Abstract: A design tool includes a service definition model to enable abstract description of distributed computing systems and distributed applications. The design tool also includes a schema to dictate how functional operations within the service definition model are to be specified. The functional operations include design of distributed applications, deployment of distributed applications, and management of distributed applications.

Abstract: Model-based provisioning of test environments includes accessing a model of an application to be installed in a test environment of a system and further accessing a model of the system and a model of the test environment. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the application, the model of the system, and the model of the test environment.

Abstract: Embodiments of model and system state synchronization are presented herein.

Abstract: Model-based system provisioning includes accessing a model of an application to be installed in a system and further accessing a model of the system. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the application and the model of the system.

Abstract: A model of a system is generated and used as a basis for managing the system. As the system is managed, the system model can be updated to reflect changes to the system. Managing of the system can include one or more of provisioning applications in the system, provisioning applications in virtual systems, provisioning test environments, monitoring the configuration of the system, monitoring the system including the health of the system, performing capacity planning for the system, and propagating attributes to different components in the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conversion method for converting numeric multi-dimensional database dimension members to textual representations. The conversion is specifically designed to enable the textual representations of the numeric dimension members to be properly sorted and converted back into numeric representations with accuracy. All numeric and date data is transformed during conversion, such that the textual representation of the numeric and date data is properly sorted as a text string, in the same order as it would be sorted as a number. The present invention also provides a means for accurate reverse-conversion (i.e., from textual representation to numeric representation) by first converting into text the information necessary to support the precision required by the relevant convention of the numeric representation. The present invention also provides a convention for determining the data type of the textual representations of values of various data types.

Abstract: The invention monitors the driving range and tracks golf balls from users at the driving range and informs those users of characteristics such as driving distance. A solid state camera images the range, and preferably one or more tee-off positions, and collects frames of image data to track a ball's motion through space. Simulation routines augment that track and assist in isolating the start location as well as where the ball lands, or would have landed had it not been obstructed (e.g., by a net). Preferably, the invention also determines the ball's position in 3-D to increase the accuracy. In one technique, two or more solid state cameras are used, and synchronized, to specify stereoscopic imaging. In another technique, the ball's energy or physical extent is used to determine an absolute distance between the camera and the ball. A computer at the club house monitors the entire system and further manages a network including an array of displays at the several tee off positions.

Abstract: A design tool includes a service definition model to enable abstract description of distributed computing systems and distributed applications. The design tool also includes a schema to dictate how functional operations within the service definition model are to be specified. The functional operations include design of distributed applications, deployment of distributed applications, and management of distributed applications.

Abstract: Integrating design, deployment, and management phases for a system in accordance with certain aspects includes using a system definition model to design a system. The system definition model is subsequently used to deploy the system on one or more computing devices and, after deployment of the system, the system definition model is used to manage the system deployed on the one or more computing devices.

Abstract: An architecture and methodology for designing, deploying, and managing a distributed application onto a distributed computing system is described.

Abstract: In accordance with certain aspects of the design time validation of systems, a description of a system being designed and a description of an environment are received. Both of the received descriptions are used to validate the system against the environment while the system is being designed and prior to attempting to deploy the system.