Abstract: A method is described for protecting dirty data in cache memories in a cost-effective manner. When an instruction to write data to a memory location is received, and that memory location is being cached, the data is written to a plurality of cache lines, which are referred to as duplicate cache lines. When the data is written back to memory, one of the duplicate cache lines is read. If the cache line is not corrupt, it is written back to the appropriate memory location and marked available. In one embodiment, if more duplicate cache lines exist, they are invalidated. In another embodiment, the other corresponding cache lines may be read for the highest confidence of reliability, and then marked clean or invalid.

Abstract: An information processing module forms a blade for a high density computer system. A processor is operable to perform information processing and an information signal interface is connected between the processor(s) and a module information signal connection. A service controller is operable to perform system management functions and is connected to a module management connection. Redundant sets of information and management signal connections can be provided. The information signal interface and the service controller provide a buffer between the processor of the information processing module and the remainder of the modular computer system enabling flexibility in the choice of processor and internal structure for the information processing module.

Abstract: An apparatus for canceling an effect of power supply resonance is provided. The effect of power supply resonance is a variation in power supply voltage potential. This variation may substantially affect an output buffer by causing the output buffer's output to sag below desired values. A voltage regulating circuit is coupled to power supply lines local to the output buffer where the voltage regulating circuit is most effective in reducing voltage potential variation. An exemplary voltage regulating circuit is provided that uses charge-pumped capacitors to raise the power supply voltage potential when it falls below a desired value. A second example of a voltage regulating circuit uses charge-pumped capacitors to lower the power supply voltage potential when it rises above a desired value.

Abstract: Producers and consumer processes may synchronize and transfer data using a shared data structure. After locating a potential transfer location that indicates an EMPTY status, a producer may store data to be transferred in the transfer location. A producer may use a compare-and-swap (CAS) operation to store the transfer data to the transfer location. A consumer may subsequently read the transfer data from the transfer location and store, such as by using a CAS operation, a DONE status indicator in the transfer location. The producer may notice the DONE indication and may then set the status location back to EMPTY to indicate that the location is available for future transfers, by the same or a different producer. The producer may also monitor the transfer location and time out if no consumer has picked up the transfer data.

Abstract: A method for generating a projected graph data structure, including generating a request for the projected graph data structure using a variable usage specification, retrieving a server graph data structure using the request, generating a projected graph data structure representation using the request, the server graph data-structure, and a schema associated with the server graph data-structure, and instantiating the projected graph data-structure using the projected graph data-structure representation.

Abstract: A data structure extension system for dynamically adding extensions to existing data structures without interfering with underlying code. The data structure extension system includes logic that allows a programmer to “privately” extend fields of existing entries in data structures in the operating system's kernel without interfering with the functionality of the overall data structure for other applications. An extension pointer disposed in the data structure associates each entry of the data structures extended with a respective extension table. The extension table allows for the dynamic addition of non-intefering interfering fields to the data structures. Each extension table entry has corresponding data stored in an external storage unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention display hierarchical information efficiently. Hierarchical information is displayed in a vertical browser comprising a path list and a choices list. A choices list displays selection choices at a given hierarchical level. When a selection is made in the choices list, the selection is displayed in the path list. The choices list is updated to reflect the next hierarchical level. The path list displays a plurality of choices that represent the traversal path through the hierarchical information. Backwards traversal is possible by selecting an entry in the path list. The path list is updated to remove the selected entry and any successive entry. The hierarchical level that contains the path list entry is displayed in the choices list. The path and choices list can be independently sized and are automatically maintained to remove irrelevant information.

Abstract: Custom application development environment modules may be designed to work with a first application development environment. This functionality may be extended to a second application development environment by first creating user interface elements for the second application development environment. User interface elements from the custom application development environment modules may be separated, forming user interface elements for the first application development environment. New general elements may then be created, which are compatible with both the first application development environment and the second application development environment. The general elements may be combined with non-user interface elements from the custom application development environment modules to arrive at a series of generalized classes.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system arranged to provide a contract between an application server and a resource adapter that allows the resource adapter to do work (monitor network endpoints, call application components, etc) by submitting work instances to an application server for execution. In the described embodiment, the application server dispatches threads to execute submitted work instances thereby allowing the requesting resource adapter to avoid creating or managing threads directly. In this way, a mechanism for the resource adapter to do its work is provided as well as allowing the application server to efficiently pool threads and have more control over its runtime environment.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for isolating faulty semiconductor devices in a multiple stream graphics system. The apparatus includes a buffer adapted to receive a plurality of data streams. The apparatus further includes a convolver comprising at least one convolution signature register; a router adapted to route the data streams from the buffer to the convolver, wherein the router comprises at least one router signature register; and an analyzer adapted to access the convolution and router signature registers, wherein the analyzer is capable of isolating at least one of a faulty semiconductor device and a faulty interconnection using the contents of the convolution and router signature registers.

Abstract: A system that facilitates error correction within a register file in a central processing unit (CPU). During execution of an instruction by the CPU, the system retrieves a dataword and an associated syndrome from a source register in the register file. Next, the system uses information in the dataword and the associated syndrome to detect, and if necessary correct, an error in the dataword or associated syndrome. This error detection and correction takes place in parallel with using the dataword to perform a computational operation specified by the instruction. If an error is detected, the system prevents the instruction from performing a writeback to a destination register in the register file. The system also writes a corrected dataword to the source register in the register file. Next, the system flushes the instruction pipeline, and restarts execution of the instruction so that the corrected dataword is retrieved for the computational operation.

Abstract: The basic concept is that before a resource is accessed, the entity that has the burden of gathering the credentials, pro-actively refreshes the credentials and keeps them current. In one instance, a presenter of credentials, for example, a client, pro-actively refreshes the credentials such that at the time of presentation, the credentials meet the resource-specific constraints of a recipient of credentials, for example, a resource server. For each resource that it protects, a resource server typically establishes various constraints such as a recency requirement, which specifies how recently a credential has to have been issued to be accepted as an adequate credential. Other constraints may include maximum certificate chain length, trust level and so forth. In another instance, a recipient of credentials pro-actively gathers and refreshes credentials to prevent un-authorized access to the various resources it is protecting.

Abstract: A garbage collector operates in increments in which it collects a collection set consisting of one or more segments of a dynamically allocated heap. For each of those segments it maintains a remembered set of locations in which it has previously found references to objects in that associated segment. Each remembered set is stored in a plurality of remembered-set structures, each of which is associated with a separate one of a corresponding plurality of “stripes” into which at least a portion of the heap is divided. The garbage collector executes its remembered-set-updating operations in a plurality of concurrently executing threads, each of which claims exclusive access to a subset of the constituent remembered-set structures. By restricting its access only to that subset of the remembered-set structures that it has claimed, an individual thread is able to perform its portion of the updating operation without the need for synchronization with other threads.

Abstract: A stub retrieval and loading subsystem is disclosed for use in connection with a remote method invocation system. The stub retrieval and loading subsystem controls the retrieval and loading of a stub for a remote method, into an execution environment, to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in the execution environment. The stub retrieval subsystem includes a stub retriever for initiating a retrieval of the stub and stub loader for, when the stub is received by the stub retriever, loading the stub into the execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in remote invocation of the remote method. In one embodiment, the stub retrieval and loading subsystem effects the retrieval and loading for a program operating in one address space provided by one computer, of stub class instances to effect the remote invocation of methods which are provided by objects operating in another address space, which may be provided by the same computer or a different computer.

Abstract: During a collection interval, if a multi-threaded generational, copying garbage collector finds that a card contains a reference to a younger generation, it gives a corresponding card table entry a youngergen value selected from a plurality of youngergen values at the beginning of the interval as the “current” youngergen value. The youngergen value chosen for a given collection interval differs from the one that was chosen for the previous collection interval. As a result, a collector thread is able to distinguish between a card in which a reference to the younger generation remained at the end of the previous interval and one identified by some other thread during the current interval as referring to a young-generation object. In that way, the thread is able to avoid unnecessary scanning.

Abstract: According to the present invention, methods, apparatus, and computer readable medium are disclosed for defining a virtual domain in an electronic messaging system are disclosed. A virtual domain node is defined that corresponds to a real (non-virtual) domain. The virtual domain node resided in a hierarchically organized directory. A plurality of virtual domain attributes are then assigned to the virtual domain node. The directory is a tree based hierarchical directory arranged in such a way even in a multiple domain environment, a name search operation is executed as if in a flat name space.

Abstract: A method and device for dynamically targeting interrupts in a computer system. When an operation is initiated, an identifier for the initiator of the operation is stored along with an operation identifier. When an operation completes or needs processor attention due to an error condition or otherwise, the processor or node to interrupt is determined based on the stored indication of the initiator of the operation. An interrupt target data structure may be provided that contains associations between sources that initiate operations and those targets that can service interrupts. If a target scheduled to field an interrupt becomes unavailable, the interrupt can be retargeted to another processor or node by reloading an entry in the interrupt target data structure.

Abstract: A fault region identification system adapted for use in a network, such as a storage area network (SAN), includes logic and/or program modules configured to identify errors that occur in the transmission of command, data and response packets between at least one host, switches and target devices on the network. The system maintains a count at each of a plurality of packet-receiving components of the network, the count indicating a number of CRC or other errors that have been detected by each component. The error counts are stored with the time of detection. The system alters the EOF (end-of-file) delimiter for each packet for which an error was counted such that other components ignore that packet, i.e. do not increment their error counts for that packet. Link segments adjacent single- or multiple-device components of the network are identified as fault regions, based upon the error counts of those components.

Abstract: In a wireless portal system having a wireless server, a client aware Extensible Markup Language (XML) content integration and transformation method and system. The client aware XML content integration and transformation system includes logic for identifying wireless client devices connecting to the wireless server by using particular characteristics of the client in presenting XML content formatted in response to connection requests from the client to the server. In one embodiment of the present invention, the client aware XML content transformation system receives an indication of a client type and uses this information to automatically search for XML content from a plurality of back-end resource servers on the Internet and transforms the content into a format suitable for delivery to the client.

Abstract: An invention is provided for abstracting a user interface. A request is received from an application program to present data to a user. A determination is made as to which user interface devices are currently available, and a particular user interface device is selected to present the data. Abstract controls for the selected user interface device are provided to the application program, which are then used to present the data to the user using the selected user interface device.