Abstract: The present invention provides network interface monitoring and management that may be employed with link aggregation technologies. Multiple network interfaces may be aggregated into a single bond and data may be transferred to and from a backbone network via this aggregated bond. A link aggregation monitor employs a heartbeat generator, sniffer and data store to keep track of health and availability of network interfaces. The heartbeat generator sends heartbeats to the network interfaces, which pass the heartbeats around in a token ring configuration. If a network interface fails or otherwise goes offline, detection of this condition causes the monitor and heartbeat generator to prepare new or modified heartbeats so that data may be efficiently and accurately routed around the token ring and health of all remaining alive interfaces can be monitored properly. If a network interface re-enters or is added to the aggregate bond, new/modified heartbeats are then employed.

Abstract: An approach is provided for performing software fault injection code testing in a framework that allows testers to place flexible tracing and monitoring actions into algorithmic scripts which provide instructions for dynamically switching called software program functions to corresponding fault injected functions during program execution and that allows testers to perform fault injection testing without requiring modification or access to the underlying source code of the software program being tested. The framework suspends execution of the software program when certain conditions are met, removes any existing linking to called functions, changes the software program's runtime dynamic linking, performs any other instructions provided by the algorithmic script, and then resumes the software program's execution until execution of the program is complete or until the framework is again instructed to change the software program's runtime dynamic linking.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for providing information on at least one container for storing a biological sample, including: a holder configured to hold at least one biological sample container and a receiver configured to receive information relating to at least one of the container or the biological sample as well as data relating to at least one instruction for printing the information. The system and method further include a printer configured to print the information in accordance with the at least one instruction. In one embodiment, the printer is configured to print the information directly on the container. In another embodiment, the system and method further include an applicator configured to apply a label on the container and the printer is configured to print the information on the label.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fluid collection device wherein multiple, individual samples of fluid can be collected simultaneously. The device includes a chamber and an adapter which substantially and simultaneously distributes the blood to individual chambers with chamber specific additives. Also included is a system for using the blood collection device, preferably within a diagnostic testing laboratory.

Abstract: A match-and-set lock has a locked operating state and an unlocked operating state controlled by the value C. The lock returns a value R=C, to an inquiring user seeking access to the resource. A return value R=0 denotes that the resource is free, and a return value R?0 denotes that the resource is locked by another user. The lock is responsive to a command in the form (A, B) to B for C if A=C. Thus, the lock may be locked by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B?0; and the lock may be released by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B=0. A deadlock condition may be avoided by setting the lock to the value B=P+T*(N+1), where P<(N+1) and identifies the user issuing this command (A, B), and T is the current global time stamp when the user issues this command.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating physical memory in a distributed, shared memory system and for maintaining interaction with the memory using a reservation protocol is disclosed. In various embodiments, a processor node may broadcast a memory request message to a first subset of nodes connected to it via a communication network. If none of these nodes is able to satisfy the request, the processor node may broadcast the request message to additional subsets of nodes until a positive response is received. The reservation protocol may include a four-way handshake between the requesting processor node and a memory node that can fulfill the request. The method may include creation of a reservation structure on the requesting processor and on one or more responding memory nodes. The reservation protocol may facilitate the use of a proximity-based search methodology for memory allocation in a system having an unreliable underlying transport layer.

Abstract: A system and method for aggressive loop parallelization using speculative execution is disclosed. The method may include transforming code of a target application for concurrent execution, which may include adding an instruction to create a global address table entry for each store operation on which a load operation of a different loop iteration is dependent. The method may include replacing a standard load instruction with a special instruction configured to determine if an operand address of the load matches an operand address in one of the global address table entries. Another special instruction may remove a table entry following execution of the corresponding store operation. If an operand address of a load of a currently executing thread matches an operand address in the global address table, the method may include setting a checkpoint, completing execution of the thread in a pre-fetch mode, and re-executing the thread from the checkpoint.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating the nearest available physical memory in a distributed, shared memory system. In various embodiments, a processor node may broadcast a memory request to a first subset of nodes connected to it via a communication network. In some embodiments, if none of these nodes is able to satisfy the request, the processor node may broadcast the request to additional subsets of nodes. In some embodiments, each node of the first subset of nodes may be removed from the processor node by one network hop and each node of the additional subsets of nodes may be removed from the processor node by no more than an iteratively increasing number of network hops. In some embodiments, the processor node may send an acknowledgment to one node that can fulfill the request and a negative acknowledgement to other nodes that can fulfill the request.

Abstract: A generic fault tolerant “match-and-set” locking mechanism and method for controlling access to resources shared among a plurality of users N. The match-and-set lock has a locked operating state and an unlocked operating state controlled by the value C of its content such that the lock is in its locked operating state when C?0 and in its unlocked operating state where C=0. The lock returns a value R, equal to the lock's current content C, to an inquiring user seeking access to the resource. A return value R=0 denotes that the resource is free, and a return value R?0 denotes that the resource is locked by another user. The lock is responsive to a command in the form (A, B), such that the lock substitutes B for C if A=C. Thus, the lock may be locked by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B?0; and the lock may be released by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B=0.

Abstract: A generic fault tolerant “match-and-set” locking mechanism and method for controlling access to resources shared among a plurality of users N. The match-and-set lock has a locked operating state and an unlocked operating state controlled by the value C of its content such that the lock is in its locked operating state when C≠0 and in its unlocked operating state where C=0. The lock returns a value R, equal to the lock's current content C, to an inquiring user seeking access to the resource. A return value R=0 denotes that the resource is free, and a return value R≠0 denotes that the resource is locked by another user. The lock is responsive to a command in the form (A, B), such that the lock substitutes B for C if A=C. Thus, the lock may be locked by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B≠0; and the lock may be released by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B=0.

Abstract: Devices, softwares and methods update preemptively entries in a cache memory that are expiring. Updating takes place at scheduled refresh times. Refresh times are computed from usage history data and change history data that is maintained and tracked for each entry. This way a frequently made inquiry will be fulfilled with an entry that has been refreshed preemptively in advance, even after its original expiration time.

Abstract: A generic fault tolerant “match-and-set” locking mechanism and method for controlling access to resources shared among a plurality of users N. The match-and-set lock has a locked operating state and an unlocked operating state controlled by the value C of its content such that the lock is in its locked operating state when C≠0 and in its unlocked operating state where C=0. The lock returns a value R, equal to the lock's current content C, to an inquiring user seeking access to the resource. A return value R=0 denotes that the resource is free, and a return value R≠0 denotes that the resource is locked by another user. The lock is responsive to a command in the form (A, B), such that the lock substitutes B for C if A=C. Thus, the lock may be locked by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B≠0; and the lock may be released by issuing the command (A, B) where A=C and B=0.