Abstract: A network management system which includes a plurality of network devices operating in a coordinated manner and a management server managing the network devices. The management server includes apparatus for defining policy information and for generating setup information using policy information to generate setup information for each network device. The system generates setup information for each network device, distributes setup information to each network device, installs setup information to each network device, enables settings, collects setup information for each network device, and organizes and checks for consistency in the collected information.

Abstract: A mobile field system comprises a service center that is connected to the office of a field service organization and number of customers of the field service organization via the Internet or another computer network. The service center is also connected to the mobile systems of technicians who work for the field service organization by a mobile communications system such as a wireless Internet service provider. One or more message queues may be used to increase the reliability of communications between the systems. By using such a queue, messages may not be lost and the communications can be made transparent to the user of the remote system.

Abstract: A system and method for transferring data over an external transmission medium. A host computer is coupled to a device through a serial bus. A transfer object is configurable to encapsulate data transfer-related functionality, providing a generic interface for transmission of data over a variety of external transmission media and protocols. A user makes one or more transfer requests. Transfer objects corresponding to each request are built and linked together to form a sequential chain. The requests of the transfer objects are executed sequentially. If the current transfer object is the first in the chain, the request is executed on a current thread at passive level or higher, otherwise the request is executed on a system (kernel) thread at dispatch level. When a response to the request returns, control is returned to the current transfer object. The process is repeated until all transfer objects are processed.

Abstract: A system for communicating according to a standard communication protocol for process control includes a plurality of interconnected computers. The system includes a module that permits communication of information between computers that communicate with process control equipment. The system also includes a module that permits a primary controlling machine to communicate with computers that communicate with process control equipment, and that permits a secondary controlling machine to take the place of the primary controlling machine when the primary controlling machine is unavailable. The system further includes a module that aggregates requests for information directed to one computer that communicates with a piece of process control equipment, communicates with the computer and obtains the information, and delivers the information to each of the requesters. The standard communication protocol for process control can be OPC, and the communicated information can be one or more process control parameters.

Abstract: System and method for downloading portions of a remotely located network object to produce a completely downloaded local copy of the network object. The system and method include and involve a server facility and a software delegate. The server facility is configured to store and to serve the software delegate and a network object. The server facility is further configured to be accessed by a client via an electronic data network, such as the Internet and WWW. The software delegate can reside and be executed on a client, and is configured to control the downloading of portions of a network object from the server facility to the client via the electronic data network, until a completely downloaded copy is stored locally on the client.

Abstract: A method and structure for a primary device adapted to communicate with secondary devices. The primary device has a central processing unit, a transceiver connected to the central processing unit which is adapted to transmit signals to and from the secondary devices and a user interface. The central processing unit automatically establishes communications with the secondary devices through the transceiver by sequentially (or in parallel) attempting communication with the secondary devices using a plurality of known communication protocols until communications are established, and the central processing unit changes the user interface depending upon which secondary devices are in communication with the primary device.

Abstract: A method for identifying and choosing a shortest path segment that has an alternate edge disjoint path segment. While routing Unidirectional Path Switched Ring (UPSR) path segments in a graph, there may be several equal distance paths to choose the shortest path from. Choosing a certain path as the shortest path may minimize or eliminate the chance of finding an alternative path segment. A method is provided such that if multiple shortest paths from the source node to a particular destination node exist, the method selects the shortest path which has an alternate edge disjoint path, and which can be used for path protection. The particular shortest path chosen by the method is not necessarily the first shortest path constructed.

Abstract: Various components are provided to manage a clustered environment. These components include a System Registry that provides a global data storage; a Configuration manager that stores data locally on nodes of the clustered environment and globally within the System Registry; a Liveness component to provide status of communications paths of the cluster; a Group Services component that provides services to one or more other components of the clustered environment; and a Resource Management component that communicates with one or more resource controllers of the clustered environment. Each of the components of the clustered environment has one or more data and/or functional dependencies on one or more other components of the environment. However, relationships between the components are created such that the data and functional dependencies form an acyclic graph (i.e., a cycle of dependency relationships is avoided).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing network-based control functions on an alert-enabled managed client. An alert proxy translates generic, management-based command data received from a management application/agent into specific client-based hardware control data. The alert proxy transmits a data packet containing the hardware control data over a network to an alert-enabled managed client. Alert hardware within the alert-enabled managed client parses the hardware control data into control bits and utilizes the control bits to set or clear registers within the alert-enabled managed client so as to effectuate the specified control operations. The control operations may be performed on the alert-enabled managed client independent of the operational status of the alert-enabled managed client's operating system.

Abstract: Status information concerning a particular terminal can be provided through a simple arrangement while utilizing a general-purpose network. A terminal which generates status information has a status sensing unit for sensing the status of the terminal or of an input/output unit. Information representing the status sensed is converted to text-format data and is transferred to a server on a network such as the Internet at predetermined time intervals by a unit for generating transmitted data. The data is stored as a file. An information display terminal uses a browser to read the data out of the server and display the data.

Abstract: A system and method for on-line service creation in which end-users of a device using a platform owned by a platform owner may create a service for the device by configuring and linking pre-defined building blocks which function as the logical steps of the service. The system includes integrity checking mechanisms, and, hence, a platform owner does dot need to be involved in the service creation, activation, or execution processes. The system also allows users to modify, copy, and otherwise manipulate services created by other system users, including, for example, platform owners.

Abstract: A system and method for automated reporting of performance of computer system components uses a plurality of reporting clients for tracking system performance data and one or more reporting servers for automatically generating performance reports based on the performance data collected by the reporting clients. To provide extensibility, a plug-in module is provided for each of the reporting clients. The plug-in module registers performance metrics for a system component with the reporting client, tracks the performance metrics, and passes data on the performance metrics to the reporting client for reporting to the reporting server.

Abstract: A method for increasing transfer quality between a content requestor and a content source on a content distribution system. The method involves determining transfer quality between the requestor and various content sources. The determination is made from the requestor's perspective. After determining transfer qualities for the various content sources, the requester provides the transfer qualities to a selector on the content distribution system. The selector uses the determined transfer qualities select a content source to supply the requestor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for network management support of OAM functionality in a communication network is presented. The network manager receives OAM configuration information for a segment that includes a plurality of path points. For each path point of the plurality of path points, the network manager determines, based on the configuration of the network, if the path point is to serve as an OAM source or sink for the desired OAM functional path. Based on this determination, the network manager generates OAM configuration commands for the selected path points that are to serve as OAM sources and sinks. These OAM configuration commands are then provided to the corresponding path points such that the appropriate OAM sources and sinks are established.

Abstract: System and method for facilitating distributed server administration of network server systems that are scalable and version independent. The system and method include and involve a server and a client administrator. The server is configured to store and to serve a software package that corresponds to a server software system of the server. The server is further configured to be accessed by client administrator via an electronic data network, such as the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). The client administrator is configured to access the server, to receive the software package, and to process the software package to conform to the specifications of the server. Execution of the software package allows the server to be administered by the client administrator without requiring the client administrator to be pre-configured with knowledge of the server.

Abstract: A workflow server is provided with, in association with a user management table 100 for managing work items for each user, a list 130 of substitute users for indicating a substitute user for each work or process and a list 140 of users in charge who designates the user as a substitute. When a client terminal user selects a specific user among the users in charge on the list 130, the workflow server checks the power of substitute by referring to the list 140 of substitute users for the selected user, thereby to allow the client terminal user to process a predesignated unprocessed work item instead of the selected user in charge.

Abstract: A bifurcated interface is disclosed, including apparatus and methods/processes, for integrated use in a fax-to-email system, and further comprises the further disclosed is an enhanced communication system, including apparatus and methods, which results from the integration in the fax-to-email system of the bifurcated interface. The bifurcated interface provides an alternative or additional method for command entry to the interface of a fax-to-email system through a remote, commercially available, personal digital assistant or like device (“PDA”) modified by software to perform functions of the present invention. The interface of the enhanced communication system is bifurcated having a portable traveler portion, embodied by the programmed PDA, and a host portion in a more permanent connection with the fax function of the fax-to-email system.

Abstract: A system for securely collecting customer service agent data in a multi-tenant environment is provided. Generally, a plurality of customers send a plurality of messages to a server. Several different media types may be used to communicate with the server. The server then selects one of a plurality of customer service agents to handle a particular message based on a determination of the targeted tenant's identity, a predetermined association between the agent and the tenant, and the agent's availability. The server then routes the message and a “screen pop” to the selected agent. The selected agent then transmits information back to the server where it is stored in a secure memory partition associated with the targeted tenant. When a particular customer/agent session ends, the agents access to the secure memory partition is deactivated.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which may provide for determining a point of loss for data records to be communicated between a source and a destination on a communication network. A topology of the communication network between the source and the destination is determined which includes a plurality of connecting nodes. A number of data records from the source directed to the destination passing between ones of the connecting nodes during a determined period of time is monitored. At least one of the connecting nodes is identified as the point of loss based on the monitored number of data records and the determined topology.

Abstract: A buffering protocol and a streaming media player which utilizes the buffering protocol designed for minimizing the occurrences of pauses during the presentation due to network congestion and for scheduling pauses at appropriate times in the presentation. The data comprises coded content information comprising a time synchronous media, together with various other sources, synchronized to appear at predetermined time points in the media presentation. The presentation is delivered in streaming fashion, so that the end user does not have to wait for the entirety of the data to be downloaded before starting the presentation. The invention does not require that media data and events data be multiplexed into a single streaming file and it does not require that the file provided to the media player be customized for prefetching of content.