Abstract: The present invention provides an architecture that advantageously leverages multiple content distribution networks to provide enhanced services. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a share of content requests are served by each of a plurality of content distribution networks. The fraction of content requests served by a particular content distribution network can be determined dynamically, depending on the offered load or other traffic characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an architecture for document archival built on network-centric groupware such as Internet standards-based messaging. Archiving and retrieving and classifying documents into meaningful collections is accomplished in a manner similar to sending email to recipients, retrieving messages from folders, and classifying messages into folder hierarchies. In the simplest scenario, if saveme.com is the archiving server's name, then sending an email to abc@saveme.com will cause the contents of the email message to be archived in the abc mailbox. The archived documents may be automatically stored in jukeboxes of non-tamperable media such as Write Once Read Multiple (WORM) Compact Disks (CD), which provide high storage capacity, low cost compared to magnetic disks, random data access, and long-term stability.

Abstract: A messaging system in which a core messaging infrastructure stores and manages messaging attributes, but applications external to the core infrastructure define and modify most attributes. Attribute types may be easily defined or modified, the manner in which attribute values are obtained may be easily defined or modified, and the entity types to which attributes are assigned may be easily defined or modified. The messaging system includes a plurality of messaging entities, such as messages, folders, and users, a plurality of attributes associated with the messaging entities, and a plurality of applications. Each application is operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes. An application selection device is operable to examine at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes and to select an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: The present invention provides an architecture that advantageously leverages multiple content distribution networks to provide enhanced services. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a share of content requests are served by each of a plurality of content distribution networks. The fraction of content requests served by a particular content distribution network can be determined dynamically, depending on the offered load or other traffic characteristics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide for the automatic aggregation of network management information in spatial, temporal and functional forms. Management information relating to a network is automatically aggregated by computational means in the form of a attribute name-value pair which is stored in an Aggregation Managed Object (AMO). The aggregation of network management information in the form of an AMO supports the spatial, temporal and functional aggregations. The AMOs themselves are stored in a database of a special management agent, the Management Aggregation and Visualization Server (MAVS) which allows network managers to access and set network information to and from the different aggregation forms.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: An analyzer system that analyzes a plurality of co-evolving time sequences to, for example, perform correlation or outlier detection on the time sequences. The plurality of co-evolving time sequences comprise a delayed time sequence and one or more known time sequences. A goal is to predict the delayed value given the available information. The plurality of time sequences have a present value and (N-1) past values, where N is the number of samples (time-ticks) of each time sequence. The analyzer system receives the plurality of co-evolving time sequences and determines a window size ("w"). The analyzer then assigns the delayed time sequence as a dependent variable and the present value of a subset of the known time sequences, and the past values of the subset of known time sequences and the delayed time sequence, as a plurality of independent variables. Past values delayed by up to "w" steps are considered.

Abstract: The present invention is a messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which provides message recipients with control over the delivery of message and charges the cost of a message to the sender of the message. A message is received at a messaging server from a sender system, the message including an indication of a recipient system. A notification message is transmitted to the recipient system, allowing the message recipient to determine whether they desire the message to be delivered. If so, an activation message is received from the recipient system and the message is transmitted to the recipient system. A charge for the message is assessed to the sender of the message. The message is stored in the messaging server until the activation message is received. At least a portion of the assessed charge may be credited or debited to the recipient of the message.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided that supports continuous media for conventional networked workstations and PC's. Described are user-level mechanisms and policies designed to give good, efficient multimedia service under the mild assumption that the operating system provides a preemptive real-time scheduling class that can be used to give CPU cycles to the multimedia processes in preference to other processes that are not time sensitive. There are no modifications to the operating system kernel and isochronous networks are not required. It suffices for an application to state that it wants to play a particular stream of a type known to the server (e.g. a file containing MPEG-1 video 320.times.240 pixels, 8-bit color, 30 frames per second), or for the application to specify a frame rate and an index describing the offset of each frame in a file.

Abstract: A distributed database management computer system includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of database pages. When a first node in the computer system updates a first database page, the first node generates a log record. The first node determines whether it manages the first database page. If the first node determines that it manages the first database page, the first node writes the log record to a log storage local to the first node. However, if the first node determines that it does not manage the first database page, the first node then determines whether it includes a local log storage. If the first node includes a local log storage, the first node writes the log record to the local log storage, even if the first node does not manage the first database page. If the first node does not include a local log storage, the first node sends the log record to a second node managing the first database page.

Abstract: A multimedia on-demand server including a randomly accessible library of multimedia programs (such as movies stored on magnetic or optical disks), a limited amount of RAM to buffer and store selected portions of programs retrieved from the library, and an interface that switchably routes program material from the library and RAM buffers to an audience of viewers. The server employs a restricted retrieval strategy and a novel storage allocation scheme that enable different portions of one or more programs to be continuously retrieved and selectively routed to a large number of on-demand viewers, while at the same time minimizing the amount of the RAM required to effect this service. The on-demand server also responds to viewer-generated commands to control the viewing of a program. In a particular embodiment, these commands include video tape player-like operations such as fast-forward, rewind and pause.

Abstract: A method for making data objects having hidden pointers persistent is disclosed. A pre-existing process for creating data objects is modified so as to selectively inhibit both the allocation of memory space for the data object and the initialization of data within the data object. A data object with hidden pointers created by a previous program invocation is retrieved into memory by a subsequent program invocation. The modified object creation process is then advantageously applied to the data object. As a result, the hidden pointers within the data object are initialized without allocating new memory or disturbing the data within the data object. Where the object creation process includes the execution of a user supplied initialization function, the initialization function is modified so as to inhibit the initialization of data within the data object. A global flag is set by the object creation process and tested within the initialization function.