Abstract: Providing a cloud-based service to an endpoint device includes providing the cloud-based service to the endpoint device in accordance with a default Quality of Service, learning an importance of the cloud-based service to a user of the endpoint device, and automatically adjusting the providing of the cloud-based service to the endpoint device in response to the importance, wherein the adjusting results in the cloud-based service being provided to the endpoint device in accordance with a Quality of Service other than the default Quality of Service for at least a temporary period of time. The importance may be inferred from how quickly the user of the endpoint device consumes data provided by the cloud-based service. Alternatively, the importance may be a relative importance of the cloud-based service to the user, as compared to other users of the cloud-based service.

Abstract: Likely disconnections or system-level-impact producing slowdown in a flow parameter in a network can be identified by annotating a graph representing the network with a weight to edges of a graph representing the network. The weight can be linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the severity of the impact, and/or linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the likelihood of disconnection. Minimal cut sets needed to generate a disconnection in the network are identified from the annotated network based on the weights on the edges. Subsets of each minimal cut set are generated and evaluated during a simulation. The subsets can correspond to almost isolated scenarios for the network. The scope of the simulations can be reduced by selecting the minimal cut sets employing the weight.

Abstract: A system context aware resource management, method of managing shared resources and services and a computer program product therefor. Client devices, e.g., handheld or mobile devices, request resources from provider computers, e.g., in a cloud environment. The provider computers provide cloud-based personal assistants. Resource requests from client devices may be context related that may be provided in response to a selected context. A resource management system schedules resource processing for requesting mobile client devices, initially, and responds to device context changes by selectively adjusting shared resource job priorities, e.g., creating a new job, pausing or restarting/resuming a respective job.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for allocating shared resources. Upon receiving requests for resources, the cost of bundling software in a virtual machine (VM) image is automatically generated. Software is selected by the cost for each bundle according to the time required to install it where required, offset by the time to uninstall it where not required. A number of VM images having the highest software bundle value (i.e., highest cost bundled) is selected and stored, e.g., in a machine image store. With subsequent requests for resources, VMs may be instantiated from one or more stored VM images and, further, stored images may be updated selectively updated with new images.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for allocating shared resources. Upon receiving requests for resources, the cost of bundling software in a virtual machine (VM) image is automatically generated. Software is selected by the cost for each bundle according to the time required to install it where required, offset by the time to uninstall it where not required. A number of VM images having the highest software bundle value (i.e., highest cost bundled) is selected and stored, e.g., in a machine image store. With subsequent requests for resources, VMs may be instantiated from one or more stored VM images and, further, stored images may be updated selectively updated with new images.

Abstract: A method of prioritizing information, the method includes receiving report information of an event, the report information including geographical identifying information of a reporting entity, one of receiving or determining vote information in response to the report information, and prioritizing the event according to the report information and the vote information, as performed by a processor in a computer system.

Abstract: A system that prioritizes information, the system includes an input that receives at least one of report information of an event, the report information including geographical identifying information of a reporting entity, and vote information associated with the report information, a memory device that stores instructions, and a processor that executes the instructions stored in the memory device to prioritize the event according to the report information and the vote information.

Abstract: An incident response system, method of responding to exigent incidents and a computer program product therefor. Local devices associated with a locale department are connected to network. An operations center on one or more networked computers, e.g., cloud computers, plans and administer locale day-to-day operations. The operations center may also plan and administer emergency operations for the locale. Locale departments have response agents associated mobile devices. The operations center assigns each mobile device with a role for responding to incidents and provides each with a likelihood table. When deployed each mobile device connects to the network individually or through other mobile devices, e.g., in an ad hoc, peer-to-peer network.

Abstract: An incident response system, method of responding to exigent incidents and a computer program product therefor. Local devices associated with a locale department are connected to network. An operations center on one or more networked computers, e.g., cloud computers, plans and administer locale day-to-day operations. The operations center may also plan and administer emergency operations for the locale. Locale departments have response agents associated mobile devices. The operations center assigns each mobile device with a role for responding to incidents and provides each with a likelihood table. When deployed each mobile device connects to the network individually or through other mobile devices, e.g., in an ad hoc, peer-to-peer network.

Abstract: A system context aware resource management, method of managing shared resources and services and a computer program product therefor. Client devices, e.g., handheld or mobile devices, request resources from provider computers, e.g., in a cloud environment. The provider computers provide cloud-based personal assistants. Resource requests from client devices may be context related that may be provided in response to a selected context. A resource management system schedules resource processing for requesting mobile client devices, initially, and responds to device context changes by selectively adjusting shared resource job priorities, e.g., creating a new job, pausing or restarting/resuming a respective job.

Abstract: A system context aware resource management, method of managing shared resources and services and a computer program product therefor. Client devices, e.g., handheld or mobile devices, request resources from provider computers, e.g., in a cloud environment. The provider computers provide cloud-based personal assistants. Resource requests from client devices may be context related that may be provided in response to a selected context. A resource management system schedules resource processing for requesting mobile client devices, initially, and responds to device context changes by selectively adjusting shared resource job priorities, e.g., creating a new job, pausing or restarting/resuming a respective job.

Abstract: Likely disconnections or system-level-impact producing slowdown in a flow parameter in a network can be identified by annotating a graph representing the network with a weight to edges of a graph representing the network. The weight can be linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the severity of the impact, and/or linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the likelihood of disconnection. Minimal cut sets needed to generate a disconnection in the network are identified from the annotated network based on the weights on the edges. Subsets of each minimal cut set are generated and evaluated during a simulation. The subsets can correspond to almost isolated scenarios for the network. The scope of the simulations can be reduced by selecting the minimal cut sets employing the weight.

Abstract: Likely disconnections or system-level-impact producing slowdown in a flow parameter in a network can be identified by annotating a graph representing the network with a weight to edges of a graph representing the network. The weight can be linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the severity of the impact, and/or linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the likelihood of disconnection. Minimal cut sets needed to generate a disconnection in the network are identified from the annotated network based on the weights on the edges. Subsets of each minimal cut set are generated and evaluated during a simulation. The subsets can correspond to almost isolated scenarios for the network. The scope of the simulations can be reduced by selecting the minimal cut sets employing the weight.

Abstract: Dynamic provisioning of resources is employed to replicate capabilities and/or services in a distributed computing infrastructure to overcome potential disruptions in the capabilities and/or services. Predictive tools for weather forecasts, risk profile analysis based on geographical location of data/service centers, and historical data are employed to improve service resiliency. Further, for each local computing service that is considered for replication, the cost of disruption is compared with the total cost of replication to ensure that a computing infrastructure service provider is selected in a cost-efficient manner.

Abstract: Dynamic provisioning of resources is employed to replicate capabilities and/or services in a distributed computing infrastructure to overcome potential disruptions in the capabilities and/or services. Predictive tools for weather forecasts, risk profile analysis based on geographical location of data/service centers, and historical data are employed to improve service resiliency. Further, for each local computing service that is considered for replication, the cost of disruption is compared with the total cost of replication to ensure that a computing infrastructure service provider is selected in a cost-efficient manner.

Abstract: A weather forecast system, method of forecasting weather and a computer program product therefor. A forecasting computer applies a grid to a forecast area and provides a weather forecast for each grid cell. Population movement sensors sense population movement in the area. A swarm detector detects patterns in area population movement that indicate swarm activity, from which the swarm detector predicts swarm patterns. A planning module receives area weather forecasts and swarm patterns, and provides swarm path indications to the forecasting system for adjusting the grid applied to the forecast area.

Abstract: A template generator organizing templates in a cost-aware clustering, a method of allocating resources using cost-aware clustering and computer program products therefor. A resource provisioning unit generates, selects and maintains a selected number of resource templates. Each template specifies an allocable resource capacity configuration. Each requesting client device has resources allocated determined by one of the selected resource templates. A resource provisioning unit includes a configuration store with costs of allocable resources and associated attributes, a server request store with previously received requests, and an input parameter store with template list options. A template generator determines an optimum list of templates to satisfy previously received requests. A template store stores generated template lists.

Abstract: A shared resource system, method of updating client displays and computer program products therefor. At least one client device locally displays activity with resources shared with the client device. A management system on provider computers that is providing resources shared by the client devices selectively generates prioritized display updates. The management system provides updates to respective client devices according to update priority. Updates may also be ordered for network load balancing.

Abstract: A shared resource system, method of optimizing resource allocation in real time and computer program products therefor. At least one client device includes an optimization agent monitoring resource usage and selectively suggesting changes to resource configuration for the client device. A management system, e.g., in a cloud environment selectively makes resource capacity available to client devices and adjusts resource capacity available to client devices in response to the optimization agent. Client devices and provider computers connect over a network. The client devices and provider computer pass messages to each other over the network.