Abstract: A method for optimizing lead time for service provisioning for a request from a customer includes storing a record of installation and configuration times for each hardware and software configuration in a database, and then calculating success rates and failure rates for each hardware and software configuration. A manual installation time for the request is set in the event of failure. The necessary time to prepare the system fulfilling the customer request is then determined and displayed in the data center.

Abstract: A method for optimizing lead time for service provisioning for a request from a customer includes storing a record of installation and configuration times for each hardware and software configuration in a database, and then calculating success rates and failure rates for each hardware and software configuration. A manual installation time for the request is set in the event of failure. The necessary time to prepare the system fulfilling the customer request is then determined and displayed in the data center.

Abstract: To provide transaction processing for continuing processing without returning an error to a requestor and to make a system flexible by programmably configuring rollback and reprocessing, a system includes a request proxy device for transferring a request sent from a requestor terminal to a first server, a request information management device for receiving terminal request information from the request proxy device and storing the terminal request information, and a connection proxy device for relaying a processing request sent from the first server to a backend server or another external device to manage connection information. The request proxy device detects a server failure, reads out the terminal request information from the request information management device, and sends the terminal request information to second servers.

Abstract: A slicing apparatus includes: an annular plate-like rotary blade adapted to be rotated about an axle thereof and having an inner peripheral cutting edge; a table for carrying a work; a first work-feeding mechanism for moving the work on the table in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotary blade; and a second work-feeding mechanism for moving the table in a direction parallel to the opposite side of the blade so as to cause the work on the table to be sliced by the blade.

Abstract: An improved plastic optical fiber and a process for fabricating the same are disclosed. The plastic optical fiber comprises a core and a cladding is formed around the core that has a lower refractive index than that of the core. The cladding consists of an inner transparent cladding and an outer colored, opaque cladding. These inner and outer claddings are formed to be bonded together by simultaneous extrusion thereof.