Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for protecting a host system from information-security risks posed by a URD, the method including the steps of: operationally connecting the URD to the host system; communicating, between the URD and the host system, via a network protocol, through a firewall residing in the host system; and configuring said firewall to provide security measures related to the URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall. A method for protecting a host system from information-security risks posed by a URD, the method including the steps of: operationally connecting the URD to the host system; communicating, between the URD and the host system, via a network protocol, through a firewall residing in the host system; and configuring said firewall to restrict access of at least one application to the URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for protecting a host system from information-security risks posed by a URD, the method including the steps of: operationally connecting the URD to the host system; communicating, between the URD and the host system, via a network protocol, through a firewall residing in the host system; and configuring said firewall to provide security measures related to the URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall. A method for protecting a host system from information-security risks posed by a URD, the method including the steps of: operationally connecting the URD to the host system; communicating, between the URD and the host system, via a network protocol, through a firewall residing in the host system; and configuring said firewall to restrict access of at least one application to the URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a URD including: a non-volatile storage memory having program code, wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol for communicating with a host system; and a controller for controlling operations performed on said storage memory. Preferably, the storage memory includes flash memory. A URD including: a host system having a firewall; and a URD having a nonvolatile storage memory, wherein said storage memory includes program code, and wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol, said URD operationally connected to said host system; wherein said firewall is configured to provide security measures related to said URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a URD including: a non-volatile storage memory having program code, wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol for communicating with a host system; and a controller for controlling operations performed on said storage memory. Preferably, the storage memory includes flash memory. A URD including: a host system having a firewall; and a URD having a non-volatile storage memory, wherein said storage memory includes program code, and wherein said program code is configured to enable a network protocol, said URD operationally connected to said host system; wherein said firewall is configured to provide security measures related to said URD. Preferably, the firewall is a software firewall or a hardware firewall.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a flash-memory storage device for implementing both ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive Windows PC accelerators, the device including: a single flash-memory module adapted to be configured as a ReadyBoost accelerator and as a ReadyDrive accelerator; and a controller for controlling the flash-memory module. Preferably, the device further includes: a mechanism for wear-leveling the flash-memory module. Preferably, the device further includes: a mechanism for repartitioning the flash-memory module. Most preferably, the mechanism is configured to erase the flash-memory module. A flash-memory storage device including: a flash-memory module having at least one partition, wherein at least one partition is adapted to be alternatively reversibly configured as a ReadyBoost accelerator and as a ReadyDrive accelerator; and a controller for controlling the flash-memory module. Preferably, the device further includes: a mechanism for wear-leveling the flash-memory module.

Abstract: Methods for enhancing the performance of a host system including the steps of: providing an operating system, running on the host system, that supports a ReadyDrive and ReadyBoost accelerator; and providing a flash-memory storage device, which supports both the accelerators, having a single flash-memory module. Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: monitoring a frequency of write commands by the host system to the device; and upon the frequency exceeding a predefined threshold, suspending operations of the accelerators until the frequency is below the threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of direct MAC-to-MAC transmission over an optical ring network employing WDM or DWDM. In a first embodiment, the connections to the transmit and receive portions of two MAC devices in the node are crossed such that the transmitter and receiver of a MAC are not connected to the same optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM). The drop and add module of the OADM are connected in tandem on the same optical ring. A second OADM is similarly configured and located on the opposite optical ring. The receive and transmit portions of a MAC device are split across two OADMs wherein the receiver is connected to the drop module of one OADM and the transmitter is connected to the add module of the other OADM. In a second embodiment, the drop and add modules of each OADM are connected to opposite rings, i.e. the drop module is connected to an optical ring carrying traffic in one direction while the add module is connected to an optical ring carrying traffic flowing in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A path reroute mechanism for use in communication networks comprising multiple searches for a routing path to restore traffic following a failure that could not be protected by a previously established protection route (i.e. protection tunnel, bypass, etc.) or for routing or rerouting of traffic paths for optimization or any other purpose. Each node advertises TLVs that include bandwidth allocation information used to derive the actual amount of bandwidth available for protection purposes, protected paths and unprotected paths or a portion of this information such as in the case where unprotected paths are not supported. Searches are performed on larger and larger portions of the available bandwidth until a route for the path is found.