Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for applying a policy criteria to files in a backup image. A backup image of files in a file system is maintained. A policy is applied to the files in the backup image to determine files satisfying a policy criteria. A list is prepared indicating the determined files. The determined files in the file system are accessed and a deferred operation indicated in the applied policy is applied to the accessed files in the file system.

Abstract: A method for operating an account includes several steps. The account is provided for holding assets of a customer, the account having a variable value controlled by the customer. At least a portion of the assets are held in the account for a time period that includes a plurality of cycles. At least a portion of the assets are invested during the time period, and earnings on the investment are transmitted to the customer. A plurality of average cycle values of the account are calculated, with each average cycle value calculated over one of the plurality of cycles. A minimum average cycle value is selected from the plurality of average cycle values, and a bonus is calculated based on the minimum average cycle value. The bonus is transmitted to the customer, and the customer chooses whether to repeat the process.

Abstract: Sealing may be provided between alignable windows for lateral wellbore drilling. A method for use with a lateral wellbore includes the steps of: positioning a swellable seal material between a closure device and a housing of a window assembly; swelling the seal material to thereby prevent fluid transfer through a window formed in a sidewall of the housing; and then installing the window assembly in a parent wellbore. A lateral wellbore system includes a window assembly with a window formed through a sidewall of a generally tubular housing, and a swollen seal material preventing fluid transfer through the window. A window assembly includes a generally tubular housing having a window formed through a sidewall of the housing, a closure device having another window formed through a wall of the closure device; and a swellable seal material which prevents fluid transfer between the windows.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for applying a policy criteria to files in a backup image. A backup image of files in a file system is maintained. A policy is applied to the files in the backup image to determine files satisfying a policy criteria. A list is prepared indicating the determined files. The determined files in the file system are accessed and a deferred operation indicated in the applied policy is applied to the accessed files in the file system.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of operation of apparatus for the extracorporeal perfusion of organs are provided which support viability and function of an organ such as a liver, generally outside the body. Blood is supplied as described herein to an organ such as a liver under physiological pressure but without forcing blood flow at any particular rate such that the organ is allowed to auto-regulate blood flow. This allows for organ preservation or resuscitation prior to transplantation, maintenance of organs for use in experimental study of isolated liver physiology, and treatment of patients suffering from organ failure.

Abstract: A method for operating an account includes several steps. The account is provided for holding assets of a customer, the account having a variable value controlled by the customer. At least a portion of the assets are held in the account for a time period that includes a plurality of cycles. At least a portion of the assets are invested during the time period, and earnings on the investment are transmitted to the customer. A plurality of average cycle values of the account are calculated, with each average cycle value calculated over one of the plurality of cycles. A minimum average cycle value is selected from the plurality of average cycle values, and a bonus is calculated based on the minimum average cycle value. The bonus is transmitted to the customer, and the customer chooses whether to repeat the process.

Abstract: Invented are non-peptide TPO mimetics. Also invented is a method of treating thrombocytopenia, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises administering to such mammal an effective amount of a selected hydroxy-1-azobenzene derivative.

Abstract: “A system and associated method restore a file system from incremental backups in the presence of deletion, without restoring deleted files. This is accomplished by logging deletions in a deletion log. Using the deletion log, the system re-deletes the deleted files upon a restore operation to an incremental backup epoch. The system the logs deletions so that the files that were deleted and survived a backup epoch have their records logged. The activity log enables an incremental backup from a prior snapshot, and represents a point-in-time version of the file system. The system can either not restore the deleted files, or, alternatively, it can restore the deleted files and then re-deletes them.

Abstract: In a distributed file system the distributed storage management is made useful to a variety of applications. Multiple quality of service options are provided through locking. Three locking systems are provided. The system offers a locking system designed for sequential consistency with write-back caching, typical of distributed file systems. A second locking system is provided for sequential consistency with no caching for applications that manage their own caches. Finally, a locking system that implements a weaker consistency model with write-back caching, designed for efficient replication and distribution of data is included. Locks for replication are suitable for serving dynamic data on the Internet and other highly-concurrent applications. The selection of the appropriate lock protocol for each file is set using the file metadata. Further, a novel locking system is provided for the lock system implementing a weak consistency model with write back caching.

Abstract: A system and method for managing access to assets in a distributed data storage system includes requesting, from a client computer, a lock from a server computer. The lock is evaluated using a bitwise comparison of the protected access modes and restricted access modes defined by the lock with the protected and restricted modes defined by the currently outstanding locks using an algorithm, such that a potentially large compatibility table is not needed.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for a lease-based timeout scheme that addresses fencing's shortcomings. Unlike fencing, this scheme (or protocol) enables an isolated computer to realize it is disconnected from the distributed system and write its dirty data out to storage before its locks are stolen. In accordance with the invention, data consistency during a partition in a distributed system is ensured by establishing a lease based protocol between in the distributed system wherein a client can hold a lease with a server. The lease represents a contract between a client and a server in which the server promises to respect the client for a period of time. The server respects the contract even when it detects a partition between the client and itself.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system for sharing data among client computers running different types of operating systems by separating metadata from data. Data is stored in storage pools that are accessed by the client computers through a storage network. Metadata is stored in a metadata store and provided to the client computers by a cluster of metadata servers. The client computers communicate with the metadata servers using a Storage Tank protocol and over a control network. Each client computer runs an operating system-specific client program that provides the client side functions of the Storage Tank protocol. The client program preferably includes a file system interface for communicating with the file system in the storage system and user applications, a client state manager for providing data consistency, and a plurality of operating system services for communicating with the metadata servers.

Abstract: A data storage system randomly determines a start offset at which to write objects to a storage medium. For updated blocks of the object, e.g., for blocks written during copy-on-write as part of a point-in-time snapshot, the updated block is written in the region of the original file or as close thereto as possible to achieve “virtual contiguity”. Subsequent reads of the object read entire region containing both the object and, potentially, “chaff” data other than the object. The “chaff” data is discarded by the I/O system or file system using, e.g., a bit mask, subsequent to the read.

Abstract: A system and associated method restore a file system from incremental backups in the presence of deletion, without restoring deleted files. This is accomplished by logging the deletions in a deletion log. Using the deletion log, the system re-deletes the deleted files upon a restore operation to an incremental backup epoch. The system the logs deletions so that the files that were deleted and survived a backup epoch have their records logged. The activity log enables an incremental backup from a prior snapshot, and represents a point-in-time version of the file system. The system can either not restore the deleted files, or, alternatively, it can restore the deleted files and then re-deletes them.

Abstract: A system and method for managing access to assets in a distributed data storage system includes requesting, from a client computer, a semi-preemptible access lock from a server computer. The semi-preemptible lock, if granted, is held by the client computer as long as the server does not demand it back, with the client computer granting open instances under non-preemptible file locks for the asset to which the locks pertain as long as the client computer holds the semi-preemptible lock. When another client computer requests the semi-preemptible lock, the server can demand the lock from the holding client, which relinquishes the lock if no open instances are protected by the lock. Otherwise, the holding client computer first attempts to downgrade its lock to meet the request, and if compatibility is not achieved thereby, the holding client refuses to relinquish the lock.

Abstract: In a distributed file system the distributed storage management is made useful to a variety of applications. Multiple quality of service options are provided through locking. Three locking systems are provided. The system offers a locking system designed for sequential consistency with write-back caching, typical of distributed file systems. A second locking system is provided for sequential consistency with no caching for applications that manage their own caches. Finally, a locking system that implements a weaker consistency model with write-back caching, designed for efficient replication and distribution of data is included. Locks for replication are suitable for serving dynamic data on the Internet and other highly-concurrent applications. The selection of the appropriate lock protocol for each file is set using the file metadata. Further, a novel locking system is provided for the lock system implementing a weak consistency model with write back caching.

Abstract: A data storage system randomly determines a start offset at which to write objects to a storage medium. For updated blocks of the object, e.g., for blocks written during copy-on-write as part of a point-in-time snapshot, the updated block is written in the region of the original file or as close thereto as possible to achieve “virtual contiguity”. Subsequent reads of the object read entire region containing both the object and, potentially, “chaff” data other than the object. The “chaff” data is discarded by the I/O system or file system using, e.g., a bit mask, subsequent to the read.

Abstract: Digital data objects containing unused space are reconfigured to facilitate more efficient compression of the data objects. First, a determination is made whether the data object contains regions of unused storage space. Such space may represent deleted files, corrupted data, expired data, etc. If regions of unused storage space exist, they are replaced with a predetermined bit pattern. This bit pattern is specifically chosen so that, if provided as input to a predetermined digital data compression process, it would be compressed with a predetermined predicted compression efficiency. For example, the bit pattern may comprise a repeating sequence of binary zeros, which is optimally compressed by most known compression processes. After reconfiguration of the data object, the data object may be provided as input to the compression process and compressed.

Abstract: Extensions to a database system provide linkage between data in the database system and files in a system for filing data which is external to the database system ("the filing system"). The linkage includes an external file reference (efr) data type which is defined in the database system for reference to files that are stored in the filing system. When entries are made in the database system that include efr data-type references to files in the filing system, control information is provided by the database system to the filing system. The control information causes the filing system to control processing of referenced files according to referential constraints established in the database system.

Abstract: A portable, attachable fishing tackle-box is presented which may be quickly and easily attached to the underside of a standard pedestal fishing seat. The tackle-box assembly comprises a tackle-box with a plurality of drawers and a front cover that is separable into an upper and a lower section. Brackets or other suitable attaching means are provided to secure each section to the underside of a fisherman's seat so that the sliding drawers face outwardly. The relative position of the sections remains constant with respect to the fisherman even when the seat swivels.