Abstract: Embodiments relate to controlling configuration of a computer system comprising one or more exchangeable components. The exchangeable components comprising identification means to store an identifier. A pair of a private key and a public key are generated for each accepted manufacturer of the exchangeable components and a pair of a private key and a public key for the computer system; assigning an identifier for each exchangeable component available for attachment to the system; receiving configuration data comprising a list of encrypted identity records comprising identifiers of the components together with signatures over the data generated with the private key of the respective component manufacturer for each component expected to be attached to the system; and receiving a configuration record. The configuration data of the expected components from the received configuration record is compared with the configuration data of the components attached to the system.

Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to a computing system within a computing center. A request to locate the computing system in the computing center is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate the computing system, the control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and the specification data to the beacon device, and provides the specification data to a portable device and stores the specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving the activation request, the beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from the specification data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to controlling configuration of a computer system comprising one or more exchangeable components. The exchangeable components comprising identification means to store an identifier. A pair of a private key and a public key are generated for each accepted manufacturer of the exchangeable components and a pair of a private key and a public key for the computer system; assigning an identifier for each exchangeable component available for attachment to the system; receiving configuration data comprising a list of encrypted identity records comprising identifiers of the components together with signatures over the data generated with the private key of the respective component manufacturer for each component expected to be attached to the system; and receiving a configuration record. The configuration data of the expected components from the received configuration record is compared with the configuration data of the components attached to the system.

Abstract: A caching mechanism is provided in a computer server system including at least one host coupled to at least one disk, one or more virtual machines, one or more images of the one or more virtual machines created in a file system of the disk, and a virtual machine manager for assigning hardware resources of the computer server system to the one or more virtual machines. The mechanism provides a masking cache layer between the one or more virtual machines and the virtual machine manager, the masking cache layer including at least one separate entry for every cacheable data block of the file system to be referenced, collects profiling information related to one or more of the cacheable data blocks (58) and stores the profiling information in the masking cache layer and configures the masking cache layer according to the profiling information, or provides a configuration for the masking cache layer.

Abstract: A caching mechanism is provided in a computer server system including at least one host coupled to at least one disk, one or more virtual machines, one or more images of the one or more virtual machines created in a file system of the disk, and a virtual machine manager for assigning hardware resources of the computer server system to the one or more virtual machines. The mechanism provides a masking cache layer between the one or more virtual machines and the virtual machine manager, the masking cache layer including at least one separate entry for every cacheable data block of the file system to be referenced, collects profiling information related to one or more of the cacheable data blocks (58) and stores the profiling information in the masking cache layer and configures the masking cache layer according to the profiling information, or provides a configuration for the masking cache layer.

Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to said entity. A request to locate said entity is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate said entity, said control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and provides said specification data to a portable device and storing said specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving said activation request, said beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data. Signals are received on said portable device and compared with the specification data stored on the portable device. Based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, information is provided about at least one of a direction and distance to said entity. The location of said entity is detected using said direction information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computer system for double IP address recovery. Double IP address is a situation of a same IP address for different hosts in a network, and the double IP address recovery resolves the double IP address. In the invention, the hosts exchanges rules and system state information. Each of the hosts determines its own action of the double IP address recovery based on the same rules and the system state information of the different hosts. Each of the hosts executes its own action, either to continue or to alter an IP address.

Abstract: A computer program product and computer system for double IP address recovery. Double IP address is a situation of a same IP address for different hosts in a network, and the double IP address recovery resolves the double IP address. In the invention, the hosts exchanges rules and system state information. Each of the hosts determines its own action of the double IP address recovery based on the same rules and the system state information of the different hosts. Each of the hosts executes its own action, either to continue or to alter an IP address.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanism for image deployment in a cloud environment comprising at least two hosts coupled to at least one disk, and at least one virtual machine created in at least one host of the at least two hosts by deploying an additional image to the at least one disk. The method is characterized in that the at least one host for deploying an additional image is selected according to a deployment factor representing a communality relationship between one or more existing base images in the cloud environment and the additional image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for managing virtual machine image disk usage comprising a disk image emulator for a virtual machine provided by a hypervisor, comprising the steps of providing at least a first disk image comprising a sequence of data blocks for accumulating write operations to the first disk image, providing at least a second disk image comprising a sequence of data blocks for permanently storing disk image data, and providing a disk cleaning process for transferring disk image data from the first disk image to the second disk image and deleting unused data blocks in the first and/or the second disk image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data processing system, comprising at least two disk emulators operating in parallel and emulating a disk subsystem each, the disk emulators each using a file in a file system for any data stored on the respective disk, a separate de-duplicator for de-duplicating the data stored in the files, the de-duplicator operating in parallel to the disk emulators, the de-duplicator further using an additional disk emulator emulating an additional disk subsystem by using an additional file in a file system for storing data shared between the other disk subsystems.

Abstract: Data that includes information about an application is retrieved from a data feed. It is determined that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated. In response to a determination that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated, data descriptive of the application is extracted from the data from the data feed. One or more instructions for installing the application are determined based, at least in part, on the data descriptive of the application. In response to determination of the one or more instructions for installing the application, a first virtual machine skeleton that includes the one or more instructions for installing the application is generated.

Abstract: Data that includes information about an application is retrieved from a data feed. It is determined that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated. In response to a determination that the data from the data feed indicates that the application has been updated, data descriptive of the application is extracted from the data from the data feed. One or more instructions for installing the application are determined based, at least in part, on the data descriptive of the application. In response to determination of the one or more instructions for installing the application, a first virtual machine skeleton that includes the one or more instructions for installing the application is generated.

Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to said entity. A request to locate said entity is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate said entity, said control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and provides said specification data to a portable device and storing said specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving said activation request, said beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data. Signals are received on said portable device and compared with the specification data stored on the portable device. Based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, information is provided about at least one of a direction and distance to said entity. The location of said entity is detected using said direction information.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for determining connectionless location identification information of devices within a server system. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Controller within the server system transmits a location request to a RFID Sensor. The RFID Sensor identifies devices in the server system and returns signal strength and location information of the devices to the Embedded Controller. The Embedded Controller calculates its own current location. Signal strength information is interpreted by the Embedded Controller to calculate location information. After calculating its own current location, the Embedded Controller locally stores the current location. The location information is subsequently transmitted to a Support element. The Support Element calculates a fix IP address for the Embedded Controller based on the location information, and assigns the IP address to the Embedded Controller. The location information is used for later communication with that Embedded Controller.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus is provided for determining the location of a configuration server being connected to a totally symmetric network infrastructure that does not exhibit any symmetry breakers on network level. The configuration server reaches a decision to determine its network-wide unique configuration in order to be able to serve controllers. This decision depends on the plug position of the configuration server under consideration and the assumption of plugging rules governing a “good” network infrastructure. The controllers periodically send network packets that will be marked if they traverse specific connection elements in the network. The origin and the path of a network packet can be determined. The decision making is based on a majority function based on the packets received by the configuration server. If a decision cannot be made, then errors in the cabling structure can be detected.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus is provided for determining the location of a configuration server being connected to a totally symmetric network infrastructure that does not exhibit any symmetry breakers on network level. The configuration server reaches a decision to determine its network-wide unique configuration in order to be able to serve controllers. This decision depends on the plug position of the configuration server under consideration and the assumption of plugging rules governing a “good” network infrastructure. The controllers periodically send network packets that will be marked if they traverse specific connection elements in the network. The origin and the path of a network packet can be determined. The decision making is based on a majority function based on the packets received by the configuration server. If a decision cannot be made, then errors in the cabling structure can be detected.