Abstract: Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated.

Abstract: Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated.

Abstract: Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated.

Abstract: A distributed computing environment for executing applications in a degraded state during constrained resource availability.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for blocking specific television commercials from the viewer's television based upon the characteristics of the television commercial. In the method, characteristics from a first signal containing a television commercial received at a television are determined. The characteristics may include video and/or audio characteristics, and the characteristics may define a signature. Characteristics from a second signal, also containing the television commercial, are also received and are compared to the first signature. Upon recognizing the second signal, the television commercial is blocked.

Abstract: Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated.

Abstract: The “Grid Security Monitor” tracks the security status of resources in a grid computer system. When a client submits a job to the grid scheduler, the Grid Security Monitor creates a security contract. The security contract comprises all the security credentials needed to access the resource executing the job, as well as privacy and security requirements. The Grid Security Monitor compares the security status of the resource to the requirements of the security contract. If the security status of the resource changes or violates the security contract, then the Grid Security Monitor notifies the client. The Grid Security Monitor has a user interface that allows the client to perform a manual security validation by asking the grid management system to verify the security status of the resource.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for providing a high availability application at low cost for a wide range of solution architectures. A user runs a simplistic web-based wizard to install the high availability application. Then, a user designs the high availability application's logic for an individual process or process-group using a finite state table. Next, a standard UNIX init process spawner subsystem is extended to implement the high availability application as a property of a process. Finally, the logic from the finite state table is used to make each process or process-group highly available.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for determining a capacity of a grid environment to handle a required workload for a virtual grid job request are provided. A bid controller receives a virtual job request for processing a job within a grid environment from a client system. The bid controller determines the total required workload for the virtual job request. Then, the bid controller calculates a capacity of the grid environment to handle the total required workload, such that a bid for performing the job is enabled to be automatically generated responsive to the virtual job request based on the capacity of the grid environment to handle the total required workload.

Abstract: A system, method, and service associated with a computing grid or a virtual organization include a request for proposal (RFP) generator, where the RFP describes a data processing task. The RFP is provided to multiple resource providers via the computing grid where each of the resource providers is potentially suitable for performing the data processing task on behalf of the resource consumer. An RFP response processor receives and evaluates RFP responses generated by one or more of the resource providers. An exception processor accessible to the RFP response processor evaluates any exception in the RFP to determine if the exception disqualifies the RFP response. The exceptions may include, for example, job time limit exceptions, resource requirement exceptions, hardware/software platform requirement exceptions and others. Exception rules may be defined to guide the evaluation of the exception.

Abstract: A system, method, and service associated with a computing grid or a virtual organization include a request for proposal (RFP) generator, where the RFP describes a data processing task. The RFP is provided to multiple resource providers via the computing grid where each of the resource providers is potentially suitable for performing the data processing task on behalf of the resource consumer. An RFP response processor receives and evaluates RFP responses generated by one or more of the resource providers. An exception processor accessible to the RFP response processor evaluates any exception in the RFP to determine if the exception disqualifies the RFP response. The exceptions may include, for example, job time limit exceptions, resource requirement exceptions, hardware/software platform requirement exceptions and others. Exception rules may be defined to guide the evaluation of the exception.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for creating an application having identifiable critical and non-critical modules. The critical modules are those that are required in order for the application to complete a desired task while the non-critical modules are not required but implement additional functionality.

Abstract: A distributed computing environment for executing applications in a degraded state during constrained resource availability.

Abstract: The “Grid Security Monitor” tracks the security status of resources in a grid computer system. When a client submits a job to the grid scheduler, the Grid Security Monitor creates a security contract. The security contract comprises all the security credentials needed to access the resource executing the job, as well as privacy and security requirements. The Grid Security Monitor compares the security status of the resource to the requirements of the security contract. If the security status of the resource changes or violates the security contract, then the Grid Security Monitor notifies the client. The Grid Security Monitor has a user interface that allows the client to perform a manual security validation by asking the grid management system to verify the security status of the resource.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for providing a high availability application at low cost for a wide range of solution architectures. A user runs a simplistic web-based wizard to install the high availability application. Then, a user designs the high availability application's logic for an individual process or process-group using a finite state table. Next, a standard UNIX init process spawner subsystem is extended to implement the high availability application as a property of a process. Finally, the logic from the finite state table is used to make each process or process-group highly available.