Abstract: An approach is provided to improve network efficiency. A send segment size, such as a maximum segment size (MSS), that corresponds to data segments being sent to a receiver over a computer network. A data block is identified in a send buffer and the data block includes more than one data segments. Based on the determined send segment size, all but a remaining data segment of the data segments are sent to the receiver. The sent data segments are each the determined send segment size and the remaining data segment is smaller than the send segment size. The remaining data segment is sent to the receiver in response to identifying that the remaining data segment is a portion of the data block.

Abstract: An e-mail application calculates a dynamic estimate of an e-mail response time. A recipient address module, a status module, a processing module, and a presentation module interact to generate a first and a second estimated response time. The first estimated response time is determined from sender side data. The second estimated response time is generated using recipient mailbox status data after the e-mail is received by the recipient. The second estimated response time is used to dynamically update the estimated response time displayed to the sender.

Abstract: A computer implemented methods data processing system, and computer program product for configuring a partition with needed system resources to enable an application to run and process in a secure environment. Upon receiving a command to create a short lived secure partition for a secure application, a short lived secure partition is created in the data processing system. This short lived secure partition is inaccessible by superusers or other applications. System resources comprising physical resources and virtual allocations of the physical resources are allocated to the short lived secure partition. Hardware and software components needed to run the secure application are loaded into the short lived secure partition.

Abstract: A computer program product for scheduling threads in a multiprocessor computer comprises computer program instructions configured to select a thread in a ready queue to be dispatched to a processor and determine whether an interrupt mask flag is set in a thread control block associated with the thread. If the interrupt mask flag is set in the thread control block associated with the thread, the computer program instructions are configured to select a processor, set a current processor priority register of the selected processor to least favored, and dispatch the thread from the ready queue to the selected processor.

Abstract: A system and program code are provided for marking a file. Responsive to a file being received, the file is stored in a directory in a file system. An indicia is associated with the file and the directory. The file is displayed using the indicia as a marked file and the directory is displayed using the indicia as a marked directory.

Abstract: An approach is provided that reserves a software lock for a waiting thread is presented. When a software lock is released by a first thread, a second thread that is waiting for the same resource controlled by the software lock is woken up. In addition, a reservation to the software lock is established for the second thread. After the reservation is established, if the lock is available and requested by a thread other than the second thread, the requesting thread is denied, added to the wait queue, and put to sleep. In addition, the reservation is cleared. After the reservation has been cleared, the lock will be granted to the next thread to request the lock.

Abstract: A system and computer program product are provided for marking a file. Responsive to a file being received, the file is stored in a directory in a file system. An indicia is associated with the file and the directory. The file is displayed using the indicia as a marked file and the directory is displayed using the indicia as a marked directory.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for delaying a priority boost of an execution thread. When a thread prepares to enter a critical section of code, such as when the thread utilizes a shared system resource, a user mode accessible data area is updated indicating that the thread is in a critical section and, if the kernel receives a preemption event, the priority boost that the thread should receive. If the kernel receives a preemption event before the thread finishes the critical section, the kernel applies the priority boost on behalf of the thread. Often, the thread will finish the critical section without having to have its priority actually boosted. If the thread does receive an actual priority boost then, after the critical section is finished, the kernel resets the thread's priority to a normal level.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for user defined preferred DNS routing that include mapping for a user in a data communications application a domain name of a network host to a network address for a preferred DNS server, wherein the preferred DNS server has a network address for the domain name; receiving from the user a request for access to a resource accessible through the network host; and routing to the preferred DNS server a DNS request for the network address of the network host, the DNS request including the domain name of the network host. In typical embodiments, mapping a domain name to a network address for a preferred DNS server is carried out by storing, through the data communication application, the domain name in association with the network address for a preferred DNS server in a data structure in computer memory.

Abstract: A system for consolidating TCP ports. In response to initiating a connection to a hidden port via a network, a TCP in TCP packet is created. Then, the TCP in TCP packet is sent to the hidden port via the network via a network visible port.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for scheduling threads in a multiprocessor computer. Embodiments include selecting a thread in a ready queue to be dispatched to a processor and determining whether an interrupt mask flag is set in a thread control block associated with the thread. If the interrupt mask flag is set in the thread control block associated with the thread, embodiments typically include selecting a processor, setting a current processor priority register of the selected processor to least favored, and dispatching the thread from the ready queue to the selected processor. In some embodiments, setting the current processor priority register of the selected processor to least favored is carried out by storing a value associated with the highest interrupt priority in the current processor priority register.

Abstract: An approach is provided to improve network efficiency. A send segment size, such as a maximum segment size (MSS), that corresponds to data segments being sent to a receiver over a computer network. A data block is identified in a send buffer and the data block includes more than one data segments. Based on the determined send segment size, all but a remaining data segment of the data segments are sent to the receiver. The sent data segments are each the determined send segment size and the remaining data segment is smaller than the send segment size. The remaining data segment is sent to the receiver in response to identifying that the remaining data segment is a portion of the data block.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for utilizing instruction trace registers. In one embodiment, a value in a target processor register in a plurality of processor registers is updated in response to executing an instruction associated with program code. In response to updating the value in the target processor register, an address for the instruction is copied from an instruction address register into an instruction trace register associated with the target processor register. The instruction trace register holds the address of the instruction that updated the value stored in the target processor register.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing memory page requests in a multi-processor data processing system determines a threshold value of available memory, and dynamically adjusts an allocation time to fulfill a page request if the available memory is below a threshold value. The allocation time to fulfill the page request is based upon a percentage of available memory pages once a page stealer commences a scan for pages. An allocation wait time is inversely proportionally adjusted depending upon the percentage of available memory. The allocation wait time has a duration that increases in time as the percentage of available memory decreases and decreases in time as the percentage of available memory increases. More specifically, an average time per page to allocate a page including a scan time for the scan in computing the average time is determined. Then a tunable value is applied to the average time to determine a wait time.

Abstract: Identifying compatible threads in a Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) processor environment is provided by calculating a performance metric, such as cycles per instruction (CPI), that occurs when two threads are running on the SMT processor. The CPI that is achieved when both threads were executing on the SMT processor is determined. If the CPI that was achieved is better than the compatibility threshold, then information indicating the compatibility is recorded. When a thread is about to complete, the scheduler looks at the run queue from which the completing thread belongs to dispatch another thread. The scheduler identifies a thread that is (1) compatible with the thread that is still running on the SMT processor (i.e., the thread that is not about to complete), and (2) ready to execute. The CPI data is continually updated so that threads that are compatible with one another are continually identified.

Abstract: A method is provided for a data processing system configured to include multiple logical partitions, wherein resources of the system are selectively allocated among respective partitions. In the method, an entity such as a Partition Load Manager or a separate background process is used to manage resources based on locality levels. The method includes the step of evaluating the allocation of resources to each of the partitions at a particular time, in order to select a partition having at least one resource considered to be of low desirability due to its level of locality with respect to the selected partition. The method further comprises identifying each of the other partitions that has a resource matching the resource of low desirability, and determining the overall benefit to the system that would result from trading the resource of low desirability for the matching resource of each of the identified partitions.

Abstract: A system and method for scheduling threads in a Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) processor environment utilizing multiple SMT processors is provided. Poor performing threads that are being run on each of the SMT processors are identified. After being identified, the poor performing threads are moved to a different SMT processor. Data is captured regarding the performance of threads. In one embodiment, this data includes each threads' CPI value. When a thread is moved, data regarding the thread and its performance at the time it was moved is recorded along with a timestamp. The data regarding previous moves is used to determine whether a thread's performance is improved following the move.

Abstract: An e-mail application calculates a dynamic estimate of an e-mail response time. A recipient address module, a status module, a processing module, and a presentation module interact to generate a first and a second estimated response time. The first estimated response time is determined from sender side data. The second estimated response time is generated using recipient mailbox status data after the e-mail is received by the recipient. The second estimated response time is used to dynamically update the estimated response time displayed to the sender.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing memory page requests in a multi-processor data processing system determines a threshold value of available memory, and dynamically adjusts an allocation time to fulfill a page request if the available memory is below a threshold value. The allocation time to fulfill the page request is based upon a percentage of available memory pages once a page stealer commences a scan for pages. An allocation wait time is inversely proportionally adjusted depending upon the percentage of available memory. The allocation wait time has a duration that increases in time as the percentage of available memory decreases and decreases in time as the percentage of available memory increases. More specifically, an average time per page to allocate a page including a scan time for the scan in computing the average time is determined. Then a tunable value is applied to the average time to determine a wait time.

Abstract: A method facilitates instant message (IM) session transfer of messages intended for an IM user to a new IM session being established by the user. Existing IM sessions may be queried for active IM sessions when the user is connecting to an instant message service. If there is an active session for the user, the IM server will request the content and sender of active messages waiting for the user, and transfer this information to the new IM session being established for the user. In this way, the user does not “miss” IM message(s) intended for him or her while going between existing, active IM sessions and new IM sessions. As used herein, session or sessions refer to IM session or IM sessions.