Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and deploying packages to devices in a fleet based on operations derived from a machine learning model or other automated feedback models are provided. As an example, a method for creating a package, including a payload, for deployment to a set of devices is provided. The method includes receiving a payload, where the payload has an associated set of payload parameters concerning a deployment of the payload to the set of devices. The method further includes using a processor, automatically creating the package for the deployment to the set of devices, where the package comprises instructions for deploying the payload to the set of devices, and where the instructions specify at least one of a plurality of operations derived from a machine learning model based at least on a subset of the associated set of payload parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deploying packages to devices in a fleet in stages are provided. A method includes first scanning hardware configured to handle functions unrelated to the customer workloads in a first stage to determine whether a selected diversity target for deploying the package is met. The method further includes, if the selected diversity target for deploying the package is not met, then scanning hardware configured to handle at least a subset of the customer workloads in a second stage to determine whether the selected diversity target for deploying the package is met. The method further includes, if the selected diversity target for deploying the package is met after the scanning, then using the processor, deploying the package to the first subset of the set of devices in the first stage and to a second subset of the set of devices in the second stage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and deploying packages to devices in a fleet based on operations derived from a machine learning model or other automated feedback models are provided. As an example, a method for creating a package, including a payload, for deployment to a set of devices is provided. The method includes receiving a payload, where the payload has an associated set of payload parameters concerning a deployment of the payload to the set of devices. The method further includes using a processor, automatically creating the package for the deployment to the set of devices, where the package comprises instructions for deploying the payload to the set of devices, and where the instructions specify at least one of a plurality of operations derived from a machine learning model based at least on a subset of the associated set of payload parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deploying packages to devices in a fleet in stages are provided. A method includes first scanning hardware configured to handle functions unrelated to the customer workloads in a first stage to determine whether a selected diversity target for deploying the package is met. The method further includes, if the selected diversity target for deploying the package is not met, then scanning hardware configured to handle at least a subset of the customer workloads in a second stage to determine whether the selected diversity target for deploying the package is met. The method further includes, if the selected diversity target for deploying the package is met after the scanning, then using the processor, deploying the package to the first subset of the set of devices in the first stage and to a second subset of the set of devices in the second stage.

Abstract: Descriptions of communication interactions can be used to create a simulation of actual systems that send and receive communications including but not limited to messages complying with a protocol, events and so on. The communication interaction, event, state and state transitions of protocol or software components can be modeled to determine outcome and to validate the format and semantics of events, interaction values, etc. to identify variances against established policies or architectural guidelines.

Abstract: Annotation information associated with entities of a computing system can be added to a forest generated from the entities where the structure of the forest reflects relationships between the entities. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to all parent nodes of the child node all the way up to one or more root nodes of the annotated forest. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to a specified depth or place or at nodes with one or more particular characteristics or annotations. The propagation can be performed on-demand to all or some subset of nodes. The annotated forest can be analyzed to determine nodes to which a set of conditions apply.

Abstract: The claims based identity model provides a model which associates security identities with claims. The model represents information contained in the claims, as well as, captures relationships between the security identities described in the claims. Finally, the data model can be easily translated to the existing .NET environment without breaking the backward compatibility for existing .NET applications.

Abstract: Descriptions of communication interactions can be used to create a simulation of actual systems that send and receive communications including but not limited to messages complying with a protocol, events and so on. The communication interaction, event, state and state transitions of protocol or software components can be modeled to determine outcome and to validate the format and semantics of events, interaction values, etc. to identify variances against established policies or architectural guidelines.

Abstract: Annotation information associated with entities of a computing system can be added to a forest generated from the entities where the structure of the forest reflects relationships between the entities. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to all parent nodes of the child node all the way up to one or more root nodes of the annotated forest. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to a specified depth or place or at nodes with one or more particular characteristics or annotations. The propagation can be performed on-demand to all or some subset of nodes. The annotated forest can be analyzed to determine nodes to which a set of conditions apply.

Abstract: A mechanism for sending structured data using a corresponding byte stream. Upon accessing structured data such as a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) envelope, a byte stream is generated. The byte stream includes bytes that represent the structured data, as well as a collection of bytes that represents properties about the byte stream such as, for example, a mode of communication. The byte stream may then be passed to a communication module (e.g., a TCP or Named Pipes module) capable of receiving and transmitting the byte stream.

Abstract: A generic application server is capable of simultaneously receiving requests, processing requested work, and returning results using multiple, conceptual thread pools. In addition, functions are programmable as state machines. While executing such a function, when a worker thread encounters a potentially blocking condition, the thread issues an asynchronous request for data, a state transition is performed, and the thread is released to do other work. After the blocking condition is relieved, another worker thread is scheduled to advance to the next function state and continue the function. Multiple priority work queues are used to facilitate completion of functions already in progress. In addition, lower-priority complex logic threads can be invoked to process computationally intense logic that may be necessitated by a request. Throttling functions are also implemented, which control the quantity of work accepted into the server and server response time.

Abstract: A distributed security system is provided. The distributed security system uses a security policy that is written in a policy language that is transport and security protocol independent as well as independent of cryptographic technologies. This security policy can be expressed using the language to create different security components allowing for greater scalability and flexibility. By abstracting underlying protocols and technologies, multiple environments and platforms can be supported.

Abstract: Implementations of the present invention relate in part to optimizations to peer-to-peer communication systems. For example, one implementation relates to use of a smart transceiver that creates, caches, and manages communication channels dynamically between peers. Another implementation relates to use of a central tracking object that can be used to efficiently register and distribute peer messages among the various peers. In one implementation, the central tracking object is shared amongst peers in the group. Still another implementation relates to associating peer groups with namespaces, and for including peer groups of one namespace within still other peer groups of different namespaces. These and other aspects of the invention can also be used to ensure delivery intent of a given peer message is preserved, and to ensure that optimal numbers of messages are communicated to any given peer at any given time.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for delivering event messages in a secure scalable manner. A network includes an event distribution device serving as an event generation device for generating and disseminating an event message through the network to event distribution devices serving as edge event delivery devices having recipient devices connected thereto. Event messages may be encrypted at the event generation device for each of the destination recipient devices or event messages may be encrypted at each of the edge event delivery devices for delivery to respective recipient devices connected thereto. A signing key may also be included with the encrypted message such that the respective recipient devices may authenticate a sender of the encrypted message based on the signing key. Encryption keys may be established based on policies of the network of event distribution devices or based on policies of the respective recipient devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and data structures for communicating object metadata are provided. A generic metadata container is presented that allows object metadata to be described in an extensible manner using protocol-neutral and platform-independent methodologies. A metadata scope refers to a dynamic universe of targets to which the included metadata statements correspond. Metadata properties provide a mechanism to describe the metadata itself, and metadata security can be used to ensure authentic metadata is sent and received. Mechanisms are also provided to allow refinement and replacement of metadata statements. The generic metadata container can be adapted to dynamically define access control rights to a range of objects by a range of users, including granted and denied access rights.

Abstract: An initiating application layer and at an initiating message processor identifies offer information for negotiating an application layer agreement such as, for example, the communication properties of a communication channel, with one or more other message processors. The initiating message processor sends a schema-based offer including the offer information to the one or more other message processors. A receiving application layer at a receiving message processor receives the schema-based offer. In response, a receiving application layer at the receiving message processor identifies response information, such as, for example, indicating an acceptance, a rejection or a counter offer to the schema-based offer, for negotiating the application layer agreement. The receiving message processor sends a schema-based response including the response information to the initiating message processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for open content model Web service messaging in a networked computing environment are described. In one aspect, a transport neutral message is generated that includes message recipient, endpoint addressing information, and one or more reference properties. The reference properties include selectively opaque message context. The transport neutral message is bound to a transport protocol for communication to the message recipient. At least a portion of the selectively opaque message context is not directed to the message recipient.

Abstract: A challenge mechanism in which a challenge is issued from one message processor to another. In generating the challenge, the message processor may select any one or more of a number of available interactive challenge types, where each type of challenge type might use different user-originated information. Upon receiving the challenge, the challengee message processor may identify the challenge type based on information provided in the challenge, and perform different actions depending on the challenge type. The challengee message processor then generates an appropriate challenge response, and issues that challenge response to the challenger message processor. The challenger message processor may then validate the challenge response.

Abstract: A group identifier represents an association between each of a number of different abbreviated namespace identifiers with a corresponding hierarchical namespace (e.g., an XML namespace). A hierarchically-structured document (e.g., an XML document) is accessed by a computing system that determines that the group identifier is associated with the hierarchically-structured document. Hence, when using the abbreviated namespace identifiers in the hierarchically-structured document, the computing system knows that the corresponding namespace is associated with the designated portions of the hierarchically-structured document. Also, a schema description language document (e.g., an XSD document) may specify multiple target namespaces for a single element. Accordingly, groupings of elements may be included in different namespaces to creating overlapping or even nested namespaces.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a virtual network are disclosed. At least one layer of abstraction is created between network service applications and conventional network protocols by inserting an adaptive dispatcher between applications and network transport services on each machine in a network. The message protocol in the virtual network is extensible, allowing application programs to create new headers within any message as needed. The adaptive dispatcher contains handlers that route and dispatch messages within the virtual network based on arbitrary content within each message, including any combination of headers and/or data content. Each device on the virtual network has a virtual address to which messages are directed, allowing devices to move within the network without reconfiguring routing tables.