Abstract: A method and apparatus for multi-protocol LAN support, which is applicable to Ethernet, Token-Ring, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) protocols. The LAN support is located at a workstation and provides for automatic determination of the LAN protocol type and speed. A common adapter card is provided for use in the workstation to interface the workstation to any of the LANs of interest. A four-step sequential process is taught for determining the protocol type and speed.

Abstract: A system and method for managing multiple proxy servers by a client computer. In one embodiment, the client computer's configuration is set to the fastest proxy server available. In another embodiment, a proxy table is accessed by the client computer to determine which proxy to use for a given web address. When a web address is included in the table, the corresponding proxy server is used to request the contents of the web address. If the web address is not included in the table, a default proxy server is used to request the information. In another embodiment, a periodic test is made to determine the speed of the current proxy server. If the speed is less than a predetermined threshold, the available proxy servers are all tested and the best-performing proxy server is selected. In another embodiment, aspects of each of the above-described embodiments are combined to provide a proxy server to a client computer based upon either a given web address (URL) or the fastest current proxy server.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically integrating a site specific search engine. In one embodiment, a hidden HTML tag is used on web pages to identify the site specific search engine for the web site. When a user requests a site specific search engine from the user's web browser, the HTML tag is located and the corresponding web page containing the site specific search engine is opened. In another embodiment, if the HTML tag identifying the site specific search engine is not found, an analysis of the web site's root node is made to identify a site specific search engine. If a site specific search engine is identified through the analysis, the search engine web page is opened. In yet another embodiment, if the site specific search engine is not found through either a hidden HTML tag or by analyzing the web site's root node, a generic site specific search routine is invoked.

Abstract: Hardware errors are stored in an error buffer for processing by one or more system partitions within a computer system. When errors are first placed in the buffer, an Already Reported Flag (ARF) is initialized to indicate that the error has not yet been reported to any of the system partitions. When one of the system partitions receives the corresponding error information by running a diagnostics routine, the ARF is set indicating that the error has been reported to at least one system partition. The system partition, in turn, uses the ARF information to determine how to handle the corresponding error. In an environment using a remote hardware service provider, the ARF determines whether to transmit the error information to the service provider. In environments without remote service providers, the ARF information is used to highlight newly reported errors to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for activating bookmark files on a pervasive computing device is provided. When the pervasive computing device receives geographic coordinates from a global positioning system (GPS), it selects appropriate bookmarks for the user's location. The pervasive computing device compares geographic coordinate data received from the GPS with geographic matching data stored on the pervasive computing device. In addition, actions are taken to perform commands when the user is within the proximity of a location. Scheduling means are provided so that actions are performed during appropriate times. The pervasive computing device further connects to a computer network, such as the Internet, to access data files and to perform commands on external computing devices. If the commands are executed successfully, a success action is performed on the pervasive computing device. On the other hand, if errors were encountered a failure action is performed notifying the user of the error.

Abstract: A system and method for recovering from a failure in a clustered environment sharing a common nonvolatile storage device. The first computer reserves the device by identifying itself in a reservation key associated with the device. The first device sends a signal to one or more backup computers informing the backup computers that the first computer is operational. When the first computer fails to operate, one of the backup computers breaks the first computer's reservation to the storage device and writes a new reservation key to the reservation storage area identifying the backup computer as the reservation holder of the storage device. When the first computer is reinitialized, it reads the reservation storage area and does not attempt to break the reservation made by the backup computer. One embodiment provides for the first computer to request control from the backup computer upon being reinitialized whereupon the backup computer releases its reservation and relinquishes control.

Abstract: In a power generating mechanism, a heat sink is mounted on a CPU of a notebook PC to diffuse heat generated by the CPU. A Seebeck element module is mounted in the heat sink to cause a large difference in temperature based on heat emitted from the heat sink and ventilation carried out by a fan unit. Electromotive force obtained from the Seebeck element module is used to drive selected components of the notebook PC.

Abstract: A system and method to create child objects from parent objects in an action diary. Child objects are created with increasing specificity regarding a system situation. A method is provided for associating an action diary based on the parent class of an object, even if there are no instances of objects of the parent class. A knowledge expert creates an action diary and associate that diary with a parent class object. The children of that class have the class generic action diary available to assist the operator in handling new situations. As the operators improve the handling of a specific situation, a new action diary is created by including information and actions in from the original action diary and can be associated with the specific child object. Thus the evolution of knowledge can orderly proceed from a general type to a specific.

Abstract: In traditional Fibre Channel systems, remote devices connected to the Fibre Channel network using a bridge or included in a storage enclosure are not tracked. A device identifier corresponding to the remote device is obtained from the remote device. The device identifier may include the remote device's serial number and other identifying information pertaining to the device. The remote device's vendor and product identifiers are retrieved and matched against a table of known vendor/product identifiers. If the match is successful, a predefined routine is located based on the match. The predefined routine is repeatedly used to retrieve the device identifier from the remote device. Communication with the remote device continues while the device identifier matches a previously stored device identifier corresponding to the device. When the device identifier no longer matches, an error occurs indicating that the remote device has been removed or swapped.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically backing up logical entity data. Filesystems within the computer system are identified and data pertaining to the filesystem is recorded to backup storage. Recorded data includes the filesystem name, size, mount points, logical volumes, and logical volume groups. The logical entity backup process records the logical volume group names, the disk identification data associated with the logical volumes, the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that have been set for the computer system, gateway address information for accessing a gateway computer, and netmask information. The backup process backs the logical entity data to nonvolatile storage either in a removable media or to a computer network storage device that is connected to the computer system through a computer network.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking memory leaks is presented. A user sets a memory tracking flag that notifies the system to track memory allocations and memory de-allocations. A memory array is initialized which includes multiple memory array slots. Each memory array slot includes a free flag and fields to store information corresponding to a memory allocation. When memory is allocated to an application or file, the system locates an unused memory array slot, sets the free flag to false, and stores memory allocation information in the memory array slot. When the application or file de-allocates the memory, the system locates the corresponding allocated memory array slot and sets the corresponding free flag to true, indicating a proper memory de-allocation. Upon shutdown, the system reviews the status of each free flag corresponding to each memory array slot, and generates a report which includes memory allocations that are not properly de-allocated.

Abstract: A file system maintains information about files in data areas called dinodes. Dinodes are grouped into dinode pages wherein each dinode page includes information about one or more dinodes. Each dinode may use extended attribute data. Each dinode page having at least one dinode that uses extended attribute data has a corresponding dinodex page. The dinodex page includes extended attribute information about any of the dinodes in the dinode page that use extended attribute information. The page is divided into areas, each area corresponding to a different dinode. A lock is established for each dinode page so that any dinode adding or deleting its extended attribute address obtains the lock before proceeding to maintain cooperation between the dinodes. In this manner multiple extended attribute areas are prevented from corresponding with a particular dinode page and unused extended attribute pages are removed without unduly impacting system performance.

Abstract: Cause and effect event objects are created in response to conditions occurring in a system. The object space may be contained on a single system or may span across several systems connected with a computer network. As system events change, a correlation circuit may be changed or removed as a result. Individual objects may not be properly removed from the object space and may be orphaned from their correlation circuits. A orphan handler identifies objects that may be potential orphan objects based on factors. Factors may include the amount of time the object exists in the object space and whether the object is not currently correlated with other objects in the object space. When an orphaned object is identified, it can be automatically removed from the object space. Orphaned objects can be viewed by system administrators to determine whether the object exists in response to a particular system event.

Abstract: A system and method for releasing storage space at the beginning of a byte stream while maintaining sequential byte stream semantics is provided. A ghost offset is initialized when a file is instantiated or opened. When information is deleted at the beginning of the sequential byte stream, the ghost offset is incremented in the amount of the number of bytes being deleted. The ghost offset continues to increment while the file is opened and information is being deleted at the beginning of the data stream. The virtual offset is the ghost offset added to the real offset of a particular entry in the data stream which maintains sequential byte stream semantics. When the file is closed, storage space is released in the amount of the ghost offset. Applications are provided with virtual offsets corresponding to data locations which are converted to real offsets for accessing data in the data stream.

Abstract: A system and method for converting 32 bit addresses into 64 bit addresses and enabling the 32 bit address to include a region index. The region index is stored in low order bits of the 32 bit address. In some architectures, namely the Intel IA-64 architecture, the low order bits are not used in entry point addresses because each entry point is on a 16 byte boundary. In the case of the IA-64 architecture, the low 4 bits of a 64 bit module entry point address are ignored. The region index in a 64 bit IA-64 address is stored in the high 3 bits of the address. Region index information is stored in the low order bits of the 32 bit address and copied to the high order bits for the corresponding 64 bit address. In this manner, the 32 bit address can include memory region index information without compromising the normal 4 gigabyte address space for a 32 bit address.

Abstract: A system and method for including export information in the file system extended attribute data area is provided. File export information is determined by a system administrator or automated process. The determined export information is stored in an extended attribute data area corresponding with the file. When a computer system issues mount commands for the file systems to be mounted, the file system provides export information included in the extended attributes to the kernel whereupon the kernel exports the file system. Maintenance of file export information is thereby reduced. Backup, replications, and restorations of file systems is simplified by maintaining the export information along with the files being backed, replicated, or restored. For example, when the system administrator backs up a file, the export information in the extended attributes is backed-up as well. When the file system is retrieved, the export information is also retrieved within the extended attributes.

Abstract: An optimizing tool optimizes a computer system's page space by basing the page size on the amount of real memory in the computer system. The optimization tool determines the amount of real memory in the computer system. The amount of memory is multiplied by a multiplier to determine an optimal amount of page space to allocate. In one embodiment the multiplier used is two (2) so that the amount of page space is double the amount of real memory. The optimal page space is compared with the amount of page space currently allocated in the computer system. If more page space is needed, the optimization tool determines where on the computer system's disk space the additional page space should be added. In a UNIX embodiment, the optimization tool determines whether a non-root volume group exists on the system. A non-root group without a paging space is examined for a new paging space addition. If a non-root group is found, the paging space needed is added to the non-root group.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically searching an identified web site. In one embodiment, a generic site search engine is invoked from any web page within the web site. Invoking the generic site search engine provides the user with an input display and displays resulting matches after searching pages from the web site. In another embodiment, a hidden HTML tag is used on web pages to identify the site specific search engine for the web site. When a user requests a site specific search engine from the user's web browser, the HTML tag is located and the corresponding web page containing the site specific search engine is opened. In another embodiment, if the HTML tag identifying the site specific search engine is not found, an analysis of the web site's root node is made to identify a site specific search engine. If a site specific search engine is identified through the analysis, the search engine web page is opened.

Abstract: A GPS device is used in conjunction with a device, such as a SAN device, to record and track the device's location. A device can periodically report its location to one or more computer systems that track device locations. Another device can send a request to other devices requesting the devices' geographic location. The devices, in turn, respond with data corresponding to their geographic location. In the event of a catastrophe or other event rendering devices in one area inoperable, one of the computer systems can be used to identify a location of another device that includes similar data. The GPS data corresponding to a device can also be used to identify a technician that should respond to a device maintenance or repair event.

Abstract: A system and method for recovering data from parallel mirror drives following a system crash. During a parallel write to a mirrored disk array, it is unknown which of the disks comprising the disk array write the data to disk first. A completion array is used to record the first disk that stores a data item at a given address. During recovery from a system failure, the completion array is read to identify the last writes performed before the system failure occurred. The disk identified in the completion array is used as the master disk for the particular address identified. Data is read from that disk and address and propagated to the other disks in the mirrored disk array. Other items in the completion array may identify different disks to be used as the master for other addresses. In one embodiment, the completion array is stored in a reserved area of memory that is dumped to disk during a system failure and restored from disk during a subsequent system recovery.