Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharing a resource (such as a modem or virtual private network) allow virtualizing the shared resource in a simple and efficient manner that allows both accepting and initiating virtual or physical connections through the shared resource across logical partitions or systems. An L2TP tunnel is established between the server that owns the shared resource and the client that desires to use the shared resource. Messages are defined that allow the client to initiate an outgoing connection through the shared resource, and that allow the client to accept an incoming connection received from the shared resource. Once the connection is made, the client and ultimate destination communicate through the shared resource via point-to-point communications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharing a resource (such as a modem or virtual private network) allow virtualizing the shared resource in a simple and efficient manner that allows both accepting and initiating virtual or physical connections through the shared resource across logical partitions or systems. An L2TP tunnel is established between the server that owns the shared resource and the client that desires to use the shared resource. Messages are defined that allow the client to initiate an outgoing connection through the shared resource, and that allow the client to accept an incoming connection received from the shared resource. Once the connection is made, the client and ultimate destination communicate through the shared resource via point-to-point communications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharing a resource (such as a modem or virtual private network) allow virtualizing the shared resource in a simple and efficient manner that allows both accepting and initiating virtual or physical connections through the shared resource across logical partitions or systems. An L2TP tunnel is established between the server that owns the shared resource and the client that desires to use the shared resource. Messages are defined that allow the client to initiate an outgoing connection through the shared resource, and that allow the client to accept an incoming connection received from the shared resource. Once the connection is made, the client and ultimate destination communicate through the shared resource via point-to-point communications.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for acquiring a buffer after data from a remote sender (e.g., client) has been received by a local machine (e.g., server). Because the client data has already been received when the buffer is acquired, the buffer may be sized exactly to the size of the client data. In general, the buffer may be caller supplied or system supplied.

Abstract: An apparatus and method allows processing sequenced records across multiple network connections. A “logical connection” is defined to include one or more network connections. Each message is assigned a sequence number that allows the messages to be ordered on the other end according to sequence number, regardless of which network connection in the logical connection is used to transfer the message. By defining messages, sequencing those messages, and transferring the messages over multiple network connections, the throughput and performance of networked computer systems are substantially increased.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for acquiring a buffer after data from a remote sender (e.g., client) has been received by a local machine (e.g., server). Because the client data has already been received when the buffer is acquired, the buffer may be sized exactly to the size of the client data. In general, the buffer may be caller supplied or system supplied.

Abstract: A Resource Connectivity Module (RCM) with an associated interface for network communication to/from a user terminal device provides a uniform user interface for a number of different types of management functions across diverse resources within a mail processing environment. The example uses a browser interface that offers a web interface, to provide an interactive user interface to the mail management functions via the terminal. The RCM implements one or more management control modules, e.g. for reporting and/or control functions in respective function categories. The exemplary RCM also includes one or more resource message handlers communicating with systems of the mail processing environment, e.g. in different protocols. An event handler extracts event data from message data at the message handlers for use by the management control modules and provides necessary data to the message handlers for transmissions responsive to event data from the management control modules.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to systems and methods related to licensing and licensing activation. In particular, the present subject matter relates to a system and method for managing the overall licensing and function/feature deployment process throughout an enterprise, and more particularly, to product licensing and product function or feature enablement of products in a secured manner by way of the activation of a security device. More particularly, the present approach involves allowing for the customization of a security device to accommodate product updates and/or new product functions or features to be enabled.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to systems and methods related to licensing and licensing activation. In particular, the present subject matter relates to a system and method for managing the overall licensing and function/feature deployment process throughout an enterprise. More particularly, the present approach involves providing a user with access to a licensing system and providing access to at least one attribute of the licensing data for one or more products from the licensing system.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for continuous modes for both asynchronous accepts and asynchronous receives. A single asynchronous accept is performed on a listening socket and a single asynchronous receive is performed on each connected socket. The continuous mode inputs result in queuing data structures on a pending queue. The contents of the pending data structures on the pending queue are copied to completion queues, while the pending data structures remain on the pending queue.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for handling messages in a client-server environment. In general, computers of a client-server environment are configured with sockets to facilitate network communications. A socket of at least one of the computers is configured to recognize a format of a message to be received from another computer, whereby the socket is configured to handle receiving the message without invoking the application until the message is completely received. In general, the message may be formatted with a length field or terminating characters. In one embodiment, the socket utilizes a record definition to recognize the message format.

Abstract: A feeder control system and method are disclosed. The system includes a feeder information detector, and a feeder information leverager to provide integrity verification, system control and/or reporting. The method includes the steps of detecting feeder information, and leveraging the feeder information to provide integrity verification, system control and/or reporting.

Abstract: An apparatus and method allows processing sequenced records across multiple network connections. A “logical connection” is defined to include one or more network connections. Each message is assigned a sequence number that allows the messages to be ordered on the other end according to sequence number, regardless of which network connection in the logical connection is used to transfer the message. By defining messages, sequencing those messages, and transferring the messages over multiple network connections, the throughput and performance of networked computer systems are substantially increased.

Abstract: Cached information that includes multiple network addresses is delivered in a manner that changes the order of the network addresses each time the cached information is delivered to a client, thereby achieving load balancing in a manner that reduces network traffic and improves system performance. In the preferred embodiments, the user defines a minimum time to live (TTL) and one or more order change criteria. When a query is made to a DNS, the DNS returns an answer that includes a time to live (TTL). This answer may be stored in a cache, and may include multiple network addresses. If the TTL for the answer received from a DNS is less that the minimum TTL, the TTL for the answer is set to the minimum TTL before storing the answer in the cache.

Abstract: Methods, systems and articles of manufacture are provided for making system-supplied storage available to socket server applications to be used when sending data. In one embodiment, sockets interfaces for controlling socket attributes are configured with an attribute that specifies that all storage to be used on send operations will be system-supplied. Once such system-supplied storage is used on a send operation, it is considered to be “given back” to the system. The system-supplied storage can be managed and cached on behalf of any or all server applications to reduce paging rates and storage demand.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for handling messages in a client-server environment. In general, computers of a client-server environment are configured with sockets to facilitate network communications. A socket of at least one of the computers is configured to recognize a format of a message to be received from another computer, whereby the socket is configured to handle receiving the message without invoking the application until the message is completely received. In general, the message may be formatted with a length field or terminating characters. In one embodiment, the socket utilizes a record definition to recognize the message format.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for continuous modes for both asynchronous accepts and asynchronous receives. A single asynchronous accept is performed on a listening socket and a single asynchronous receive is performed on each connected socket. The continuous mode inputs result in queuing data structures on a pending queue. The contents of the pending data structures on the pending queue are copied to completion queues, while the pending data structures remain on the pending queue.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for acquiring a buffer after data from a remote sender (e.g., client) has been received by a local machine (e.g., server). Because the client data has already been received when the buffer is acquired, the buffer may be sized exactly to the size of the client data. In general, the buffer may be caller supplied or system supplied.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a cluster communications system is provided that supports reliable and efficient cluster communications. The preferred embodiment cluster communication systems can be used to provide this reliable and efficient cluster communication for cluster configurations extending beyond a single local area network (LAN). The cluster communications system provides reliable and efficient cluster communication by facilitating multicast messaging between systems in the cluster. In particular, the preferred embodiment provides for the establishment of multicast groups in between which multicast messaging is provided. The preferred embodiment provides this multicasting while providing the needed mechanisms to assure ordered message delivery between systems. The preferred embodiment extends this efficient and reliable cluster communication by providing for additional point-to-point communication between systems not on the same LAN.