Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for marketing, delivering, and collecting payment for information is described. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of providing electronic mail for payment. The invention includes sending an electronic mail message including provided information and a price to a customer, the provided information having an inaccessible portion of information. The invention further includes transferring a payment from the customer, and rendering the inaccessible portion of information accessible to the customer.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for marketing, delivering, and collecting payment for information is described. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of providing electronic mail for payment. The invention includes sending an electronic mail message including provided information and a price to a customer, the provided information having an inaccessible portion of information. The invention further includes transferring a payment from the customer, and rendering the inaccessible portion of information accessible to the customer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a method. The method includes dynamically allocating a telephone number to an advertisement on a just-in-time basis; and if the telephone number is not called for a predefined period of time then unallocating the telephone number.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a method. The method includes dynamically allocating a telephone number to an advertisement on a just-in-time basis; and if the telephone number is not called for a predefined period of time, then unallocating the telephone number.

Abstract: A mechanism to support remote mirroring of storage devices by data storage systems in a one-to-many switched environment. Each data storage system includes a disk director that is adapted to control at least one device group that is supported in a mirrored configuration with a corresponding device group controlled by one of the other data storage systems. For each device group and corresponding device group, there are first ports associated with the device group and second ports associated with the corresponding device group. A switch element is adapted to connect one of the first ports to at least one of the second ports so that data may be exchanged between the ports for each device group and corresponding device group. The disk director selects which first port is to be connected to which second port via the switch element in the establishment of a logical link.

Abstract: Transferring data from a local storage device to a remote storage device includes providing, to a portion of the local storage device, data to be transferred from the local storage device to the remote storage device using a first mode that accesses an indicator of data being transferred, selecting a second mode for transferring data different from the first mode, where the second mode does not require the indicator, subdividing the portion of the local storage device into chunks, for each of the chunks, transferring the data, and, after all of the data from the chunks has been transferred, using the second mode for transferring data that is provided to the local storage device after selecting the second mode.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide access to advertisement database through an application programming interface. One embodiment includes receiving a request according to an application program interface over a network connection; and in response to the request, providing at least a portion of an advertisement according to the application programming interface. The advertisement is designed to generate communication leads for a party; and the party is to be charged for the advertisement according to a count of communication leads generated for the party via the advertisement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide access to manage advertisements which provide references usable to request real time communication connections. One embodiment includes receiving a request according to an application programming interface over a network connection; and providing access to manage an advertisement of an advertiser via the application programming interface in response to the request (e.g., to create, update, query, delete the advertisement, such as a pay per call advertisement). In one embodiment, the advertisement is to be embedded with a real time communication reference assigned to the advertiser; the real-time communication reference is to be used to request a real time communication connection with the advertiser; and the advertiser is to be charged for communication leads generated via the real-time communication reference embedded in the advertisement.

Abstract: Handling ordered writes to a data storage device includes receiving a first chunk of data into slots of a cache of the data storage device and using a hash table to provide a correlation between cache slots containing data from the first chunk of data and locations of a logical storage device of the data storage device. Handling ordered writes may also include maintaining a circularly linked list of pointers to cache slots containing the first chunk of data. Handling ordered writes may also include receiving a second chunk of data into slots of the cache of the data storage device and receiving a message indicating that all data corresponding to the first chunk of data has been transferred to the data storage device. Handling ordered writes may also include, in response to receiving the message, storing data from the first chunk on to the logical storage device.

Abstract: Accessing stored data includes providing a virtual storage area having a table of pointers that point to one of: a disk storage area and a volatile memory area, wherein the virtual storage area contains no sections of data, in response to a request for accessing data of the virtual storage area, determining whether a corresponding one of the pointers points to the disk storage area or points to the volatile storage area and accessing the data from the disk storage area or from the volatile storage area. Accessing stored data may also include associating a first one of the other storage areas with the virtual storage area, wherein the virtual storage area represents a copy of data of the disk storage area. Accessing stored data may also include causing all of the pointers of the table to initially point to sections of the disk storage area when the virtual storage area is initially associated with the disk storage area.

Abstract: Ordering data writes include a host computer providing a plurality of data writes to a primary storage device, the primary storage device assigning a first sequence number to data writes begun after a first time and before a second time, the primary storage device assigning a second sequence number, different from the first sequence number, to data writes begun after the second time, in response to completion of all writes assigned the first sequence number, the primary storage device transferring writes assigned the first sequence number to a secondary storage device, and, in response to the primary storage device transferring all writes assigned the first sequence number to the secondary storage device, the primary storage device sending a commit message to the secondary storage device. Ordering data writes may also include, in response to receiving a commit message from the primary storage device, the secondary storage device storing the data writes having the first sequence number.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements on mobile/wireless media channels. In one embodiment, a method includes: assigning a telephone number to an advertiser, one of the telephone number and a reference to the telephone number to be included in an advertisement provided to an end user via a wireless media; and, monitoring telephone connections to the telephone number to bill the advertiser for the advertisement in response to each telephone connection to the telephone number. In one embodiment, a method includes: a first party providing an advertisement to a mobile device on behalf of an advertiser, the advertisement to include at least a reference to a telephonic connection with the advertiser; and, the first party collecting a fee from the advertiser in response to a telephonic connection being established between the advertiser and customer.

Abstract: Ordering data writes includes at least some of a group of primary storage devices receiving a first plurality of data writes, causing a cycle switch for the group of primary storage devices where the first plurality of data writes are associated with a particular cycle on each primary storage device in the group, and at least some of the group of primary storage devices receiving a second plurality of writes after initiating the cycle switch where all of the second plurality of writes are associated with a cycle different from the particular cycle on each primary storage device. Writes to the group begun after initiating the cycle switch may not complete until after the cycle switch has completed. Ordering data writes may also include, after completion of the cycle switch, each of the primary storage devices of the group initiating transfer of the first plurality of writes to a corresponding secondary storage device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for merging different types of pay for performance advertisements. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue for a party from price information of a list of entities, which includes first price information for a first type of advertisements and second price information for a second type of advertisements; and sorting the list of entities based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue. In one embodiment, a method includes: converting price information for an advertisement of a first type to equivalent price information for a second type of advertisements. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining automatically, based on a call bid amount for a pay per call advertisement, a click bid amount for a pay per click advertisement to provide a phone number of the pay per call advertisement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect consumers to diverse advice sources of experts. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a list of experts to a mobile device via a wireless media channel for presentation to a consumer; responsive to receiving from the mobile device a selection of one expert from the list of experts, initiating a telephonic connection between the expert and the consumer prior to the consumer submitting a question for advice. In one example, the list includes information to indicate whether one or more of the experts are individually available to telephonically communicate with the consumer at a time when the list is provided to the consumer. In one example, initiating the telephonic connection includes: initiating a first call to the consumer; initiating a second call to the expert; and joining the first and second calls to make the telephonic connection between the expert and the consumer.

Abstract: Ordering data writes include a host computer providing a plurality of data writes to a primary storage device, the primary storage device assigning a first sequence number to data writes begun after a first time and before a second time, the primary storage device assigning a second sequence number, different from the first sequence number, to data writes begun after the second time, in response to completion of all writes assigned the first sequence number, the primary storage device transferring writes assigned the first sequence number to a secondary storage device, and, in response to the primary storage device transferring all writes assigned the first sequence number to the secondary storage device, the primary storage device sending a commit message to the secondary storage device. Ordering data writes may also include, in response to receiving a commit message from the primary storage device, the secondary storage device storing the data writes having the first sequence number.

Abstract: Storing recovery data includes providing chunks of data to a remote destination, where each chunk of data represents data written before a first time and after a second time and where the second time for one of the particular chunks corresponds to a first time for a subsequent one of the particular chunks, providing synchronous data to a local destination, and providing an indicator to the local destination in connection with creation of a new chunk of data for storage at the remote destination. The local destination may maintain a plurality of maps, where each of the maps associates synchronous data being provided thereto with a specific chunk of data. In response to receiving an indicator in connection with creation of a new chunk of data, the local destination may point to a new map. There may be two maps or more than two maps.

Abstract: Reversing a communication path between a first volume on a first storage device and a second volume on a second storage device includes suspending communication between the first and second volumes while maintaining operations for other volumes of the storage devices, causing the first volume to change from a source volume to a destination volume without destroying the first volume, causing the second volume to change from a destination volume to a source volume without destroying the second volume, and resuming communication between the first and second volumes. Causing the first volume to change from a source volume to a destination volume may include modifying a table of the first storage device. Causing the second volume to change from a source volume to a destination volume may include modifying a table of the second storage device.

Abstract: Described are techniques used in dynamically modifying RDF groups. A system call is issued by a host computer system to execute a remote system call on a first data storage system to create, remove, or modify an RDF group between the first data storage system and another data storage system that is remotely connected to the first data storage system in an RDF switched environment. As part of executing the remote system call, data is pushed from the first to the second data storage systems without having an established link between the data storage systems. Each data storage system performs processing to make the necessary modifications in all directors in accordance with the dynamic RDF group. A status indicating success or failure of the remote system call is returned to the host computer system.

Abstract: Setting a plurality of table entries in a storage device includes subdividing the table entries into a N tasks, placing each of the N tasks in a memory location disposed within the storage device and accessible by a plurality of internal devices, the plurality of the internal devices accessing the memory location to retrieve at least one of the N tasks, and each of the plurality of the internal devices setting table entries corresponding to at least one of the N tasks retrieved from the memory location. Setting table entries may also include setting logical device table entries to indicate corresponding tracks contain invalid data in connection with operation of remote data transfer between multiple storage devices. At least some of the internal devices may include devices for handling remote data transfer between multiple storage devices. At least some of the internal devices may be disk adapters and host adapters of the storage device. The memory location may correspond to a queue.