Abstract: A prosthetic finger, comprising: a first axis of movement comprising a moving magnet; a second axis of movement comprising a moving coil, wherein the second axis is generally orthogonal to the first axis; and a third axis of movement comprising a moving magnet, wherein the third axis of movement is generally oriented in the same direction as the first axis of movement.

Abstract: A record of computing resources for a cloud computing environment and an additional cloud computing environment may be maintained. Available computing resources in the cloud computing environment and the additional cloud computing environment may be determinable from the record of computing resources. A request to instantiate a virtual machine in the cloud computing environment may be received. The virtual machine may be instantiated in the additional cloud computing environment in response to determining that the cloud computing environment lacks the available computing resources and inactive reserve resources to support the virtual machine.

Abstract: A decision system for providing customized application build options to users of a cloud computing environment. The decision system can receive user usage history data and determine a customized set of application resources based on the usage history data. Information about the customized set of application resources can then be supplied to the user.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for data migration among a plurality of cloud-based storage networks. In aspects, an administrator of a data payload may wish to migrate the data payload from a host cloud network to a target cloud provider to leverage cost, security, redundancy, consolidation, or other advantages. A data distribution service can identify data sets replicated from the data payload and located on the data distribution service or other staging sites. The data distribution service or other logic can examine consistencies and/or differences between the data payload in the host cloud network and the replicated data payloads. Depending on the consistencies and/or differences, the data distribution service can directly transport a replicated data payload from the respective staging site to a target cloud in lieu of migrating the data payload out of the host cloud network to the target cloud.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cross-cloud computing resource usage tracking. An example method comprises: receiving a request comprising an operational specification of a computing resource; selecting a first provisioning cloud in view of the operational specification; receiving an updated operational specification of the computing resource; receiving a first provisioning offer from the first provisioning cloud and a second provisioning offer from a second provisioning cloud responsive to the updated operational specification; selecting the second provisioning cloud in view of the first and second provisioning offers; providing an interface between the first computing resource and a second computing resource residing in a second provisioning cloud; and tracking resource usage data of the first computing resource across the provisioning clouds.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating optimized host placement of data payload in a cloud-based storage network. In aspects, a user can maintain a user premise network including servers, clients, local area networks, data stores, and/or other network assets. An administrator or other user of the premise network may wish to extract data from the premise network and transfer that data payload to a set of host storage clouds to leverage cost, redundancy, consolidation, or other cloud advantages. The placement tool can evaluate potential target cloud-based data stores based on various or multiple parameters for the hosting features offered by different cloud providers. The tool can generate a determination of the target host or hosts which can provide the best-matched or optimized data hosting facilities or services for the user's data payload in the cloud.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for staged data migration between data sources and a cloud-based storage network. In aspects, a user can maintain a user premise network including servers, clients, local area networks, data stores, and/or other network assets. An administrator or other user of the premise network may wish to extract data from the premise network and transfer that data payload to a set of host storage clouds to leverage cost, redundancy, consolidation, or other cloud advantages. A cloud data delivery (CDD) service can be established to stage the upload of the data payload to the set of host storage clouds using a set of managed or dedicated lines to the CDD service, and to the host storage clouds at network edge. The connections between the premise network/CDD service and CDD service/host storage clouds can be selected and/or optimized to provide high-bandwidth connections tailored to the schedule, cost, or other requirements of the data payload to be transported.

Abstract: An originator of an appliance can independently secure the appliance for instantiation in the cloud, separate from the security level of the cloud. The originator can secure the appliance utilizing a secure rights application. The secure rights application can be configured to “wrap” an appliance in a security container. The security container can limit access to the applications and operating systems contained in the appliance, but allow the appliance to operate normally once instantiated in the cloud. The secure rights application can be configured to cryptographically secure the appliance in order limit the ability of unauthorized parties from accessing the components of the appliance while maintaining the functionality of the appliance.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the aggregate monitoring of utilization data for vendor products in cloud networks. A service can be abstracted and provided external to a set of cloud networks which can access the management system(s), vendor databases, or other resources in those clouds, and generate selective reports on application or other usage across those diverse cloud networks. A network user may wish to generate a report on the usage history of software or services in multiple host clouds, without establishing or accessing individual tracking servers or services in each of the host cloud networks. In aspects, the user may also wish to generate an aggregate report combining multiple vendors, user groups, software, or other attributes. The usage report(s) can be configured to use different criteria or generate different outputs on a dynamic basis, e.g. in different times frames, or altering reports under different usage conditions.

Abstract: A system and method include determining, by a processing device, a first quantity associated with usage of a hardware resource on which a virtual machine is instantiated in a cloud, determining, by the processing device from the virtual machine, a second quantity associated with usage of a software resource utilized on the virtual machine, and determining usage of the cloud in view of the first quantity and the second quantity.

Abstract: A processor receives, from a software vendor system, a rule for converting a software license associated with a software program to a cloud software license associated with using the software program in a cloud computing environment, and receives, from an owner computer of the software license, a request to convert the software license to the cloud software license. The request includes an identifier of the software vendor system and a license identifier. The processor identifies the rule for converting the software license to the cloud software license in view of the received identifier of the software vendor system and the license identifier and converts the software license to the cloud software license in response to the request by changing one or more terms of the software license, in view of the rule, wherein the cloud software license controls usage of a subscription for the software program in the cloud computing environment. The processor transmits the cloud software license to the owner computer.

Abstract: A processor receives a request to access secure data. The processor translates the request in order to locate the secure data in a secure data store. The processor retrieves the secure data from the secure data store. The processor encodes the secure data to generate protected secure data. The processor transmits the protected secure data from the secure data store to at least one instantiated virtual machine in a cloud-based network.

Abstract: A processor replicates a request for a computer resource to a plurality of clouds, and updates a repository in view of resource offerings received from the plurality of clouds. The repository stores resource and service data for each cloud. The processor identifies resource and service data in the repository that match information specified in the request in view of the updated repository, and provides information to a requesting entity indicating resource and service data in the repository satisfy the request.

Abstract: A system and method include determining, by a processing device, a first duration of usage of a hardware resource on which a virtual machine is instantiated in a cloud, determining, by the processing device from the virtual machine on the cloud, a second duration of usage of a software resource that is utilized by a user on the virtual machine, the software resource comprising at least part of an operating system, and calculating, by the processing device, a usage of the cloud by the user in view of the first duration and the second duration.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for de-populating a cloud data store. In one method, an identification of a set of cloud-populated data to be transported from a set of host storage clouds to at least one target data store is received. The method identifies a data transport pathway from the set of host storage clouds to the at least one target data store, the data transport pathway including a dedicated reverse staging connection between the set of host storage clouds and the at least one target data store. The method initiates the transport of the set of cloud-populated data to the at least one target data store in view of a set of de-population commands.

Abstract: A compliance tool can verify compliance with jurisdictional transfer and storage requirements for data migration into or within a cloud. The compliance tool can monitor and check data transfers and storage to determine if the data transfer and/or storage will cross jurisdictional boundaries. If the transfers or storage crosses jurisdictional boundaries, the compliance tool can identify the transfer and storage requirements of any jurisdictions involved with the transfer and/or storage. The compliance tool can verify that the data transfers complies with the identified transfer and storage requirements. If the data transfer and/or storage does not comply with the identified transfer and storage requirements, the compliance tool can terminate the data transfer and/or storage, modify the data transfer and/or storage, and/or modify the data, itself, to comply with the identified transfer and storage requirements.

Abstract: A “Bring Your Own License” (BYOL) service can convert users' “off-the-shelf” (OTS) software licenses for use in public clouds according to rules provided by independent software vendors (ISVs). The BYOL service can offer additional license terms to the users during conversion of the OTS software license on behalf of the ISVs. The additional license terms can be an expansion of the use of the software, an expansion of the technical support offer by the new cloud license, and expansion of the duration of use.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for multiple cloud marketplace aggregation. An aggregation engine communicates with a set of multiple cloud marketplaces, each of which communicates with an associated set of clouds. A requesting entity, such as a user requesting the instantiation of a set of virtual machines, can transmit a resource request to the aggregation engine. The aggregation engine can fan out or distribute a replicated request to the set of multiple cloud marketplaces. Each cloud marketplace can receive the request and respond to indicate available resources that can be produced from their respect set of clouds. The aggregation engine can collect the responses of the various marketplaces, and can generate one or more selections based on selection logic such as best match, cost factors, or other criteria. In embodiments, a user can manually select the desired marketplace(s) to instantiate or update their virtual machine or other target objects.

Abstract: An appliance support module can be configured to receive a request to build a demo software appliance from a user. The appliance support module can be configured to build the demo appliance and to include configuration data in demo software appliance. The appliance support module can be configured to receive a request to migrate the demo software appliance to a production software appliance. The appliance support module can be configured to migrate the demo software appliance by modifying the configuration data in order to provide full functionality to the demo software appliance that was previously limited. The appliance support module can also receive a request to scale the production software appliances. The appliance support module can scale the production software appliance by dividing the applications contained in the production software appliances into separate software appliance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cross-cloud computing resource usage tracking. An example method comprises: receiving a request comprising an operational specification of a computing resource; selecting a first provisioning cloud in view of the operational specification; receiving an updated operational specification of the computing resource; receiving a first provisioning offer from the first provisioning cloud and a second provisioning offer from a second provisioning cloud responsive to the updated operational specification; selecting the second provisioning cloud in view of the first and second provisioning offers; providing an interface between the first computing resource and a second computing resource residing in a second provisioning cloud; and tracking resource usage data of the first computing resource across the provisioning clouds.