Abstract: A method of managing configuration changes in a data processing system, particularly a network wherein software products (250) must be distributed to client workstations. The method provides the definition of reference models (220e-220d) arranged in a tree (215); each reference model includes configuration elements (such as software products and/or hardware features and their desired target status) for the corresponding client workstations (subscribers). A target configuration (230) of the client workstations associated with each reference model is determined by inheriting the configuration elements of the parent reference models. A list of actions (245) to be carried out on each client workstation for reaching the corresponding target configuration is determined by comparing the target configuration with a current configuration of the client workstation stored in a corresponding inventory (245).

Abstract: A method for deploying an operating system onto a client system includes, with the client system, receiving a bootloader image from an external device in response to a request for the bootloader image and installing the bootloader. The installed bootloader is configured to provide a streaming function from the client system to both a client repository of the client system and a remote data repository and selectively redirect requests for a block of data to one of: the client repository and the remote data repository. The method further includes, with the client system, during operation of a function of the operating system, making a request for a data block of the operating system, the data block including the function, and receiving the data block from one of: the client repository and the remote repository based on availability information.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for implementing an adaptive model. The mechanism 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 logic or physic category of the subjects. Each subject retrieves the rules corresponding to its logic category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied by the subject; as a result, the physic category of the subject is updated. The subject now retrieves and applies the rules corresponding to its physic category. In this way, different dependency schemes may be implemented without any explicit definition in the rules.

Abstract: A solution is proposed for reducing the response time of a long query submitted by a client (110) to a server (105)—storing a corresponding database (205). For this purpose, when the server receives the query from the client it starts collecting the result of the query into a table (210), wherein the corresponding selected records are directly accessible at page level (to the contrary of the database). As soon as a first page (Pg1) of the selected records is available in the table, the page is transmitted to the client for its display. Meanwhile, in a completely asynchronous manner, the server continues populating the table. Later on, the user of the client submits a browsing command to the server for moving to a different page (Pgk). In response thereto, the server extracts this page from the table (as soon as available) and returns it to the client directly.

Abstract: A self-adaptive resource management method and a corresponding system. An authority publishes multiple rules into a corresponding repository. Each rule defines a desired target configuration for a category of subjects. Some rules are also associated with a corresponding stage in a predefined flow of application of the rules. A supervisor publishes the value of a current stage into a workflow repository. Each subject retrieves and applies the rules for its category and corresponding to the current stage. Information about the compliance of the subjects with the corresponding rules is published in a membership data repository. The supervisor detects the completion of the current stage when the subjects are compliant with the corresponding rules, and updates the value of the current stage to start a further stage.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optically transparent electrode configured to provide transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to a user contacting a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said optically transparent electrode.

Abstract: In an autonomic management method for self-configuring a subject entity in a data processing system, the subject entity retrieves, from a set of rules published by an authority entity, one or more rules corresponding at least one category of the subject entity. Each rule defines a desired state for a category, and at least one retrieved rule includes at least one formal parameter defining a correlation with at least one further category. For each retrieved rule, the subject entity resolves each formal parameter included in the retrieved rule by associating each further category specified in the formal parameter with at least one further subject entity belonging to the further category. The subject entity also applies the retrieved rule to configure the subject entity according to the desired state specified in the retrieved rule.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a cost associated with a test scenario, which test scenario comprises one or more branches making up a use case, the method comprising the steps of: determining a first parameter based on the complexity of the use case; determining a second parameter which indicates the criticality of the use case; determining a third parameter which indicates an execution cost of each action and decision point of the use case; determining a fourth parameter which indicates the priority of each branch of the use case; determining a fifth parameter which indicates the classification of each test parameter for each branch of the use case; determining a cost associated with the test scenario, based on a predetermined calculation using two or more of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth parameters.

Abstract: A self-adaptive resource management method (200) is proposed. The method 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 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 software distribution method (300b) and a corresponding system are proposed. In a software distribution application, packages including instructions specifying the actions to be carried out on each target computer for installing or removing selected software products are prepared in a central site; typically, the actions are conditioned to a hardware configuration of the target computer. Each package is transmitted to the target computer, and the corresponding instructions are interpreted so as to enforce the desired software products meeting the current configuration of the target computer. In the solution of the invention, the configuration of the target computer is monitored to detect (337) any hardware upgrade. In response thereto, the target computer generates (339-351) a list of actions for removing software products not meeting the new configuration any longer and a list of action for installing software products now meeting the new configuration.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) 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 (460) 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 (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject directly. In this way, the subjects self-adapt to the rules, without requiring any direct interaction with the authority.

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 method (300;600) and system for monitoring distributed applications (for example, running on multiple WAS nodes of a cluster) is proposed. The solution of the invention is based on a self-adaptive resource management infrastructure. Particularly, an authority publishes (306-312) a plurality of rules, each one defining a desired target configuration for a category of subjects. A membership controller on each subject is responsible to assign (315-333) the subject to the respective category; a compliance engine then retrieves and applies (336-351) the rules corresponding to the category of the subject. The resource management infrastructure is used to implement a monitoring on-demand of the distributed application. For this purpose, two rules are defined (603-606) for the WAS nodes having the distributed application in a running condition and in a non-running condition, respectively.

Abstract: A software distribution method and system are provided. In a software distribution application, packages including instructions specifying the actions to be carried out on each target computer for installing or removing selected software products are prepared in a central site. Each package is transmitted to the target computer, and the corresponding instructions are interpreted so as to enforce the desired software products meeting the current configuration of the target computer. The configuration of the 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 the new configuration any longer and a list of action for installing software products now meeting the new configuration. These lists are transmitted to the central site, and they trigger the building of a delta package. The delta package is then distributed to the target computer.

Abstract: A resource management method (400c) 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 (460) 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 (444-456;462-468) the rules corresponding to its category from the shared repository. The rules are then applied (458;469) by the subject directly. In this way, the subjects self-adapt to the rules, without requiring any direct interaction with the authority.

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 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: 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 of managing configuration changes in a data processing system, particularly a network wherein software products (250) must be distributed to client workstations. The method provides the definition of reference models (220e-220d) arranged in a tree (215); each reference model includes configuration elements (such as software products and/or hardware features and their desired target status) for the corresponding client workstations (subscribers). A target configuration (230) of the client workstations associated with each reference model is determined by inheriting the configuration elements of the parent reference models. A list of actions (245) to be carried out on each client workstation for reaching the corresponding target configuration is determined by comparing the target configuration with a current configuration of the client workstation stored in a corresponding inventory (245).