Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for controlling data synchronization. Local data-writing operations, made across a number of logical storage units on different data-storage devices, are divided into batches, the batches corresponding to different time segments. The data-writing operations, together with an indication of boundaries between the batches, are transmitted to a remote data-storage location. The boundaries between the batches are determined by at least one of: (1) identifying a period of time of sufficient duration during which no data-writing operations were performed and declaring a point during said period of time as one of the boundaries, (2) obtaining agreement from a plurality of entities, and (3) declaring the boundaries at pre-scheduled points in time.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of designing the racking configuration for boxes in racks and for determining which connections go between different racks, including: solving a rack select optimization sub-problem to determine racks to use; and solving a rack assign optimization sub-problem to determine which particular rack will hold a particular box. In another embodiment, an apparatus for designing the racking configuration for boxes in racks and for determining which connections go between different racks, including: a machine-readable representation for a racking configuration problem; and a solver that can read that machine-readable representation and that is configured to: solve a rack select optimization sub-problem to determine at least one rack to use; and solve a rack assign optimization sub-problem to determine which particular rack will hold at least one box.

Abstract: Link used variables are defined for links related to an interconnection fabric. The links used variables are representative of whether or not a link is used for handling flows between a plurality of hosts and devices. Constraints for links, and hop counts or port counts are also defined. An objective function is used by an integer programming solver to determine connections as a function of the definitions.

Abstract: A communication system utilizes at least one digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) at an intermediate point between a network facility and one or more customer premises. Initially, as few as one DSLAM, may be implemented at the intermediate point, but the system can be expanded to include any number of DSLAMs at the intermediate point. Any of the DSLAMs at the intermediate point can be selectively upgraded at any time to a vectoring solution as may be desired. The use of such DSLAMs provides the network service provider with flexibility in implementing and maintaining the network.

Abstract: Link used variables are defined for links related to an interconnection fabric. The links used variables are representative of whether or not a link is used for handling flows between a plurality of hosts and devices. Constraints for links, and hop counts or port counts are also defined. An objective function is used by an integer programming solver to determine connections as a function of the definitions.

Abstract: Link used variables are defined for links related to an interconnection fabric. The links used variables are representative of whether or not a link is used for handling flows between a plurality of hosts and devices. Constraints for links, and hop counts or port counts are also defined. An objective function is used by an integer programming solver to determine connections as a function of the definitions.

Abstract: A communication system utilizes at least one digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) at an intermediate point between a network facility and one or more customer premises. Initially, as few as one DSLAM, may be implemented at the intermediate point, but the system can be expanded to include any number of DSLAMs at the intermediate point. Any of the DSLAMs at the intermediate point can be selectively upgraded at any time to a vectoring solution as may be desired. The use of such DSLAMs provides the network service provider with flexibility in implementing and maintaining the network.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of cooperative caching for a distributed storage system begins with a step of requesting data from storage devices which hold the data. The method continues with a step of receiving any cached blocks and expected response times for providing non-cached blocks from the storage devices. The method concludes with a step of requesting a sufficient number of the non-cached blocks from one or more particular storage devices which provides an expectation of optimal performance.

Abstract: Provided are, inter alia, systems, methods and techniques for controlling workflow by identifying an individual job that is part of an overall deliverables package that covers multiple jobs. An aggregate utility function is obtained, specifying utility based on an aggregate metric across the overall deliverables package, and a current operating point is determined on the aggregate utility function. An effective utility is calculated for the individual job based on the aggregate utility function and the current operating point, and the execution of work is controlled based on the effective utility for the individual job.

Abstract: A computer storage system includes a controller, a first storage device and a second storage device including at least one fast storage device. The controller is configured to perform data operations. The first storage device stores data, and the second storage device stores data redundant to the data stored in the first storage device.

Abstract: A self-disentangling data storage technique. Machine-readable data is stored by a data storage media, such as a magnetic tape or floppy drive. A software program for interpreting the data and requests for access to the data is also stored on the data storage media. The program allows the data to be retrieved using multiple different request types and interpreted in accordance with multiple different data formats. The invention overcomes disadvantages of prior storage techniques since the data can be completely or partially reconstructed, as needed. Further, the invention isolates the data storage format from the application used to generate the data so as to minimize problems caused by outdated data storage formats.

Abstract: A configuration method includes selecting a design configuration, and modeling the solution configuration having a failure event for the selected solution configuration to determine an amount of down time associated with the failure event. A first penalty cost function is applied the amount of down time to determine a first penalty cost associated with the failure event of the selected solution configuration.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of designing a storage system begins with a step of assigning decision variables to a range of candidate storage systems. Each of the decision variables identifies a single candidate storage system. The method concludes with a step of employing the decision variables in a mathematical program to determine which of the candidate storage systems meets availability and reliability criteria and incurs a near minimal projected cost.

Abstract: A system for enabling secure access to an in-vehicle gateway module includes a mobile wireless transceiver on the vehicle in communication with the gateway module, and at least one stationary wireless transceiver in communication with a home computer system, for example, as part of the vehicle owner's home network, or via an internet connection to the home network. The home computer system authenticates all data transfer to and from the vehicle gateway module while preferably also providing a “server” or information consolidation function.

Abstract: A technique for programmatically obtaining experimental measurements for model construction. A user provides criteria for the model, such as computational algorithms which characterize behavior of the real system, specifications of experiments to be performed on the real system for collecting experimental data from the real system, an identification of sought parameters which are to be derived from results of the experiments and desired tolerance constraints on the sought parameters. From experimental data collected from the real system and from the provided criteria, the inventive method and apparatus programmatically determines in an iterative loop which additional experiments are to be performed in order to achieve the desired tolerance constraints. After one or more iterations of the loop, the values for the sought parameters are determined within the desired tolerance constraints.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for finding a parked vehicle again. According to the invention, a portable unit is provided with a pressure sensor whose signals can be evaluated by an evaluation and control unit in order to determine the current air pressure, with the evaluation and control unit evaluating the determined air pressure in order to determine altitude, and storing a first air pressure value as a reference value at a predeterminable first time, which reference value represents an instantaneous altitude of a geographic position of the parked vehicle, with the evaluation and control unit estimating a height difference between a current geographic position of the portable unit and the geographic position of the parked vehicle at a second time, and/or continuously from a pressure difference between the determined current air pressure value and the reference value.

Abstract: Method for finding a vehicle (2), wherein a direction information item relating to the position of a mobile terminal (P2) with respect to the position (P1) of the vehicle is derived by comparing satellite supported position coordinates (P1, P2), and the respective direction information item is output by means of a display unit which is integrated into the mobile terminal (4), the geographic position (P1) of the vehicle (2) is stored in the mobile terminal (4) in the form of position coordinates when the vehicle (2) is deactivated, wherein if the mobile terminal (4) is in a second zone (Z2) surrounding a first zone (Z1), the current coordinates of the geographic position (P2) of the mobile terminal (4) are compared with the stored position (P1) of the vehicle, and if the mobile terminal (4) is in the first zone (Z1), the coordinates of the position (P1) of the vehicle are interrogated from the vehicle on an updated basis by means of a satellite supported position determining system, and this position (P1) of t

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method comprises intercepting, at an interposition agent, requests for accessing a data storage device. The method further comprises determining, by the interposition agent, at least one of the requests to impact, and selectively simulating, by the interposition agent, a fault for the selected at least one of the requests. According to another embodiment, a system comprises at least one data storage device, and at least one requester operable to request access to the at least one data storage device. The system further comprises at least one interposition agent communicatively interposed between the requestor(s) and the data storage device(s) to intercept requests for access from the requestor(s) to the data storage device(s), wherein the interposition agent is operable to selectively determine ones of the intercepted requests to impact and selectively simulate a fault for the selected at least one of the requests.

Abstract: A primary copy of data is held at a primary storage facility, while data that is redundant of the primary copy is held at a secondary storage facility. To inhibit propagation of errors from the primary copy to the redundant data, write transactions to the redundant data are queued at the second storage facility, until a specified time elapses or until a specified event occurs (or until combination hereof occurs). Write transactions may be collected in groups at the primary facility prior to forwarding to the secondary facility and may also be batched at the secondary facility prior to being applied to the redundant data. Overwrites may be allowed within a group at the primary facility to conserve communication bandwidth between the primary and secondary storage facilities. Overwrites may be allowed within a batch at the secondary facility to conserve space occupied by the transactions at the secondary facility.

Abstract: Provided are, inter alia, systems, methods and techniques for controlling workflow by identifying an individual job that is part of an overall deliverables package that covers multiple jobs. An aggregate utility function is obtained, specifying utility based on an aggregate metric across the overall deliverables package, and a current operating point is determined on the aggregate utility function. An effective utility is calculated for the individual job based on the aggregate utility function and the current operating point, and the execution of work is controlled based on the effective utility for the individual job.