Abstract: A special-purpose appliance (SPA) works in conjunction with a server farm consisting of multiple caching server appliances (CSAs) to supervise a local storage medium (i.e., a shared cache) that is accessible by all the CSAs for storing at least some of the remote objects such as web pages and their embedded objects and/or streaming media objects that have been and/or will be served by one or more of the CSAs to its respective clients. The SPA preferably also determines when to prefetch remote objects such as web pages and their embedded objects and/or streaming media objects that are not currently stored in the shared cache, but which the SPA has determined are likely to be requested in the future by one or more of the CSAs one behalf of one or more of the CSA's respective clients.

Abstract: The present invention combines IP multicasting mechanisms with SCSI protocols to achieve a more efficient data replication or data mirroring scheme. The combination of the IP multicast mechanism with the mapping of virtual unit logical number to real logical unit numbers, combined with the use of SCSI response frames, ensures the integrity of multicasted data. By use of the SCSI protocol over the TCP/IP according to the present invention, there is no further need to transfer multiple copies of the same data on the same communication link, and the routing logic may be removed from initiator and targets to IP routers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for dispatching on a socks server an IP datagram originated from an application on a source device, in an Internet Protocol (IP) network comprising a plurality of socks servers, said IP datagram comprising a Source IP Address field in the IP header, a Source Port field in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) header, and socks data.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting and preventing bridge loops in a relatively low cost bridge module designed for installation in a network hub. The bridge operates to monitor an intra-hub communication path of the network hub to detect bridge protocol data units transmitted by a switching fabric within the network hub. The bridge module stores a MAC source address of a bridge protocol data unit detected on the intra-hub communications path, and forwards the bridge protocol data unit through its external communication ports to respective network segments. The bridge module monitors its external communication ports for any data unit having a destination address matching a bridge multicast address. When a data unit having a destination address matching the bridge multicast address is detected, the bridge module compares the MAC source address of that data unit to the previously stored MAC source address from the bridge protocol data unit detected on the intra-hub communication path.

Abstract: A highly scalable system and method for supporting (mim,max) based Service Level Agreements (SLA) on outbound bandwidth usage for a plurality of customers whose applications (e.g.,Web sites) are hosted by a server farm that consists of a very large number of servers. The system employs a feedback system that enforces the outbound link bandwidth SLAs by regulating the inbound traffic to a server or server farm. Inbound traffic is admitted to servers using a rate denoted as Rt(i,j), which is the amount of the ith customer's jth type of traffic that can be admitted within a service cycle time to servers which support the ith customer. A centralized device computes Rt(i,j) based on the history of admitted inbound traffic to servers, the history of generated outbound traffic from servers, and the SLAs of various customers. The Rt(i,j) value is then relayed to one or more inbound traffic limiters that regulate the inbound traffic using the rates Rt(i,j) in a given service cycle time.

Abstract: An interface controller for managing operation of a plurality of devices via a wide area network is provided. Each of the devices has a unique communication protocol associated therewith. A network communications layer is provided for communicating with the plurality of devices via the wide area network and a client application associated with the plurality of devices. An information processing layer is also provided for communicating with the network communications layer. The information processing layer has a set of objects corresponding to each of the plurality of devices. The information processing layer is also for interacting with a data access layer on behalf of each of the plurality of devices using the corresponding objects. Interaction between the information processing layer and the data access layer on behalf of all of the plurality of devices is governed by a single set of rules.

Abstract: A network user system and a method of using the same in which one network user station (2c) is connected with another network user station (2a) via a message line (9a) and to which, in a receive mode, the other network user station (2a) can transmit a time message (Un, 5) comprising a time of day. The network user station (2a) also simultaneously transmits along with the time message a plurality of time pulses to the other network user stations (2b, 2d , 2e. . . ) in the system. The network user stations (2a, 2b, 2c, . . . ) record the time difference between the instant when the time pulses Tp are received and the instant when the time message (5) is received, and thereupon adjust the time of day contained in the time message (5) based on the time difference. This ensures that the time of day that is further processed in the receiver (4a, 4b, 4c. . .

Abstract: Connecting to a network server includes determining, at a first server, to which one of N mirrored servers a request from a client should be routed based at least in part on an address indicating the client and a route to the client and on the quality of service between at least some of the N mirrored servers to the client and determining to route requests from other clients associated with the address to the one of the N mirrored servers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for mapping addressing of SCSI devices between two SANs connected by a SAN extender over a packet-based network with use of a Fibre channel protocol over large distances. The present invention seamlessly interconnects graphically distinct SANs such that they operate as if they were local to one another by providing a means to generically and dynamically map SCSI device addresses between two SANs. The present invention provides a method and system for accessing a device from a host, wherein the host and device are in separate SANs interconnected by a transport layer, and wherein the interface between said transport layer and each of said SANs is a node. This method comprises, at each node, the steps of: mapping the device address into an intermediary device identifier, and mapping the intermediary device identifier into an address accessible by the host.

Abstract: A configuration of a network management system capable of readily managing a plurality of agents having respective addresses, directly connecting the respective agents to a network without changing interfaces, and providing an agent connected singly to the network as a representative of the rest agents within the same node to a network management apparatus without changing interfaces is provided. In the network management system, agents 40, 50 and 60 are allocated different addresses which are unique worldwide and interconnected in node 10, agent 40 is directly connected to network 30, agents 40 to 60 are interconnected through interfaces similarly to network 30, and agents 40 to 60 are managed by network management apparatus 20 connected through network 30.

Abstract: A user terminal (1) having a communications processor (10) that carries out a cyclic data transmission. During a cyclic part (ZYK,x) of a cycle (Z,x) in which user data are transmitted, a DP application may not access the memory (14, 15). In the communications processor (10), the memory (14, 15) stores a process image. The communications processor (10), for the purpose of synchronization, transmits at the beginning of a cycle a cycle start interrupt (ZSI,x) and at the end of the cyclic part (ZYK,x) a cycle end interrupt (ZEI,x). Once the arithmetic unit (5, 7, 8) has accessed the memory it releases the interrupts. The duration (&Dgr;T′s2,1; &Dgr;T′e2,1) between two successive interrupts serves to detect access violations and to initiate appropriate fault treatment measures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing personalized information content over telephones is described. The creation of a voice portal is supported by the invention. Embodiments of the invention use telephone identifying information such as the calling party's number to identify, or create, user profiles for customization. The personalized content is specific to that user based on her/his telephone identifying information and may be further customized based on the current time, current date, the calling party's locales, and/or the calling party's dialect and speech patterns. Also, the telephone identifying information may support targeted advertising, content, and purchasing recommendations specific to that user. The system may use a voice password and/or touch-tone login system when appropriate to distinguish the caller or verify the caller's identity for specific activities.

Abstract: A system and method for testing the implementation of a remote access protocol in network servers and/or clients goes through test cases with different server-client configuration combinations in an automated and distributed process. The testing system includes at least one test controller, a client pool, a server pool, and a database that maintains the test cases to be tested. Servers and clients participating in the distributed testing are registered with the test controller, which matches a server with a client based on their configuration capabilities and/or other factors. Test cases selected from the database are then assigned to the server-client pair for execution. For each assigned test case, the client assumes the client configuration of that case and calls the server to establish a connection under the remote access protocol, and the server assumes the server configuration test results for the executed test cases are stored for monitoring and generating reports.

Abstract: A system for managing Internet connections routed across an internet communications network comprising two or more domains. Each domain is provided with a domain manager and with one or more domain boundary controller(s). To assure the service quality of Internet connections, the domain manager communicates with the domain boundary controllers of the domain to which it is assigned and, by transferring service parameters, authorizes these domain boundary controllers to establish and maintain special Internet connections under special conditions across the boundary of the domain into the domain. The domain boundary controllers monitor the establishment of internet connections across the boundary of their particular domain into their particular domain and permit the establishment and maintenance of internet connections across the boundary of their domain into their domain only for those special internet connections, and under those special conditions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for converting configuration information input in a format for a first version of a management protocol into configuration information for a second version of the management protocol is provided. In particular, a method and apparatus for converting Simple Network Management Protocol version 1/2c (SNMPv1/v2c) style community-based access configuration information into user-based access information for configuring a SNMPv3 agent is provided. The method and apparatus make use of various graphical user interfaces to allow a user to enter configuration information in a format with which the user is familiar. The method and apparatus of the present invention then maps the configuration information into a format used by the device being configured.

Abstract: The present invention controls the automation process in a computer network system. An Abstract Resource Model is introduced in which the model results in the automation being divided into two: an automation execution component and an automation decision-making component. The automation execution component controls how programs or resources are run within a specific environment, and the automation decision making component controls when a program or resource is run on an abstract decision-making level. In the Abstract Resource Model, the operator needs no specific knowledge as to which programs or program components belong to an overall application, or which programs or program components need to be started in which order.

Abstract: A handheld computing device is used to copy files from the screen of a fixed computer. The display of the handheld device is linked to that of the underlying computer and file and directory icons together with their underlying files are copied to the handheld device. Files from the handheld device can also be transferred to the fixed computer. When a user is running a program on the fixed computer, he may capture the state of that computer and transfer everything needed to permit execution of that program to continue uninterrupted on the handheld device. Thus files and executing programs may be lifted from the fixed computer and used on the handheld device.

Abstract: An input value from a panel is analyzed by mail address analyze means. A determination section performs determination based on the analysis result. When an identification character “@” is detected in the input value, the determination section instructs an encryption processing section to execute encryption processing, which is made to correspond to the identification character “@”. A mail transmitting section transmits data subjected to encryption processing in accordance with an e-mail transfer protocol. An operator has only to add the identification character “@” to a recipient address from the panel so that an image communication apparatus executes encryption processing. This eliminates the need for adding a new button when a new function is added to the image communication apparatus.

Abstract: A system and method for the secure transfer of data between a workstation connected to a private network and a remote computer connected to an unsecured network. A secure computer is inserted into the private network to serve as the gateway to the unsecured network and a client subsystem is added to the workstation in order to control the transfer of data from the workstation to the secure computer. The secure computer includes a private network interface connected to the private network, an unsecured network interface connected to the unsecured network, wherein the unsecured network interface includes means for encrypting data to be transferred from the first workstation to the remote computer and a server function for transferring data between the private network interface and the unsecured network interface.

Abstract: In brief summary, the invention provides a new message packet transfer system, which may be used in, for example, a multiprocessor computer system. The message packet transfer system comprises a plurality of switching nodes interconnected by communication links to define at least one cyclical packet transfer path having a predetermined diameter. The switching nodes may be connected to, for example, digital data processors and memory to form processing nodes in an multiprocessor computer system, and/or to other sources and destinations for digital data contained in the message packets. The switching nodes transfer message packets each from a respective one of the switching nodes as a respective source switching node to a respective one of the switching nodes as a respective destination switching node.