Abstract: A gloss scoring system includes: a camera configured to capture an image of a surface of an object; a gloss score module configured to determine a gloss score value corresponding to a glossiness of the surface of the object based on: a representation of the image; stored representations of images stored in memory; and stored gloss value scores associated with the stored representations, respectively; and a display control module configured to display on a display the image and the gloss score value corresponding to the glossiness of the surface of the object.

Abstract: A real-time data validation system prevents problematic updates from being replicated from a primary database to a replica database. The data validation system may inject a time delay into the replication process, so that when an update in a replication stream fails a specified data validation, the data validation system will prevent the update from being applied to the replica. The replication process may be halted to take snapshot of the replica database during the halt, and resumed after the snapshot. Accordingly, if the problematic update is later confirmed to be invalid, the replica database can be rolled back to a point before the problematic update. Advantageously, the disclosed system can be used to implement a variety of data validations on top of a database replication process to protect the replica database from receiving undesired updates.

Abstract: A real-time data validation system prevents problematic updates from being replicated from a primary database to a replica database. The data validation system may inject a time delay into the replication process, so that when an update in a replication stream fails a specified data validation, the data validation system will prevent the update from being applied to the replica. The replication process may be halted to take snapshot of the replica database during the halt, and resumed after the snapshot. Accordingly, if the problematic update is later confirmed to be invalid, the replica database can be rolled back to a point before the problematic update. Advantageously, the disclosed system can be used to implement a variety of data validations on top of a database replication process to protect the replica database from receiving undesired updates.

Abstract: A scent dispensing apparatus may include a scent container retaining apparatus configured to receive and securely retain a scent container, wherein the scent container includes a smart vial tag, a smart vial sensor directionally positioned to have a direct line of sight with the smart vial tag to read the smart vial tag when the scent container is securely retained in the scent retaining apparatus, and a fragrance management application that receives an identity of the smart vial tag from the smart vial sensor and generates a unique container profile for the scent container.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to managing power within a power distribution system. Power consumption corresponding to devices (e.g., servers) that receive power from an upstream device (e.g., a bus bar) may be monitored (e.g., by a service) to determine when power consumption corresponding to those devices has breached or will likely breach a budgeted threshold corresponding to an amount of power allocated to the upstream device. If the budgeted threshold is breached, or is likely to be breached, the service may initiate operations to distribute power caps for the devices and to initiate a timer. Although distributed, the power caps may be ignored by the devices until they are instructed to enforce the power caps (e.g., upon expiration of the timer). This allows the power consumption of the devices to exceed the budgeted power assigned to the upstream device at least until expiration of the timer while avoiding power outage events.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to managing power within a power distribution system. Power consumption corresponding to devices (e.g., servers) that receive power from an upstream device (e.g., a bus bar) may be monitored (e.g., by a service) to determine when power consumption corresponding to those devices breaches (or approaches) a budget threshold corresponding to an amount of power allocated to the upstream device. If the budget threshold is breached, or is likely to be breached, the service may initiate operations to distribute power caps for the devices and to initiate a timer. Although distributed, the power caps may be ignored by the devices until they are instructed to enforce the power caps (e.g., upon expiration of the timer). This allows the power consumption of the devices to exceed the budgeted power associated with the upstream device at least until expiration of the timer while avoiding power outage events.

Abstract: At a logging service, a representation of a transaction requested by a client is received. The transaction includes at least a first write operation directed to a data object at a first data store. Based at least in part on the contents of the representation and contents of a persistent log of the logging service, a determination is made that the requested transaction is to be committed. A log record corresponding to the first write operation is inserted into the persistent log. The first write is propagated to the first data store after the record has been inserted in the persistent log.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to managing power within a power distribution system. Power consumption corresponding to devices (e.g., servers) that receive power from an upstream device (e.g., a bus bar) may be monitored (e.g., by a service) to determine when power consumption corresponding to those devices breaches (or approaches) a budget threshold corresponding to an amount of power allocated to the upstream device. If the budget threshold is breached, or is likely to be breached, the service may initiate operations to distribute power caps for the devices and to initiate a timer. Although distributed, the power caps may be ignored by the devices until they are instructed to enforce the power caps (e.g., upon expiration of the timer). This allows the power consumption of the devices to exceed the budgeted power associated with the upstream device at least until expiration of the timer while avoiding power outage events.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a telecommunications structure. The telecommunications structure includes an antenna frame including a plurality of horizontal members and a plurality of vertical members mounted on the horizontal members, wherein one or more of the vertical members are formed of a fiber-reinforced polymer and at least one piece of telecommunications equipment mounted on one of the fiber-reinforced polymer vertical members. Assemblies including passive intermodulation reducing mechanical connections are also described herein.

Abstract: Techniques are described for enabling users of a cloud provider network to request the conditional termination of computing resources based on a forecasted availability of replacement capacity at a specified time or range of time in the future. A cloud provider network provides an application programming interface that can be used to make such requests, where the computing resources are hosted by the cloud provider network as part of a capacity pool shared by tenants of the cloud provider network. This type of request can be generated, for example, by a user desiring to terminate the use of some number of unproductive computing resources only if the user can be reasonably assured by the cloud provider network that capacity will be available at a future time when the user will likely need the capacity again.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing service availability zones for computing-related services provided by a cloud provider network. According to some embodiments, the use of service availability zones enables users to achieve greater availability assurance for workloads sensitive to downtime or outages. The sensitivity of such workloads to downtime may be due to financial, regulatory, safety, or other reasons. Such availability-sensitive applications may in some cases be configured to run in multiple regions of a cloud provider network to increase their availability compared to running in a single availability zone. However, for some applications, the implementation of an application across multiple regions may not be feasible or desirable. The use of service availability zones provides user-visible fault domains within a single region of a cloud provider network, thereby enabling users to readily and reliably achieve application layer availability of approximately 99.

Abstract: A pistol conversion kit may be constructed and arranged for converting a pistol to a bull-pup format rifle by attaching an elongated barrel to the pistol. The pistol conversion kit may include a two-part chassis defining a compartment into which the pistol and elongated barrel may be seated behind a handle and trigger guard integrated within the chassis such that the pistol is located behind the pistol conversion kit trigger thereby positioning the pistol in a bull-pup configuration within the chassis. The pistol conversion kit may include a number of sub-assemblies for operating the pistol seated within the chassis and may further include a barrel safety system arranged for preventing use of the pistol conversion kit trigger unless a properly sized elongation barrel is attached to the pistol.

Abstract: A track-module apparatus comprising: (a) idler-arm axle structure for a vehicle and having leading and trailing idler-arm axles; (b) a leading idler arm rotatably attached to the leading idler-arm axle and extending forwardly to a leading-arm distal end at which a leading ground-engaging idler wheel is rotatably attached and rearwardly to a rearward suspension end; (c) a trailing idler arm rotatably attached to the trailing idler-arm axle and extending rearwardly to a trailing-arm distal end at which a trailing ground-engaging idler wheel is rotatably attached and forwardly to a forward suspension end; (d) bogie-axle structure (i) affixed to one of the idler arms, (ii) having at least one bogie-arm axle, and (iii) positioning the at least one bogie-arm axle adjacent to and below the idler-arm axle of the idler arm to which it is affixed; (e) leading-arm and trailing-arm suspension elements rotatably attached to and extending downwardly from the rearward and forward suspension ends, respectively, and each havi

Abstract: A connectivity enablement device includes one or more processors, one or more memories and a hardware input port. The memories store program instructions that when executed examine a token obtained from a token transfer device inserted into the port, and cause one or more messages to be transmitted to a virtualized computing service. The messages indicate (a) the connectivity enablement device, (b) the token transfer device, (c) the token's source and (d) a server. An indication that the server has been configured within an isolated virtual network is obtained at the connectivity enablement device.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a system that hardware locks a virtual machine to a host machine. The host machine can include a processor and a memory. A hypervisor can be stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the computing device to host one or more virtual machines. In addition, machine readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least: receive a request to perform an operation on a virtual machine hosted by the hypervisor; evaluate the request to determine that the request complies with a policy; and in response to a determination that the request complies with the policy, cause the hypervisor to initiate the operation.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes strand mounts for small cell radios and/or antennas. A strand mount may include a plurality of polymeric mounting tubes configured such that one or more small cell radios and/or antennas can be mounted thereto, a pair of polymeric retaining members, each retaining member having a plurality of apertures sized and configured to receive a corresponding end of each mounting tube, and one or more mounting brackets configured to secure the strand mount on a cable strand. Stand mount assemblies are also described herein.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing a multi-service storage layer in a cloud provider network for applications and workloads that are highly sensitive to outages affecting “mission critical” data or other resources. A multi-service storage layer is designed to provide additional resiliency against various types of correlated failures among existing geographic regions by enabling the storage of data using a plurality of separate storage services and storage resource types and across a plurality of regions of the cloud-provider network. A multi-service storage layer provides an application programming interface (API) with actions for storing, retrieving, and querying data stored in a highly available storage resource across a selection of underlying storage services.

Abstract: A tunable mass damper assembly is attachable to a rotor blade. The tunable mass damper assembly comprises a base configured to be attached to the rotor blade and a pendulum mass structure movably attached to the base and configured to move relative to the base in accordance with a rotational speed of the rotor blade about a rotor axis. The pendulum mass structure is configured to reduce vibratory forces of the rotor blade induced by a rotation of the rotor blade about the rotor axis. An entirety of the pendulum mass structure being configured to be contained within and enclosed by the rotor blade.