Abstract: Techniques are described for reducing capacity fragmentation by using an Automatic Defragmentation Service (ADS). More particularly, hypervisors (HVs) that are candidates to defragment are identified, an HV to defragment is selected, and one or more VM instances are migrated from the selected HV to a different HV. According to certain implementations, instead of migrating a VM to a new HV, the VM is live migrated to an existing HV.

Abstract: A network interface component having a CPU and a pool of physical NICs used to provide network interface resources for one or more virtual NICs is disclosed. An operating system of the network interface component creates one or more virtual NICs to facilitate data flows to and from virtual machines running on one or more servers coupled to the network interface component. The operating system dynamically creates and manages as many virtual NICs as is necessary to handle traffic flows to/from one or more virtual machines running on one or more servers coupled to the network interface component. The operating system also directs which of the physical NICs are to be used or shared amongst which of the virtual NICs. Any physical NIC from the pool can be shared by more than one virtual NIC and can also be reassigned to another virtual NIC depending on traffic flows through the cloud computing network.

Abstract: Superhard nanocomposite coatings which are applicable to coating contact surfaces on substrates in a variety of industrial processes are disclosed. In a typical embodiment, the superhard nanocomposite coating includes a refractory metal silicon nitride coating layer having silicon in a concentration of from about 6 atomic percent to about 12 atomic percent.

Abstract: A surface mount conductive polymer device includes a layer of conductive polymer material laminated between first and second metal foil electrodes. A thermal stress relief area is formed as an etched-out area in each of the electrodes. The etched-out areas are equal in surface area, and they are symmetrically disposed on the two electrodes, so that the two electrodes are themselves symmetrical, and are subject to equal degrees of thermal stress relief. First and second opposed end terminals are formed on the opposed ends of the laminated structure to providing electrical connection to the first and second electrodes, respectively.

Abstract: A surface mount conductive polymer device includes a layer of conductive polymer material laminated between first and second metal foil electrodes. A thermal stress relief area is formed as an etched-out area in each of the electrodes. The etched-out areas are equal in surface area, and they are symmetrically disposed on the two electrodes, so that the two electrodes are themselves symmetrical, and are subject to equal degrees of thermal stress relief. First and second opposed end terminals are formed on the opposed ends of the laminated structure to providing electrical connection to the first and second electrodes, respectively.