Abstract: Automation objects are implemented in a client-server model to control operations on one or more client machines from a single machine automation control module, such as a test program. The machine automation control module instantiates machine automation server objects in a server process. The control module can then instruct the server objects to instantiate corresponding machine automation client objects on specified client machines via a connection mechanism. Object-oriented automation classes are provided in a library and may be extended to meet customized requirements of a given testing procedure. Examples of automation objects may include, without limitation, application objects, machine image objects, snapshot objects, file and registry access objects, reboot objects, autologon objects, and command execution objects. Automation objects allow the re-establishment of remote control after the loss of control resulting from a reboot, a relogon, or a disk image restoration, for example.

Abstract: A rate-based scheduling system and method are disclosed. The rate-based system generally includes a first scheduler operable to limit the maximum rates at each of the plurality of queues. The first scheduler is configured as a work conserving scheduler shaped at an aggregate rate of active queues of the plurality of queues. The system further includes a second scheduler operable to provide a minimum rate to each of the plurality of queues and a rate controller configured to modulate the rate of at least one of the first and second schedulers.

Abstract: A method for operating a network computer wherein the network computer has reconfigurable hardware that can be connected to a network. The hardware includes one FPGA, a plurality of FPGAs, or a plurality of FPGAs with processors and memory. Advantageously, the computer is dynamically structurable via the network.