Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for secure distributed storage. In aspects, a set of remote storage hosts, such as personal computers, servers, media devices, cell phones, or others, can subscribe or register to provide storage via a cloud-based or other distributed network. Source data from an originating computer, such as a data file, can be decomposed into data storage subunits, each of which is encrypted via a cloud management system or other logic or control. The data storage subunits can comprise data blocks or even or uneven size. The set of encrypted data storage subunits can be registered to a table or other record, and disseminated to the remote storage hosts. In the event of data loss at the originating computer or at other times, the remotely stored data storage subunits can be extracted, decrypted, and reassembled to reconstruct the original source data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate systems and methods for detecting network conditions based on derivatives of event trending. In embodiments, a network management server can monitor the status and operation of network machines, such as servers or targets, as well as network transmission hardware (e.g. routers). Streams of network operation data from those sources can be captured and stored. The management server or other logic can examine the network operation data to identify trend lines for network conditions, such as application faults, attempted intrusions, or other events or conditions. trend line data can be treated to generate second or other higher-order derivatives, such as third-order derivatives representing the rate of change of acceleration (or jerk) in the time series of one or more conditions. The presence of acceleration or jerk for one or more trend lines, such as attempted network intrusions, can reflect an event and trigger a flag or other automated response.

Abstract: Embodiments relate systems and methods for detecting network conditions based on a correlation between trend lines. In embodiments, a network management server can monitor the status and operation of network machines, such as servers or targets, as well as network transmission hardware (e.g. routers). Streams of network operation data from those sources can be captured and stored. The management server or other logic can examine the network operation data to identify trend lines for network conditions, such as application faults, attempted intrusions, or other events or conditions. Trend line data can be treated to generate second or other higher-order derivatives, such as third-order derivatives or others. A time correlation between two or more trend lines and/or their higher order derivatives, for instance, the occurrence of a peak value in the same time window, can be used to identify an event, state or condition.

Abstract: When terminating a process instantiated in a cloud, a cloud management system can provide and interact with an eraser agent on the computing systems supporting the process. The process can be any type of process that can exits in the cloud such a virtual machine, software appliance, or software instance. The eraser agent can execute on the computing systems to erase information stored on physical storage devices of the computing systems and associated with the process. In particular, the eraser agent can utilize secure algorithms to alter and obscure the information stored on the physical storage devices of the computing systems and associated with the process.

Abstract: A storage tool can determine and provide an abstract view of storage systems in a network of computing system. The storage tool can utilize the abstract view in order to identify the storage systems based on the performance and capabilities of the storage systems without regard to the configuration of the storage system, storage devices in the storage system, or the details of the storage devices.

Abstract: Embodiments relate systems and methods for detecting machine faults in a network using acoustic monitoring. In embodiments, one or more servers, clients, or other machines in a managed network can have a microphone or other acoustic sensor integrated into motherboard or other hardware. The sensor can sample acoustic signals from inside or near the machine, and can digitize that data. The resulting set of acoustic data can be transmitted to a management server or other destination for analysis of the operating sounds related to that machine. For instance, the acoustic data can be analyzed to detect indications of a failed or failing hard drive, for instance by detecting spindle whine or head movement noises, or a failed or failing power supply based on other sounds. The management server can respond to potential fault events for instance by issuing configuration commands, such as instructions to power down the malfunctioning component.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for installation of management agents on target machines. In embodiments, a central management server can scan a managed network to identify different types and configurations of target machines. Different types of target machines may require different types of management agent software in order to invoke different types of management services, such as configuration management or performance monitoring services. The necessary types of management agent may depend, for instance, on the operating system and/or applications installed on individual targets. In embodiments, different types or classes of management agents can register or communicate with different types of remote management servers.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for testing results of configuration management activity. In embodiments, a configuration management server can control and maintain the configuration state of one or more targets, hosts, servers, clients, or other machines in a managed. In aspects, a testing tool hosted on the configuration management server can verify the correct implementation of configuration instructions. In embodiments, the testing tool can access or receive an anticipated or target configuration state for one or more target(s) or other machines, indicating the status of services, memory, security, storage, and/or other configuration parameters after a selected configuration command is to be transmitted and run on the recipient machine. After the configuration change or update is performed, the test tool can receive results indicating the actual configuration state achieved after running the configuration management command(s), and compare those to the anticipated configuration state.

Abstract: In order to track actions performed by a package manager or a configuration management system, a computing system can be configured to include a tagging tool. The tagging tool can be configured to cooperate with the package manager and the configuration management system in order to determine and generate a history of the actions performed by the package manager and the configuration management system. The history can include a description of the actions, the reasons why the actions were performed, and a list and description of the software programs, files, and software libraries that are affected by the actions.

Abstract: To manage and communicate with virtual machines in an external cloud regardless of the cloud management scheme of clouds, the cloud management system can utilize an abstraction library. The abstraction library can be configured to abstract out the differences between different cloud management schemes utilized by the cloud management systems and an independent cloud management system of the external cloud.

Abstract: A cloud management system can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign different “virtual groups” to particular computing resources of both local and external clouds. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups and/or can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources). When instantiating virtual machines in local or external clouds, the cloud management system can utilize the “virtual groups” to identify and allocate the computing resources.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for registering management software component types in a managed network. In embodiments, a central registration server can scan a managed network to identify different types and configurations of target machines. The registration server can, for instance, perform an authorization process on some or all targets in a network, and determine a management software component type required by or compatible with each target. The Different target machines may have requirements for different management software component types depending, for instance, on the operating system or other resources installed on each target. Once a management software component type has been identified, the registration server can take an inventory of further resources hosted on the target, as well as identify types of management agents that can be distributed to the target to registration to remote management services, such as configuration management or performance monitoring services.

Abstract: In order to track actions performed by a package manager, a computing system can be configured to include a tagging tool. The tagging tool can be configured to cooperate with the package manager in order to determine and generate a history of the actions performed by the package manager. The history can include a description of the actions, the reasons why the actions were performed, and a list and description of the software programs, files, and software libraries that are affected by the actions.

Abstract: A cloud management system can receive rules for altering the virtual machines based on demands on the virtual machines and/or computing resources supporting the virtual machines. The cloud management system can receive data from the internal monitoring agents and/or external monitoring agents and to determine when the conditions of the rules are met. Once the conditions are met, the cloud management system can migrate the virtual machines to an external cloud.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for message-based installation management using a message bus. In embodiments, a deployment server or other provisioning host can be connected to a message bus with a managed network, including sets of hosts and targets, as well as a set of applications, management platform(s), and/or other resources. Those resources monitor the bus message traffic for installation events, such as the powering up, operating system provisioning, and bringing online of a set of real or virtual client machines. The set of applications or other resources listening to the message bus can detect the occurrence of an installation event, or transmit installation commands to the provisioning server. For instance, the set of applications can direct the installation of user applications or other software in dependency order. The set of applications or other resources can also initiate installations not based on detection of an in-process installation event.

Abstract: A provisioning server can provide and interact with an eraser agent on target machines. The eraser agent can execute on one or more target machines to erase all the contents of storage on the target machines. In particular, the eraser agent can utilize secure algorithms to alter and obscure the information stored the storage devices of the target machines. The provisioning server can instruct the target machines to alter their power state (e.g. power cycle), if necessary, to provide and to initiate the eraser agent.

Abstract: A cloud management system can determine if the operational state of the virtual machines and/or the computing systems needs to be altered in order to instantiate virtual machines. If the operational state of the computing systems needs to be altered, the cloud management system retrieves an identification of the power management systems supporting the computing systems. The cloud management system can utilize the identification of the power management systems to instruct the power management systems to alter the power state of the computing system in order to instantiate the virtual machines.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the management of mainframe resources in a pre-boot environment. According to embodiments, a network management platform, for instance a platform equipped or compatible with pre-boot discovery and management tools such as the known pre-boot execution environment (PXE), can integrate a set of mainframe-based virtual machines using a pre-boot management engine. The pre-boot management engine can reside in or communicate with the mainframe operating system, and present a set of resources to the network management platform to allow the platform to include time-sliced or other virtual machines or resources, into the pre-boot protocol.

Abstract: A cloud management system can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign different “virtual groups” to particular computing resources. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups and/or can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources). When instantiating virtual machines in a cloud, the cloud management system can utilize the “virtual groups” to identify and allocate the computing resources.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for power management in a managed network having hardware-based and virtual resources. A network management platform can host a power management engine to configure and manage the power operations of a mixed set of hardware-implemented and virtual machines. The virtual machines can be instantiated, for instance, via a mainframe platform and/or a cloud computing environment. The power management engine can maintain a power management settings indicating power management rules or preferences for the managed network. The power management settings can contain rules or commands, for instance, to sequence the power-on or power-off order between different hardware-implemented or virtual machines, based for instance on dependency orders or predetermined schedules.