Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that dynamically controls a temperature profile within a disk drive by generating disk drive activity. During operation, the system first receives a desired temperature profile. Next, the system generates a load profile based on the desired temperature profile, wherein the load profile specifies read/write operations on the disk drive. The system then applies the load profile to the disk drive to generate disk drive activity, wherein the disk activity causes the temperature in the disk drive to track the desired temperature profile.

Abstract: A distributed transaction processing system is disclosed in which a process automation application receives a transaction request from a requesting application. In response to the request, the process automation application obtains a transaction definition for the transaction requested by the requesting application. This transaction definition comprises a plurality of operation definitions, which indicate a plurality of operations constituting the requested transaction. For each of the operation definitions in the transaction definition, the process automation application produces an operation request. These operation requests are sent to one or more service applications, and one or more responses are received by the process automation application after the operations are performed by the service applications. Based on the responses, the process automation application produces a transaction response, which is sent to the requesting application. In this manner, the requested transaction is completed.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that maintains keys using limited storage space on a computing device, such as a smart card. During operation, the system receives a request at the computing device to perform an operation involving a key. While processing the request, the system obtains an encrypted key from remote storage located outside of the computing device, wherein the encrypted key was created by encrypting the key along with an expiration time for the key. Next, the system decrypts the encrypted key to restore the key and the expiration time, wherein the encrypted key is decrypted using a computing-device key, which is maintained locally on the computing device. Finally, if the expiration time has not passed, the system uses the key to perform the requested operation. Note that by storing the encrypted key in remote storage, the computing device is able to use the key without consuming local storage space to store the key.

Abstract: A system for using compatible point-of-service (POS) applications to access and control devices of a POS unit. A server runs a POS application and a set of peripheral drivers (or device controls). A networked POS unit communicates with the host server via a communication network, and the networked POS unit includes peripherals connected locally to its I/O ports. The POS unit further includes a device communications management module processing output received from the host server that is generated by the POS application and is targeted at one of the connected peripheral ports. The device communications management module transfers POS device input from the peripherals over the communication network to the host server for processing by the POS application. The POS application interfaces with the peripheral drivers, and the output is provided by one of the peripheral drivers that corresponds to the target peripheral of the networked POS unit.

Abstract: An active resistor and its use in a negative feedback amplifier allow wide voltage swings on the input and output signals. One embodiment includes parallel pass-gate MOS transistors of opposite conductivity types connected between the input and output nodes. Bootstrapping transistors are connected between the gates of the pass-gate transistors and respective bias voltages. Coupling capacitors are connected between the gates and the output node. Additional coupling capacitors may be connected between the gates and the input node to make the resistor symmetric. In other embodiments, only one pass-gate transistor is used.

Abstract: This client-server system partitions Windows applications into multi-media and other less-observable instructions such that client may run audio/visual-related commands remotely, thereby enabling an application appearance to client-user as when application were run solely by a single machine. Clients may access applications through web-sites or remote access servers. Client requests may be atomized such that instruction set sub-sets are partitioned correspondingly. Operating system parameters on which application is run may be accessed selectably. Server may centralize administration and provide metering of application usage.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is provided for improving signal and transducer alignment in a magnetic tape drive. The method includes writing a first track and a second track to a tape. Each track has an associated track characteristic, which may include fundamental frequency and test binary pattern, among other characteristics. The tracks are adjacent and substantially parallel to one another, and each track has a differing track characteristic value. Each track is read at multiple tracking positions to collect values corresponding to each position. An optimal offset is determined based on the collected values and the corresponding tracking positions. In another embodiment, a magnetic tape drive includes a data reader, a data writer, a processor, and a computer readable medium. The medium has stored instructions, executable by the processor, for carrying out the described method.

Abstract: A system for tracking locations of portable data storage media. The system includes media with a wireless tag storing metadata pertaining to its stored data. The tag is adapted to respond to an interrogatory signal by wirelessly transmitting a signal comprising the metadata, e.g., is a high frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag powered inductively to transmit contents of its memory. The system includes a stationary and mobile locators that includes tag readers transmitting the interrogatory signals to the media and receiving the metadata signals from the wireless tags. Mobile ones of the locators include a communication module receiving location data (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) data) and sending wireless signals made up of the received location data and the received metadata signals. The system includes a media tracker that receives signals from the mobile locator and determines and stores locations of the media typically along with a time stamp.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention provide a dynamic service delivery system based on a capability to provide services through a distributed system using qualitative and quantitative Quality of Service (QoS) attributes. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for providing a service that includes collecting capability information reflecting a current operating condition of a compute resource and determining a platform capability and a measurable capability value for a depletion-oriented characteristic of the compute resource based on the collected capability information. Based on at least one of the platform capability and the measurable capability value; a capability value for the compute resource is determined and this value is provided to a provision manager that determines whether the compute resource is worthy of being an available resource in the distributed system based on the capability value.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that performs a carry-save division operation that divides a numerator, N, by a denominator, D, to produce an approximation of the quotient, Q=N/D. The system approximates Q by iteratively selecting an operation to perform based on higher order bits of a remainder, r, and then performing the operation, wherein the operation can include, subtracting D from r and adding a coefficient c to a quotient calculated thus far q, or adding D to r and subtracting c from q. These subtraction and addition operations maintain r and q in carry-save form, which eliminates the need for carry propagation and thereby speeds up the division operation. Furthermore, the selection logic is simpler than previous SRT division implementations, which provides another important speed up.

Abstract: One particular implementation of the present invention may take the form of a method for correlating partial views of network resources into normalized or aggregated views for use by an administrator. The implementation may compare a newly detected resource against the known set of normalized resources of the network to correlate the new resource with an existing network resource. More particularly, one method for correlating network resources may compare key/value pairs associated with a new resource with key/value pairs associated with a first normalized resource. If the new resource does not correlate to the first normalized resource, the method may then compare the key/value pairs of the new resource to the key/value pairs of the second normalized resource. A second implementation may compare a unique key/value pair to a map containing the unique key/value pairs of each normalized resource, until the unique key/value pair is found.

Abstract: Files essential to the boot sequence are validated as they are executed. As core boot files are loaded and executed by a computers a hash of the files is created and extended into configuration registers. Core operating system files are verified by the boot loader using a digital signature, and the public key used to verify the digital signature is recorded in a configuration register. Core operating system files verified by the boot loader include a list of hash values, which is used by the operating system to validate the other files as they are executed. User assurance that the system has booted correctly is achieved by comparing the state of configuration registers to previously stored values reflecting the expected state of the registers. Upon the state of the configuration registers matching what is expected, data previously selected by the user is retrieved and recognized by the user.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that controls a device that generates vibrations in a computer system. During operation, a critical vibration frequency is determined for the computer system. Next, a keep-out zone is generated based on the critical vibration frequency, wherein the keep-out zone specifies a range of frequencies to be avoided. Then, the device is controlled based on the keep-out zone to reduce vibrations generated by the device in the keep-out zone.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for provisioning a storage consumer with storage in a SAN networked computer system are disclosed. A SAN networked computer system may include one or more consumers of storage, such as host computers, a plurality of storage devices, and one or more SAN fabrics including the devices needed to connect the storage consumers to the storage devices. The system may also include a storage consumer-centric storage provisioner. To provide a storage consumer with storage, the storage consumer-centric storage provisioner may perform discovery on the system to acquire topologic information on the system along with the characteristics of system components. The storage provisioner may contextualize the information into the perspective of the storage consumer to present a user with candidate system configuration parameters from which to select, and when sufficient parameter selections have been input, the provisioner may configure the system according to the user selections.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) including a blocking pin. An IC may include state logic, a test control unit configured to coordinate access by external circuitry to operating state of the state logic during a test mode, and interface pins configured to couple the integrated circuit to the external circuitry. Shared interface pins may provide input signals to the test control unit during the test mode of operation and may perform distinct I/O functions during normal mode operation. A blocking interface pin, when asserted by external circuitry during normal mode operation, may force test signals derived from at least a portion of the shared interface pins by the test control unit into respective quiescent states, such that subsequent to assertion of the blocking pin, the integrated circuit is operable to enter the test mode of operation from the normal mode of operation without resetting operating state of the state logic.

Abstract: An approach for provisioning network devices generally involves supplying boot data to network devices over a network so that the network devices can be booted up in an imaging mode or an application mode, depending upon the particular boot data supplied to the network device. When booted up in the imaging mode, imaging data can be downloaded and stored on network devices. When booted up in the application mode, the network devices execute one or more programs contained in the image data stored on the network devices. The first and second boot data may be in the form of boot loader scripts. Furthermore, the first and second boot data may be provided to the network device in the payload of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) reply. The DHCP reply may be generated and provided by a DHCP server to the network device in response to receiving a DHCP request from the network device. The approach may be implemented using a secure network environment.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer implemented method for sharing data between networked applications is provided. The system includes at least a whiteboard space, a single server mode library, and a client mode library. The single server mode library provides access to the whiteboard space, where the access is to read or post data to the whiteboard space. The client mode library is provided for one or more processes. The client mode library is in networked communication with the single server mode library, and the client mode library is capable of managing one or more reader objects and one or more posting objects. The single server mode library is further capable of managing one or more reader objects and one or more posting objects.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method for storing data. The method includes receiving an Input/Output (I/O) request to store data in a storage pool, determining whether the I/O request is a resilvering I/O request, if the I/O request is a resilvering I/O request: associating the I/O request with a first deadline, wherein the first deadline is associated with a low priority, and determining the quantized deadline for the I/O request using the first deadline. If the I/O request is not the resilvering I/O request: associating the I/O request with a second deadline, determining the quantized deadline for the I/O request using the second deadline, placing the I/O request in the I/O queue using the quantized deadline, and issuing the I/O request to the storage pool using the I/O queue.

Abstract: A method for storing a first copy of an object, including obtaining the object including a globally unique identifier (GUID), generating a first derived GUID using the GUID of the object, storing the first copy of the object identified by the first derived GUID in a root node of the object, publishing possession of the first copy of the object identified by the first derived GUID by the root node of the object, associating a first shadow root with the first copy of the object, and storing the first copy of the object identified by the GUID in the first shadow root.

Abstract: An electronic system in which integrated circuits employing cornered I/O are arranged in a framework including an optional path manager and at least one updateable routing table. Packet routing options are described with solutions being provided to minimize transmission latency and pathway alternatives.