Abstract: A tool for managing device driver aggregation during operating system deployment. The tool receives, by a first computer processor, a request for a device bundle, the request including a unique identifier. The tool determines, by the first computer processor, whether an available driver bundle matches the requested device bundle based, at least in part, on the unique identifier. Responsive to determining an available driver bundle does not match a requested device bundle, the tool creates, by the first computer processor, an associated driver bundle for the requested device bundle.

Abstract: A tool for managing device driver aggregation during operating system deployment. The tool receives, by a first computer processor, a request for a device bundle, the request including a unique identifier. The tool determines, by the first computer processor, whether an available driver bundle matches the requested device bundle based, at least in part, on the unique identifier. Responsive to determining an available driver bundle does not match a requested device bundle, the tool creates, by the first computer processor, an associated driver bundle for the requested device bundle.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively.

Abstract: A method is presented for monitoring software product usage in a data processing system. The method may include installing an instance of a software product on a target entity of a data processing system. A usage condition applicable to the instance may be identified. Reconciliation information may be generated upon installation of the instance. This reconciliation information may correlate the usage condition with the instance to facilitate later determining compliance of the software product with applicable usage conditions.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for analyzing a test of a software program comprising a plurality of software components, the test comprising a plurality of test cases each one for exercising a set of corresponding exercised software components. A corresponding method comprises the steps of receiving an indication of each failed test case whose current execution has failed, retrieving a suspicion attribute of each failed test case indicative of a change to the corresponding exercised software components since a previous execution of the failed test case, retrieving a change attribute of each failed test case indicative of a change to the failed test case since the previous execution thereof, retrieving a regression attribute of each failed test case indicative of a regression of the failed test case since the previous execution thereof, and classifying each failed test case into a plurality of disjoint classes according to the corresponding suspicion attribute, change attribute and regression attribute.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for managing each one of a plurality of computing machines. A corresponding method comprises taking one or more snapshots of the computing machine or part thereof, the snapshots being organized in a snapshot tree of nodes representing the snapshots according to a dependency thereof, expanding the snapshot tree of the computing machine according to each sub-tree of the snapshot tree of each other computing machine having the snapshot of a parent node of the sub-tree matching a graft node of the snapshot tree of the computing machine, the sub-tree being appended to the graft node, selecting a snapshot of the other computing machines represented by a selected node of the snapshot tree of the computing machine, and restoring the selected snapshot on the computing machine.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for analyzing a test of a software program comprising a plurality of software components, the test comprising a plurality of test cases each one for exercising a set of corresponding exercised software components. A corresponding method comprises the steps of receiving an indication of each failed test case whose current execution has failed, retrieving a suspicion attribute of each failed test case indicative of a change to the corresponding exercised software components since a previous execution of the failed test case, retrieving a change attribute of each failed test case indicative of a change to the failed test case since the previous execution thereof, retrieving a regression attribute of each failed test case indicative of a regression of the failed test case since the previous execution thereof, and classifying each failed test case into a plurality of disjoint classes according to the corresponding suspicion attribute, change attribute and regression attribute.

Abstract: A method of dynamically composing or updating electronic contact lists, such as mailing lists, on the basis of proximity to a particular point or user. By means of this method a user can be offered the option of addressing a method to all “nearby” users. Proximity may be determined with reference to network hardware or other resources associated with each user, for example, LAN segments or wireless access points.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating customized program logic operable to control hardware devices of a target system and to boot said target system. The method includes determining the hardware devices operatively connected with the target system; sending a first list of identifiers of the determined hardware devices to a server system; receiving the first list of device identifiers; automatically selecting at least one driver operable to control the identified device, thereby generating a sub-set of said set of drivers; and complementing a core program logic with said driver sub-set to generate the customized program logic.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating customized program logic operable to control hardware devices of a target system and to boot said target system. The system is connected to one or more target systems via a network, the server system being adapted for: receiving a first list of device identifiers from one of the target systems; automatically selecting, for each of the device identifiers in the received first list, at least one driver operable to control the identified device from a set of drivers, thereby generating a sub-set of said set of drivers; providing a core program logic to the target system; and providing the sub-set of drivers to the target system, wherein a combination of the sub-set of drivers and the core program logic constitutes a customized program logic operable to control the devices of said target system.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for minimizing network resource overhead consumption by reports from one or more agents distributed in an electronic data network of nodes having a hierarchical reporting structure. Reports are received from other nodes in an electronic network of nodes or one or more agents further from a network root node in the electronic network of nodes. The reports are submitted to another node closer to the network root node in response to another node existing between the node and the network root node. The reports are submitted to the network root node in response to no other node existing between the node and the network root node. The node is adapted to only report variations in the expected report flow associated with the received reports.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for metering the usage of Java programs. For this purpose, each Java program to be metered is associated with a fingerprint defined by a reference sequence of classes that must be loaded for its execution. The sequence of classes that are actually loaded by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is monitored, for example, by means of a wrapper for a class loader of the JVM. The sequence of loaded classes is then used to identify the Java program in execution (which fingerprint matches this sequence of loaded classes).

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for minimizing network resource overhead consumption by reports from one or more agents distributed in an electronic data network of nodes having a hierarchical reporting structure. Reports are received from other nodes in an electronic network of nodes or one or more agents further from a network root node in the electronic network of nodes. The reports are submitted to another node closer to the network root node in response to another node existing between the node and the network root node. The reports are submitted to the network root node in response to no other node existing between the node and the network root node. The node is adapted to only report variations in the expected report flow associated with the received reports.

Abstract: Monitoring road surface conditions using a mobile computer unit carried by a vehicle operating on a road network and adapted to detect information about the road surface conditions. The detection may be done by means of bump sensors which may also provide information on the size and the depth of the bump according to a detected shock with respect to the vehicle speed. Such information may then be transmitted to a central controller server. The central server may use the collected information for several purposes, such as help in planning maintenance of the road network; forwarded to users and vehicles for journey planning purposes; and to deviate traffic in case of extreme surface damage.

Abstract: A method of managing a shared electronic mail account co-owned by at least two owners includes intercepting electronic mail account configuration settings received from the at least two owners; combining the intercepted electronic mail account configuration settings based on a shared electronic mail account profile so as to generate shared e-mail account configuration settings; and applying the shared e-mail account configuration settings so as to affect the operation of the shared electronic mail account.

Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for protecting a document from access by one or more users based on one or more document access rules. In one embodiment, the method includes creating a data set representing the one or more document access rules, storing the document and the associated data set, determining and storing a key for opening the document when one or more document access rules from the data set are met, and releasing the key to open the document to one or more users in response to a request from a user which meets one or more document access rules, thereby enabling the user to access the document.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing system management agent configurations which include agent system management programs and program parameters in a distributed environment. A configuration management server sends upon request from the agents installed on the distributed system a description of their configuration. To this effect, the configuration management server maintains a database storing the agent configuration information, this database being usually updated by a system management administrator. The agents get from the server the list of peer distributed systems having the same agent configuration and their configuration from one distributed system of the list or obtain an agent configuration directly from the configuration management server if the peer distributed systems have modified their configuration. The agents advise the system management server when a new configuration has been installed.