Abstract: In one embodiment of the method, first and second data volumes are created. Thereafter, a first data portion of the first data volume is overwritten with a first data portion of the second data volume. A second data portion of the first data volume is overwritten with a second data portion of the second data volume. In one embodiment, the first and second data portions of the first data volume are overwritten with the first and second data portions of the second data volume, respectively, in response to a command to restore or synchronize the data contents of the first data volume to the data contents of the second data volume. A virtual point-in-time (PIT) copy of the first data volume is created after overwriting the first data portion but before overwriting the second data portion.

Abstract: A method of using a dynamic computing environment to facilitate a sales preparation of a first software is provided. The method comprises configuring the dynamic computing environment for a first hardware, a first software environment and a first network configuration, preparing for sales of the first software using the first hardware, the first software environment, and the first network configuration of the dynamic computing environment, configuring the dynamic computing environment for a second hardware, a second software environment, and a second network configuration; and preparing for sales of the first software using the second hardware, the second software environment, and the second network configuration of the dynamic computing environment. A method of using dynamic computing environments to facilitate a sales demonstration by a sales team and an evaluation by a customer is also provided.

Abstract: An assembly, method, and device for high-speed optical format data transmission includes a printed circuit board containing mounting locations for electrical components, optical components, and a heatsink device. A tray may also be mounted on the printed circuit board to route optical fiber to various components. The heatsink is positioned at a predetermined height above the printed circuit board so that it physically contacts the electrical and optical components that require cooling. The printed circuit board may include one or more openings in which one or more of the electrical or optical components that are significantly taller than the other components are embedded. The heatsink may also include one or more openings in which one or more of the taller electrical or optical components are positioned.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for tracking in-progress writes to a data volume and a copy thereof using a multi-column bit map. The method can be implemented in a computer system and, in one embodiment, includes creating a data volume in a first memory, and creating a copy of the data volume in a second memory. In response to the computer system receiving a request to write first data to the data volume, the computer system switches the state of first and second bits of a map entry in a memory device, wherein the state of the first and second bits are switched using a single write access to the memory device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses user interface for creating a dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources. The interface enables the fast, efficient selection and configuration of processing resources for the computing environment. The resources are fully selectable and allocable by a system architect. In a first embodiment, a primary company, Design2Deploy, Inc.® provides the ability for a customer or system architect to design a system by allocating resources and specifying how the resources are to be used. The system architect may create a computing environment from a remotely-accessible user interface such as a web page on the Internet. Thus, the system architect can create, modify and operate the environment from anywhere in the world.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus or computer executable method of detecting and repairing corrupt data in a RAID data storage system. In one embodiment, parity and checksum data are stored in the RAID data storage system for each stripe that stores data. The parity data is used to determine whether data in the corresponding stripe is corrupt. If stripe data is determined to be corrupt, the checksum data is used to correct the corruption.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product that enable integrated scheduling and management of frozen images for backup and recovery purposes. Frozen images are created, cataloged, and managed in accordance with a backup policy including a schedule for generating frozen images. Minimal data are saved to allow fast synchronization of the persistent frozen images with production data, and frozen images are cataloged in a catalog that may include entries for other types of backups to provide a single source of information for all backups of production data.

Abstract: A system for managing boot-up of target machines. In a preferred embodiment, a server computer acts as a managing computer. A target machine notifies the server that the target machine has been powered-up. The server allocates an IP address and sends a response to the target machine. The target machine download boot-up software from the server computer. The target machine then downloads discovery software from the server computer for purposes of determining information about the configuration and resources of the target machine. Standard protocols and mechanisms such as DHCP, BOOTP, TFTP and others can be used. The system works with different types of manufacturers' processors and platforms.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for a data communications system includes transmitting data in a transport overhead field to at least one network element, the data providing a source identifier and a destination identifier, and using the data in the transport overhead field to provide end-to-end service. One embodiment includes applying a routing protocol to read the source identifier and the destination identifier to provide routing, provisioning and restoration of functions. The transport overhead field is a J1 field in a SONET communication packet according to an embodiment. The J1 field includes the source identifier and the destination identifier and provides data for the end-to-end, or path-level services. Further, the J1 field, according to an embodiment, includes additional data such as one or more of transport identification data (TID), Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, Common Language Location Information (CLLI) data, and requests for bandwidth.

Abstract: A method involves: detecting a timing violation in a timing path included in an integrated circuit design; removing a wire, which couples two nodes in the integrated circuit design and is included in the timing path; and routing a new wire between the two nodes. The new wire is longer than the removed wire. The method can also involve: calculating timing information (e.g., delay and/or slew information) for the wires included in the timing path and selecting the wire for removal dependent on the timing information. In some embodiments, such a method eliminates timing violations that arise due to crosstalk in a single post-timing-analysis routing pass.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for flexible controlling endpoint memory within an USB device. In one embodiment, the method includes a USB device receiving a first token packet from a USB host, wherein the first token packet includes a first endpoint number. The first endpoint number is stored into a first tag in memory corresponding to a first data buffer in the USB device. The USB device then receives a data packet from the USB host, wherein the data packet comprises endpoint data. The; endpoint data of the data packet is stored into the first data buffer.

Abstract: The present invention includes a scheduling mechanism that fairly allocates a resource to a number of schedulable elements of which some are latency-sensitive. The invention tracks each element's use of the resource by determining the element's virtual time. An active element is selected from the elements that are ready to use the resource by determining the element that has the smallest effective virtual time. The effective virtual time is the element's actual virtual time modified by a borrowed virtual time value. When an element has a short-term need for the resource, it can borrow the privilege to run by borrowing virtual time. As the element uses the resource, it consumes virtual time according to its weight. When the elements are scheduled for the resource, the ready elements having the smallest virtual time is selected. The invention enforces long-term fairness to each element while allowing latency-sensitive elements to be preferably selected.

Abstract: A network management systems (NMS) queries network elements (NEs) and receives information on cross connects set up at the NEs and other circuit information. Multiple NMS systems can manage the network at the same time. If one NMS changes a cross connect on an NE, the NE will inform the other NMS systems. The cross connect information is used to provide up-to-date information on circuits set up in the network and to facilitate elimination of “orphaned” cross connects which should have been deleted but have not been deleted due to some network failure.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a user interface for creating a dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources. The interface enables the fast, efficient selection and configuration of resources for the computing environment. The resources are fully selectable and allocable by a system architect. In a first embodiment, the ability is provided that allows a customer or system architect to design for a system by allocating resources and specifying how the resources are to be used. The system architect may create a computing environment from a remotely accessible user interface such as a web page on the Internet. Thus, the system architect can create, modify and operate the environment from anywhere in the world.

Abstract: A system uses a protocol stack on a card external to a motherboard in a target computer system. A processor on the motherboard is able to make use of the external protocol stack during boot-up of the computer, or at any other time, so that it is not necessary to load the protocol stack into the motherboard's memory. This saves time, memory, and disk space and permits an external, managing, computer system to communicate with a computer just after power-up without loading and configuring a protocol stack so that the managing computer system can control the boot-up of the target computer system. The extra memory saved, especially, is important in running many MS-DOS applications, such as firmware flash utilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a UDP/Internet Protocol (UDP/IP) stack resident in a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) on, e.g, a network card. The approach described herein can be applied to other utilities, protocol stacks or resources (hardware and software) on other cards.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product to enable other nodes in a cluster to resume operations of a failed node. These operations include storage management services that allow configuration changes to be made dynamically to storage resources. Resource configuration data are synchronized on a set of nodes in a cluster immediately when a resource configuration change is made. If a node that has made a resource configuration change fails, the resource configuration change is available for use by other nodes in the set, each of which can resume operations of the failed node.

Abstract: A method involves generating a block-level write operation, which causes a value to be written to a primary volume, and generating information indicative of whether any of the block-level write operation should be transferred to a secondary site during replication of data in the primary volume. The information can indicate that all, part, or none of the block-level write operation should be transferred to the secondary site. If the information indicates that less than all of the block-level write operation should be transferred to a secondary site, the information can also indicate that logical information associated with the block-level write operation should be transferred to the secondary site instead of transferring the value being written by the block-level write operation.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can make use separated I/O processors and strategy processors in performing virtual device I/O operations. I/O processors operating on cluster nodes, storage appliance ports, or other devices can receive I/O operation requests directed to virtual devices, e.g., volumes or virtual logical units. Information about the request is forwarded to a strategy processor, operating independently or as part of larger volume management software where corresponding physical device I/O operations are determined. The physical device I/O operations are sent back to the I/O processor which executes the operations and/or passes the operation on to the appropriate storage device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adding a node to a network where the network includes a plurality of nodes connected by first and second rings formed by two or more transmission media. The method includes connecting the node to each of the first and second rings, determining a ring identifier for each of the first and second rings coupled to the node after connection, discovering topology information for the network including the identity of each node coupled to each ring, storing the topology information and determining routing decisions for one or more packets received at the node along each of the first and second rings using the ring identifier information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of making integrated circuits. In one embodiment the method includes forming tungsten plugs in the integrated circuit and forming electrically conductive interconnect lines in the integrated circuit after formation of the tungsten plugs. At least one tungsten plug is electrically connected to at least one electrically conductive interconnect line. Thereafter at least one electrically conductive interconnect line is exposed to ionized air.