Abstract: A dedicated processor for efficient processing of documents encoded in a markup language, such as XML. The dedicated processor is capable of performing traditional parsing, transformation and manipulation processes on the document. The special purpose processor frees a general purpose processor to perform other tasks, resulting in an increase in system performance. In one embodiment, the dedicated processor includes a general purpose processor and suitable software which is provided in addition to the general purpose processor which has been traditionally used for processing. In such an embodiment, the dedicated processor may be implemented in a multi-processor system. In another embodiment, the dedicated processor is implemented in special purpose hardware, e.g. as an integrated circuit embodied in silicon in one or more chips. In either embodiment, the dedicated processor may be provided to offload processing locally or remotely.

Abstract: A value-based caching system and method. A value based cache method can include partitioning a cache into different value-based partitions. Data to be stored in the cache can be valued and the valued data can be cached in individual ones of the value-based partitions. Subsequently, cache entries can be evicted from the value-based partitions. Finally, the caching and evicting can be managed according to the valuing step. In this regard, the cache and eviction management step can ensure greater cache responsiveness for data having a greater value relative to other valued data.

Abstract: A dedicated processor for efficient processing of documents encoded in a markup language, such as XML. The dedicated processor is capable of performing traditional parsing, transformation and manipulation processes on the document. The special purpose processor frees a general purpose processor to perform other tasks, resulting in an increase in system performance. In one embodiment, the dedicated processor includes a general purpose processor and suitable software which is provided in addition to the general purpose processor which has been traditionally used for processing. In such an embodiment, the dedicated processor may be implemented in a multi-processor system. In another embodiment, the dedicated processor is implemented in special purpose hardware, e.g. as an integrated circuit embodied in silicon in one or more chips. In either embodiment, the dedicated processor may be provided to offload processing locally or remotely.

Abstract: A problem determination method, system and program product are provided. Specifically, the present invention identifies problems with software programs by inserting compiled problem determination probes into program classes while the computer system on which the program is loaded is running. Once the probes have been inserted, the classes will be run and trace data will be generated. The trace data can be retrieved and analyzed to identify and address the problem. When the probes are no longer needed, they can be removed while the computer system continues to run.

Abstract: A value-based caching system and method. A value based cache method can include partitioning a cache into different value-based partitions. Data to be stored in the cache can be valued and the valued data can be cached in individual ones of the value-based partitions. Subsequently, cache entries can be evicted from the value-based partitions. Finally, the caching and evicting can be managed according to the valuing step. In this regard, the cache and eviction management step can ensure greater cache responsiveness for data having a greater value relative to other valued data.

Abstract: A computing services grid. The grid can include a service desk coupled to one or more computing service instances. Each service instance can conform to an interface which is common to all service instances in the grid. A routing component can be disposed in the grid. Specifically, the routing component can route individual service requests to individual ones of the service instances. An instance selection service is used to satisfy QoS characteristics associated with the requester of the service. The grid further can include a service instance monitoring component. The monitoring component can monitor the performance of individual service instances charged with processing individual service requests. Fail-over logic can be configured to re-route service requests from selected service instances to others of the service instances where the monitoring component detects a fail-over condition in the selected service instances.

Abstract: A data re-direction method can include receiving a data re-direction request from an application server; identifying from the data re-direction request at least one data re-direction primitive, the primitive including at least one data element selected from the group consisting of a client identity and a client type; retrieving personalized data according to subsequent client data requests associated with the at least one data re-direction primitive; and, forwarding the retrieved personalized data directly to a POC corresponding to the client data requests without first passing the retrieved personalized data through the application server.

Abstract: An application server running an SNA application includes a TN3270 server. Performance of the application server is enhanced by relocating away from the application server the conversion of data between ASCII and EBCDIC, as well as command scanning and packaging. The relocating can take the form of, for example, a browser plug-in at the client or elsewhere. In addition, the client is able to carry on communications with the application server over a standard port by logically situating a communication server between the client and the application server. The client communicates with the communication server over the standard port, while the communication server forwards the communications to the application server over a non-standard port.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving data transfer in complex computing environments. Internal routing enhancements are defined, which enable traffic of virtual servers to be processed more efficiently, thereby improving overall data transfer rates. Instead of performing routing operations in the Internet Protocol (“IP”) layer of a networking stack, a “mini-routing” table is created programmatically and is used to perform routing at the Data Link Control (“DLC”) layer. This technique avoids bottlenecks in the IP layer and speeds the data transfer process.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamically modifying an application program's behavior in response to changing environmental conditions (such as network changes, system changes, and so forth). The application may solicit such information, and/or may receive unsolicited environmental change notifications. In response to a change notification, the application may take one or more of the following approaches to adapt to the changing conditions: (1) alter its execution; (2) modify its use of, or control of, other cooperating application; and (3) modify the selection of application execution threads. (An application might also decide to make no changes in its behavior.

Abstract: Management of datastream construction prior to transmission of the datastream across a channel of a communications system by providing for data blocking while reducing movement or copying of the data improves the performance in a communications system. Multiple header segments received from a higher layer in the communications stack are copied into the datastream header area of a datastream such that the header segments are sequentially stored in the datastream header area. A datastream buffer list having entries referencing the datastream header area is generated. Buffer list entries referencing data segments received from higher layers in the communications stack are also stored in the datastream buffer list. The data segments are not physically moved or copied into the datastream during processing by the communications stack. Rather, a "virtual" datastream is generated by the communications stack for transmission without physically moving or copying the data segment.

Abstract: Management of the processing of relatively large data objects in a communications stack having multiple layers improves the performance in a communications system in preparing relatively large data objects for transmission across a communications network. This reduces or eliminates data movement and copying during segmentation of the relatively large data objects into relatively small data objects, and appendage of headers to the relatively small data object segments during processing in the communications stack. A shared storage manager creates and controls multiple tokens representing multiple images of portions of the relatively large data objects to enable separate scheduling of the multiple images from the same storage unit or buffer to be passed from one layer in a communications stack to the next lower layer in the communications stack. The large data object is segmented into a plurality of relatively small data object segments at one or more of the layers in the communications stack.

Abstract: Transmission control improves the performance in a communications system relating to transferring large data objects between domains or applications. This reduces or eliminates data movement between domains by transferring ownership of the "container" containing the data as opposed to moving the contents of the container from one domain to another domain resulting in copying the large data object. Thus, transmission control provides for control of the transmission of relatively large data objects between domains in a communications system which otherwise only allows efficient transmission of relatively small data objects between domains in a communications system. Tokens are assigned and associated with buffers containing the data to be shared. The token is not an address, but rather an identifier for the buffer which can be transferred from one domain to a second domain without requiring the copying of the data.

Abstract: Effective memory management maximizes the use of main memory in a computing system by avoiding the issuance of operating system primitives which result in overhead and increased processing time. This allows an applications program to change the state of a storage unit such as a buffer or page without requiring the issuance of an operating system primitive to change the physical state of the storage unit. A storage manager is provided for controlling the movement of data between storage units in secondary storage and storage units in main memory. A storage unit state indicator or flag is associated with each storage unit in main memory. In addition, a system state indicator for indicating the physical state of a storage unit is also associated with each storage unit. The system state indicator may be set to one of the states of fixed or pageable while the storage unit state indicator may be set to one of the states of fixed, pageable or don't care.

Abstract: Data transfer from an application at a node of a network to a queue for a data channel is disabled when the amount of queued data in the queue is greater than a first limit and enabled when the amount of queued data in the queue is less than a second limit. The first queue limit preferably is increased when data transfer is disabled and the amount of queued data in the queue is less than the buffer storage capacity and decreased when data transfer is enabled and the data flow rate of the data channel is decreased. The second queue limit preferably is increased when data transfer is enabled and the amount of queued data in the queue is less than a predetermined data channel starvation threshold and decreased if, after data transfer from the application to the queue becomes enabled and an amount of queued data the same as the second queue limit has been communicated from the queue to the data channel, the amount of queued data in the queue is greater than a predetermined threshold.