Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a computational machine having one or more processors, a local cache and memory receives from a first machine a data request that is used to request specific data. The computational machine determines whether the computational machine stores the specific data in the local cache. In accordance with a determination that the computational machine does not store the specific data in the local cache, the computational machine responds to the data request by passing the data request to a second machine and returning the specific data to the first machine when the second machine returns the specific data to the computational machine. Additionally, the computational machine determines whether to store the returned specific data in the local cache according to a data caching method.

Abstract: Method and system for providing message communications with failure detection and recovery are disclosed. At a respective node of a non-static collection of nodes forming a linear communication orbit: the node identifies, from among the non-static collection of nodes, a set of forward contacts distributed in a forward direction along the linear communication orbit; the node monitors a propagation state of a first query that has departed from the respective node to travel in the forward direction along the linear communication orbit; and upon detecting a propagation failure of the first query based on the monitoring, the node sends the first query directly to a first forward contact among the set of forward contacts to initiate a failure recovery process within at least part of a segment of the linear communication orbit between the respective node and the first forward contact of the respective node.

Abstract: Machines in a managed network implement a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network. Independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting security management, including, at a first node of the network, receiving a security management message from an upstream neighbor through a respective receiving channel from the upstream neighbor to the first node; performing one or more security management operations in accordance with the security management message received from the upstream neighbor; and forwarding the security management message to a downstream neighbor through a respective propagation channel from the first node to the downstream neighbor.

Abstract: In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

Abstract: In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a computational machine having one or more processors, a local cache and memory receives from a first machine a data request that is used to request specific data. The computational machine determines whether the computational machine stores the specific data in the local cache. In accordance with a determination that the computational machine does not store the specific data in the local cache, the computational machine responds to the data request by passing the data request to a second machine and returning the specific data to the first machine when the second machine returns the specific data to the computational machine. Additionally, the computational machine determines whether to store the returned specific data in the local cache according to a data caching method.

Abstract: A data caching and distribution method, performed by a plurality of in a linear communication orbit, includes generating a data request by a first machine to request specific data, and passing the data request along a data request path that tracks the linear communication orbit until the request is received at a second machine, in the linear communication orbit, that returns the specific data in response to the data request. The method includes, at a third machine between the second machine and the first machine in the linear communication orbit, conditionally storing the specific data in a local cache of the third machine according to a data caching method.

Abstract: In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

Abstract: A method of parallel processing by networked devices, in which distributed data in a network is accessed in parallel to provide results. Commands and queries by a user station define a set of such distributed data. The networked devices access the distributed data in portions, individually process each portion, conduct peer-to-peer communication to aggregate results from processing each portion, and individually determine whether and when to report results. Making effective use of network assets (such as processing and storage at each node), making effective use of concurrency of network assets, limiting bandwidth use between network assets and user stations, and limiting use of assets (such as processing and storage) at user stations.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods, system, and computer-readable media for monitoring unmanaged assets in a network having a plurality of managed machines include: at a first managed machine of the plurality of managed machines, wherein the plurality of managed machine are arranged in a linear communication orbit and have respective identifiers, and each managed machine is coupled to at least one respective neighbor by a corresponding local segment of the linear communication orbit: responding to a detection instruction for detecting unmanaged assets currently present in the network, by: scanning for live unmanaged machines within a selected portion of the network that is associated with a range of identifiers that includes identifiers between the respective identifiers of the first managed machine and a respective neighbor of the first managed machine; and generating a local report identifying one or more unmanaged machines that have been detected within the selected portion of the network.

Abstract: In a network, a set of machines communicate pairwise, each conditionally adjusting messages in response to its own local state, and each in response to statistical methods conditionally propagating those messages, with the effect that problems with that network, or with a subset of its machines, are reported to a receiver/server. Only a substantially constant number of reports are made to the receiver/server, even when there are a substantial number of such machines able to detect that problem. When a problem is reported, a similar technique causes the machines to collectively evaluate and report suggested causes for that problem. Messages are propagated from each machine to another using locally random global locality. The machines in the network, in response to statistical techniques, organize hierarchically in O(log n) time, where n is the number of machines in the network, substantially without any requirement for nonlocal message exchange.

Abstract: A method of parallel processing by networked devices, in which distributed data in a network is accessed in parallel to provide results. Commands and queries by a user station define a set of such distributed data. The networked devices access the distributed data in portions, individually process each portion, conduct peer-to-peer communication to aggregate results from processing each portion, and individually determine whether and when to report results. Making effective use of network assets (such as processing and storage at each node), making effective use of concurrency of network assets, limiting bandwidth use between network assets and user stations, and limiting use of assets (such as processing and storage) at user stations.

Abstract: A server receives “registration” messages from nodes in a network, sufficiently infrequently to prevent overburden. Registration messages include information about registering nodes, other nodes, or node relationships. The server sends “instruction” messages to registering nodes, requesting information about the network. Each registering node obtains the requested information, and forwards those messages to other nodes, which act similarly. Nodes receiving instruction messages sometimes send “reporting” messages to the server, providing information it originally requested. The server thus receives detailed information about the network, without communicating with too many nodes, and without aggregating too much of that information. The server can interact with users using only resources growing at O(1) with the size of the network.

Abstract: In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

Abstract: In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

Abstract: In a network, a set of machines communicate pairwise, each conditionally adjusting messages in response to its own local state, and each in response to statistical methods conditionally propagating those messages, with the effect that problems with that network, or with a subset of its machines, are reported to a receiver/server. Only a substantially constant number of reports are made to the receiver/server, even when there are a substantial number of such machines able to detect that problem. When a problem is reported, a similar technique causes the machines to collectively evaluate and report suggested causes for that problem. Messages are propagated from each machine to another using locally random global locality. The machines in the network, in response to statistical techniques, organize hierarchically in O(log n) time, where n is the number of machines in the network, substantially without any requirement for nonlocal message exchange.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein enables a collection of computers and associated communications infrastructure to offer a new communications process which allows information providers to broadcast information to a population of information consumers. The information may be targeted to those consumers who have a precisely formulated need for the information. This targeting may be based on information which is inaccessible to other communications protocols. The targeting also includes a time element. Information can be brought to the attention of the consumer precisely when it has become applicable, which may occur immediately upon receipt of the message, but may also occur long after the message arrives. The communications process may operate without intruding on consumers who do not exhibit the precisely-specified need for the information, and it may operate without compromising the security or privacy of the consumers who participate.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein enables a collection of computers and associated communications infrastructure to offer a new communications process which allows information providers to broadcast information to a population of information consumers. The information may be targeted to those consumers who have a precisely formulated need for the information. This targeting may be based on information which is inaccessible to other communications protocols. The targeting also includes a time element. Information can be brought to the attention of the consumer precisely when it has become applicable, which may occur immediately upon receipt of the message, but may also occur long after the message arrives. The communications process may operate without intruding on consumers who do not exhibit the precisely-specified need for the information, and it may operate without compromising the security or privacy of the consumers who participate.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein enables a collection of computers and associated communications infrastructure to offer a new communications process which allows a requestor to receive configuration information of a computational device from a responder. The requestor first sends query documents that contain queries for configuration information of a computational device to the responder; the responder automatically collects the answers for the queries and sends a response document that contains the configuration information of the computational device to the requestor. The queries are written in a formal descriptive language which is transparent, safe for network evaluation, and extensible, and the configuration reader of the responder can parse the queries and automatically invoke a set of standard inspectors to obtain the corresponding configuration information.

Abstract: A console for an enterprise suite is disclosed. The enterprise suite addresses the increasingly complex problem of keeping critical systems updated, compatible, and free of security holes. It uses Fixlet® technology to identify vulnerable computers on the network and then allows authorized personnel to correct problems across any subset of the network with a few simple mouse-clicks. The enterprise suite helps keep the networked computers updated and properly patched, all from a central console which, along with supporting architectural enhancements, is the subject matter of this document. The invention allows rolling out a security patch in minutes instead of months, thus allowing an administrator to stay ahead of potential hacker attacks. The invention also makes it possible to track the progress of each computer as updates are applied, thus making it simple to gauge the level of compliance across the entire enterprise.