Abstract: There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.

Abstract: There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for storage lifecycle management for a plurality of managed objects. The apparatus includes a policy decision manager for creating and managing a policy decision stash. The policy decision stash is associated with predictive policy decisions for the plurality of managed objects and is configured to allow the predictive policy decisions for the plurality of managed objects to be incrementally updated and accessed in the policy decision stash by a policy identifier and an effective timestamp.

Abstract: A method and system performs dynamic online multi-parameter optimization for autonomic computing systems. A simplex is maintained. The system's performance is measured for the particular setting of configuration parameters associated with each point in the simplex. A new sample point is determined using the geometric transformations of the simplex. A current best point in the simplex can be resampled to determine if the environment has changed. If a sufficiently different utility value is obtained from a previously sampled utility value for the point in the simplex, the simplex is expanded. If the difference is not sufficient enough, then contraction of the simplex is performed.

Abstract: A policy for a computer system is transformed into a plurality of sub-policies, at least one synchronization step, and a final action. The sub-policies are distributed to corresponding sub-components in the computer system. The sub-policies are evaluated, wherein each sub-component evaluates its corresponding one or more sub-policies as other sub-components evaluate their corresponding one or more sub-policies. The sub-policies are synchronized by using the at least one synchronization step. The final action is performed in response to synchronizing the sub-policies. The computer system can be singular or distributed.

Abstract: An improved method and system for performing dynamic online multi-parameter optimization for autonomic computing systems are provided. With the method and system of the present invention, a simplex, i.e. a set of points in the parameter space that has been directly sampled, is maintained. The system's performance with regard to a particular utility value is measured for the particular setting of configuration parameters associated with each point in the simplex. A new sample point is determined using the geometric transformations of the simplex. The method and system provide mechanisms for limiting the size of the simplex that is generated through these geometric transformations so that the present invention may be implemented in noisy environments in which the same configuration settings may lead to different results with regard to the utility value. In addition, mechanisms are provided for resampling a current best point in the simplex to determine if the environment has changed.

Abstract: There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.

Abstract: A method for the multicast distribution of a message is provided. A first real machine multicasts the message through a network of message processing machines to one or more message receiving machines, wherein the network is organized into two or more cells including machines, and wherein one or more links between cells comprise link bundles. The method includes selecting a spanning tree rooted in the cell including the first real machine, and comprised of the cells and the link bundles. The method determines one or more cells for receiving the message based on the selected spanning tree and the location of the receiving machines, and selects one or more routes from among the machines and links within the cells and link bundles to a next cell. The method further routes the message to the receiving cells in the spanning tree, and delivering the message to the receiving machines within the receiving cells.

Abstract: Program product for an application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: The present invention involves a method for generating a partial Cyclic Redundancy Checking (CRC) value of a first interval of data in a digital data stream. The method includes the step of loading a precomputed CRC value corresponding to a one bit followed by a predetermined number of zeros. The predetermined number of zeros correspond to the number of digits of a polynomial minus one. The first interval of data is partitioned into a plurality of bits. The precomputed CRC value corresponding to the one bit followed by the predetermined number of zeros is enabled, for each of the plurality of bits having a value of one. The enabled, precomputed CRC values are combined to generate the partial CRC value of the first interval of data. Advantageously, multiple copies of the process may be executed in parallel to achieve a large speed-up.

Abstract: A method for the multicast distribution of a message is provided. A first real machine multicasts the message through a network of message processing machines to one or more message receiving machines, wherein the network is organized into two or more cells including machines, and wherein one or more links between cells comprise link bundles. The method includes selecting a spanning tree rooted in the cell including the first real machine, and comprised of the cells and the link bundles. The method determines one or more cells for receiving the message based on the selected spanning tree and the location of the receiving machines, and selects one or more routes from among the machines and links within the cells and link bundles to a next cell. The method further routes the message to the receiving cells in the spanning tree, and delivering the message to the receiving machines within the receiving cells.

Abstract: An improved CRC generation mechanism for generating a CRC value of relevant data in a digital data stream is disclosed wherein relevant data in the data stream is identified and partitioned into a plurality of intervals. A CRC value is determined for each interval by partitioning the interval into a plurality of chunks, loading from persistent storage a table of CRC values for a range of chunks, determining a CRC value for each of the chunks with parallel table lookup operations on the table, and combining the CRC values for the chunks. The CRC values for each of the intervals is combined to generate the CRC for the relevant data. The parallel table look operation is preferably a vector permute instruction that is executed by a SIMD-style vector unit.

Abstract: Program product for an application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization system in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.

Abstract: An application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization program product in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization technique in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to create, distribute, sell and control access to digital documents using secure cryptographic envelopes. An envelope is an aggregation of information parts, where each of the parts to be protected are encrypted with a corresponding part encryption key. These encrypted information parts along with the other information parts become part of the envelope. Each part encryption key is also encrypted with a public key, and these encrypted part encryption keys are also included in the envelope. The envelope also includes a list of parts where each entry in the list has a part name and a secure hash of the named part. The list is then signed with a secret key to generate a signature, which is also included in the envelope. The signature can be verified using a second public key associated with first secret key, and the integrity of any information part in the envelope can be checked by computing a second hash and comparing it with the corresponding hash in the list of parts.