Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for assisting a peer-to-peer connection between a first node and a second node includes receiving, at a third node, a request for connection assistance from one of the first and second nodes. The third node then connects to both the first node and the second node, receives the data from the first node and delivers the data to the second node. In this manner, data may be transferred between the first and second nodes even if the first and second nodes are unable to directly connect to each other (e.g., due to permanent or temporary limitations).

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for distributed policy evaluation. One embodiment of a method for evaluating a systems management policy, where the policy includes a condition and an action to be taken when the condition evaluates to TRUE, includes forwarding the policy, by a first autonomic manager, to a second autonomic manager and receiving at the first autonomic manager at least partial evaluation results for the condition from a third autonomic manager. The first autonomic manager, the second autonomic manager, and the third autonomic manager are arranged in a ring configuration such that the evaluating occurs in a cascading manner, and only the first autonomic manager has access to a policy storage from which the policy is retrieved.

Abstract: A logical expression of a policy is generated from another logical expression of a policy, for example, via a set of transformations, each of which comprises an input sub-expression and an output sub-expression. Any sub-expression of the input expression which matches an input sub-expression of a transformation rule is replaced with the output sub-expression of that transformation rule to form a sub-expression of the output expression.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program storage devices receive actions taken by a user during an interaction with a web resource, wherein the actions cause the web resource to assume a particular state; and save information describing the actions. Other methods, systems and program storage devices retrieve the information; and perform at least one action using the information, causing a graphical user interface to display the web resource in a state in accordance with the action. The particular state can include without limitation a plurality of states assumed sequentially when the web resource is displayed, and the information can describe a sequential series of actions that cause the web resource to assume the sequential series of states. In such variants further operations include receiving a series of commands to step through the sequential states of the web resource; and using the information to display the sequential states. The series of commands can be issued automatically or under user control.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for managing an audit of one or more network layer devices is provided. An audit management system accessible by a user via a graphical user interface acquires network layer device information of the network layer devices and a configuration file comprising configuration file commands. The audit management system allows creation and/or selection of one or more audit policies for the network layer devices. The audit policies comprise one or more audit rules that define functioning of the network layer devices for one or more compliance policies. The audit management system executes the audit policies for performing the audit of the network layer devices by comparing the configuration file commands of the configuration file with the audit rules of the audit policies, and generates a report comprising information about security and compliance of the network layer devices with the compliance policies based on the audit.

Abstract: A method, system and program storage device for browsing hyperlinked documents are provided. A method in one aspect may include enabling navigating from a document having a plurality of hyperlinks to a document associated with one of said plurality of hyperlinks; and enabling navigating directly from said document associated with one of said plurality of hyperlinks to another document associated with another one of said plurality of hyperlinks using one or more of a plurality of defined elements. System and program storage device for performing the above methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method for validating that a networked system of modules conforms to at least one interoperability rule pertinent to interoperability of at least two of the modules includes the steps of obtaining the at least one interoperability rule, the at least one rule being encoded in computer-operable format; obtaining configuration information pertinent to at least one of the modules, the configuration information being encoded in computer-operable format; and comparing the at least one interoperability rule to the configuration information to validate whether the system conforms to the at least one interoperability rule

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement session-specific URIs for allocating network resources by receiving a request from a user for at least one network resource; assigning a session-specific URI to the at least one network resource for use in identifying the at least one network resource and controlling access to the at least one network resource; updating a network directory service with the session-specific URI; and communicating the session-specific URI to the user. The user communicates the session-specific URI to other participants in the session during which the at least one network resource will be used. After a pre-determined time, the session ends and the at least one network resource is de-allocated by, for example, changing the URI of the at least one network resource. Frequent changes of URIs hinder efforts by unauthorized individuals to gain access to network resources.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for processing a search request message received over a network includes computing a threshold value in accordance with the search request message and returning at least one search result to a user in response to the search request message, if a rank of the at least one search result at least meets the threshold value.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for reducing spam in peer-to-peer networks includes forming a search message including at least one decoy word and sending the search request message, including the decoy word(s), to one or more nodes in the network. Embodiments of the present invention make it possible to weed out nodes in the network that send spam in response to every search message (e.g., regardless of the search message's content).

Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for re-establishing anonymous data transfers between a first endpoint and a second endpoint in a network includes receiving, from a first node, the identity of a second node connected to the first node, where at least the first node is a neighbor node. A third node (a neighbor node) is then selected, and instructed to connect to the second node in order to establish a link for the path. In this manner, the first endpoint and the second endpoint remain unknown at least to each other (e.g., where “unknown” means that neither endpoint knows any identifying information, such as network address, about the other endpoint), and likely to all other nodes in the path as well. In another embodiment, a failure is detected at a neighbor node, where the neighbor node is part of an original path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

Abstract: A method, system and program storage device are provided for allowing chat room participants to communicate with other participants privately without requiring general chat “friends” or “buddies” pre-authorization. All chatting dialog including private and public chats are consolidated into a unified group chat dialog window that requires no special handling by a user to see public and private chats. The private and public chat messages are displayed chronologically in a single chat message log within the chat group window.

Abstract: A web page is adaptively transcribed and rendered at a client endpoint. A request for a web page is received, and full page content of the web page is obtained from a remote web server, including assembly of previously cached parts of the web page. The web page is transcribed according to prescribed rules. The prescribed rules are selected according to user preferences, the environmental factors and information learned from prior handling of the web page. The transcribed web page is rendered.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program storage devices receive actions taken by a user during an interaction with a web resource, wherein the actions cause the web resource to assume a particular state; and save information describing the actions. Other methods, systems and program storage devices retrieve the information; and perform at least one action using the information, causing a graphical user interface to display the web resource in a state in accordance with the action. The particular state can include without limitation a plurality of states assumed sequentially when the web resource is displayed, and the information can describe a sequential series of actions that cause the web resource to assume the sequential series of states. In such variants further operations include receiving a series of commands to step through the sequential states of the web resource; and using the information to display the sequential states. The series of commands can be issued automatically or under user control.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement session-specific URIs for allocating network resources by receiving a request from a user for at least one network resource; assigning a session-specific URI to the at least one network resource for use in identifying the at least one network resource and controlling access to the at least one network resource; updating a network directory service with the session-specific URI; and communicating the session-specific URI to the user. The user communicates the session-specific URI to other participants in the session during which the at least one network resource will be used. After a pre-determined time, the session ends and the at least one network resource is de-allocated by, for example, changing the URI of the at least one network resource. Frequent changes of URIs hinder efforts by unauthorized individuals to gain access to network resources.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer products for profile-based identity verification over the Internet. Exemplary embodiments include a system including an activity classifier configured to receive Internet activity input including email, chat, browser and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) logs/streams, an email profiler, a chat, a browser profiler, a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) logs/streams profiler, wherein the profilers are configured to extract values from the Internet Activity input attributes from the data set, a score calculator configured to receive the attributes and calculate the score of the data set, a categorization engine configured to receive the score from the score calculator and map the data set to an individual or class of individuals based on the value of the score and on a database of activity-specific attributes and an application configured to place weights on the activity specific and generic attributes to define a score function from the score.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for reducing spam in peer-to-peer networks includes forming a search message including at least one decoy word and sending the search request message, including the decoy word(s), to one or more nodes in the network. Embodiments of the present invention make it possible to weed out nodes in the network that send spam in response to every search message (e.g., regardless of the search message's content).

Abstract: A method for dynamically re-calculating and presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes interface icons based on user context, includes, for a current user, determining a change in user context associated with the GUI. The method then modifies one of a state, appearance and spatial placement of the user interface icons within the GUI automatically, in accordance with a determined change in user context. The step of determining a change in user context may further include analyzing a set of contextual attributes associated with the user.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for dynamically calculating and presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) within the display device in a computing system including a display device and an input device. The method includes creating a shared icon space within the GUI, automatically populating the shared icon space with GUI icons including stacking and clustering the GUI icons in the shared icon space based on current context, and potential user needs in view of the current user context and modifying the shared icon space in response to a detected change in current context.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for processing a search request message received over a network includes computing a threshold value in accordance with the search request message and returning at least one search result to a user in response to the search request message, if a rank of the at least one search result at least meets the threshold value.