Abstract: A system and method includes using a side simulation device for: receiving a scene description of a virtual world scene from a virtual world simulator, including a description of a special object that requires modification, and descriptions of other objects in an immediate vicinity of the special object; receiving a description of a desired modification to the special object; performing the modification of the special object to provide an enhanced special object such that the enhanced special object can be fully integrated with the other objects in the scene; transmitting the enhanced special object to a data store; and transmitting a proxy object signal to the simulator means to be placed in the virtual world scene to alert any viewers of the virtual world scene to refresh their view by adding the enhanced special object to their simulation by accessing the enhanced special object from the data store.

Abstract: A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for managing virtual machine imaging. The method includes receiving a request for an imaging operation associated with at least one virtual machine. A notification is sent to at least one operating system associated with the at least one virtual machine of the request for the imaging operation. The operating system is determined to be in a state for the virtual machine to be imaged. The request for the imaging operation is granting in response to determining.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system manage regions within a virtual universe. A current location of an avatar is identified within a virtual universe, the current location being within a currently populated region. A vectored movement of the avatar is identified. Any adjacent region that may probabilistically encounter a horizon of the avatar within a region activation time of the virtual universe is identified. If the adjacent region is deactivated, then the adjacent region is activated. An unpopulated region that is currently active is identified, wherein the unpopulated region is within an extended distance from the avatar's current location. The unpopulated region is then deactivated.

Abstract: Web search by a search engine among rich media objects, the search engine including a web crawler, where web search includes: maintaining, for each of a plurality of users, a reputation score; counting, by the web crawler for a particular search term, a number of tags associated with one or more rich media objects by one or more of the users, the tags including text describing the rich media objects, the text including the particular search term; calculating, for the particular search term and for each of the one or more rich media objects, in dependence upon the number of tags associated with the rich media objects and the reputation scores of the users that associated the tags with the rich media objects, a search result score; and recording the search result scores of each of the one or more rich media objects in a primary search index.

Abstract: A system and method includes using a side simulation device for: receiving a scene description of a virtual world scene from a virtual world simulator, including a description of a special object that requires modification, and descriptions of other objects in an immediate vicinity of the special object; receiving a description of a desired modification to the special object; performing the modification of the special object to provide an enhanced special object such that the enhanced special object can be fully integrated with the other objects in the scene; transmitting the enhanced special object to a data store; and transmitting a proxy object signal to the simulator means to be placed in the virtual world scene to alert any viewers of the virtual world scene to refresh their view by adding the enhanced special object to their simulation by accessing the enhanced special object from the data store.

Abstract: A method for managing object attributes in a virtual world environment selects a plurality of selected objects based on a supplied criterion from the user. A plurality of objects meeting the supplied criterion are visually identified to a user of the virtual world environment. The user then chooses a plurality of chosen objects from the plurality of selected objects. An object component for the chosen objects is then modified.

Abstract: A system for calculating and rendering a risk level. In response to receiving an input to perform an action within a data processing system, a level of risk to the data processing system to perform the action is calculated based on a set of rules. It is determined whether the calculated level of risk presents an elevated risk. In response to determining that the calculated level of risk does present the elevated risk, a user interface is rendered with an appropriate elevated visual warning based on the calculated level of risk.

Abstract: Web search by a search engine among rich media objects, the search engine including a web crawler, where web search includes: maintaining, for each of a plurality of users, a reputation score; counting, by the web crawler for a particular search term, a number of tags associated with one or more rich media objects by one or more of the users, the tags including text describing the rich media objects, the text including the particular search term; calculating, for the particular search term and for each of the one or more rich media objects, in dependence upon the number of tags associated with the rich media objects and the reputation scores of the users that associated the tags with the rich media objects, a search result score; and recording the search result scores of each of the one or more rich media objects in a primary search index.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system manage regions within a virtual universe. A current location of an avatar is identified within a virtual universe, the current location being within a currently populated region. A vectored movement of the avatar is identified. Any adjacent region that may probabilistically encounter a horizon of the avatar within a region activation time of the virtual universe is identified. If the adjacent region is deactivated, then the adjacent region is activated. An unpopulated region that is currently active is identified, wherein the unpopulated region is within an extended distance from the avatar's current location. The unpopulated region is then deactivated.

Abstract: A system for calculating and rendering a risk level. In response to receiving an input to perform an action within a data processing system, a level of risk to the data processing system to perform the action is calculated based on a set of rules. It is determined whether the calculated level of risk presents an elevated risk. In response to determining that the calculated level of risk does present the elevated risk, a user interface is rendered with an appropriate elevated visual warning based on the calculated level of risk.

Abstract: A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for managing virtual machine imaging. The method includes receiving a request for an imaging operation associated with at least one virtual machine. A notification is sent to at least one operating system associated with the at least one virtual machine of the request for the imaging operation. The operating system is determined to be in a state for the virtual machine to be imaged. The request for the imaging operation is granting in response to determining.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the customization of virtual machine images. The method comprises identifying and retrieving a virtual machine image template. A customized virtual machine image is created from the virtual machine image template. The customized virtual machine image template being created by identifying at least one file-system or memory image that is associated with the virtual machine image template, identifying within the at least one file-system or memory image at least one data set, wherein the at least one data set comprises metadata. The metadata contains information detailing the required execution context customization aspects for at least one specified image subset of the virtual machine. Execution context-specific information that is required to customize the image subset of the virtual machine is retrieved. Further, the image subset of the virtual machine is modified in accordance with the retrieved execution context-specific information.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing servers. Images are sent to a set of logical partitioned computers during a first period of time in which less use of network resources by the set of logical partitioned computers is present compared to a second period of time, subsequent to the first period of time to form a set of pre-loaded base images. The new server process is started in a logical partition on a computer in the set of logical partitioned computers utilizing a pre-loaded base image from the set of pre-loaded base images for the new server process, wherein use of network resources are reduced during the second period of time because transferring the pre-loaded base image to the computer is avoided during the second period of time in response to a condition requiring a new server process that occurs during the second period of time.

Abstract: A method of copying an operating system image in a cluster computing environment that has virtually unlimited scale does not require the strict amounts of control over installation that current methods have, but rather causes operating system images to propagate themselves in a cluster environment, spreading from one node to the next until the entire cluster is installed. Broadcast storms and response storms during installation are avoided by employing a regulation method that automatically delays installation during busy periods. The method does not require any prior knowledge of the number of nodes in the cluster, or the cluster network configuration.

Abstract: A method of copying an operating system image in a cluster computing environment that has virtually unlimited scale does not require the strict amounts of control over installation that current methods have, but rather causes operating system images to propagate themselves in a cluster environment, spreading from one node to the next until the entire cluster is installed. Broadcast storms and response storms during installation are avoided by employing a regulation method that automatically delays installation during busy periods. The method does not require any prior knowledge of the number of nodes in the cluster, or the cluster network configuration.