Abstract: A method and system thereof for handing off a media session are described. In one embodiment, a first media segment is forwarded to a client node. The first media segment includes a portion of an item of media content stored in lieu of storing the item of media content in its entirety. The item of media content is segmented according to segmentation characteristics. Handoff information used for transferring the media session to another server node is specified. The handoff of the media session to the other server node occurs when the forwarding of the first media segment is completed, such that the handoff occurs between media segments.

Abstract: A Name Registrar (NaR) system and method incorporating a separate software component that permits manipulation, control, and distribution of names/objects under direction of a distributed naming policy is disclosed. The present invention teaches creation of a separate software component to handle name registration running within a separate software process. This separate software process has a remote interface utilized by a software application to send information related to names/objects in their most basic form to the Name Registrar (NaR). Subsequently, the NaR performs all other functions that are necessary to publish the supplied name/object in the proper form and type required by the accessing system consumers.

Abstract: A redirection gateway is provided that bridges connections between redirection server computers and redirection client computers. The redirection gateway communicates with a redirection gateway client executing on a redirection client computer. In response to receiving a request from the redirection gateway client application, the redirection gateway establishes a connection to a redirection server application. The redirection gateway client application then causes an appropriate redirection client application for connecting to the redirection server application to be executed. The redirection gateway client application also instructs the redirection client application to connect to the redirection gateway. Once a connection between the redirection gateway and the redirection client application has been established, the redirection gateway bridges its connection to the redirection server application with its connection to the redirection client application.

Abstract: A relay server that is connected to a LAN and that can communicate with a relay server of a different LAN, includes: an account information registering unit that stores account information including information on client terminals connected to the LAN; a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information including information on a group of relay servers permitting access to each other; and a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information including information on resources and information on the client terminals sharing the resources, wherein when an operation command for a resource, which can be operated by a client terminal connected to the different terminal, is received from the client terminal stored in the account information registering unit based on the shared resource information, the operation of the resource is relayed on the basis of the relay group information.

Abstract: For optimizing Internet access resources, a system for billing network access capacities shared across Internet service providers is disclosed. A Client Service Provider (CSP) may rent access on Points Of Presence belonging to a Master Service Provider (MSP) while maintaining a constant security level and providing connection accounting. When a CSP's subscriber sends an access request to a MSP, the MSP analyzes the subscriber's realm and checks the capacities allocated to the subscriber's CSP. If connection is allowed, the MSP sends an authentication request to the CSP. If the subscriber is authenticated, the MSP launches an accounting process based on the subscriber's realm while the CSP may launch an accounting process associated with the subscriber identifier. The cost of rented Points Of Presence capacity is based on total connection time and on the number of simultaneous connections established by the MSP for the CSP, combined with predetermined thresholds.

Abstract: A contents using method is provided that enables a user to watch and listen to freely same contents by a simple operation by either of an image display device or a server and enables the user to use the server for other applications without a need for paying attention to transfer of an image file from the server to an electronic device. The contents using method includes a first step of storing contents by the server at a date and at a time both being designated by the user, a second step of converting quality of contents by the server according to storage capacity or display capability of a storage section and a display section making up a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a third step of transferring contents obtained after the quality conversion, after having confirmed connection between the server and the PDA, from the server to the PDA.

Abstract: A system for distributed file storage includes a plurality of servers providing, to a plurality of clients, file access services for accessing files stored on the plurality of servers. A list of neighbor servers is maintained by each server. The neighbor servers are a subset of the plurality of servers. At least one server of the plurality of servers is switched into a neighbor group of servers based on network distance. Each file is stored in the form of a plurality of N pieces on N servers, the pieces being generated from the file. The list is used to obtain information for reconstructing files stored on the neighbor servers, such that any K out of the N pieces can be used to reconstruct any file.

Abstract: Many storage-area networks (SANs) are structured so that an end-user or client-computer can access data on one or more target storage devices through a storage router and a separate Fiber Channel (FC) switch. However, the conventional use of a separate FC switch to couple the storage router makes it difficult and time consuming to restore zone configuration of the FC switch. Accordingly, the present inventor devised, among other things, an exemplary method of automatically maintaining and synchronizing a copy of zone configuration data for an FC switch. Through these and/or other features, the exemplary embodiment ultimately reduces the cost and complexities associated with implementing storage-area networks.

Abstract: A method, system, and program are provided for managing a response to an email by a hidden email recipient. A hidden recipient manager detects a request to respond to an electronic communication by a hidden recipient of that electronic communication from among a plurality of recipients of the electronic communication. The hidden recipient detects whether the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient other than a sender of the electronic communication. If the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient other than a sender of the electronic communication, then the hidden recipient manager warns the hidden recipient that the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient who is unaware of the recipient of the electronic communication by the hidden recipient.

Abstract: An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.

Abstract: An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.

Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for regulating emails in an enterprise email system by marking, demarcating and referencing a content-context field in the header of the email. The content-context field designates the email as business or non-business in nature. Non-business emails are rejected, relayed elsewhere, or destroyed in response to positively identifying the email as non-business. The claimed invention prevents intermingling of non-business emails with business emails in business environments, and helps avoid potential liabilities that may result from associating business matters with personnel non-business matters.

Abstract: Method, computer program product and server computer system for use in a client server computer architecture. The server sends media assets over computer network to client computer and maintains file system organized into plurality of asset groups, each asset group comprising plurality of media assets, wherein media assets share storage medium bandwidth and storage space on server computer that is reserved for asset group to which plurality of media assets belong. An asset group placement policy module is provided that evaluates attributes of asset group to determine optimal placement of asset group within the file system of server computer system, avoiding replication of assets and spreading asset group across multiple file systems wherever possible. A media asset placement policy module is provided that evaluates asset bandwidth to determine optimal placement for asset and available resources and use this evaluation to distribute media assets within asset groups.

Abstract: Following initial call establishment negotiation to build a call context between a network and a remote unit, the base processes the header of the data packets. The base acts as an intermediate nodal point to establish call contexts with the endpoints on the traffic channels, wherein the processing of the header of the data packets is terminated at the base. The base processes only the header field that needs to be transmitted along the payload, and transfers the processed portion along with the payload. A session is then established between the remote unit and the network, and the traffic resumes from both ends.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing electronic messages are described herein. In one aspect of the invention, for an outgoing message addressed to a mail address of a recipient, the mail client determines whether is an alternative messaging system available to the mail address of the recipient. If there is an alternative messaging system available, the mail client determines whether the recipient's alternative messaging system is online. If so, the mail client sends the mail message to the recipient via the alternative messaging system. Otherwise, the mail client sends the message via normal mail system. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A network interface unit is provided for use intermediate a LAN and a public or private network, or a combination of both, for establishing secure links to a VPN gateway. Login by a LAN client with the network interface unit, addressing, authentication, and other configuration operations achieved using a web page-based GUI are applied in establishing tunnels from LAN clients to desired VPN destinations. Illustrative network interface units include a DHCP server and provide encryption-decryption and encapsulation-decapsulation of data packets for communication with VPN nodes. Configuration and connection of a client are further enhanced by a built-in DNS server and other functional servers to provide a high degree of autonomy in establishing connections to a desired VPN gateway via an ISP or other public and/or private network links to. The interface unit then performs required authentication exchanges, and required encryption key exchanges.

Abstract: An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.

Abstract: A method for the management of data collected from a remote computing device including the steps of: creating a questionnaire; transmitting the questionnaire to a remote computer; executing the questionnaire in the remote computer to prompt a user for responses to questions of the questionnaire; transmitting the responses to a sever via a network; making the responses available on the Web. Preferably, computers used in connection with the inventive method are loosely networked in that network connections between computers are not always available and, when a connection is not available, data is stored at a node of the network and transmitted at the earliest time when a connection is available. In one preferred embodiment, the inventive method is used to collect survey data and to make the responses to the survey available to a client in virtually real time over the Internet.

Abstract: Web content provided by a server includes associated content operation identifiers that identify related content objects. The web server, in response to receiving an HTTP Get request for the web object, retrieves the web object, and concurrently retrieves the content operation identifiers associated with the web object. The server sends the content operation identifiers with the requested web object as part of an HTTP response. The content operation identifiers may be inserted with an HTTP header, or may be added to the web content, for example by prepending HTML tags specifying the content operation identifiers to an HTML page that includes the requested web object. A proxy device receiving the HTTP response can forward the response to the requesting client device, and execute the content operations specified by the content operation identifiers within the HTTP response.

Abstract: An intelligent router routes a user request to a storage server that is capable of handling that request natively, without emulation. The request is routed automatically, without any instruction or interaction on the part of the user. The intelligent router includes a storage tank-like computing environment and a set of intelligent routers. The set of intelligent routers appears as a single entity to users by presenting a single network IP address. When the intelligent router receives a request, it examines the protocol type and routes the request to one of the appropriate storage tank clients. The intelligent router does not change the contents of the request message, and thus the storage tank system do not become aware of the existence of the intelligent router. Consequently, any return messages do not need to go through the intelligent router, unless desired.