Abstract: The invention provides techniques for duplicating all or part of a file system while maintaining consistent copies of the file system. A preferred embodiment reads data from the source file system (mapped according to a first storage block arrangement) creates an image stream and writes this data onto the destination file system (in accordance with a second storage block arrangement). Thus, the invention allows an image transfer between file systems that have dissimilar characteristics. An intermediate storage medium can be used to store or transmit the data read from the source file system before writing the data to the destination file system. (For example, the intermediate storage medium can include a magnetic tape or other archival device, or a network.) Another aspect of the invention writes the data to the intermediate storage medium using a normalized or implied block list.

Abstract: Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention manage bandwidth use in broadcast communications. More particularly, methods and systems in accordance with the present invention may be used to achieve reliable broadcast communications in a wireless network. They may provide network communication software that controls when data packets are transmitted via a wireless physical layer interconnect, thus increasing the overall reliability and throughput that are achieved when using broadcast communications. Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention improve throughput in various types of networks, e.g., Ethernet networks in which the network switches have a limited broadcast capacity, including wired networks.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a system and method for sharing and recording information on a wired or wireless computer network during synchronous and asynchronous sessions. A software program uses computers to enhance the collaboration, teaching, learning, presentation, and sharing of information and to record multi-media events for later playback and interaction with these events. Collaboration is enhanced by using features that allow broadcasting presentations, sharing, editing and replying to documents, taking notes, viewing participant information, creating and responding to polling questions, asking and answering questions and providing feedback on the pace and difficulty of the session.

Abstract: Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention provide a peer-to-peer replicated hierarchical data store that allows the synchronization of the contents of multiple data stores on a computer network without the use of a master data store. The synchronization of a replicated data store stored on multiple locations is provided even when there is constantly evolving set of communications partitions in the network. Each computer in the network may have its own representation of the replicated data store and may make changes to the data store independently without consulting a master authoritative date store or requiring a consensus among other computers with representations of the data store. Changes to the data store may be communicated to the other computers by broadcasting messages in a specified protocol to the computers having a representation of the replicated data store.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a system and method for sharing and recording information on a wired or wireless computer network during synchronous and asynchronous sessions. A software program uses computers to enhance the collaboration, teaching, learning, presentation, and sharing of information and to record multi-media events for later playback and interaction with these events. Collaboration is enhanced by using features that allow broadcasting presentations, sharing, editing and replying to documents, taking notes, viewing participant information, creating and responding to polling questions, asking and answering questions and providing feedback on the pace and difficulty of the session. In particular, users may add notes during the recording of a multi-media presentation that are synchronized timewise with the presentation. When the presentation is played back, the notes are displayed at the correct time and space in which they were added.