Abstract: A self-adaptive resource management method (200) is proposed. The system is based on an authority (105) that publishes multiple rules into a corresponding repository (115). Each rule defines a desired target configuration for a category of subjects (110); each category is specified by one or more attributes that are evaluated by corresponding scanners (233-239). Whenever new rules are published, a dedicated module (120) creates and publishes further rules for selectively installing the scanners that are required for evaluating the attributes included in the categories of the new rules. These further rules are defined according to an algorithm that attempts to minimize the cost involved by the installation of the scanners.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the availability of a data processing system is proposed. For example, the system runs a management application, which involves the periodic transmission of blocks of data from multiple local computers to a central computer. In the method of the invention, whenever a block of data must be transmitted by a generic local computer, an expected transmission delay of a next block of data is estimated; this information is then attached to the block of data. As a result, the central computer receiving the updated block of data can calculate an expected receiving time of the next block of data accordingly. If the next block of data is not received in due time, the central computer determines a failure of the local computer. Preferably, the central computer also scans a subset of ports of the local computer, so as to ascertain whether the problem is due to a temporary unavailability of the application or to an actual crash of the local computer.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes (460) a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject directly. In this way, the subjects self-adapt to the rules, without requiring any direct interaction with the authority.

Abstract: An arrangement permitting a user for example in a internet point or using a different profile in the same machine can connect to a web server to download and install local client software such as a java application or a browser plug-in the first time he accesses to this service from that browser in order to customize his environment. Once authenticated, he can choose the personalization to be performed in whatever application installed and eligible to be user customizable. For example he can replicate in the system his browser settings (favorites, cookies, forms etc) or word templates as a clone of environment setting of his personal machine. The customization can depend on pre-defined profiles to allow the user customization of a subset of settings, for example only browser settings. Models of different operating environments are defined and called upon to enable interactions with different client devices.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes (460) a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject directly. In this way, the subjects self-adapt to the rules, without requiring any direct interaction with the authority.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for developing software applications on a data processing system. A corresponding method (A1-A6) starts with the step of providing (A1) an analysis model of a software application (such as based on a use case diagram); the analysis model represents the software application with stereotypes (i.e., use cases) each one representing a requirement of the software application. The method continues by estimating (A2-A3) an optimum number of features of the software application (each one representing a function of the software application); the optimum number of features is estimated according to the analysis model. The stereotypes are then organized (A4-A5) in packages; each package includes a set of logically correlated stereotypes, which expose a corresponding feature. A number of the packages is determined according to the optimum number of features. It is now possible to implement (A6) the software application according to the packages.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for exploiting the resources of a navigation system. For this purpose, any idle time of the navigation system (during which no direction information is output) is used to provide descriptive information about the current location of the vehicle. For example, the navigation system estimates a timeframe available before approaching a next turn (following a current location of the vehicle along a route towards a desired destination). The navigation system presents predefined descriptive messages associated with the current location are then output in succession according to the available timeframe.

Abstract: A solution for navigating UML diagrams (200) is proposed. For this purpose, a graphical interface is implemented for defining multiple navigation paths (NAVk) along corresponding sequences of diagrams (DIA11-DIA55). The definition of those navigation paths is stored into a dedicated file (without modifying the definition of the diagrams). A home bar for invoking the navigation paths is then added to the graphical representation of the diagrams. Once a reader has selected a specific navigation path, its first diagram (DIA11; DIA15) is retrieved and displayed. At the same time, a navigation bar for moving throughout the sequence is dynamically generated and added to the graphical representation of each diagram that is traversed.

Abstract: A solution for distributing software products in a data processing system is disclosed. A set of models of each software product is to be distributed (for example, of the UML type) is provided; each model includes an indication of relationships among a plurality of available logical items (representing functions provided by the software product, such as use cases) and a plurality of available distribution artifacts (used to distribute the software product). A set of logical items is then selected among the available ones. The process continues by identifying a set of distribution artifacts required to implement the selected logical items (among the available distribution artifacts); the required distribution artifacts are identified according to the corresponding relationships in the models. A software package is built including the required distribution artifacts. The software package is then distributed to a set of data processing entities of the system (i.e.

Abstract: A solution (200) for metering usage of services—for example, in a SOA framework—is proposed. For this purpose, the submission of any invocation of a provider service (205) by a consumer service (210) is intercepted by a license manager (220); a corresponding request is then submitted to a dedicated licensing service (215), which returns an entitlement code when the consumer service is entitled to submit the service invocation. The service invocation is decorated with this entitlement code and actually submitted to the provider service. The (decorated) service invocation addressed to the provider service is likewise intercepted by another license manager (235); a request is then submitted to the licensing service for verifying the received entitlement code. The running of the provider service is then enabled only if the entitlement code is correct.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes (460) a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding logic or physic category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its logic category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject; as a result, the physic category of the subject is updated. The subject now retrieves and applies the rules corresponding to its physic category. In this way, different dependency schemes may be implemented without any explicit definition in the rules.

Abstract: For routing information in a network across firewalls, virtual sessions between two remote nodes are implemented by means of multiple point-to-point sessions between pairs of adjacent nodes connected through a tunnel crossing the corresponding firewall. Each node stores a routing table that is used to pass the information to be provided to a desired target node to the correct adjacent node. A peer-to-peer communication scheme is supported for allowing each pair of nodes to exchange information. For this purpose, a specific algorithm is proposed for propagating the routing information dynamically among the nodes of the network, with rules that prevent the generation of any propagation cycle.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes (460) a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding logic or physic category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its logic category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject; as a result, the physic category of the subject is updated. The subject now retrieves and applies the rules corresponding to its physic category. In this way, different dependency schemes may be implemented without any explicit definition in the rules.

Abstract: A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each having a predetermined path capacity. The method comprises the steps of registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination and registering centrally for each route request a journey start time. Routing instructions are centrally determined so as to optimise use of path capacity across all synchronous journeys requests in said network with reference to said registered information, and issued to corresponding mobile elements. The mobile elements adapt their route to comply with the routing instruction. There may be provided further steps of monitoring and rerouting the mobile element whenever new journeys requests can impact its remaining trip.

Abstract: A solution (200) for collecting inventory information relating to complex resources is proposed. For this purpose, a data mover (285) interfaces with a common collector engine (210). The data mover registers (A3) itself as a listener for a selected resource class on behalf of every exploiter (265). The collector engine solves (A4) the correlations involving the selected resource class, as indicated in predefined discovery directories (235). Providers (225) adapted to discover inventory information about the correlated resource classes are periodically invoked (A5-A9), according to a scheduling plan defined in the same discovery directives. As soon as the providers for all the correlated resource classes have completed the discovery of the corresponding information (A10), the data mover is notified accordingly (A11). In response thereto, the data mover transfers (A13-A15) the discovered (delta) inventory information to the exploiter.

Abstract: A resource management method (300) and a corresponding system are proposed. In the solution of the invention, an authority publishes (324) multiple rules, each one defining a desired target configuration for a category of subjects (without any information about their dependencies). Each subject retrieves (320–322, 326) the rules corresponding to its category in a random order. The rules are then applied (427–439) on the subject according to a trial-and-fail approach. Particularly, the application of any failed rule is continually repeated (427–448), until all the rules are successfully applied (463) or a deadlock condition is detected (451). In this way, any dependency is automatically resolved on the subject at run time. Moreover, as soon as all the rules have been successfully applied the compliance of the subject to the rules is verified (455–457) again; should the subject be not compliant to one or more rules any longer, an infinite loop condition is detected (466).

Abstract: A resource management method (500) and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding category of the subjects. Each subject provides (509–515) the corresponding category to an associated helper (120). The helper retrieves (521–530) the rules corresponding to the category of the subject from the shared repository. The helper then enforces (533–564) application of the rules on the subject. In this way, the subjects adapt to the rules without requiring any direct interaction with the authority, even if they do not have the necessary computational power required to be completely autonomous.

Abstract: A solution (300) for tracking computer software development (for example, based on UML diagrams) is proposed. In the solution of the invention, a completion coefficient is associated (312) with each activity concerning the development process (to indicate the effort required to complete it). The activities are organized into a tree (starting from a root node for the whole development process). In operation, a user tunes (333-336) a progress index for each micro-activity represented by a leaf node of the tree (to indicate its actual progress). The progress index of each macro-activity represented by a non-leaf node of the tree is instead calculated (357-360) by aggregating the progress indexes of its depending activities weighted according to the respective completion coefficients (with a recursive process down to the micro-activities). In this way, the progress of the development process can be tracked with an incremental approach at different levels of detail.

Abstract: A method (300) for planning assignment of floating licenses of software products is proposed. Floating licenses can be requested to a runtime server by multiple workstations (to which they are assigned until a maximum number of instances of the product are running concurrently). In the solution of the invention, a user of every workstation needing to run the product in a future timeframe submits (306) a corresponding reservation request to the runtime server. If at least one license is available for the selected timeframe, the runtime server reserves (357) the license to the workstation (so as to prevent assigning it to other workstations for the same period); at the same time, a corresponding temporary permission is stored (360) on the workstation. In this way, the product can be used (363-387) during the selected timeframe on the workstation only; this is possible without any risk even if the workstation is disconnected from the runtime server.

Abstract: A management system comprises a gateway component adapted to reside on a workstation and a device agent adapted to reside on a pervasive device for configuring pervasive devices. The gateway component is instantiable during synchronization of the workstation with a pervasive device to transfer the device agent to the pervasive device; and to transmit configuration information to the pervasive device. The device agent executes configuration commands in response to the configuration information. The invention enables pervasive devices to be managed through a workstation to which they connect to synchronize without requiring any intervention by the pervasive device user. Preferably, the workstation acts as a gateway for managing the device within what becomes a four tier management system.