Abstract: Automated topology formation in a dynamic distributed environment. The automatic topology formation includes receiving by an application of a first entity having an initial topology role, topology information from a master node. The first entity has an initial topology role and the received topology information varies based the initial topology role. A local topology representation information is derived from the received topology information wherein the local topology representation information comprises any one of: a first entity topology role as any one of a not-a-node, root node, a prime node or a leaf node for the topology; a list of entities that are parents of the first entity in the topology, or a list of entities that are subordinates to the first entity in the topology; and setting the local topology representation information at the first entity.

Abstract: The method of the invention provides for dynamic on-demand delegation of control and access in a grid computing environment comprising granting authority of a grid node to a first moderator by a superauthority; admitting the first moderator to the grid node; modifying the access control list of the grid node by the first moderator; inviting other entities listed on the access control list to access the grid node; and issuing a unique authorization certificate to each of the other entities, wherein the first moderator controls the inviting of the other entities without contact with or accessing to the superauthority for certification.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing community messaging services is provided. The method includes calculating a receiver pool for receiving a broadcast message, the receiver pool being a subset of a messaging community. The method also includes transmitting the broadcast message to the receiver pool and tracking any feedback from the receiver pool to determine if a satisfactory response has been received. A satisfactory response results when a response is received that addresses or resolves an issue or question presented in the broadcast message. The method further includes re-calculating the receiver pool to receive the broadcast message if the satisfactory response has not been reached after a specified period of time, the re-calculated receiver pool being a subset of the messaging community that has not yet received the message.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.

Abstract: A method for automated topology formation in a dynamic distributed environment includes configuring a master node in an active topology having nodes and intercommunication paths between the nodes. The master node includes an automated topology formation application including a predefined topology policy definition and a representation of the active topology. The master node receives a communication from an entity, the communication including a topology event notification indicating an event affecting the active topology. Using the automated topology formation application, it is determined that the topology event notification affects a topology portion of the active topology and, based on the topology event notification, the representation of the affected topology portion of the active topology is modified according to the predefined topology policy definition.

Abstract: Automated topology formation in a dynamic distributed environment. The automatic topology formation includes receiving by an application of a first entity having an initial topology role, topology information from a master node. The first entity has an initial topology role and the received topology information varies based the initial topology role. A local topology representation information is derived from the received topology information wherein the local topology representation information comprises any one of: a first entity topology role as any one of a not-a-node, root node, a prime node or a leaf node for the topology; a list of entities that are parents of the first entity in the topology, or a list of entities that are subordinates to the first entity in the topology; and setting the local topology representation information at the first entity.

Abstract: A community-defined and managed communication network is provided. The community-defined and managed network includes creating a profile for a user of the network that includes a user-selected attribute and identifying a relationship between the attribute in the profile and data external to the profile. The identification includes analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors. The community-defined and managed network further includes initiating an activity responsive to the analysis, which includes one or more of: prompting the user to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network; prompting a third user to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute; and prompting the user to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for autonomous management of a communication network are provided. The communication network includes a community of registered and unregistered users. The method includes segmenting a body of data according to pre-defined aspects that identify related subject matter and a volume of data stored for each of the segments based on the volume of data. The method also includes classifying each of the registered users according to the segments, and identifying from the classification: a population size of users associated with corresponding segments and a proportion of users to corresponding segments. The method further includes assessing aspects of an unregistered user, based upon a communication, in view of pre-defined growth criteria established for the communication network and, upon determining the aspects fall within limits specified by the pre-defined growth criteria, presenting the unregistered user with an invitation to register with the community.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for gathering information and statistics from a community of agent nodes in a network is provided. The method includes generating a process request. The process request includes a rule for discovering each of the agent nodes in the community and a rule for accessing local information stored on each of the agent nodes. The local information represents activities conducted by end users at each of the agent nodes. The process request also includes a set of rules for classifying data comprising the local information and developing a cumulative profile resulting from the classifying. The cumulative profile includes generic information that is descriptive of collective activities conducted by the end users and is absent information that personally identifies any of the end users.

Abstract: The invention concerns apparatus and methods that determine availability and performance of entities providing services in a distributed system using filtered service-consumer feedback. In particular, apparatus and methods of the invention filter service-consumer feedback in order to reduce the effect of circumstances unique to individual service consumers or to groups of service consumers that do not accurately reflect the actual availability or performance of service-providing entities. In this way an accurate appraisal is gained regarding the performance and availability of a service-providing entity. Reactive methods of the invention can be combined with proactive methods such as, for example, active status probing, to further improve the accuracy of data concerning the status and availability of service-providing entities.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for autonomous management of a communication network are provided. The communication network includes a community of registered and unregistered users. The method includes segmenting a body of data according to pre-defined aspects that identify related subject matter and a volume of data stored for each of the segments based on the volume of data. The method also includes classifying each of the registered users according to the segments, and identifying from the classification: a population size of users associated with corresponding segments and a proportion of users to corresponding segments. The method further includes assessing aspects of an unregistered user, based upon a communication, in view of pre-defined growth criteria established for the communication network and, upon determining the aspects fall within limits specified by the pre-defined growth criteria, presenting the unregistered user with an invitation to register with the community.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network are provided. The method includes creating a profile for a user of the network that includes a user-selected attribute. The method also includes identifying a relationship between the attribute in the profile and data external to the profile. The identification includes analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors. The method further includes initiating an activity responsive to the analysis, which includes one or more of: prompting the user to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network; prompting a third user to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute; and prompting the user to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network.

Abstract: In a Grid computer system having a plurality of download servers in network communication with client computers and a download management system, a client requests a download plan from the download management system for downloading data in parallel from the plurality of download servers to a client. The client requests chunks of data from download servers identified by the download plan. The client monitors the performance of the download servers downloading the chunks and reassigns portions of chunks amongst the download servers in order to improve the performance of completing the download of the chunks. A chunk of download data is a plurality of files, a file or a portion of file of data.

Abstract: A method for negotiating a common language on a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising: allowing a plurality of users to connect to the VoIP network, each of the plurality of users having at least one of a plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices; configuring each of the plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices with a list of a plurality of languages, each of the plurality of languages having a priority level associated therewith; allowing automatic selection of the common language between two or more of the plurality of users on a joint VoIP call by performing a language handshake; computing a maximum selection score via a language handshake algorithm provided by the language handshake; maximizing a sum of priority levels; minimizing a sum of priority differences; and selecting the common language that provides a largest sum of the priority levels and a lowest sum of the priority differences.

Abstract: The invention concerns apparatus and methods that determine availability and performance of entities providing services in a distributed system using filtered service-consumer feedback. In particular, apparatus and methods of the invention filter service-consumer feedback in order to reduce the effect of circumstances unique to individual service consumers or to groups of service consumers that do not accurately reflect the actual availability or performance of service-providing entities. In this way an accurate appraisal is gained regarding the performance and availability of a service-providing entity. Reactive methods of the invention can be combined with proactive methods such as, for example, active status probing, to further improve the accuracy of data concerning the status and availability of service-providing entities.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing community messaging services is provided. The method includes calculating a receiver pool for receiving a broadcast message, the receiver pool being a subset of a messaging community. The method also includes transmitting the broadcast message to the receiver pool and tracking any feedback from the receiver pool to determine if a satisfactory response has been received. A satisfactory response results when a response is received that addresses or resolves an issue or question presented in the broadcast message. The method further includes re-calculating the receiver pool to receive the broadcast message if the satisfactory response has not been reached after a specified period of time, the re-calculated receiver pool being a subset of the messaging community that has not yet received the message.

Abstract: The method of the invention provides for dynamic on-demand delegation of control and access in a grid computing environment comprising granting authority of a grid node to a first moderator by a superauthority; admitting the first moderator to the grid node; modifying the access control list of the grid node by the first moderator; inviting other entities listed on the access control list to access the grid node; and issuing a unique authorization certificate to each of the other entities, wherein the first moderator controls the inviting of the other entities without contact with or accessing to the superauthority for certification.

Abstract: A method for negotiating a common language on a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising: allowing a plurality of users to connect to the VoIP network, each of the plurality of users having at least one of a plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices; configuring each of the plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices with a list of a plurality of languages, each of the plurality of languages having a priority level associated therewith; allowing automatic selection of the common language between two or more of the plurality of users on a joint VoIP call by performing a language handshake; computing a maximum selection score via a language handshake algorithm provided by the language handshake; maximizing a sum of priority levels; minimizing a sum of priority differences; and selecting the common language that provides a largest sum of the priority levels and a lowest sum of the priority differences.