Abstract: An aqueous dispersion includes an associative thickener based on a hydrophobically modified poly(acetal- or ketal-polyether) (HM-PAPE) and at least one viscosity reducing agent selected from ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated acetyleneic diols, phosphate esters, dialkyl sulfosuccinates, and mixtures thereof. This aqueous dispersion improves the incorporation of the HM-PAPEs into aqueous based protective coatings. This dispersion also improves water-borne coating compositions that optionally contain latex.

Abstract: A method for detecting reachability of client computers communicatively coupled in a computer network to a server computer. A plurality of identifier tags are resident in the memory of the server. The server generates a data packet comprising an I.C.M.P. echo packet and selects a first identifier tag from among the plurality of identifier tags resident in memory, the first identifier tag being chosen to correspond to a first client computer. The server inserts the first identifier tag into the proper data segment of the echo packet and forwards the packet to the first client. After a predetermined time awaiting a responsive ping from the client, the server determines if the client is tag-compliant or non tag-compliant.

Abstract: A method to send and receive data packets over a network of computer systems (e.g., a plurality of virtual local area networks [VLANs] compliant with the IEEE 802.1Q standard) using a server computer system adapted to have a plurality of network interface cards (NICs) coupled thereto. An outgoing data packet is addressed using a first media access control (MAC) address, wherein the first MAC address is a virtual MAC address representing the plurality of NICs. A NIC is selected from the plurality of NICs using a load balancing scheme. The functionality of the selected NIC is verified using a fault tolerance scheme. The first MAC address in the outgoing data packet is replaced with a second MAC address, wherein the second MAC address represents the selected NIC. The outgoing data packet is then transmitted using the selected NIC. For an incoming data packet received at one of the plurality of NICs, the existing MAC address in the incoming data packet is replaced with the first MAC address.