Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for autonomic control and optimization of computing systems. A plurality of component models for one or more components in an autonomic computing system are maintained in a system level database. These component models are obtained from a source external to the management server including the components associated with the models. Component models are added or removed from the database or updated as need. A system level management server in communication with the database utilizes the component models maintained in the system level database and generic component models as needed to compute an optimum state of the autonomic computing system. The autonomic computing system is managed in accordance with the computed optimum state.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for allocation of finite computational resources amongst multiple entities, wherein the method is structured to optimize the business value of an enterprise providing computational services. One embodiment of the inventive method involves establishing, for each entity, a service level utility indicative of how much business value is obtained for a given level of computational system performance. The service-level utility for each entity is transformed into a corresponding resource-level utility indicative of how much business value may be obtained for a given set or amount of resources allocated to the entity. The resource-level utilities for each entity are aggregated, and new resource allocations are determined and executed based upon the resource-level utility information. The invention is thereby capable of making rapid allocation decisions, according to time-varying need or value of the resources by each of the entities.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for autonomic control and optimization of computing systems. A plurality of component models for one or more components in an autonomic computing system are maintained in a system level database. These component models are obtained from a source external to the management server including the components associated with the models. Component models are added or removed from the database or updated as need. A system level management server in communication with the database utilizes the component models maintained in the system level database and generic component models as needed to compute an optimum state of the autonomic computing system. The autonomic computing system is managed in accordance with the computed optimum state.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for autonomic control and optimization of computing systems. A plurality of component models for one or more components in an autonomic computing system are maintained in a system level database. These component models are obtained from a source external to the management server including the components associated with the models. Component models are added or removed from the database or updated as need. A system level management server in communication with the database utilizes the component models maintained in the system level database and generic component models as needed to compute an optimum state of the autonomic computing system. The autonomic computing system is managed in accordance with the computed optimum state.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for reward-based learning of improved systems management policies. One embodiment of the inventive method involves obtaining a decision-making entity and a reward mechanism. The decision-making entity manages a plurality of application environments supported by a data processing system, where each application environment operates on data input to the data processing system. The reward mechanism generates numerical measures of value responsive to actions performed in states of the application environments. The decision-making entity and the reward mechanism are applied to the application environments, and results achieved through this application are processed in accordance with reward-based learning to derive a policy. The reward mechanism and the policy are then applied to the application environments, and the results of this application are processed in accordance with reward-based learning to derive a new policy.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are provided for peer-to-peer computer software installation. Embodiments include receiving, by an observing install agent running on an observing host from a test install agent running on a test host, performance information describing the performance of software installed on the test host; determining, by the observing install agent, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host; and if the performance information meets the performance criteria for the observing host, installing the software on the observing host. In some embodiments, determining, by the observing install agent, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host is carried out by determining, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host in dependence upon a rule.

Abstract: Active sample collaborative prediction method, system and program storage device are provided. A method in one aspect may include determining approximation X for matrix Y using collaborative prediction, said matrix Y being sparse initially and representing pairwise measurement values; selecting one or more unobserved entries from said matrix Y representing active samples using said approximation X and an active sample heuristic; obtaining values associated with said unobserved entries; inserting said values to said matrix Y; and repeating the steps of determining, selecting, obtaining and inserting until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for reward-based learning of improved systems management policies. One embodiment of the inventive method involves supplying a first policy and a reward mechanism. The first policy maps states of at least one component of a data processing system to selected management actions, while the reward mechanism generates numerical measures of value responsive to particular actions (e.g., management actions) performed in particular states of the component(s). The first policy and the reward mechanism are applied to the component(s), and results achieved through this application (e.g., observations of corresponding states, actions and rewards) are processed in accordance with reward-based learning to derive a second policy having improved performance relative to the first policy in at least one state of the component(s).

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for allocation of finite computational resources amongst multiple entities, wherein the method is structured to optimize the business value of an enterprise providing computational services. One embodiment of the inventive method involves establishing, for each entity, a service level utility indicative of how much business value is obtained for a given level of computational system performance. The service-level utility for each entity is transformed into a corresponding resource-level utility indicative of how much business value may be obtained for a given set or amount of resources allocated to the entity. The resource-level utilities for each entity are aggregated, and new resource allocations are determined and executed based upon the resource-level utility information. The invention is thereby capable of making rapid allocation decisions, according to time-varying need or value of the resources by each of the entities.

Abstract: Active sample collaborative prediction method, system and program storage device are provided. A method in one aspect may include determining approximation X for matrix Y using collaborative prediction, said matrix Y being sparse initially and representing pairwise measurement values; selecting one or more unobserved entries from said matrix Y representing active samples using said approximation X and an active sample heuristic; obtaining values associated with said unobserved entries; inserting said values to said matrix Y; and repeating the steps of determining, selecting, obtaining and inserting until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to detect an indication that a conversation between users in an instant messaging system should be saved. Endpoints and keyword data are extracted from the conversation in response to detecting the indication. An abstract generating from the endpoints and keyword data. The conversation is stored in association with the abstract.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to receive a request from a user to access a network to form a received request, wherein the received request contains encrypted access information encrypted by a hardware security module on a client data processing system using a first key. The decryption of the encrypted access information occurs using the second key associated with the first key to form the decrypted information. An authorization process is performed using the decrypted information. The user is allowed access to the resource if the authorization process is successful.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transforming data in a data processing system. A first portion of a block of data is transformed using a first key having a first number of bits, and a second portion of the block of data is transformed using a second key having a second number of bits different than the first number of bits. One of the first and second keys provides an increase in transformation speed while the other of the first and second keys provides an enhanced degree of data security.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for controlling copying and playback of digital data. Digital data is selected that is to be stored using a portable digital storage medium. Data that is stored using the medium is capable of being accessed only when the medium is inserted into a drive that can be accessed by a data processing system. During manufacturing of the medium: a unique identifier is stored within the medium where the unique identifier identifies only that one particular medium, a copy of the unique identifier is also stored in a tag that is affixed to a surface of the medium, a public key/private key pair is selected for encrypting and decrypting data where data that has been encrypted using the private key of the pair is capable of being decrypted using only the public key of the pair, the public key of the pair is stored within the tag, the digital data is encrypted using the private key of the pair, and the encrypted data is stored using the medium.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, systems, and products are described that operate generally by moving subroutine return address protection to the processor itself, in effect proving atomic locks for subroutine return addresses stored in a stack, subject to application control. More particularly, exemplary methods, systems, and products are described that write protect subroutine return addresses by calling a subroutine, including storing in a stack memory address a subroutine return address and locking, by a computer processor, the stack memory address against write access. Calling a subroutine may include receiving in the computer processor an instruction to lock the stack memory address. Locking the stack memory address may be carried out by storing the stack memory address in a protected memory lockword. A protected memory lockword may be implemented as a portion of a protected content addressable memory.

Abstract: HTTP/HTML is enhanced to provide information to a server about the current usage level of the continuous data that is being sent to the client. With this information, the server is able to tailor the data being sent to the client based on the current usage level. If the usage level changes in the client system, the server receives information about the changed level and the amount of data being sent is adjusted (up or down) accordingly. The client (browser) is enhanced to determine and send the current usage status and the server is enhanced with the intelligence to tailor the data it sends based on the current usage status received from the client.

Abstract: Rendering images on a video graphics adapter, the method including receiving in the video graphics adapter a video graphics command including a window identification (‘WID’) value and simultaneously, in accordance with the video graphics command and in dependence upon the WID value, rendering video frame data to a frame buffer and WID data to a WID buffer. Typical embodiments include configuring the video graphics command to include the WID value. In typical embodiments, the WID value represents an index to a pixel type in a window attribute table.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are provided for peer-to-peer computer software installation. Embodiments include receiving, by an observing install agent running on an observing host from a test install agent running on a test host, performance information describing the performance of software installed on the test host; determining, by the observing install agent, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host; and if the performance information meets the performance criteria for the observing host, installing the software on the observing host. In some embodiments, determining, by the observing install agent, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host is carried out by determining, whether the performance information meets performance criteria for the observing host in dependence upon a rule.

Abstract: A method of communicating with a remote site on a network by establishing different user personas respectively associated with different remote sites on the network, each user persona containing one or more attributes used in accessing the remote sites, and then accessing a specific one of the remote sites using the attributes in a specific one of the user personas that is associated with the specific remote site. The specific remote site can be associated with the specific user persona by a universal resource locator (URL), e.g., for web sites on the Internet, and the accessing is automatically performed in response to matching of the URL of the specific remote site to the URL associated with the specific user persona. A default persona can be used for any remote site having no specifically associated user persona.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for automatically hiding sensitive information, obtainable from a process table, from other processes that should not access the sensitive information. The system and method include a sensitive command attribute table that is used by a system administrator to designate the commands and command attributes that will typically be associated with sensitive information. The sensitive command attribute table is used when a command is entered that requests information from the process table to be displayed or output. In response, a search of the process table entries is made to determine if a command and/or its attribute in the process table matches an entry in the sensitive command attribute table. If so, the command, its attributes, and/or its attribute values are blanked from the output of the process table information.