Abstract: An optical film includes a structured film and a light control film formed on the structured film. The structured film includes a substrate and a plurality of polymeric microstructures formed on a major surface of the substrate. Each microstructure includes an optical facet and a sidewall meeting the optical facet at a ridge of the microstructure. The light control film includes an optically transparent material disposed on and covering the plurality of polymeric microstructures, and a plurality of optically absorptive louvers formed in the optically transparent material opposite the structured film. The louvers extend along a longitudinal direction and are spaced apart along an orthogonal transverse direction. The louvers have an average depth D into the optically transparent material and have an average width W in the transverse direction. D/W can be greater than 2. The optical film is integrally formed.

Abstract: An optical film has a major surface including a plurality of microstructures. Each microstructure includes an optical facet and a sidewall meeting the optical facet at a ridge of the microstructure. The optical facet and the sidewall define an oblique angle therebetween. For each microstructure in at least a majority of the microstructures, an optically absorptive layer is disposed on the sidewall. The optical film can include a polymeric layer having a microstructured surface at least partially coated with an inorganic optically transparent layer. The optically absorptive layer can an average thickness t where 100 nm<t<1 micrometer. A first layer can be disposed between the sidewall and the optically absorptive layer where the first layer has a lower extinction coefficient than the optically absorptive layer.

Abstract: An optical system includes a light source, an optical film curved about a first axis, and a light control film curved about the first axis and disposed between the light source and the optical film. The optical film includes a microstructured first major surface and an opposing second major surface. The microstructured first major surface defines a linear Fresnel lens including a plurality of Fresnel elements extending longitudinally along the first axis. The first major surface of the optical film faces of the optically transmissive regions, a centerline between adjacent optically absorptive regions is substantially normal to a major surface of the light control film.

Abstract: A vendor-independent resource configuration interface automatically maps virtual functions to physical functions in a self-virtualizing IO resource using the concept of a logical port that maps to a particular physical port and protocol in the self-virtualizing IO resource. A user wishing to provide a logical partition access to a self-virtualizing IO resource typically creates or configures a logical port for the logical partition by mapping the logical port to a particular physical port and protocol defined for the self-virtualizing IO resource, and an appropriate virtual function mapped to an appropriate physical function on an appropriate self-virtualizing IO resource is automatically selected, typically without requiring the user to have a detailed understanding of the numbers of supported virtual functions, physical functions and protocols supported by specific resources.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing capacity and user-based resource allocation for a hardware I/O adapter, such as, a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a virtualized system. Configuring a virtual function (VF) is provided by supplying a capacity value of a port. The capacity value represents a percentage of the available performance of the port. The adapter driver configures multiple adapter parameters to provide the available performance for the port. A user is enabled to specify a level of performance assigned to each protocol of the port.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing capacity and user-based resource allocation for a hardware I/O adapter, such as, a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a virtualized system. Configuring a virtual function (VF) is provided by supplying a capacity value of a port. The capacity value represents a percentage of the available performance of the port. The adapter driver configures multiple adapter parameters to provide the available performance for the port. A user is enabled to specify a level of performance assigned to each protocol of the port.

Abstract: A virtual function mapping process, which is capable of being used in connection with the migration of a logical partition to a target system, creates candidate lists for virtual functions assigned to the logical partition, which are populated with candidate physical ports from a target system that are capable of being mapped to such virtual functions. Candidate physical ports are assigned weights based upon their suitability to be mapped to a particular virtual function, and as candidate physical ports are selected for virtual functions, weights for other candidate physical ports for other virtual functions are recalculated to reflect the impact of the selection of candidate physical ports on the suitability of the remaining physical ports for other virtual functions.

Abstract: A method for replacing a current security certificate includes producing a security certificate request at a first device that includes a request for a replacement security certificate. The method additionally includes sending the security certificate request to a security certificate vendor and receiving a replacement security certificate from the security certificate vendor. The method further includes installing the replacement security certificate within a verification layer of the client device and transmitting the replacement security certificate to the server. The method additionally includes verifying that the server has installed the replacement security certificate, wherein the verification further verifies that the replacement security certificate enables encrypted communication between the client device and the server.

Abstract: A vendor-independent resource configuration interface automatically maps virtual functions to physical functions in a self-virtualizing IO resource using the concept of a logical port that maps to a particular physical port and protocol in the self-virtualizing IO resource. A user wishing to provide a logical partition access to a self-virtualizing IO resource typically creates or configures a logical port for the logical partition by mapping the logical port to a particular physical port and protocol defined for the self-virtualizing IO resource, and an appropriate virtual function mapped to an appropriate physical function on an appropriate self-virtualizing IO resource is automatically selected, typically without requiring the user to have a detailed understanding of the numbers of supported virtual functions, physical functions and protocols supported by specific resources.

Abstract: A hypervisor-based facility is provided for communicating between a hardware management console (HMC) and a logical partition of a data processing system. The facility includes: packaging a request or response of a source endpoint as cargo in a generic transport primitive, the source endpoint being either an HMC or a logical partition of the data processing system; and forwarding the generic transport primitive from the source endpoint to a target endpoint via the hypervisor. The forwarding includes receiving the transport primitive at the hypervisor and forwarding the cargo of the transport primitive to the target endpoint. The cargo includes the request or response from the source endpoint, and the hypervisor forwards the cargo absent inspection or parsing of that cargo. The target endpoint is the other one of the logical partition or the hardware management console of the data processing system.

Abstract: A virtual function mapping process, which is capable of being used in connection with the migration of a logical partition to a target system, creates candidate lists for virtual functions assigned to the logical partition, which are populated with candidate physical ports from a target system that are capable of being mapped to such virtual functions. Candidate physical ports are assigned weights based upon their suitability to be mapped to a particular virtual function, and as candidate physical ports are selected for virtual functions, weights for other candidate physical ports for other virtual functions are recalculated to reflect the impact of the selection of candidate physical ports on the suitability of the remaining physical ports for other virtual functions.

Abstract: An on-demand allocation of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is provided. A determination is made as to whether an operation request requires that a set of virtual I/O service partitions have a required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters. If a required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is required, a determination is made as to whether the set of virtual I/O service partitions have the required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters. Responsive to a failure to have the required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters, a set of new virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is defined in partition management firmware and in the set of virtual I/O service partitions. The set of new virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is configured in the set of virtual I/O service partitions and the operation is issued to the set of virtual I/O service partitions.

Abstract: A method for controlling input and output of a virtualized computing platform is disclosed. The method can include creating a device interface definition, assigning an identifier to a paging device and configuring commands useable by a virtual input output server. The commands can be sent to the input output server and can be converted by the input output server into paging device commands. A hypervisor can assist in facilitating the communication configuration. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An on-demand allocation of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is provided. A determination is made as to whether an operation request requires that a set of virtual I/O service partitions have a required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters. If a required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is required, a determination is made as to whether the set of virtual I/O service partitions have the required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters. Responsive to a failure to have the required number of virtual asynchronous services interface adapters, a set of new virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is defined in partition management firmware and in the set of virtual I/O service partitions. The set of new virtual asynchronous services interface adapters is configured in the set of virtual I/O service partitions and the operation is issued to the set of virtual I/O service partitions.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism is provided for arbitrating between redundant controllers having outputs electrically connected together and provided as input to at least one device under control. The arbitration mechanism includes logic for automatically determining which controller of the redundant controllers is active controller, and a hardware output interlock for the redundant controllers to ensure that output controlled by only the active controller is enabled as input to the at least one device. The arbitration mechanism also includes logic for monitoring the active controller for failure, and upon detection of failure, for automatically switching active control to another controller of the redundant controllers transparent to the at least one device.

Abstract: A method for controlling input and output of a virtualized computing platform is disclosed. The method can include creating a device interface definition, assigning an identifier to a paging device and configuring commands useable by a virtual input output server. The commands can be sent to the input output server and can be converted by the input output server into paging device commands. A hypervisor can assist in facilitating the communication configuration. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hypervisor-based facility is provided for communicating between a hardware management console (HMC) and a logical partition of a data processing system. The facility includes: packaging a request or response of a source endpoint as cargo in a generic transport primitive, the source endpoint being either an HMC or a logical partition of the data processing system; and forwarding the generic transport primitive from the source endpoint to a target endpoint via the hypervisor. The forwarding includes receiving the transport primitive at the hypervisor and forwarding the cargo of the transport primitive to the target endpoint. The cargo includes the request or response from the source endpoint, and the hypervisor forwards the cargo absent inspection or parsing of that cargo. The target endpoint is the other one of the logical partition or the hardware management console of the data processing system.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism is provided for arbitrating between redundant controllers having outputs electrically connected together and provided as input to at least one device under control. The arbitration mechanism includes logic for automatically determining which controller of the redundant controllers is active controller, and a hardware output interlock for the redundant controllers to ensure that output controlled by only the active controller is enabled as input to the at least one device. The arbitration mechanism also includes logic for monitoring the active controller for failure, and upon detection of failure, for automatically switching active control to another controller of the redundant controllers transparent to the at least one device.

Abstract: A method of providing arbitration for redundant controllers is provided, which includes: providing logic for automatically determining which controller of redundant controllers is active controller, wherein outputs of the redundant controllers are electrically hardwired together and provided as input to a device; and providing first and second hardware arbitration components for first and second controllers of the redundant controllers, each hardware arbitration component ensuring that outputs of the respective controller are enabled only when the associated controller is active controller. The first and second hardware arbitration components are separate hardware components which communicate and cooperate as a distributed hardware interlock mechanism that ensures outputs of only one controller are enabled at a time.

Abstract: A data processing system (or server) is designed with redundant service processors and a hypervisor. Both service processors are capable of performing the full set of service processor functions, with one service processor (SP) registering itself as a primary SP with the system firmware/hypervisor and the other SP registering as the backup SP. The primary SP performs the initialization, monitoring and control of system resources. The backup SP and hypervisor monitor the primary SP for indications that the primary SP is failing. In the event of a failure of the primary SP, any one of the three components, the backup SP, hypervisor, or even the primary SP itself, is able to initiate a failover to the backup SP.