Abstract: Photoactive polymer coatings and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a polymer coating having a porous structure extending throughout the polymer coating, wherein the porous structure is present at an exposed surface of the polymer coating creating a roughened surface, wherein the polymer of the polymer coating is a siloxane based polymer; and a modified support particle disposed within the polymer coating, wherein the modified support particle includes a substituted phthalocyanine and a support particle. In some embodiments, the substituted phthalocyanine is a halogenated phthalocyanine.

Abstract: Photoactive polymer coatings and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a polymer coating comprises a polymer matrix having a porous structure extending throughout the polymer matrix, wherein the porous structure is present at an exposed surface of the polymer coating creating a roughened surface, and a modified support particle disposed within the polymer matrix, wherein the modified support particle includes a substituted phthalocyanine and a support particle. In some embodiments, the substituted phthalocyanine is a halogenated phthalocyanine.

Abstract: Photoactive polymer coatings and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a polymer coating comprises a polymer matrix having a porous structure extending throughout the polymer matrix, wherein the porous structure is present at an exposed surface of the polymer coating creating a roughened surface, and a modified support particle disposed within the polymer matrix, wherein the modified support particle includes a substituted phthalocyanine and a support particle. In some embodiments, the substituted phthalocyanine is a halogenated phthalocyanine.

Abstract: A composition for sunscreen or sunscreen enhancer is disclosed. The composition includes UV-blocking component comprising natural extracts, natural oils or nutrients or a combination of these. The composition is capable of protecting skin from the harmful effects of UV-light and it is capable of acting as an enhancer of sunscreen actives, such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or other sunscreen actives, such as Avobenzone, Dioxybenzone, Ecamsule, Meradimate, Oxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Cinoxate, Ensulizole, Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Octocrylene PABA, Padimate O or Trolamine salicylate.

Abstract: A technique is provided for creating virtual units in a computing environment. A virtual system definition is received by a processor that is utilized to create the virtual units for a virtual system. Relationship constraints between the virtual units in the virtual system are received by the processor. The relationship constraints between the virtual units include a communication link requirement between the virtual units and/or a location requirement between the virtual units. The virtual units in the virtual system are deployed by the processor according to the relationship constraints between virtual units.

Abstract: A method for use in a system in which computational entities are distributed across physical computing resources to place the entities on the resources includes estimating actual resource demand for each entity on each resource based on application resource usage data collected from a data source external from the entity, computing a best allocation of the resources to the entities from the estimated actual resource demand for each entity and distributing the resources to the entities in accordance with the computed best allocation.

Abstract: A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. In response to a request, a computer system operates to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided.

Abstract: A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. In response to a request, a computer system operates to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided.

Abstract: A composition for sunscreen or sunscreen enhancer is disclosed. The composition includes UV-blocking component comprising natural extracts, natural oils or nutrients or a combination of these. The composition is capable of protecting skin from the harmful effects of UV-light and it is capable of acting as an enhancer of sunscreen actives, such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or other sunscreen actives, such as Avobenzone, Dioxybenzone, Ecamsule, Meradimate, Oxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Cinoxate, Ensulizole, Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Octocrylene PABA, Padimate O or Trolamine salicylate.

Abstract: Managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. A programmed processor unit operates, upon receipt of a request, to: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. The system proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided.

Abstract: A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. A programmed processor unit operates, upon receipt of a request, to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan.

Abstract: A technique is provided for creating virtual units in a computing environment. A virtual system definition is received by a processor that is utilized to create the virtual units for a virtual system. Relationship constraints between the virtual units in the virtual system are received by the processor. The relationship constraints between the virtual units include a communication link requirement between the virtual units and/or a location requirement between the virtual units. The virtual units in the virtual system are deployed by the processor according to the relationship constraints between virtual units.

Abstract: Managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. A programmed processor unit operates, upon receipt of a request, to: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. The system proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically controlling application placement and server resource allocation in a distributed system wherein a performance manager and power manager collaborate during run-time execution of data processing tasks to coordinate management and control of workload placement and server usage and dynamically determine a tradeoff between performance level and power usage that meets power and performance objectives.

Abstract: A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. A programmed processor unit operates, upon receipt of a request, to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan.

Abstract: A method for use in a system in which computational entities are distributed across physical computing resources to place the entities on the resources includes estimating actual resource demand for each entity on each resource based on application resource usage data collected from a data source external from the entity, computing a best allocation of the resources to the entities from the estimated actual resource demand for each entity and distributing the resources to the entities in accordance with the computed best allocation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically controlling application placement and server resource allocation in a distributed system wherein a performance manager and power manager collaborate during run-time execution of data processing tasks to coordinate management and control of workload placement and server usage and dynamically determine a tradeoff between performance level and power usage that meets power and performance objectives

Abstract: Risks of change to a physical configuration are minimized. A request for a change to the physical system included in the physical configuration is detected, and all applications the physical systems that would be affected by the requested change are identified. All the applications and physical systems that would be affected by the requested change are replicated on a virtual system, including applications and the physical system to which the requested change is targeted and applications and physical systems that are dependent on the applications and the physical system to which the requested change is targeted. The requested change is applied to the virtual system. The virtual system is tested to determine whether the applied change produces desired results. If the applied change products the desired results, the requested change is applied to the physical system.

Abstract: In one aspect this invention provides a data processing system (10) that includes a plurality of self-organizing software agents (40) capable of autonomously establishing relationships between themselves, where the totality of the relationships can be represented by a topological structure having nodes that each contain one of the plurality of software agents and links between the nodes that are the established relationships. The data processing system further includes a topology tuning function that obtains information that is descriptive of the topology and, based at least in part on the obtained information and on at least one criterion, that makes a recommendation to at least one of the plurality of software agents that is intended to modify the topology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the customization of virtual machine images. The method comprises identifying and retrieving a virtual machine image template. A customized virtual machine image is created from the virtual machine image template. The customized virtual machine image template being created by identifying at least one file-system or memory image that is associated with the virtual machine image template, identifying within the at least one file-system or memory image at least one data set, wherein the at least one data set comprises metadata. The metadata contains information detailing the required execution context customization aspects for at least one specified image subset of the virtual machine. Execution context-specific information that is required to customize the image subset of the virtual machine is retrieved. Further, the image subset of the virtual machine is modified in accordance with the retrieved execution context-specific information.