Abstract: In a crowd sourcing approach, responses to customer service inquiries are provided by routing a subset of the inquiries to an independent group of experts. The customer service inquiries are optionally routed to specific experts based on matches between identified subject matter of the inquiries and expertise of the experts. Embodiments include methods of classifying customer service inquiries, training a machine learning system, and/or processing customer service inquiries. Customer service inquiries and answers from a first enterprise and/or industry are optionally used to train an inquiry classifier for a second enterprise and/or industry. The classifier being configured to predict if a new customer service inquiry will require access to confidential information for a human to generate an answer that resolves the inquiry.

Abstract: In a crowd sourcing approach, responses to customer service inquiries are provided by routing a subset of the inquiries to an independent group of experts. The customer service inquiries are optionally routed to specific experts based on matches between identified subject matter of the inquiries and expertise of the experts. Embodiments include an expert system configured to identify clusters of inquiries that can be responded to using predetermined response content. A progressive approach to machine learning is disclosed, which combines unsupervised machine learning and supervised machine learning system. Human input used to improve the quality of data generated by the unsupervised machine learning system before that data is used to train the supervised machine learning system.

Abstract: Techniques for managing instant message (IM) communications are provided. In various embodiments, IM communications in a plurality of network implementations are managed using one or more policies. A policy in the one or more policies includes an action applicable for an IM communication. Once an IM communications is received from an IM client, a policy that is applicable for that IM communication is determined. After determining an applicable policy, an action associated with the policy for the instant message communication is performed. Examples of actions that may be taken include recording the IM communication, modifying the IM communication, blocking the IM communication, forwarding the IM communication, and the like.

Abstract: Techniques for processing instant messages (IM) received from entities destined for IM clients are provided. An IM module is used to receive the instant messages and process them. In one embodiment, the IM module may be used to determine if a message is spam (or spim) or not. The IM module receives an instant message for the IM client and determines if a challenge message should be sent to the sender of the IM. The challenge IM is an IM that is sent to the sender of the IM that necessitates a challenge. If a response to the IM challenge is received at the IM module, it is determined if the response satisfies an answer required by the challenge IM. If the response satisfies the answer, the IM received may be forwarded to the intended recipient IM client. Additionally, a method for processing buddy list events using an IM module is provided.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling secure communications between IM modules are provided. An IM is received from a first IM client for a second IM client at a first IM module. It is determined if the second IM client can receive IMs through a second IM module that is capable of receiving secure communications from the first IM module. If the second IM module is capable of receiving secure communications from the first IM module, an encrypted IM is sent from the first IM module to the second IM client. The encrypted IM is received at the second IM module, which decrypts the IM and sends the decrypted IM to the second IM client.

Abstract: Techniques for managing instant message (IM) communications are provided. In various embodiments, IM communications in a plurality of network implementations are managed using one or more policies. A policy in the one or more policies includes an action applicable for an IM communication. Once an IM communications is received from an IM client, a policy that is applicable for that IM communication is determined. After determining an applicable policy, an action associated with the policy for the instant message communication is performed. Examples of actions that may be taken include recording the IM communication, modifying the IM communication, blocking the IM communication, forwarding the IM communication, and the like.

Abstract: Techniques for managing instant message (IM) communications are provided. Instant message communications of a plurality of network implementations is managed using an instant message module that uses one or more policies. A policy in the one or more policies includes an action applicable for an IM communication. The techniques comprise receiving an instant message communication at the instant message module. The IM communication may be in a network implementation of one of the plurality of network implementations. Then, a policy is determined from the one or more policies that is applicable for the instant message communication. An action associated with the policy for the instant message communication is then performed.

Abstract: Various techniques for placing targeted data in a webpage requested by a user are disclosed. A presentation of the data when the webpage is displayed draws attention from the user. Examples of the data may include, but not be limited to advertisements, various alerts and notifications. In one embodiment, some of the techniques, when properly combined, can provide a mechanism to locate available spaces in a webpage and place targeted advertisements therein by embedding scripts into data packets received from the website being visited. The data packets are modified in a network device deployed at a traffic concentration point along a network, where the network device operates transparently to both the website and the user, regardless there is a need to modify existing data packets or fabricate new data packets.