Abstract: A method and system and calibration technique for power measurement and management over multiple time frames provides responsive power control while meeting global system power consumption and power dissipation limits. Power output of one or more system power supplies is measured and processed to produce power values over multiple differing time frames. The measurements from the differing time frames are used to determine whether or not system power consumption should be adjusted and then one or more devices is power-managed in response to the determination. The determination may compare a set of maximum and/or minimum thresholds to each of the measurements from the differing time frames. A calibration technique uses a precision reference resistor and voltage reference controlled current source to introduce a voltage drop from the input side of a power supply sense resistor calibration is made at the common mode voltage of the power supply output.

Abstract: A calibration technique provides for precision calibration of system power measurement. The calibration technique uses a precision reference resistor and voltage reference controlled current source to introduce a voltage drop from the input side of a power supply sense resistor. Calibration measurements are thereby made for voltages substantially equal to the voltage of the power supply output, so that differential measurements are made at substantially the same common-mode voltage by appropriate selection of the relationship of the resistance of the precision reference resistor and the resistance of the sense resistor, where the common-mode voltage of the measurement is substantially equal to the power supply output voltage.

Abstract: A method and system and calibration technique for power measurement and management over multiple time frames provides responsive power control while meeting global system power consumption and power dissipation limits. Power output of one or more system power supplies is measured and processed to produce power values over multiple differing time frames. The measurements from the differing time frames are used to determine whether or not system power consumption should be adjusted and then one or more devices is power-managed in response to the determination. The determination may compare a set of maximum and/or minimum thresholds to each of the measurements from the differing time frames. A calibration technique uses a precision reference resistor and voltage reference controlled current source to introduce a voltage drop from the input side of a power supply sense resistor calibration is made at the common mode voltage of the power supply output.

Abstract: A network includes a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates couples a network resource such as a computer or a network attached device to the network and includes an RFID circuit to detect proximate devices having an RFID tag. The proximate devices can be network attached devices or non network attached devices such as desks, phones, and artwork. Logic is included within each wall plate which includes wall plate physical location information. The logic is designed to respond to a broadcast signal. In so doing, the physical location of any resource can be determined. The physical location of all known resources are provided to an inventory application in the network, thereby allowing network administrators and users to remotely determine the physical location (room, floor, building, etc.) of any and all known resources attached to the network. Likewise, local computer users are able to identify the network resources located in their vicinity.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for remotely recovering a client computer system's primary password. The primary password be correctly entered prior to the client computer system becoming fully accessible to a user. The client computer system is coupled to a server computer system utilizing a network. Prior to the client computer system completing a boot process, a user is prompted to enter the primary password. An interrogative password method is provided in response to an incorrect entry of the primary password. The primary password is recoverable in response to a successful execution of the interrogative password method. The primary password is recoverable from the server computer system by the client computer system prior to said client computer system completing said boot process utilizing the interrogative password method.

Abstract: A system and method for determining an active service processor from two or more redundant service processors in the system. The system typically includes two management modules and at least one managed subsystem such as a server blade. Each management module includes a service processor and control logic. The control logic is configured to receive various status signals from the service processor and to generate a control signal based thereon. The control signal is provided, via an interconnect plane, to determination logic on each managed subsystem. The determination logic receives a control signal from each management module and generates a switch signal based on the state of the control signals. The switch signal controls switching logic configured to receive bus signals from the service processors on each management module. Based on the control signal, one of the service processor bus signals is provided to managed instrumentation on the managed subsystem.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for protecting data within a hard disk drive included within a data processing system. Data is generated. A signature value is provided which is stored in a signature device. The signature device is capable of being inserted into and removed from a computer system. A textual description of the data is created. The data is encrypted utilizing both the signature value stored on the device and the textual description. The encrypted data is then stored on the hard disk drive. The data processing system does not permanently store encryption keys.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are described for providing a dynamically assigned network address to a client computer system. The data processing system includes a server computer system coupled to the network. An access port is provided which is coupled to the network. The computer system is coupled to the network utilizing the access port. The computer system is then powered on. The computer system requires a network address in order to communicate utilizing the network. The computer system initially has no stored network address each time prior to being powered on. A dynamic network address is provided to the computer system utilizing only the access port each time the computer system is powering on.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for permitting only preregistered client computer hardware to access a service executing on a remote server computer system. A log-in token is established including a unique identifier which identifies a particular client computer hardware. The client computer hardware logs-on to the server computer system. Subsequent to the client computer hardware logging-on to the server computer system, the client computer hardware attempts to access the service. During the attempt, the client computer hardware transmits the log-in token to the server computer system. The server computer system utilizes the unique identifier included within the log-in token to determine if the client computer hardware is registered to access the service. In response to a determination that the client computer hardware is registered to access the service, the server computer system permits the client computer hardware to access the service.

Abstract: A system and method for determining an active service processor from two or more redundant service processors in the system. The system typically includes two management modules and at least one managed subsystem such as a server blade. Each management module includes a service processor and control logic. The control logic is configured to receive various status signals from the service processor and to generate a control signal based thereon. The control signal is provided, via an interconnect plane, to determination logic on each managed subsystem. The determination logic receives a control signal from each management module and generates a switch signal based on the state of the control signals. The switch signal controls switching logic configured to receive bus signals from the service processors on each management module. Based on the control signal, one of the service processor bus signals is provided to managed instrumentation on the managed subsystem.

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating peripheral device conflicts in a multibus data-processing system which includes a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) plus having multiple slots for interconnecting peripheral devices in an automatically derived configuration and an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus having multiple slots for interconnecting peripheral devices in a user-selected configuration. Each slot included within the ISA bus includes a reset line for temporarily disabling an associated slot in response to an application of electrical power to the data-processing system in order to prevent power transition problems. In response to an existing or potential device conflict brought about by a user-selected configuration, a control signal is selectively applied to the reset line for one or more slots included within the ISA bus, temporarily disabling those slots during normal operation of the data-processing system.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for generating and distributing a digital photographic proof. An altered image is generated by altering original image data to produce altered image data. The altered image data is stored in an electronic file. The encrypted instructions are stored in the file with the altered image data. The instructions describe a method for reversing an alteration method utilized to alter the original image to produce the altered image data. A digital photographic proof is produced utilizing the file by displaying the altered image. All users are permitted to view the altered image. Only authorized users are permitted to utilize the encrypted instructions to reproduce the original image from the altered image data. Only authorized users may reproduce the original image. The single electronic file is thus utilized to both produce a digital photographic proof and to reproduce the original image.

Abstract: A system and method for connecting a computer terminal (e.g., a personal computer) to a data transmission network with the appropriate settings for connection obtained from the network if the terminal has been moved and the settings are not appropriate for the new location. The system and method involve detecting that the terminal has been removed from the data transmission network, and, if the terminal has been moved, checking to determine whether the previous settings are appropriate for use in the new location. If the settings are appropriate, then the previous settings are used; if not, new settings for the terminal are obtained from the network, using a program such as the IBM's Dynamic Host Connection Program (DHCP), with the details on the settings (or connection) maintained at both the network and the computer terminal and updated when a new or changed connection to the data transmission network is made.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for protecting data stored on a device included within the system. A device key pair is established which identifies a particular device included within the system. The device key pair includes a device public key and a device private key. The device includes data stored on the device which may not be fully accessed initially. A planar key pair is established which identifies a planar board included within the system. The planar key pair includes a planar public key and a planar private key. The particular device is associated with the planar by storing the device public key only within the planar, and by storing the planar public key only within the device. Access to the data stored within the device is limited to only a planar which has the stored device public key.

Abstract: A method is provided for communicating digital content between a content provider and a data processing system which is under the control of a content consumer, utilizing an insecure communication channel, such as the internet. A security processor is provided. The security processor is communicative coupled to the data processing system of the consumer. The security processor receives and preprocesses encrypted digital content received from the insecure communication channel. The security processor includes a central processing unit for executing program instructions contained in digital content. The security processor includes a shared-secret decryption engine for receiving encrypted content and for utilizing a shared-secret key for producing decrypted digital content. Furthermore, the security processor includes a memory means for maintaining securely the shared-secret key within the security processor.