Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing a network service. A first criteria specifying a first set of flows from a first service manager is received at a forwarding agent. The first criteria specifies an expiration time interval. The first criteria is stored on the forwarding agent. A second criteria is received that specifies a second set of flows from a second service manager at the forwarding agent. The second set of flows includes flows that are in the first set of flows and the second criteria is designated as a lower priority criteria. The second criteria is stored on the forwarding agent. The first criteria is deleted from the forwarding agent upon the expiration of the expiration time interval. A packet is received that belongs to a flow that is included in the first set and the second set. It is determined that the packet matches the second set ant the packet is forwarded to the second service manager.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for specifying network address translation for a set of packets. A first set of instructions is sent to a forwarding agent specifying criteria for designated packets that are designated to undergo network address translation. A matching packet is received from the forwarding agent that matches the specified criteria. A network address translation scheme is determined for the matching packet. A second set of instructions are sent specifying the network address translation scheme for packets associated with the matching packet.

Abstract: A system and method are described for partitioning a network service among a plurality of service managers. The method includes configuring a first service manager to send a first request to a forwarding agent for packets meeting a first criteria and sending the first request to the forwarding agent. A second service manager is configured to send requests to the forwarding agent for packets meeting a second criteria and the second request is sent to the forwarding agent. Packets are checked at the forwarding agent to determine whether the packets meet the first criteria or the second criteria and packets that meet the first criteria are received at the first service manager; and packets that meet the second criteria are received at the second service manager.

Abstract: A method of obtaining instructions for routing a packet is described that includes receiving a packet having a packet flow identifier that includes a packet source IP address, a packet destination IP address, a packet source port, and a packet destination port and checking whether the packet flow identifier matches a stored instruction. If the packet flow identifier does not match a stored instruction, whether the packet flow identifier matches a stored criteria is checked and if the packet matches a stored criteria, the packet is forwarded to a service manager.

Abstract: A method for eliminating use of a transfer protocol on a proxied connection includes deriving a client originated packet sequence synchronization factor and a server originated packet sequence synchronization factor. The method further includes adjusting a client originated data acknowledgement number and a client originated data sequence number based on the client originated packet sequence synchronization factor, and adjusting a server originated data sequence number and a server originated data acknowledgement number based on the server originated packet sequence synchronization factor. The method also includes initiating a non-participating application that is not participating in the transfer protocol.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus conveying a roll of liner stock bearing removably adhered components such as labels. The liner is pulled through the feeder by a capstan drive having opposed fluted nip rollers driven by a stepper motor. Advance of the stepper motor is controlled by a programmable electronic controller. The linered labels are led through a tensioner and around an acute-angle peeler edge which separates the labels from the liner. The peeling action advances a label onto a platform comprising a bed of rollers having an inherently low-adherence surface. Preferably the rollers are undercut to form circumferential ridges and reduce the surface area in contact with the label adhesive and to minimize adherence thereto. When peeling of a label is completed, the label has been advanced onto the roller bed to precisely the proper location for acquisition by a pick-and-place machine.

Abstract: A computerized system for augmenting data from a source database with data from a reference database to generate an augmented database that can be used for predictive modeling is disclosed. The present invention includes a method for using the Internet to obtain information, including, reading a data record stored in a field of data, searching a database for information describing the data record, condensing the information describing the data record into a value description, associating the value description with the data record, and augmenting the field of data with the value description associated with the data. The present invention also includes a computerized system for augmenting data from a source database with data from a reference database to generate an augmented database that can be used for predictive modeling and data mining to conduct searches of data in the augmented database.

Abstract: A system and method are described for providing instructions for forwarding packets. The method includes broadcasting a general instruction specifying a plurality of flows to a plurality of forwarding agents and receiving at a service manager a first message responsive to the general instruction indicating that a packet for a specific flow has been received by a specific forwarding agent. A specific instruction is generated at the service manager for handling the specific flow and the specific instruction for handling the specific flow is sent to the specific forwarding agent.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a chronometrically optimal (most proximate) location for a client based on proximity measurements on established connections that are a result of requests for actual content is described. According to one embodiment, the method comprises retrieving data by one of a plurality of personal content directors each associated with a separate local domain. The data includes a plurality of relative links. The plurality of relative links are translated into a corresponding plurality of absolute links that collectively point to the local domains associated with the plurality of personal content directors. Thereafter, a most proximate local domain for a client is determined based on subsequent accesses to download data accessible through the absolute links.

Abstract: A gauge device and the associated method of using the gauge device to set the cut angles of a carpenter's mitering tools. The device includes a handle that has a longitudinal axis. A first arm is pivotably connected to the handle. The first arm has at least one straight edge. The straight edge of the first arm creates a first angle relative the longitudinal axis of the handle. A second arm is also pivotably connected to the handle. The second arm has a straight edge that creates a second angle relative the longitudinal axis of the handle. A spanning mechanism is provided that selectively maintains symmetry between the first angle of the first arm and the second angle of the second arm. The second arm is selectively detachable from the spanning mechanism and is movable to a retracted position. The second arm is retracted when the gauge device is used to set the cutting angle on a mitering tool.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for transparently proxying a connection to a protected machine. The method includes monitoring a communication packet on a network at a proxy machine. The communication packet has a communication packet source address, a communication packet source port number, a communication packet destination address, and a communication packet destination port number. The proxy determines whether to intercept the communication packet based on whether the communication packet destination address and the communication packet destination port number correspond to a protected destination address and a protected destination port number stored in a proxy list. The proxy then determines whether to proxy a proxied connection associated with the communication packet based on the communication packet source address and the communication packet source port number. A protected connection is terminated from the proxy machine to a protected machine.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for virtualizing locally initiated outbound connections from a physical machine used to implement a virtual machine. The method includes providing a virtual machine object having a virtual IP address that corresponds to the virtual machine. Inbound connections directed to the virtual machine are handled by the physical machine having a physical machine IP address. A static physical machine object is also provided. The static physical machine object contains the virtual IP address and the physical machine IP address. When a SYN packet is intercepted for an outbound connection having a SYN packet source IP address that corresponds to the physical machine IP address and a packet destination address that corresponds to a foreign IP address, it is determined whether the packet source IP address matches the physical machine IP address.

Abstract: A method and a system are described for directing a client to the most optimal, most available Web site or to the most optimal content in a distributed content environment, using an Internet Site Selector, which is an Internet appliance that optimizes the performance of domains hosted on mirrored, geographically distributed Web sites. The system includes various components including the Internet Site Selectors which co-locate with each Web site. The method comprises a number of steps including sending client requests to a primary or main site, redirecting by an Internet Site Selector coupled to the primary or main site the modified client requests to all other participating Internet Site Selectors. Several modes and deployments of the Internet Site Selectors, including geographic site selection, multiple Internet Site Selectors at each Web site, Internet Site Selector grouping, Internet Site Selectors in content routing are described.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for maintaining the state of a virtual connection supported by an active connection manager on a standby connection manager. The method includes configuring the standby connection manager to include a physical machine object that stores a physical IP address of a physical machine that is available to the active connection manager and a virtual machine object that stores a virtual IP address of a virtual machine that is implemented on the connection manager. A replication packet is received at the standby connection manager from the active connection manager wherein the replication packet includes a foreign IP address, the virtual IP address and the physical IP address. A standby connection object is stored in the connection manager. The standby connection object includes the foreign IP address, the virtual IP address and the physical IP address from the replication packet on the standby connection manager.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for assigning an incoming connection to a server. The method includes defining a client specific virtual machine object instance that is associated with a designated client IP address. An incoming packet is received that is associated with a new connection. The incoming packet has a packet source IP address, a packet source port number, a packet destination IP address, and a packet destination port number. A client specific virtual machine object instance is selected that is associated with the designated client IP address when the packet source IP address matches the designated client IP address.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for distributing connections among a plurality of servers at an Internet site. All connections are made to a single IP address and a local director selects the server from among the plurality of servers which is to receive the connection. Thus, the DNS server is not relied upon to distribute connections, and the connection distribution scheme is not avoided when DNS is bypassed. In one embodiment, a session distribution scheme is implemented such that connections are distributed to the server in the group of servers which has the fewest connections of the group. In other embodiments, other session distribution schemes which route connections based on the predicted response times of the servers or according to a round robin scheme are used.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for bypassing a participating application that receives data from a client connection between a proxy and a client and receives data from a server connection between a proxy and a server is disclosed. The method includes deriving a client originated packet sequence synchronization factor. The client originated packet sequence synchronization factor is derived from the difference between a last data sequence number sent by the participating application to the server and a last data acknowledgment number sent by the participating application to the client. A server originated packet sequence synchronization factor is derived from the difference between a last data sequence number sent by the participating application to the client and a last data acknowledgment number sent by the participating application to the server.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for redirecting a connection from a first server having a first server IP address. Incoming SYN packets sent from a client are intercepted. The SYN packets have a destination IP address corresponding to the connection and the SYN packets are sent from the client for the purpose of establishing the connection, which is supported by the first server. The number of incoming SYN packets sent from the client to the first server is monitored and it is determined whether the number of unanswered SYN packets sent by the client to the first server exceeds a ditched connection threshold number of unanswered SYN packets. The destination IP address of intercepted incoming SYN packets is changed for the connection received after determining that the number of unanswered SYN requests sent by the client to the first server exceeds a ditched connection threshold number of unanswered SYN requests to the destination IP address of a second server.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for simulating a plurality of TCP connections directed toward an Internet site under test. The method includes activating a producer thread process. The producer thread process includes randomly determining an IP address and requesting a TCP layer process to make a TCP connection to the randomly determined IP address. The producer thread process does not block or wait for the TCP connection to be established. A consumer thread process is activated upon the occurrence of an event on the TCP connection. The consumer thread process includes retrieving information from the TCP connection and recording statistics related to the information.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for redirecting a connection from a first server having a first server IP address. Incoming SYN packets sent from a client are intercepted. The SYN packets have a destination IP address corresponding to the connection and the SYN packets are sent from the client for the purpose of establishing the connection, which is supported by the first server. The number of incoming SYN packets sent from the client to the first server is monitored and it is determined whether the number of unanswered SYN packets sent by the client to the first server exceeds a ditched connection threshold number of unanswered SYN packets. The destination IP address of intercepted incoming SYN packets is changed for the connection received after determining that the number of unanswered SYN requests sent by the client to the first server exceeds a ditched connection threshold number of unanswered SYN requests to the destination IP address of a second server.