Abstract: An apparatus including a structure including a plurality of passages from an interior side of the structure towards an exterior side of the structure; and a hydrophilic wicking material, positioned on at least the interior side of the structure, forming a contact surface for placement adjacent a user's skin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for data handling in a computing environment. A data access request is generated to access data by a requesting VM. VMs of an ordered list are sequentially checked for data cache hit corresponding to the data in an order given by a ranking. The data is read from the checked VM in response to at least one data cache hit of a checked VM being found, and thereafter a ranking value of the checked VM is updated, thereby updating ranking based on the ranking value. The data is requested from the at least one storage server in response to no data cache hot being found.

Abstract: A solution for distributing software products in a data processing system is disclosed. A set of models of each software product is to be distributed (for example, of the UML type) is provided; each model includes an indication of relationships among a plurality of available logical items (representing functions provided by the software product, such as use cases) and a plurality of available distribution artifacts (used to distribute the software product). A set of logical items is then selected among the available ones. The process continues by identifying a set of distribution artifacts required to implement the selected logical items (among the available distribution artifacts); the required distribution artifacts are identified according to the corresponding relationships in the models. A software package is built including the required distribution artifacts. The software package is then distributed to a set of data processing entities of the system (i.e.

Abstract: Releasing a portion of mass memory, relocating memory blocks stored in boot locations of the target software image to the released portion, storing the boot blocks into corresponding boot locations, booting the data-processing entity from the boot blocks in the corresponding boot locations thereby loading a streaming function, and serving each request of reading a selected memory block of the target software image by the streaming function, the streaming function downloading the selected memory block from the external source and storing the selected memory block into the released portion when the selected memory block is not available in the mass memory, or retrieving the selected memory block from the mass memory otherwise.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium containing machine executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to encrypt a virtual disc; wherein the virtual disc comprises a virtual disc image; and wherein execution of the machine executable instructions cause the processor to: receive the virtual disc; increase the size of the virtual disc; write a decryption-master-boot-record and a decryption program to the virtual disc; encrypt at least a portion of the virtual disc image, wherein the decryption program comprises decryption-machine-executable-instructions for decrypting the at least partially encrypted virtual disc image in accordance with a cryptographic key.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing multiple software images in a data processing entity. At least part of the memory blocks of each of the software images is stored into a corresponding image portion of a mass memory. A current software image stored in a current image is selected. The memory blocks stored in boot locations of the current software image are relocated to a relocation portion of the mass memory. The boot blocks of the current software image are copied into the corresponding boot location. The data processing entity is booted from the boot blocks of the current software image in the corresponding boot locations and each request to access a selected memory block of the current software image by the access function is served.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for migrating a software image installed on a source data-processing entity to a target data-processing entity. The target data-processing entity is booted from a preliminary bootstrap program. The software image is mounted as a remote mass memory on the target data-processing entity. A primary bootstrap program of the software image is copied onto a local mass memory of the target data-processing entity. The target data-processing entity is re-booted from the primary bootstrap program thereby loading a streaming function, and serving each request of accessing a memory block on the target data-processing entity by the streaming function. In response to the memory block missing from the local mass storage, the streaming function downloads the memory block from the software image and stores the memory block into the local mass memory. Otherwise, the streaming function retrieves the memory block from the local mass memory otherwise.

Abstract: A solution for navigating UML diagrams (200) is proposed. For this purpose, a graphical interface is implemented for defining multiple navigation paths (NAVk) along corresponding sequences of diagrams (DIA11-DIA55). The definition of those navigation paths is stored into a dedicated file (without modifying the definition of the diagrams). A home bar for invoking the navigation paths is then added to the graphical representation of the diagrams. Once a reader has selected a specific navigation path, its first diagram (DIA11; DIA15) is retrieved and displayed. At the same time, a navigation bar for moving throughout the sequence is dynamically generated and added to the graphical representation of each diagram that is traversed.

Abstract: A solution for managing a software image being stored in a plurality of physical blocks of a storage system comprises monitoring each access to the physical blocks, calculating a predicted sequence of access to the physical blocks according to the monitored accesses, and reorganizing the physical blocks according to the predicted sequence. The monitoring may be performed as the physical blocks are accessed during the booting of virtual images on the software image.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system and method for reactivation of a software image from a source machine onto a target machine. Discovery is made of a static software application in the software image listening on a corresponding selected communication channel of the source address. Listening is performed on behalf of the static software application on the corresponding selected communication channel of the target address. An inbound message directed to the selected communication channel of the target address is redirected to the corresponding static software application on the selected communication channel of the source address.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for monitoring resources in a cloud computing environment. A set of cloud resources is provisioned to a user of the cloud-computing environment. A set of private resources is provided for the user, each private resource being provisioned within the set of cloud resources of the user. Monitoring templates are exposed, each one for a corresponding type of a private resource to the user. A user subscription is received to at least one of the monitoring templates, wherein each of the subscribed monitoring templates is for one of the user private resources. A private monitoring agent is provided within the cloud resources of the user housing the private resource of the user to monitor the private resource according to the corresponding selected monitoring template.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for debugging a software application in a data processing system that includes a server entity and client entities. For at least one of the client entities, a server component of the application running on the server entity is accessed, and a client component of the application is downloaded from the server entity. The client component is executed. Client log information relating to the execution of the client component is saved by invoking a log function provided by the client component; the client log information is saved into a non-persistent memory structure of the client component. The client log information is transmitted for use in the debugging of the application.

Abstract: A software distribution method and a corresponding system are provided, where the configuration of a target computer is monitored to detect any hardware upgrade. In response thereto, the target computer generates a list of actions for removing software products not meeting a new configuration any longer and a list of actions for installing software products now meeting the new configuration. These lists are transmitted to a central site, and they trigger the building of a corresponding delta package. The delta package is then distributed to the target computer so as to ensure that the software products installed on the target computer are always consistent with its hardware configuration.

Abstract: A self-adaptive resource management method (200) is proposed. The system is based on an authority (105) that publishes multiple rules into a corresponding repository (115). Each rule defines a desired target configuration for a category of subjects (110); each category is specified by one or more attributes that are evaluated by corresponding scanners (233-239). Whenever new rules are published, a dedicated module (120) creates and publishes further rules for selectively installing the scanners that are required for evaluating the attributes included in the categories of the new rules. These further rules are defined according to an algorithm that attempts to minimize the cost involved by the installation of the scanners.

Abstract: A method and system for optimally capturing an image on a physical or virtual environment and transferring it to a target system, by leveraging the capabilities of the operating system residing on the source system to manipulate the file system of the source storage device, and by presenting the target data storage as a local simulated disk to the source environment.

Abstract: A data processing entity that includes a mass memory with a plurality of memory locations for storing memory blocks. Each of a plurality of software images includes a plurality of memory blocks with corresponding image addresses within the software image. The memory blocks of software images stored in boot locations of a current software image are relocated. The boot blocks of the current software image are stored into the corresponding boot locations. The data processing entity is booted from the boot blocks of the current software image in the corresponding boot locations, thereby loading the access function. Each request to access a selected memory block of the current software image is served by the access function, with the access function accessing the selected memory block in the associated memory location provided by the control structure.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing multiple software images in a data processing entity. At least part of the memory blocks of each of the software images is stored into a corresponding image portion of a mass memory. A current software image stored in a current image is selected. The memory blocks stored in boot locations of the current software image are relocated to a relocation portion of the mass memory. The boot blocks of the current software image are copied into the corresponding boot location. The data processing entity is booted from the boot blocks of the current software image in the corresponding boot locations and each request to access a selected memory block of the current software image by the access function is served.

Abstract: A resource management method and a corresponding system implementing an adaptive model are proposed. The method allows an authority to define a desired target state of several kinds of resources, which are directly controlled by different subjects. The authority publishes a series of rules in a shared repository; each rule indicates the target state of a resource for a corresponding category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves the rules corresponding to its category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied by the subject directly. In this way, the subjects self-adapt to the rules, without requiring any direct interaction with the authority.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for configuring different computers of a network. Each computer plays a specific physic role (defined by an architecture of the network) and/or a specific logic role (defined by the applications running in the network). A reference model and a transition table are associated with each product to be installed in the network; the reference model specifies a target configuration for each role (defined by the components of the product to be installed), while the transition table specifies the actions required to reach each target configuration from each current configuration of the computers. A server identifies the role and the current configuration of each computer; the actions required to enforce the desired target configuration on the computer are then established and executed.

Abstract: A method for managing operating system deployment failure includes, with an operating system deployment server, running an operating system deployment process that comprises running a progressive hardware discovery process of a target machine to which an operating system is deployed, the discovery process to capture inventory information related to the target machine, monitoring the operating system deployment to detect failure in a pre-operating system environment running on the target machine for a predefined period of time, and executing a remediation action in response to generation of a failure code during the period of time, the remediation action related to a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) of the target machine.