Abstract: A next generation performance network management system (30?) includes a first component (34a) that monitors one or more attributes of network elements (111–11n, 121–12m, 20 and 26) as well as peripheral devices (16 and 22) and interconnecting links (18, 24) to establish an historic trend for each monitored element. A second performance management system component (34b) monitors, on a near real-time basis, critical attributes of elements identified from historic trends as undergoing performance degradation. If such performance degradations persist, as detected by such near real-time monitoring, then the network operator can repair or replace the element in question to maintain network performance.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is disclosed which is connected to a server along with other information processing apparatuses through a network and which is supplied with a shared virtual space. The apparatus comprises an inputting element for allowing a user to input strings of characters constituting a chat carried on via an avatar which is active in the shared virtual space as an incarnation of the user, a transmitting element for transmitting strings of characters input through the inputting element to the server as character data, a converting element for converting the character data coming from the server into audio data, and an outputting element for audibly outputting the audio data converted by the converting element.

Abstract: A network resource control system allows network terminals to communicate with network resources, and includes a resource registry, an authorization server and an administration server. The resource registry includes resource records which are associated with the network resources and define at least a user access level for each network resource. The authorization server is in communication with the resource registry and controls network access to the network resources in accordance with the resource records. The administration server is in communication with the resource registry and provides controlled access to the resource records. The administration server receives user access control data from administrators of the network resources for incorporation into the resource records. Depending upon the user access control data received, the authorization server configures the network terminals for communication with the network resources.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods facilitate customizable and extensible performance monitoring of a computer network. One method accepts a composite score definition in terms of N system variables, wherein N?2; determines N raw data values, each raw data value corresponding to one of the N system variables; computes the composite score in accordance with the definition using the N raw data values as inputs; and outputs the composite score. The composite score definition is preferably in the form of a markup language, such as XML. The composite score definition preferably comprises, for each of the N system variables, a mapping and a weight. Preferably the composite score is displayed in at least one graphic form, such as a dial gauge, a bar indicator or a number, on a hypertext page. The hypertext page preferably contains one or more links to hypertext pages containing information regarding the scores and/or raw data values from which the composite score is derived.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide the function for displaying the configuration of storages not in a form peculiar to a storage system but in a more general purpose system. The present invention provides a method and system for displaying the configuration of a storage network, wherein each piece of apparatus constituting the storage network is connected to a control network different from the storage network connecting the pieces of apparatus to one another, and configuration information about each piece of apparatus is acquired using the control network, and a screen for displaying the configuration of the storage network is generated and displayed based on the acquired configuration information.

Abstract: A method for entering and facilitating the input of an Internet Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address into a URL address window including the steps of providing an interactive device for connecting to the Internet via a web browser having a URL address window, where the interactive device includes an operating system which employs a cursor and a cursor device for communicating position commands to the operating system, connecting to the Internet using the interactive device and the web browser, positioning the cursor over the URL address window, receiving a cursor position command, validating the cursor position command, displaying an enlarged text window, entering a desired URL address into the enlarged text window, inserting the entered URL address into the URL address window and engaging the interactive device so as to cause the web browser to be communicated with the URL address.

Abstract: A network resource access system provides network terminals with access to network resources over a network, and includes a resource registry, a driver database, and an authorization server. The resource registry includes resource records associated with the network resources and define at least a resource type for each network resource. The driver database includes resource driver applications for the network resources. The authorization server receives a request from one of the network terminals for communication with one of the network resources, obtains resource configuration data associated with the network resource, and then facilitates communication between the network terminal and the network resource in accordance with a correspondence between the resource configuration data and user configuration data associated with the network terminal.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically displaying information from a designated information providing location and information from an associated information providing location. Information a designated information providing location is read from an automatic reading control section through a communication processing section. An information generation section discriminates an associated information providing location included in the read information, generates an automatic reading instruction list for designating a information providing location that reads the next information and stores the automatic reading instruction list in an information storage section. The automatic reading control section sequentially reads information from information providing locations according to the automatic reading instruction list. The information generation section discriminates the associated information providing location included in the read information and updates the automatic reading instruction list.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of the compression of a communication protocol for use over bandwidth limited communication links. One aspect of the present invention uses the knowledge of the structure and content of communication protocols to form a static dictionary or static binary code tree. As a result, the compression efficiency can be greatly increased. Another aspect of the present invention provides a combined static and dynamic dictionary or binary code tree to perform communication protocol compression. In one aspect of the invention, the static binary code tree or static dictionary is constructed by studying flows of data protocols in the conditions of their intended usage.

Abstract: Methods relate to providing limited temporary access to a web site to visitors who desire to experience all the features provided by this site before becoming a member. The temporary access privileges may be limited by duration, which is counted from the initial access request, or by number of accesses. At the end of the temporary access period, the visitor may be given additional access privileges before being permanently denied access. The user may be identified either by the IP address assigned to the user device or by the user's e-mail address.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize ordered messages in a clustered computer system to defer the execution of a merge protocol in a cluster group until all pending protocols in each partition of a group are handled, typically by ensuring either cancellation or completion of each pending protocol prior to execution of the merge protocol. From the perspective of each group member, the execution of the merge protocol is deferred by inhibiting processing of the merge request by such member until after processing of all earlier-received pending requests has been completed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a base of handheld device having Email access function. The base can connect to a computer or an information network to access Email data package of an Email, and display the content of the Email via the handheld device. The base comprises a casing having a receiving groove thereon for exactly receiving the handheld device. A control circuit board is disposed in the casing. The control circuit board comprises a control unit, a memory unit, and a transmission unit. The control unit is used to download the data package of the Email from the computer or the information network or to transfer the content of the Email to the handheld device for display. The memory unit is used to store an Email access program and memorizing the accessed Email data. The transmission unit is used to connect to the computer or the information network.

Abstract: To provide information beneficial for a user, with proper contents. Each client starts a screen saver when a user input has been idle for a predetermined time period. Personal information is transmitted at the start to a push server by a push demand program. The push server has an information database with push information of different categories. The push server selects the appropriate push information when it receives personal information in response to the push demand from the client. The selected push information is sent from the push server to the client that demanded the push information, to be displayed on a display device when the screen saver is operating.

Abstract: Multiple lookup engines stacked upon one another in a single data communication switch. The lookup engine at the top of the stack transmits its result to the neighboring downstream lookup engine which either validates and transmits the received result or its own result based on the quality of its match. The result preferably indicates an exact match, partial match, or no match. Although several lookup engines can return a partial match, an exact match preferably occurs in only one lookup engine. The comparison, validation, and transmission steps are repeated by each downstream lookup engine, with the lookup engine at the bottom of the stack validating and returning a final result to the packet processor. The returned final result reflects a search result with the highest match quality.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for defining a search space of a community in which a client may search for resources. A client providing a resource registers the resource with a core. The core then lists the resource with an advertising service, which serves multiple cores. A client searching for a resource can search in the client's core and within the advertising service serving the clients core. In addition, a client searching for resources can define a community of advertising services remote to the client's core, then designate the community when sending an attribute-based search for computer resources to the client's core. In some embodiments, once a community is defined, a client can subscribe to an events within the community by searching for an event distributor within the community. The client is then notified of events occurring within the community that match the client's event subscription.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a computing node and a metadata server. The computing node may transmit a request to open a file to the metadata server, which may provide a corresponding file identifier to the computing node. The computing node may use the file identifier to directly access the storage storing the file. In one embodiment, the storage may be an object-based storage. The storage may receive the file identifier with an access command and may perform the mapping from file identifier to storage blocks internally. Thus, accesses to the storage may be performed on an arbitrary boundary within the file. In other words, the entire block including the data needed by the computing node may not be transferred to the computing node. Instead, the storage may select the data requested from the file (e.g. via an offset and a number of bytes or some similar mechanism) and return that data to the computing node.

Abstract: A system enables a consumer to generate a filtering program based on criteria set forth by a system operator during run time. During system operation, the operator selects appropriate filtering criteria from a display screen associated with a respective consumer. Each consumer implements filtering criteria in a filtering program that is registered with a distributor. The filtering program may include simple true or false tests, or more complex tests. The distributor compiles each filtering program during registration and thereafter dynamically loads the compiled program before executing filtering queries.

Abstract: A device for Connection Admission Control for an ATM switch, intended for admitting to the switch a requested ATM connection of the DBR type, such that the “Quality of Service” of all ATM connections of the DBR type in said switch continues to satisfy certain conditions. For the composite traffic stream of DBR connections at an output port with capacity C, a single buffer with capacity B is available, while as boundary condition it holds that the total average load of the output port does not amount to more than ?×C, where ? is a constant with a value between 0 and 1. The CAC device comprises two sub-devices, which each execute a—rather complex—partial calculation, resulting in a positive or negative admission signal. The new ATM connection is only granted admission to the switch if both sub-devices emit a positive admission signal.

Abstract: The described system and procedure provides fax delivery services to a user that only has convenient access to a single-function networked printer device. To accomplish this, the system receives a facsimile sent to a telephone number. Responsive to receiving the facsimile, the facsimile is converted from a fax data format to a printable data format that is compatible with a printer device. Next, the converted facsimile is wrapped in a network transfer protocol language such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol to form a Web Page. Next, a Universal Resource Locator (URL) is identified that corresponds to the telephone number used to send the facsimile to the system. The URL identifies an embedded web server in a printer. Next, the Web page containing the converted facsimile is communicated to the identified embedded web server for printing by the printer.

Abstract: A server and method of its operation adapt the number of server applications within the server. The server is connected to a computer network. The server comprises one or more active server applications, a load detector, an inactive additional server application and an allocator. The load detector, which may be part of a load balancer, is connected to the one or more server applications and the computer network. The allocator is connected to the load detector and the additional server application. The allocator causes the additional server application to activate in response to a load condition. The method measures a load on the server, detects when the load exceeds a threshold and, in response thereto, activates an additional server application on the server. Optionally, the method also detects when the load is less than a deactivation threshold, and in response thereto, deactivates the additional server application.