Abstract: A method for providing fault-tolerant network communications between a plurality of nodes for an application, including providing a plurality of initial communications pathways over a plurality of networks coupled between the plurality of nodes, receiving a data packet on a sending node from the application, the sending node being one of the plurality of nodes, the data packet being addressed by the application to an address on one of the plurality of nodes, and selecting a first selected pathway for the data packet from among the plurality of initial communications pathways where the first selected pathway is a preferred pathway.

Abstract: A method for implementing a high-availability system that includes a plurality of controllers that each includes a shared memory. The method includes storing in the shared memory, by each controller, status data related to each of a plurality of failure modes, and calculating, by each controller, an availability score based on the status data. The method also includes determining, by each controller, one of the plurality of controllers having a highest availability score, and identifying the one of the plurality of controllers having the highest availability score as a master controller.

Abstract: A first module calculates a failure occurrence risk index of each data storage area address. A second module calculates a power saving index of each data storage area address. A third module calculates an access speed index per unit data volume necessary to access each data storage area address. A fourth module generates a distribution table that represents the failure occurrence risk index, the power saving index, and the access speed index for each candidate address, with respect to data to be distributed. A fifth module selects a candidate address in the distribution table such that the power saving index and the access speed index meet restricting conditions and the failure occurrence risk index is minimized, and distributes the data to the candidate address.

Abstract: A method includes detecting, by a first network device, a configuration problem at a second network device, where the first and second network devices are associated with a link aggregation group (LAG) coupling the first and second network devices. The method also includes de-activating, by the first network device, one or more links in the LAG in response to detecting the configuration problem. The method further comprises maintaining at least one of the links in the LAG as an active link and allowing traffic to be forwarded on the active link in the LAG.

Abstract: In one example, a backup intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) device includes one or more network interfaces to receive a state update message from a primary IDP device, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary IDP device and an identified application-layer protocol for the device, to receive an indication that the primary device has switched over or failed over to the backup device, and to receive a plurality of packets of the network session after receiving the indication, each of the plurality of packets comprising a respective payload including application-layer data, a protocol decoder to detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of one of the plurality of packets, and a control unit to statefully process only the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction.

Abstract: Memory apparatus and methods utilizing multiple bit lanes may redirect one or more signals on the bit lanes. A memory agent may include a redrive circuit having a plurality of bit lanes, a memory device or interface, and a fail-over circuit coupled between the plurality of bit lanes and the memory device or interface.

Abstract: A method and system for performing chaincast communication to multiple communication systems within a system of coupled electronic devices. In one implementation the electronic devices can be computer systems and the system of coupled electronic devices includes the Internet. The present invention provides a system wherein a broadcast source communicates broadcast information (e.g., encoded audio radio content, encoded audio/video television content, program instructions, etc.) to a first group of electronic devices. The first group of electronic devices can be instructed by a transmission scheduler to then communicate (e.g., forward) the broadcast information to other electronic devices which devices can also be instructed to communicate to more devices, etc., thereby reducing the bandwidth requirements of the communication channel between the broadcast source and the first group of electronic devices.

Abstract: A method and system for fast failure detection in a distributed computer system. The method includes executing a distributed computer system having a plurality of clusters comprising at least a first cluster, a second cluster and the third cluster, and initializing failure detection by creating a connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters, wherein for each one of the plurality of clusters, a respective connected cluster list describes others of the plurality of clusters said each one is communicatively connected with. A status update message is sent upon changes in connectivity between the plurality of clusters, and generating an updated connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters in accordance with the status update message. The method then determines whether the change in connectivity results from a cluster failure by examining the updated connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters.

Abstract: Techniques are described for decentralizing a job scheduler in a distributed system environment. Embodiments of the invention may generally include receiving a job to be performed by a multi-nodal system which includes a cluster of nodes. Instead of a centralized job scheduler assigning the job to a node or nodes, each node has a job scheduler which scans a shared-file system to determine what job to execute on the node. In a job requiring multiple nodes, one of the nodes that joined the multi-nodal job becomes the primary node which then assigns and monitors the job's execution on the multiple nodes.

Abstract: Management arrangements to: (A) receive plural failure information from plural host computers for a predetermined period; (B) store the failure information; (C) extract one or more of the plural failure information, received from a first host computer among the plural host computers; (D) retrieve the failure information about one path from the extracted failure information, about multiple paths; (E) register the first host computer via refresh information in the memory, refresh information indicating a host computer of which path information is to be updated; (F) send a request to the first host computer to acquire a status of a first path of the first host computer; (G) update a first path information in the plurality of path information of the first host computer, based on the status; and (H) delete the one or more of the plurality of failure information extracted in (C), from the failure reception information.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an edge device having a controller to receive a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from a user endpoint device (UE) requesting communication services, forward the SIP message to a network element of a Server Office, receive from the network element a first error message indicating communication services at the Server Office are unavailable, replace the first error message with a second error message, the second error message indicating a temporary unavailability of communication services, and transmit the second error message to the UE. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for recovering from software failures, includes: receiving failure information that identifies a failing component of a first processing graph; modifying a planning domain that includes a plurality of component descriptions according to the failure information; and composing a second processing graph by using the modified planning domain so that the second processing graph does not include the failing component.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting one of a plurality of scanner nodes to perform scan operations for an interface node receiving a file request. A list includes a plurality of scanner nodes in a network and for each scanner node a performance value. A file request is received with respect to a file. In response to the file request, one of the scanner nodes in the list is selected based on the performance values of the scanner nodes. The file is transmitted to the selected scanner node to perform a scan operation with respect to the file. Indication is received from the selected scanner node performing the scan operation whether a subset of code in the file matches code in a definition set. The file request is processed to result in execution of the file request based on the indication of whether the subset of code in the file matches a definition in the definition set.

Abstract: There is described a method for localizing faulty hardware components and/or system errors within a production plant comprising several hardware components, with the production plant and the individual hardware components thereof being managed and/or configured by means of automation software and with the production plant being visualized and/or controlled by means of HMI software. Provision is made for identification data of the hardware components and/or groups of hardware components to be detected by the automation software and for information relating to the site to be assigned to the individual hardware components and/or groups of hardware components by means of the automation software and/or HMI software on the basis of identification data such that in the event of error messages as a result of faulty hardware components or in the event of system errors, a localization of the affected hardware component and/or group of hardware components is enabled within the production plant.

Abstract: A method controls the routing of service requests to a plurality of servers using a first routing distribution algorithm. The method includes waiting a first period of time for a designated server to respond to a service request, transmitting the service request to the designated server a second time, and waiting a second period to time for the designated server to respond to the service request assigned to the designated server, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time. The method also includes determining that the designated server has failed, rerouting the service request to a different server, and routing the service requests to the plurality of servers using a second routing distribution algorithm.

Abstract: An exemplary method facilitates automatic recovery upon failure of a server in a network responsible for replying to user requests. Periodic heartbeat information is generated by a first group of servers responsible for replying to user requests. The heartbeat information provides an indication of the current operational functionality of the first group of servers. A second group of servers determines that one of the first servers has failed based on the periodic heartbeat information. The second group of servers is disposed in communication channels between users and the first group of servers. One of the second group of servers receives a message containing a request from a first user having the one of the first group of servers as a destination. One of the second group of servers determines that the message is part of an ongoing dialog of messages between the first user and the one of the first group of servers.

Abstract: A method includes executing, in each of a number of nodes of a cluster communication system, a specialized instance of an operating system privileged to control a corresponding hypervisor configured to consolidate one or more VM(s) on a system hardware. The one or more VM(s) is configured to be associated with a non-privileged operating system. The method also includes providing a cluster stack associated with the specialized instance of the operating system on the each of the number of nodes to enable communication between peers thereof in different nodes, and controlling the one or more VM(s) as a cluster resource through the cluster stack.

Abstract: Systems and computer-implemented methods of electing a new leader node in distributed systems of simple topologies connecting a plurality of nodes on at least one computer system. The computer-implemented method comprises several steps including at least one node, which detected the absence of a leader, starting a first round for its approval as an Approved Election Initiator. If a quorum accepts the StartElection request during the first round, then the Election Initiator starts a second round to set the leader. If a quorum of all nodes has not been reached during the first round, then the first round fails. The method repeats until a leader is set and is repeated each time a node discovers that the network does not have an active leader. Also provided herein is a computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for performing the computer-implemented method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for self-monitoring to identify an occurrence of a threshold and rebooting in response to the occurrence of the threshold is provided. In an embodiment, a data processing apparatus comprises one or more processors; logic coupled to the one or more processors and comprising one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to obtain a threshold associated with the apparatus; self-monitor the apparatus to identify an occurrence of the threshold; and self-reboot the apparatus responsive to the occurrence of the threshold.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus including a plurality of nodes, each node connecting at least a memory and a processor to a system bus; an interconnection bus that interconnects the nodes; a device that is connected to a system bus on any of the plurality of nodes and performs data processing; and a memory selecting unit that selects a memory connected to the system bus to which the device is connected as a memory to be accessed by the device.

Abstract: An I/O device management table that manages the types of I/O devices connected to an I/O switch is provided, and one or plural unallocated I/O devices are defined and registered as standby I/O devices. When a failure occurs in any of I/O devices, the I/O device management table is used to select an I/O device of the same type as the failed I/O device from the standby I/O devices, and the selected I/O device is allocated to a computer to which the failed I/O device is connected. I/O device management can be eased at failure in a computer including an I/O switch device.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for processing communication errors in an outside channel combination environment.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to detect a failure in a failed one of a plurality of nodes included in a cluster, and to fence a portion of the plurality of nodes, including the failed one. Membership in the portion may be determined according to an aggregated value of weighted values assigned to resources and/or services associated with the cluster. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein include at least one of systems, methods, and software to detect and reduce messages from network entity management clients that are not utilized by a network management system. Once identified, the network management system may send a command to the network entity management clients to no longer send particular message types to the network management system. The network management system may also, or alternatively configured to take no action when such messages are subsequently received.

Abstract: A secure storage appliance is disclosed, along with methods of storing and reading data in a secure storage network. In one aspect, a method includes assigning a volume to a primary secure storage appliance located in a secure data storage network, the secure data storage network including a plurality of secure data paths between the primary secure storage appliance and a client device and a plurality of secure data paths between the secure storage appliance and a plurality of storage systems, the volume corresponding to physical storage at each of the plurality of storage systems. The method also includes detecting a connectivity problem on at least one of the secure data paths. The method further includes assessing whether to reassign the volume to a different secure storage appliance based upon the connectivity problem.

Abstract: Memory apparatus and methods utilizing multiple bit lanes may redirect one or more signals on the bit lanes. A memory agent may include a redrive circuit having a plurality of bit lanes, a memory device or interface, and a fail-over circuit coupled between the plurality of bit lanes and the memory device or interface.

Abstract: An electronic adapter device and an electronic system that comprises the electronic adapter device are described. The electronic adapter device comprises a device and a redundant device able to receive data from a first plurality of electronic devices and redundant data from a second plurality of electronic devices, and able to select therefrom first data and first redundant data respectively. The electronic adapter device also comprises a controller able to receive the selected first data and the selected first redundant data and is able to generate therefrom an error signal indicating a fault in an electronic device of the first plurality or a fault in the device.

Abstract: Database server instances in a database server cluster broadcast, to other instances in the cluster, information concerning certain problem events. Because each server instance is aware of problems that other server instances are experiencing, each server instance is enabled to make more intelligent decisions regarding the actions that it should perform in response to the problems that the server instance is experiencing. Instead of terminating itself, a server instance might opt to wait for a longer amount of time for an operation to complete. The server instance may do so due to the server instance having received information that indicates that other server instances are experiencing similar problems. Whenever the information received from other server instances makes it appear that a problem is unlikely to be solved in the cluster as a whole by terminating a server instance, that server instance may continue to wait instead of terminating itself.

Abstract: A method is provided for mapping a data center to a disaster recovery site. Data center information including production hardware and production applications is retrieved from a database. Disaster recovery site information including disaster recovery hardware is retrieved from the database. A list is created of the production applications and a valid list of the production applications is automatically determined from the list based on rules in the database. A list is created of the production hardware, and a valid list of the production hardware is automatically determined from the list based on the rules in the database, which includes determining the production hardware on which the valid list of the production applications run, and removing the production hardware on which the valid list of the production applications does not run. The valid list of the production hardware is mapped to the disaster recovery hardware of the disaster recovery site.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for error connection and error prevention of service in an Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON), to resolve the technical problems that the conventional method for error connection and error prevention cannot realize rapid automatic configuration and the efficiency is low and other problems. Through automatically completing the configuration of the error connection and error prevention information of the start node and the end node by the control plane, the present invention overcomes the defect that manual setting is error prone; it is rapid and simple to implement the interaction of the error prevention information between the start node and the end node by protocol exchange.

Abstract: A management system, which manages a host computer and a storage system, holds cluster information, specifies an active-state host computer and an inactive-state host computer based on a backup instruction specifying a virtual host identifier, determines the need for executing a replication for disaster recovery use, and when necessary, executes this replication for disaster recovery use in combination with a replication for backup use.

Abstract: A storage apparatus has a physical storage area used by an external apparatus, a drive interface unit, a power supply unit, and a storage controller executing data write processing from the external apparatus to the storage drive and data read processing from the storage drive through the drive interface unit, and a drive control interface unit. The power supply unit inputs power supply information to the drive interface unit. Any one of the processing units acquires the power supply information of the power supply unit through a data network path to the drive interface unit for the data write processing and the data read processing, and determines whether or not a failure occurs in the power supply unit supplying the operation power to the storage drive and the drive interface unit, on the basis of the acquired power supply information.

Abstract: A storage system includes two RAID controllers, each having two SAS initiators coupled to a zoning SAS expander. The expanders are linked by an inter-controller link and create a SAS ZPSDS. The expanders have PHY-to-zone mappings and zone permissions to create two distinct SAS domains such that one initiator of each RAID controller is in one domain and the other initiator is in the other domain. The disk drives are dual-ported, and each port of each drive is in a different domain. Each initiator can access every drive in the system, half directly through the local expander and half indirectly through the other RAID controller's expander via the inter-controller link. Thus, a RAID controller can continue to access a drive via the remote path in the remote domain if the drive becomes inaccessible via the local path in the local domain.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for handling path failures to active-passive storage arrays may include identifying a host system with multiple I/O paths to an active-passive storage array. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a backup system operating for the host system, the backup system having multiple I/O paths to the active-passive storage array. The computer-implemented method may also include disabling at least one secondary path from the backup system to the active-passive storage array. The computer-implemented method may further include detecting a path failure. The computer-implemented method may additionally include reconfiguring the backup system to access the active-passive storage array through the host system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a computer system including server apparatuses such as an active server and a standby server connected to a storage apparatus, when the active server fails, a management server changes over connection to the storage apparatus from the active server to standby server to thereby hand over operation to the standby server. The management server refers to a fail-over strategy table in which apparatus information of the server apparatuses is associated with fail-over methods to select fail-over strategy in consideration of apparatus information of the active and standby servers.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a system and a method to perform distributed healthchecking in a cluster system have been presented. For instance, a distributed healthchecking manager executable on a centralized server in a cluster system can assign nodes of the cluster system to at least some of the nodes for healthchecking. Then the distributed healthchecking manager may monitor the nodes performing healthchecking for reports of one or more failed nodes.

Abstract: Whether or not a signal which is transmitted from a current operation side node to a stand-by side node has been disconnected is determined on a communication route for the signal. When the signal is determined to have been disconnected, the network route is switched to the network route used when a client unit and the stand-by side node perform data communication. With this, the switching of the network route when processing having been performed by a node of a system is performed by another node in place of the node can be made quickly.

Abstract: A quorum service within a cluster infrastructure layer of a cluster environment comprising a plurality of nodes automatically triggers at least one automated fencing operation integrated within the quorum service, to reliably maintain a node usability state of each node of the plurality of nodes indicating an availability of each node to control and access at least one shared resource of the cluster. The quorum service reports the node usability state of each node as a cluster health status to at least one distributed application within an application layer of the cluster environment, to provide a reliable cluster health status of the plurality of nodes to the at least one distributed application for a failover of said at least one shared resource from control by a failed node from among the plurality of nodes to another node from among the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: A load balancer sends a probe packet to a first server in a list of servers. Each server in the list sends the probe successively down the list of servers and acknowledges the probe if the server is healthy. The final server in the list sends a signal to the load balancer to indicate that the chain of server probing has completed successfully. In this manner, the load balancer (or other device performing the checking) only needs to send a single probe rather than probe each server in the list separately. Embodiments include serial and recursive acknowledgments from the servers, sending a beacon message upon failure, and other features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamic multi-pathing for an asymmetrical logical unit access (ALUA) based storage system. The method comprises identifying a first processor within a storage system as providing an optimized path to a disk array, identifying a second processor within a storage system as providing an unoptimized path to the disk array and, in response to failure of the optimized path, immediately switching from the optimized path to the unoptimized path.

Abstract: A system and method for managing video content streams are disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of multicast video streams at a server and buffering each video stream within a memory at the server. The method also includes generating a multicast video output at the server and a unicast video output at the server.

Abstract: The use of loops in SAS networks is enabled by designating ports connected to loop connections as table loop ports (TLPs). Under normal operating conditions, each TLP is blocked from receiving BCNs, appears to the expander to have nothing connected to it, and is made invisible to initiators. The loop connection and TLPs may be enabled and used to access devices when a problem is detected. In particular, the TLP will now appear in a list of destination ports within the expander to which a BCN should be propagated. In addition, during a subsequent self-configuration, the TLP is allowed to populate its route table with devices accessible through it, and the existence of the TLP is also reported back to initiators. After re-discovery is complete, communications between the initiator and a target can resume, with traffic re-routed through the TLPs as needed, bypassing the failure point.

Abstract: In a method of controlling an information processing system in which an information processing device is connected to each of a plurality of input/output ports provided in a routing device and having a first property or a second property, for conducting data transmission among the information processing devices via the routing device, a step of causing all of the information processing devices to halt data transmission, a step of resetting properties and identification information of the input/output ports with the second properties other than the input/output port with the first property which cannot be used, in the routing device, and a step of causing the information processing devices to restart the data transmission after the reset of the identification information are executed.

Abstract: In forming a cluster of processors and applications among a plurality of processors connected in a network the embodiment of a pair of cluster nodes, as applications, in each server/system and arranging for communication between them in a ring or tiered ring configuration of servers/systems provides network status monitoring and failure recovery in a highly redundant and flexible manner at increased speed without the requirement of separate communication links for monitoring and control or redundant hardware such as a so-called “hot standby” processor in each server/system.

Abstract: A central controlling service for datacenter activation/deactivation control in a cluster deployment to assist in preventing a split-brain scenario. The central controlling service provides a central point of control in the datacenter for application servers to periodically query as to whether to go offline, online, or normal. Redundancy of the central service facilitates detection of datacenter failure by the redundant services interacting to resolve the state of control information. This control information is then used to answer the server queries. On startup from a datacenter failure, a single instance of the central service queries other redundant instance(s) to determine if the single instance is starting up from a datacenter-wide failure or from operations other than total datacenter failure. If the failure is datacenter-wide, a central service protocol assists in resolving to the single service keeping the associated datacenter servers offline; otherwise, the server queries are answered to go online.

Abstract: When a primary computer is taken over to a secondary computer in a redundancy configuration computer system where booting is performed via a storage area network (SAN), a management server delivers an information collecting/setting program to the secondary computer before the user's operating system of the secondary computer is started. This program assigns a unique ID (World Wide Name), assigned to the fibre channel port of the primary computer, to the fibre channel port of the secondary computer to allow a software image to be taken over from the primary computer to the secondary computer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for local management units in a photovoltaic energy system. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a computer system includes: attempting to communicate on a first active channel with a master management unit from a local management unit that controls a solar module; if communication with the master management unit on the first active channel has not been established, attempting to communicate on a second active channel with the master management unit.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for scanning web sites and/or parsing web content, including for testing online opt-out systems and/or cookies used by online systems. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for testing an opt-out system associated with at least one advertising system that uses cookies. The method includes transmitting a first request to an opt-out system, wherein the first request corresponds to a first test for testing at least one of the opt-out system and an advertising system; receiving a first stream sent in response to the first request; determining a first outcome of the first test based on the first stream; and generating a report based on the first outcome.

Abstract: Error handling in the intermediation of one-way transacted messages. Rather than receiving an inbound message under a transaction, the intermediary performs a non-destructive exclusive read of the message from the source outside of a transaction. Routing logic is applied against the content of the message to determine a collection of message consumers to which a copy of the inbound message is to be sent. Then, under a transaction, the copy of the message is attempted to be sent to each destination. If a send of the copy fails, the transaction is rolled back, but the failure is recorded such that the same transmission mechanism is not, or is less likely to be, tried again in subsequent attempts. The principles may apply to a single message to be sent under the transaction, or to multiple messages to be sent under a single transaction.

Abstract: Methods of recovering data lost by a server, and/or facilitating a recovery of data lost by a server, as well as systems for recovering (and/or facilitating the recovery of) data lost by a server, are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a data map pertaining to the lost data from one or both of a second server (which can be, for example, a master server) and a mobile device, and obtaining application data from the data map. The method further includes, based upon the application data, accessing one or more of the first mobile device, a second mobile device and a content provider website to obtain at least some of the lost data. Instead, or in addition, the lost data can be obtained from one or more mobile devices or other devices. In some such embodiments, the process can be initiated or governed by the second (e.g., master) server or a mobile device.