Abstract: In an embodiment, a verifier receives requirements for membership in a group from a service and receives proof of attributes from users. The verifier verifies whether the proof of attributes meets the membership requirements and sends acceptance or rejection to the service. If the proof meets the requirements, the service allows the users to become members of the group and allows the members to transfer data to and from other members. If the proof does not meet the requirements, the service prevents the users from becoming members. In this way, the service and group members know that other group members satisfy the group membership requirements without needing to know the identity of the group members or other information unrelated to the group membership requirements.

Abstract: A system and method for composing a stream servicing environment which considers all stakeholders includes identifying service component requirements needed for processing a data stream, and determining available service elements for processing the stream. Feasible service environments are constructed based upon the available service elements and the service component requirements. Efficiency measures are computed for each feasible service environment considering all stakeholders. A best service environment is determined based upon the efficiency measures.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a method to identify a preferred system configuration for a distributed system to use for executing a given computing job. A benchmark profile may specify a collection of benchmarks representative of the job, and the collection of benchmarks may be executed across various permutations of compute nodes that are part of the distributed system. That is, the benchmark profile identifies one or more benchmarks which best represent the runtime characteristics of the computing job. The collection of benchmarks may be executed to predict the performance of the computing job using different permutations of available nodes, before deploying the job.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may be used to generate a benchmark profile for a computing job configured to execute on distributed systems. The benchmark profile may be used to predict the performance of components of a computing job for a variety of different distributed computing system architectures. A profiling tool evaluates the computing job to identify the particular performance characteristics of the application and match this with benchmarks that are most representative of the identified performance characteristics and store them in the benchmark profile. The identified benchmarks may then be run on different configurations of a distributed computing system in order to predict the performance of the application for a variety of scenarios.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provides visualization of IT resources that are exposed as WSDM resources. A management system with a console provides visibility and functionality for WSDM resources by employing a visualization mechanism that processes standardized visualization metadata that is sent from a WSDM resource. The visualization mechanism uses standardized information to enable the management system console to display a robust presentation of the resource without needing to update the management system and console code when new types of resources are added.

Abstract: A common consolidation management application provides an interface to the multiple different system management software applications and at least one user input console. An adapter in each of the system management software applications supports communication with the consolidation application. A system administrator issues requests to different system management software applications using a common interface provided by the consolidation application. The consolidation application can be installed over an existing complex of computer systems managed by different management applications, without modifying the managed systems or replacing the management applications.

Abstract: A failure recovery framework to be used in cooperative data stream processing is provided that can be used in a large-scale stream data analysis environment. Failure recovery supports a plurality of independent distributed sites, each having its own local administration and goals. The distributed sites cooperate in an inter-site back-up mechanism to provide for system recovery from a variety of failures within the system. Failure recovery is both automatic and timely through cooperation among sites. Back-up sites associated with a given primary site are identified. These sites are used to identify failures within the primary site including failures of applications running on the nodes of the primary site. The failed applications are reinstated on one or more nodes within the back-up sites using job management instances local to the back-up sites in combination with previously stored state information and data values for the failed applications.

Abstract: A common consolidation management application provides an interface to the multiple different system management software applications and at least one user input console. An adapter in each of the system management software applications supports communication with the consolidation application. A system administrator issues requests to different system management software applications using a common interface provided by the consolidation application. The consolidation application can be installed over an existing complex of computer systems managed by different management applications, without modifying the managed systems or replacing the management applications.

Abstract: A device, which is encoded with ordered steps, is connected to a network. In an embodiment, each of the steps includes a type, a link that points at a respective tool, and a completion condition. The steps are sent from the device to an address in the network. A selection of one of the links is received from a user who is associated with the type. In response, the user interface for the tool that is pointed at by the link is sent to the user. The user interface includes tool commands. In response to receiving a tool command from the user, the tool command is performed, and if the tool command causes the completion condition for its step to be met, a completion command for the step is sent to the address in the network. In this way, setup activities are coordinated for configuring a device in a network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product implement dynamic authority for a user to perform tasks on a resource. A user selected task on a resource is identified and analyzed to determine whether the task changes a state of the resource. When determined that the task changes a state of the resource, then a relationship of the resource to related resources is analyzed. Access to tasks on the resource is dynamically determined for the user based upon the identified relationship of the resource to related resources. Based on the analysis performed, access is denied or a summary of side effects with confirmation is presented.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product implement dynamic customization of environment for enhanced network meeting experience. Users connect to a network meeting and environment data are submitted for the users to a computer system for a presenter. A primary recipient is selected by the presenter. A view is rendered of display for at least one recipient for viewing by the presenter. An optimization setting option is selected by the presenter and predefined presentation settings are altered for the network meeting. A selected secondary recipient is selectively suspended by the presenter, for example, based upon a slow connection speed for a selected recipient, or when a maximum number of secondary recipients is reached.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and business method allow a customer to access performance data only if transmission of the performance data to the vendor is enabled. In a first embodiment, the customer cannot access any performance data unless transmission of the performance data to the vendor is enabled. In a second embodiment, the customer can access some limited performance data, but cannot access more extensive performance data unless transmission of the performance data to the vendor is enabled. The preferred embodiments provide the capability of a customer accessing historical performance data in exchange for the customer transmitting the performance data to the vendor. In this manner the needs of both vendor and customer are satisfied.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing software between computers are disclosed. A software fix manager compares a preferred software inventory with a software inventory from a computer that is to be synchronized and, from this comparison, creates a number of software product synchronizations. An update manager uses the software fix list to apply software product synchronizations to the computer. Preferably, the computer can be brought to the same fix level or product level, if desired, as the preferred software inventory through this process. The software fix manager can place synchronizations in a fix list. There can be multiple software product synchronizations per software product, and the synchronizations can be applied to a computer by removing a software product fix or installing a product software fix. The current invention may also be applied to software products themselves, by installing or removing software products.

Abstract: In a first aspect, an adjustable display device is provided which includes a plurality of display segments defining an adjustable size of a display device for displaying data, and a detection mechanism operatively coupled to the plurality of display segments. The detection mechanism is configured to detect a change in size of the display device by displacement of at least one of the plurality of display segments and to generate a corresponding detection signal. The adjustable display device further includes a controller operatively coupled to the detection mechanism and configured to (1) receive the detection signal; (2) adjust displayed data of the display device in response to the detection signal; and (3) display the adjusted displayed data on one or more of the display segments. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing software between computers are disclosed. A software fix manager compares a preferred software inventory with a software inventory from a computer that is to be synchronized and, from this comparison, creates a number of software product synchronizations. An update manager uses the software fix list to apply software product synchronizations to the computer. Preferably, the computer can be brought to the same fix level or product level, if desired, as the preferred software inventory through this process.

Abstract: An object oriented framework mechanism for distributing and managing operations of a network application defines classes and class relationships that provide for easily extending the framework to define new heterogeneous operations in a network application. Core functions of the framework mechanism support operation management functions, which may include status reporting, error recovery, scheduling, reexecution of previously-defined operations, persistence of operations, and sharing of operations between users. The framework mechanism provides extensible functions that are extended by a user to define a network application. A network application can thus be defined by a user that supports any or all of the above-mentioned operation management functions without explicitly providing these functions, because these functions are part of the core function of the framework mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention generally is a method of managing the process of a plurality of transactions through two or more applications in a business transaction environment. Each application has at least one associated log file. Each transaction is defined by one or more steps configured to complete the transaction. In one embodiment, for each new log entry recorded in the at least one associated log file, the method determines whether the new log entry comprises one or more required fields, e.g., a transaction identifier, a step identifier, or a time stamp. A set of information is extracted from the new log entry only if the new log entry comprises the one or more required fields. A database comprising a plurality of transaction records from the information is then created. The method then determines whether the plurality of transaction records meets a condition. An action is then executed if the plurality of transactions meets the condition.

Abstract: A framework for use with object-oriented programming systems provides an expert system shell that executes with a rule set developed by a framework user. The framework includes a condition manager object that keeps track of what conditions are true at any time and a rules compiler that processes the rules so they can be used by the condition manager. The conditions are a set of object classes that are organized into an inheritance hierarchy for use by the condition manager. A detector determines when to set conditions to true. When a condition state is changed, the condition manager realizes that one or more rules might indicate a particular action might now be appropriate. Therefore, the condition manager checks the rules against the conditions each time a condition changes. The expert system developer provides the set of rules and conditions appropriate for the knowledge domain of the expert system under development.

Abstract: An object oriented framework defines a model computer system that can be used to configure computer systems on a network. The copying of configuration data for the model computer system to one or more other computer systems is referred to herein as “cloning.” The model computer system may be defined by a system administrator specifying configuration data, or by a system administrator selecting one computer system on the network as the model computer system. The framework may then be used to configure one or more selected computer systems on the network to be similar to the model computer system in one or more aspects. The framework mechanism of the invention defines a model class and a system replicator class that are core classes of the framework, and therefore cannot be modified by a user. The model class defines a model computer system with one or more aspects that may be configured.

Abstract: In a first aspect, an adjustable display device is provided which includes a plurality of display segments defining an adjustable size of a display device for displaying data, and a detection mechanism operatively coupled to the plurality of display segments. The detection mechanism is configured to detect a change in size of the display device by displacement of at least one of the plurality of display segments and to generate a corresponding detection signal. The adjustable display device further includes a controller operatively coupled to the detection mechanism and configured to (1) receive the detection signal; (2) adjust displayed data of the display device in response to the detection signal; and (3) display the adjusted displayed data on one or more of the display segments. Numerous other aspects are provided.