Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for playing a progressive jackpot game including a visible meter and a deficit meter. The system includes a display, a wager acceptor, player-activated buttons, and a processor. A percentage of the wager defines a contribution to the game. Each time the game is played the visible meter is increased by an increment amount. If the deficit meter is less than zero, the increment amount equals a first portion of the contribution, and a second portion of the contribution is added to the deficit value. If the deficit meter is not less than zero, the increment amount equals a third portion of the contribution. When the game is won, the visible meter is reset to a reset value which comprises a base reset value plus a random value, and the random value is subtracted from the deficit meter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system for playing a progressive jackpot game including a visible meter and a deficit meter. The system includes a display, a wager acceptor, player-activated buttons, and a processor. A percentage of the wager defines a contribution to the game. Each time the game is played the visible meter is increased by an increment amount. If the deficit meter is less than zero, the increment amount equals a first portion of the contribution, and a second portion of the contribution is added to the deficit value. If the deficit meter is not less than zero, the increment amount equals a third portion of the contribution. When the game is won, the visible meter is reset to a reset value which comprises a base reset value plus a random value, and the random value is subtracted from the deficit meter.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for coordinating the configuration of local and remote storage subsystems for a local client is provided. A command sender is configured on a local storage subsystem to create remote command objects based on commands received from the local client, and deliver the remote command objects to a remote storage subsystem for execution. A command receiver is configured on the remote storage subsystem, the command receiver service having an interface to receive the remote command objects. A remote connection bucket is configured to manage at least one connection between the local storage subsystem and the remote storage subsystem.

Abstract: A method to configure a storage library, comprising the steps of establishing a logical configuration for said storage library comprising a plurality of physical objects, by configuring a plurality of logical objects using a plurality of logical configuration commands, and adding that plurality of logical objects to the logical configuration. The method further adds the plurality of logical configuration commands to a Configuration Library, and saves that Configuration Library for later use.

Abstract: A method to create an aspect oriented, color coding algorithm for a graphical user interface, wherein a graphical user interface (“GUI”) is generated when a code base is executed, and wherein the GUI comprises a plurality of interactable graphical objects, wherein the method compiles the code base, identifies in the compiled code base a first object join point, wherein the compiled code base at the first object join point creates and displays a first interactable graphical object, and determines a first address in the code base for the first object join point. The method further creates a mapping table, writes the first interactable graphical object and the first address to that mapping table, and encodes the mapping table in an aspect oriented, color coding algorithm written to a computer readable medium.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing on-demand storage capacity on a remote storage server to a customer is provided. A virtual array site code is received. The remote storage server is virtually connected to a local storage server of the customer in response to receiving the virtual array site code. Subsequent to receiving an activation request from the customer, a command is executed on the remote storage server to provide the virtual array site code to the customer. A virtual array site object is created on the local storage server corresponding to an array site object on the remote storage server.

Abstract: A method for concurrently converting a standard volume to a thin-provisioned volume includes initially establishing metadata for a thin-provisioned volume. The method then updates the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume to point to extents residing in a standard volume. The method then suspends I/O to metadata for the standard volume. Upon suspending the I/O, the method migrates control of the extents in the standard volume from a standard-volume control algorithm to a thin-provisioned-volume control algorithm. The method then resumes the I/O to the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume. Using this technique, standard volumes may be rapidly converted to thin-provisioned volumes while minimally disrupting I/O to the volumes. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A method for concurrently converting a standard volume to a thin-provisioned volume includes initially establishing metadata for a thin-provisioned volume. The method then updates the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume to point to extents residing in a standard volume. The method then suspends I/O to metadata for the standard volume. Upon suspending the I/O, the method migrates control of the extents in the standard volume from a standard-volume control algorithm to a thin-provisioned-volume control algorithm. The method then resumes the I/O to the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume. Using this technique, standard volumes may be rapidly converted to thin-provisioned volumes while minimally disrupting I/O to the volumes. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A method for singleton process control in a computer environment is provided. A process identification (PID) for a background process is stored in a first temporary file. The PID is stored by a parent process and subsequently accessed by the background process. The background process is exited if an active PID is determined to exist in a second, global temporary file. The PID from the first temporary file is stored into the second, global temporary file. A singleton code block is then executed.

Abstract: A method for implementing on-demand configuration of a logical volume, wherein the method monitors the amount of available storage capacity of the logical storage volume and determines whether the available storage capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as a percentage of available logical storage space. If the method determines that the storage capacity of the logical storage volume is nearing full capacity, the method determines whether configured physical storage space is available. If the method determines that configured physical storage space is available, the method then reconfigures the logical storage volume to include the configured physical storage space. If configured physical storage space is not available, the method locates unconfigured physical storage space, configures the available physical storage space, and reconfigures the logical volume using the configured physical storage space.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for scalable media output. The apparatus includes a proximity sensor module to detect the presence and proximity of a user, and to generate presence and proximity data in response to the location of the user with respect to the proximity sensor module. The sensor control module is configured to scale the media output of a media device. The system includes the apparatus and a display module configured to output visual information and an audio module configured to output aural information. The method includes detecting the presence and proximity of a user, generating presence and proximity data in response to the location of the user with respect to a proximity sensor module, communicating the presence and proximity data with a sensor control module, and scaling the media output of a media device in response to the presence and proximity data.

Abstract: An automated method to replicate remote virtual files to local physical files is presented, wherein the method provides a replication algorithm comprising computer readable program code that can be used by a programmable computer processor to replicate the (N) remote virtual volumes to (N) local physical volumes, such that a computing device integral with those (N) local physical volumes can read data from, and write data to, each of the locally replicated virtual volumes without modifying volume assignments and without reconfiguring the computing device to communicate with the (N) local physical volumes.

Abstract: For applying timed operations to non-timed functions, a computer causes the computer to discover, by parsing source code, a caller calling a function. The function does not perform timed operations. The computer further encapsulates the function in a timed method adapter and calls the timed method adapter in place of the function from the caller, passing the timed method adapter an object and an argument for the function. The computer further calls an invoke thread from the set invoker and returns from the set invoker to the timed method adapter. The computer waits for an execution result from the function at the timed method adapter, monitoring for an expiration of a timeout, and invokes the function from the invoke thread, passing the function the object and the argument.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing on-demand storage capacity on a remote storage server to a customer is provided. A virtual array site code is received. The remote storage server is virtually connected to a local storage server of the customer in response to receiving the virtual array site code. Subsequent to receiving an activation request from the customer, a command is executed on the remote storage server to provide the virtual array site code to the customer. A virtual array site object is created on the local storage server corresponding to an array site object on the remote storage server.

Abstract: An encapsulation module encapsulates a function in a timed method adapter. A caller calls the timed method adapter in place of the function. The timed method adapter calls a set invoker. The set invoker saves an argument, calls an invoke thread, and returns to the timed method adapter. The invoke thread invokes the function and passes the function an object and the argument. The timed method adapter further waits for an execution result from the function and monitors for an expiration of a timeout. If the function returns the execution result before expiration of the timeout, the timed method adapter returns the execution result to the caller. If the timeout expires before the function returns the execution result, the timed method adapter directs the invoke thread to cancel the function and returns a timeout exception to the caller.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing on-demand storage capacity on a remote storage server to a customer is provided. A virtual array site code is received. The remote storage server is virtually connected to a local storage server of the customer in response to receiving the virtual array site code. A virtual array site object is created on the local storage server corresponding to an array site object on the remote storage server.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product of configuring a virtual array site on a remote storage server is provided. The virtual array site provides on-demand storage capacity to a local storage server of a customer. The method includes creating a virtual array. The virtual array incorporates an attribute selectable by the customer. A virtual extent pool is created. The virtual extent pool is associated with the virtual array. A volume associated with the virtual extent pool is created. The volume comprises at least a portion of the virtual array site.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to automate the testing of a graphical user interface. The method supplies a computing device comprising a code base, wherein a graphical user interface (“GUI”) is generated when that code base is executed, and wherein that GUI comprises a plurality of interactable graphical objects. The method color codes in the code base each of the plurality of interactable graphical objects, and then executes the code base. The method selects one of the color-coded interactable graphical objects as a test object. Using the color of the selected interactable graphical object, the method locates and activates that test object, and ascertains if an expected result was observed after activating the color-coded test object. If an expected result is not observed after activating the test object, the method generates an error message.

Abstract: The present invention introduces methods for controlling and configuring systems using a new command line interface (CLI) command. The CLI command allows a user to set a save point or a restore point of the configuration (e.g., setsavepoint). After the CLI command is executed, the user can continue issuing configuration commands. In addition, if at some point the user wants to go back to the restore point, the user can issue an additional command which generates a CLI script containing all of the commands that need to be executed in order to modify the configuration such that it goes back to its state at the point at which the restore point was set.

Abstract: An automated method to replicate remote virtual files to local physical files is presented, wherein the method provides a replication algorithm comprising computer readable program code that can be used by a programmable computer processor to replicate the (N) remote virtual volumes to (N) local physical volumes, such that a computing device integral with those (N) local physical volumes can read data from, and write data to, each of the locally replicated virtual volumes without modifying volume assignments and without reconfiguring the computing device to communicate with the (N) local physical volumes.