending at least one relay message to notify an owner of the lost device. The threshold criteria comprises, e.g., whether a minimum number of expected neighboring devices are nearby or whether at least one fixed neighboring device is nearby. The device-to-device communications employ one or more of short range relay communications and low-power mesh communications.