Abstract: Methods and systems for distributed storage and retrieval systems comprising a plurality of storage-and-computing elements, each storage-and-computing element storing a plurality of pushed content fragments and able to simultaneously retrieve pushed content fragments from a plurality of storage-and-computing elements. Wherein many storage-and-computing elements, within a short duration of receiving a request, can retrieve and play streaming content.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing security on a computer network are disclosed. The computer network includes a restricted subnet and a less-restricted subnet. Access to the restricted subnet is controlled by a network filter, optionally inserted as a software shim on a DHCP server. In some embodiments, the network filter is configured to manipulate relay IP addresses to control whether the DHCP server provides, in a DHCPOFFER packet, an IP address that can be used to access the restricted subset. In some embodiments, configuration information is communicated between the DHCP server and the network filter via DHCPOFFER packets.

Abstract: A method for a first healthcare provider to consult a second healthcare provider regarding at least one of diagnosis of a patient and treatment of a patient includes the first healthcare provider submitting a request for consultation on a machine, and the second healthcare provider submitting a consultation response on a machine.

Abstract: Machine, method for use and method for making, and corresponding products produced thereby, as well as data structures, computer-readable media tangibly embodying program instructions, manufactures, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing, each pertaining to digital aspects of a computerized aggregation system. The system can include a user computer system interposed between a segment of a network allowing communication between the user computer system and at least one server system, and other segments allowing communication between the user computer system and a plurality of third party server systems. The one server system enables the user computer system to access the plurality of other servers. The access permits forming an aggregation of information obtained from the third party server systems.

Abstract: A method for tracking and reporting traffic activity on a web site first comprises storing a web page on a first server coupled to a network. When the web page is requested from a visitor computer, the visitor computer is selected (or not selected) for inclusion within a sample group, where the sample group is only a subset of the total traffic to the web site. A selection indicator is stored on the visitor computer associated with this selection. Data mining code within the web site is operated or not operated depending upon the value of the selection indicator. The data mining code is operated, and the activity of the visitor computer on the web site consequently tracked only if the visitor computer is selected as a member within the sample group, otherwise the data mining code is not operated and no traffic activity is generated.

Abstract: Systems for balancing distribution of participants in a gaming environment are provided. In various embodiments, systems of the present invention may include multiple application servers each hosting a common game application, a lobby server for assigning new client devices to one of the application servers, and a universe manager for receiving reports from each of the application servers concerning the status of the game application. The universe manager may further instruct the lobby server to reallocate assignment of subsequent new client devices in order to balance the number of client devices assigned to each application servers.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for managing assignment of virtual physical addresses. The method includes requesting, using a services function provided by a virtual machine operating system, a MAC address assignment for a real device and searching, in a MAC assignment table created and stored within a virtual memory space, to determine whether or not an explicit MAC address is assigned to the device. If an explicit MAC address is determined to be assigned to the device, retrieving the explicit MAC address upon verifying that the MAC address is not in use by another device and forwarding, using the services function, the explicit MAC address retrieved for assignment to the real device. If an explicit MAC address is not assigned to the device, retrieving an available MAC address from a MAC address pool table and forwarding the available MAC address retrieved for assignment to the real device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage medium. The processor is operable to collect device data associated with the apparatus and transmit at least some of the device data to a tag.

Abstract: A computing system includes: first and second I/O interfaces that are associated with a server; and an I/O management unit that connects the server with the first and second I/O interfaces. The I/O management unit includes: an I/O buffer; an I/O mapping unit that stores an access request of the server to the first I/O interface in the I/O buffer in response to a change start request of the first I/O interface associated with the server to the second I/O interface; an I/O changing unit that associates the second I/O interface with the server; and an I/O synchronizing unit that converts the access request stored in the I/O buffer into an access request to the second I/O interface, in response to the completion of the association by the I/O changing unit, and executes the converted access request.

Abstract: An indication of a creation of an electronic message is received. An activity report is generated in response to, at least in part, the indication, wherein at least a portion of the activity report is based, at least in part, upon a determined activity level of a computing system. The activity report is associated with the electronic message.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for load balancing in a cluster. In response to receiving a notification of an impending state change event in the server, a weight adjustment value for a server is identified to form an identified weight adjustment. An adjusted routing weight for the server is generated using the identified weight adjustment to form a current routing weight for the server. An incoming service request is routed to a selected server in the cluster using current routing weight associated with servers in the cluster.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses middleware to transmit data from a first system to a second system. During operation, centralized middleware receives a request from a user to transmit the data from the first system to the second system, wherein the centralized middleware comprises a set of middleware agents which interact with the user on behalf of a set of associated middleware. Upon receiving the request, the centralized middleware uses a middleware agent to transform the data from a first data format associated with the first system to a second data format associated with the second system. The centralized middleware then sends the transformed data to the second system. In this way, the centralized middleware hides the technical details of how the data is manipulated from the user.

Abstract: A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives a request to create a persistent messaging group for an instant messaging application, wherein the request includes an indication of one or more entities that are desired to be members of the persistent messaging group. The system further includes a group creator component that creates the persistent messaging group based at least in part upon the received group creation request, wherein the persistent messaging group is persisted over multiple instant messaging sessions.

Abstract: A method, system and devices for communicating between a network server and a computer having an Internet browser and a communicatively attached electronic device are described.

Abstract: A method of inputting an electronic address into an address field on a communications device, the electronic address including a plurality of text characters and non-text symbol characters. The method includes: receiving a plurality of inputs for the address field through a user input interface of the device; adding text characters to the address field corresponding to the inputs; and detecting among the inputs repetitive successive inputs of a predetermined delimiter, selecting a non-text symbol character from a set of non-text symbol characters in dependence on a number of times the delimiter has been repetitively input without any intervening inputs, and adding the selected non-text symbol character to the address field.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for transferring selected open browser tabs from a host computer to a client computer. The method includes copying a selected number of hyperlink addresses from a plurality of hyperlink addresses associated with a plurality of selected open browser tabs in a first browser of the host computer. A hyperlink import module of the client computer is activated for transferring the copied hyperlink addresses from the host computer. Before the transfer can occur, the client computer is authenticated. After authentication, the user of the client computer selects a subset of the copied hyperlink addresses from the host computer. Only the subset of the copied hyperlink addresses is transferred from the host computer to the client computer. The client user opens the subset of the copied hyperlink addresses in a second browser of the client computer for displaying.

Abstract: A presence system provides access to web services offered by presentities. The presence system includes a presence server for collecting and storing presence information on a presentity and providing the presence information to watchers of the presentity. The presence server further receives from the presentity web service invocation information providing access to one or more web services of the presentity. The presence server provides the web service invocation information of the presentity, along with the presence information of the presentity, to the watchers of the presentity for use by the watchers in invoking the web services of the presentity.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for leveraging narrowband connectivity (such as dial-up communications or other types of low bandwidth communications) to provision or configure broadband connectivity between a broadband access provider and a broadband device, such as a DSL modem or a cable modem. Specifically, because narrowband connectivity does not require advance configuration or provisioning by the host system of connectivity parameters for an access-seeking device, a modem at an access-seeking device may be leveraged to establish a narrowband connection between that device and a host system and to enable an exchange or negotiation of connectivity parameters necessary to enable future broadband connectivity. Thus, once established, the narrowband connection may be used as a conduit for communicating required provisioning information between the broadband-enabling host and the access-seeking device to enable broadband connectivity by the device in the future.

Abstract: A server connectable to a client apparatus over a network is disclosed. The server includes: means for generating a file containing an address of a download server that can distribute a download file to the client apparatus over the network and a first parameter that temporally regulates access from the client apparatus to the download server; and means for distributing the file to the client apparatus in response to a request from the client apparatus.

Abstract: An improved distributed operating system over a network of computer systems is described. Existing distributed operating systems have transmission performance limitations dictated by their inability to (1) reliably handle transient communication failures and rapid node reboots, (2) provide a transmission protocol that adapts to link reliability, and (3) allow transmissions to occur over an arbitrary combinations of communication links. The systems and methods described herein solve these problems by providing a reliable node-to-node session protocol that offers high performance message delivery and multi-interface management and support. This is done by transmitting all data between two nodes of the operating system over a single connection that may dynamically exploit multiple interfaces between the nodes.