Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus for simultaneous online access of volume-managed data storage. A portion of a storage media to be mirrored is identified. An independent disk-mirror split-off process on the identified portion of the storage media to be mirrored is performed to produce a data mirror that is capable of being independently accessed.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for linking to a file in an operating system. In one aspect, the method includes defining a virtual variable; creating a variable symbolic link referencing a file using the virtual variable; referencing the file by the virtual variable; and expanding the virtual variable to identify the referenced file. In another aspect, the apparatus includes a computer-readable, program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method in accordance with the invention. In yet another aspect, the apparatus includes a computer programmed to perform a method in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting digital data representations, such as network addresses of different computer networks. Input data, which in one embodiment includes a hexadecimal network address, contains a plurality of bytes, with each byte having a plurality of digits arranged in positions. A first set of digits from the bytes is selected having a first digit position. The digits in the first set are shifted to a second digit position to generate a first resultant. A second set of digits is selected having a third digit position. The digits in the second set are shifted to a fourth digit position to generate a second resultant. The first and second resultants are summed to generate a converted output network address.