Abstract: A scalable merge technique for information retrieval across a distributed network is provided, as well as a fault tolerant technique for communicating information across the distributed network. The merge technique includes multicasting a query request across a spanning tree of the distributed network from a root node to multiple clients of the tree, and receiving back at the root node, a merged response produced from responses from at least some of the clients of the spanning tree. The fault tolerant technique for communicating information across the distributed network includes assigning a unique identifier to each query request, automatically reconfiguring the network upon detection of a failure of a node of the network, and retransmitting the query request and/or any responses thereto within the reconfigured network.

Abstract: System and method for performing message logging for networked applications running on application servers. The application server may run a process referred to as a “logging service” that accepts requests from client processes to log messages regarding various types of runtime events or conditions. These client processes may include any of various types of processes, such as modules or components running on the application server. Any of various types of information may be recorded when a message is logged. For example, the information may include the date and time the message was created, the type of message, such as a warning message, an error message, etc., the message text to be recorded, the ID of a service or component requesting the message to be logged, or any of various other types of information. The logging service may also be operable to handle low-storage-space or out-of-storage space conditions.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for processing a data transport stream. The transport stream is parsed to derive multiple elementary substreams, each of which includes a received media access control address. The received media access control address is then compared in hardware against several stored media access control addresses.

Abstract: A master controller in a control area network system in a larger control area network may have a plurality of devices coupled thereto. The master controller may further include a device manager which provides a virtual device. The virtual device operates to link a state associated with the virtual device to a plurality of states associated with the devices such that the respective states are maintained in a substantially similar condition. The substantially similar condition is maintained by propagating a change in the state of the virtual device to a change in the state of the devices and a change in the state of one or more of the devices is propagated to the virtual device and all other devices.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for distributing communication packets over multiple concurrent parallel links between a first node and a second node in a communication network based upon link quality information for the links. By utilizing link quality information from the links, the rate at which packets are provided to the links may be made proportional to the quality of the link, and thus, the link's ability to transmit the packet. The rate at which packets are provided to links may be reduced when error rates on a link exceed a specified threshold and eliminated when error rates exceed a higher threshold. Alternatively, timing delays from errors on a link may be used to determine a delay factor for a link and packets scheduled to the links based on the link with the lowest delay. The present invention is particularly useful in High Performance Routing Multilink Transmission Groups.

Abstract: System and method for enabling application server request failover. For each application server request to be performed by a client computer, a requesting thread may be operable to utilize a custom wire-level communication protocol. Request failure detection mechanisms may be built into the custom wire-level communication protocol so that a requesting thread detects a failed request much sooner than if the thread utilized a standard communication protocol and relied on the client computer operating system for notification of failed requests. After sending a request to an application server, a requesting thread may be operable to “sleep” and then periodically wake up to poll the application server computer to determine whether the request has failed. If the requesting thread receives a response from the application server computer indicating that the request is not currently being processed, then the requesting thread may re-send the request.

Abstract: A mechanism for managing data communications is provided. A circularly arranged set of buckets is disposed between input buffers and output buffers in a networked computer system. Connections among the system and clients are stored in the buckets. Each bucket in the set is successively examined, and each connection in the bucket is polled. During polling, the amount of information that has accumulated in a buffer associated with the connection since the last poll is determined. Based on the amount, a period value associated with the connection is adjusted. The connection is then stored in a different bucket that is generally identified by the sum of the current bucket number and the period value. Polling continues with the next connection and the next bucket. In this way, the elapsed time between successive polls of a connection automatically adjusts to the actual operating bandwidth or data communication speed of the connection.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling and guaranteeing a service level agreement (SLA) based on a communications outbound link bandwidth usage to a plurality of customers having electronic business activity hosted by at least one server as a server farm, includes monitoring the outbound communications bandwidth usage by each customer traffic to determine a level of service being provided to each customer with respect to the agreed service level agreement in each service cycle time per unit of time. The flow of incoming requests to each customer business activity application is controlled so as to guarantee a level of service previously agreed to the customer by queuing requests to the customer and by selectively dropping requests to the customer to guarantee the agreed service levels to the customer. The controlling process controls and guarantees each outbound link usage based service level agreement by controlling the flow of incoming requests to the at least one server.

Abstract: A multifunction peripheral server discovery method with reduced network traffic is disclosed. Peripheral servers on a network advertise their basic function, such as print, and clients seeking peripherals with an additional function, such as scan, retrieve ID strings of peripherals having the basic function to determine if the additional function is available. The method also permits a user of a client on the network to enter addresses of peripherals not discovered when the client searches for peripherals having the additional function. The method also permits selection of a network protocol to be used by the client. An additional preferred step in the method is a determination of whether discovered peripherals having the additional function are compatible with a software application run by the client.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the system includes a host processor and a plurality of devices connected to the host processor via a USB interface. Each of the devices includes at least a processor and USB controller hardware. The host processor includes message handling logic and each of the devices also include message handling logic that is configured to cooperate with the device to prepend a communication protocol header to a message that one of the devices desires to send to the host or to another of the devices. The host processor and each of the devices are peers with respect to each other. A router located in the host processor analyzes the communication protocol header to determine whether the message is destined for the host processor or for one of the other devices.

Abstract: A method for notifying a user of changes to pre-selected portions of a web page includes dividing a web page into a plurality of blocks. User-selection information is added to each of the plurality of blocks. The user selects ones of the plurality of blocks by exercising a select user option from the user-selection information associated with each of the plurality of blocks. User-selectable notification-enabling information is added to each of the user selected ones of the plurality of blocks and for each selected block the user defines the notification condition. Each of the user selected ones of the plurality of blocks are monitored. Changes made to each of the user selected ones of the plurality of blocks based upon the notification condition are detected. The user is notified when the detection indicates that the user selected notification condition has occurred.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of selecting a server from a plurality of servers for accessing Systems Network Architecture (SNA) applications from a client in an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The method comprises the steps of measuring using measurement probes from one or a plurality of measurement systems distributed in the IP network, performance and availability of each server for accessing one or a plurality of SNA applications; transferring in a single system within the IP network said performance and response time measurements; selecting in said single system an appropriate server for accessing a particular SNA application using said performance and availability measurements.

Abstract: A network file server includes a first set of data processors for receiving requests from clients, and a second set of data processors for accessing read-write file systems. A respective data processor in the second set is assigned to each file system for exclusive management of read and write locks on the file system. Each data processor in the first set can authorize access to file systems directly accessed by more than one data processor in the second set. Processing of a request for access that is assigned to manage the locks on the file system to be accessed. The exclusivity of lock management eliminates cache coherency problems, and dynamic load balancing can be used to prevent the lock management from becoming a bottleneck to performance.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for use in a data processing system for sending private messages from a single electronic message. A plurality of recipients is identified for an electronic message. A number of different sections are designated within the electronic message for separate receipt by each of a number of recipients within the plurality of recipients. Responsive to an indication to send the electronic message, an electronic message is automatically generated for each of the number of recipients, wherein the message of a given recipient within the number of recipients excludes sections within the number of sections designated for other recipients within the number of recipients.

Abstract: An enterprise integration system is coupled to a number of legacy data sources. The data sources each use different data formats and different access methods. The integration system includes a back-end interface configured to convert input data source information to input XML documents and to convert output XML document to output data source information. A front-end interface converts the output XML documents to output HTML forms and the input HTML forms to the XML documents. A middle tier includes a rules engine and a rules database. Design tools are used to define the conversion and the XML documents. A network couples the back-end interface, the front-end interface, the middle tier, the design tools, and the data sources. Mobile agents are configured to communicate the XML documents over the network and to process the XML documents according to the rules.

Abstract: A distributed decision support system is described for use in the area of problem discovery and capacity planning for database applications. The use of data navigation, particularly drill down, roll up, and pivot for application management tasks are described. The system presents data collected from components of an application server system by various cartridges to users in a way that facilitates the identification of problems in the application server system and provides for an efficient way to do capacity planning of such systems.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein enables a collection of computers and associated communications infrastructure to offer a new communications process which allows information providers to broadcast information to a population of information consumers. The information may be targeted to those consumers who have a precisely formulated need for the information. This targeting may be based on information which is inaccessible to other communications protocols. The targeting also includes a time element. Information can be brought to the attention of the consumer precisely when it has become applicable, which may occur immediately upon receipt of the message, but may also occur long after the message arrives. The communications process may operate without intruding on consumers who do not exhibit the precisely-specified need for the information, and it may operate without compromising the security or privacy of the consumers who participate.

Abstract: A data resource request signal is received on a first device connected to a network. A first resource object is selected in the first device. For a plurality of sequential page items associated with the first resource object, successive data fragments are generated according to instructions specified by the successive page items. At least the successive data fragments are concatenated to form a stream of formatted data. The stream of formatted data is transmitted to a second device via the network.

Abstract: A network resource, such as bandwidth, is reserved by obtaining historical usage data relating to usage of the network resource over a period of time, and determining an amount by which the network resource can be oversubscribed based on the historical usage data. Current usage data relating to current usage of the network resource may also be determined. The amount by which the network resource can be oversubscribed may be determined based additionally on the current usage data.

Abstract: A system for selecting and delivering information related to stationary exhibits in a premise to a user has a user-portable computerized appliance for receiving and reporting the information to the user, a data repository for storing the information, a system for periodically determining position of the appliance within boundaries of the premise, a server for selecting from the information and delivering the selected information to the appliance for reporting to the user, and a wireless communication link between the data repository and the user-portable appliance, characterized in that the system periodically tracks the position of the user-portable appliance within the boundaries of the premise, and in that the server selects and presents information specific to an exhibit if the user-portable appliance is stationary, and in response to movement of the user-portable device, selects and presents general information related to one or more approachable exhibits in the direction of movement of the device.