Abstract: A computing services grid. The grid can include a service desk coupled to one or more computing service instances. Each service instance can conform to an interface which is common to all service instances in the grid. A routing component can be disposed in the grid. Specifically, the routing component can route individual service requests to individual ones of the service instances. An instance selection service is used to satisfy QoS characteristics associated with the requester of the service. The grid further can include a service instance monitoring component. The monitoring component can monitor the performance of individual service instances charged with processing individual service requests. Fail-over logic can be configured to re-route service requests from selected service instances to others of the service instances where the monitoring component detects a fail-over condition in the selected service instances.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for provisioning software resources used with aggregated web services. The disclosed techniques enable heterogeneous identity systems to be joined in the dynamic, run-time web services integration environment. Authentication and authorization may now be performed for the aggregated service, as well as for its sub-services. SOAP (“Simple Object Access Protocol”) messages, as an example, may be used to relay identity information among distributed services, whereby credentials may be specified in the SOAP message header to accompany a service request specified in the SOAP message body.

Abstract: Providing run book and web user interface automation via and manual and automatic web-based procedures. An application engages a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI is accentuated. The application records a sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI as well as data entered within the GUI, where the sequence of selections represent a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with the web-based GUI. The application replays the sequence of selections with the web-based GUI.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving network operations by dynamically undeploying services (such as web services or other network-accessible services) in a computing network. A process is defined whereby conditions such as usage metrics for incoming client requests (or other network conditions such as load balancing considerations) are monitored, and used to trigger dynamic undeployment of web services from locations in the network. The undeployment may apply to distributed locations of a service, and may also apply to an origin server from which the service was originally deployed. Service requests are dynamically routed to the destination where the service resides, in a manner which is transparent to the client.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for managing policy artifacts using a configuration management database (CMDB). Policies can be associated with a number of information technology resources, such as servers, businesses applications and the like. The solution permits automatic tagging of the policies (auto-discovery) as they enter the CMDB. For example, when a policy is added, it can be compared against a set of tagging rules. Multiple rules can match a new policy, which results in multiple tags being added for the policy. The policy specific tags can be optionally indexed for faster searching. Once indexed, the CMDB can support policy and policy tag based queries. In one embodiment, policy artifacts can be manipulated within a CMDB tool in a manner consistent with how the CMDB tool handles configuration items (CIs).

Abstract: A configuration management database (CMDB) that associates a policy with a configuration item (CI) in the CMDB. The policy contains an “applies to” field and a “type descriptor”. When a relationship is created between the CI and a second CI in the CMDB, the policy is associated with the second CI.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products for managing computer resources in a distributed computing system are disclosed that include registering, in a configuration management database by a discovery module in response to a modification of a resource in a resource container, the resource in association with a configuration management database identifier, the resource characterized by a resource type and a resource identification, the resource container including a manageability endpoint characterized by a manageability endpoint reference; and managing the resource by a management module in dependence upon a resource management policy and the manageability endpoint reference, the resource management policy including management actions for the resource.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving network operations by dynamically undeploying services (such as web services or other network-accessible services) in a computing network. A process is defined whereby conditions such as usage metrics for incoming client requests (or other network conditions such as load balancing considerations) are monitored, and used to trigger dynamic undeployment of web services from locations in the network. The undeployment may apply to distributed locations of a service, and may also apply to an origin server from which the service was originally deployed. Service requests are dynamically routed to the destination where the service resides, in a manner which is transparent to the client.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and a method of doing business are disclosed for autonomically provisioning network-accessible services in a decentralized network having a federated grid infrastructure. Autonomic, grid, and web services-related technologies, standards, and concepts are leveraged. More particularly, web service behaviors (augmented as grid services, according to preferred embodiments) are autonomically provisioned (i.e., dynamically distributed) via a grid of hosting services. In preferred embodiments, this dynamic distribution occurs in response to (and as a function of) external catalysts, such as algorithms that monitor designated resources (e.g., to proactively determine when the commitments in a utility service provider's service level agreements are in jeopardy).

Abstract: A system and method for selectively handling requests for dynamic data processing. In the system and method, requests for dynamic data processing can be received in an origin server, but the dynamic data processing can be deferred to an edge server in those circumstances where it is dynamically determined that the edge server is capable of performing such dynamic data processing. In this way, network transmission latencies can be avoided by performing dynamic data processing in those edge servers closest to the requesting user.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for management of application programs on a network including a server supporting client stations are provided. The server provides applications on-demand to a user logging in to a client supported by the server. Mobility is provided to the user and hardware portability is provided by establishing a user desktop interface responsive to a login request which presents to the user a desktop screen through a web browser interface which accesses and downloads selected application programs from the server responsive to a request from the user on the user desktop screen at the client. The application program is then provided from the server and executed at the client. The application program may further be customized to conform to the user's preferences and may also provide for license use management by determining license availability before initiating execution of the application program.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Management of configurable applications programs on a network is provided by using two program files for each configurable application program. The two program files are provided to a network server station which operates as the on-demand server for software deployment and may also act as the application server. The on-demand server makes the first (configuration manager) program available to an administrator to obtain preferences for the configurable preferences of the application program which have been designated as administrator preferences. The on-demand server also provides a second (application launcher) program to its client stations. The application launcher program not only provides for a user interface to execute the application program itself but also allows a user to specify one or more of the configurable parameters of the application program. An icon is displayed on the screen of the client station through which a user may initiate execution of the application program.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and a method of doing business are disclosed for autonomically provisioning network-accessible services in a decentralized network having a federated grid infrastructure. Autonomic, grid, and web services-related technologies, standards, and concepts are leveraged. More particularly, web service behaviors (augmented as grid services, according to preferred embodiments) are autonomically provisioned (i.e., dynamically distributed) via a grid of hosting services. In preferred embodiments, this dynamic distribution occurs in response to (and as a function of) external catalysts, such as algorithms that monitor designated resources (e.g., to proactively determine when the commitments in a utility service provider's service level agreements are in jeopardy).

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for using Java Server Pages to enable transcoding the content of a document requested by a client, in order to tailor the output document according to application-specific characteristics. In particular, the present invention enables the JSP author to override input source request characteristics and to specify transcoding hints to be used by a transcoding filter for selecting an appropriate style sheet.

Abstract: A computing services grid. The grid can include a service desk coupled to one or more computing service instances. Each service instance can conform to an interface which is common to all service instances in the grid. A routing component can be disposed in the grid. Specifically, the routing component can route individual service requests to individual ones of the service instances. An instance selection service is used to satisfy QoS characteristics associated with the requester of the service. The grid further can include a service instance monitoring component. The monitoring component can monitor the performance of individual service instances charged with processing individual service requests. Fail-over logic can be configured to re-route service requests from selected service instances to others of the service instances where the monitoring component detects a fail-over condition in the selected service instances.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamically modifying an application program's behavior in response to changing environmental conditions (such as network changes, system changes, and so forth). The application may solicit such information, and/or may receive unsolicited environmental change notifications. In response to a change notification, the application may take one or more of the following approaches to adapt to the changing conditions: (1) alter its execution; (2) modify its use of, or control of, other cooperating application; and (3) modify the selection of application execution threads. (An application might also decide to make no changes in its behavior.