Abstract: A system and computer program product for listing a service in a service catalog. Feedback is received about a candidate service that is used to determine a score for the candidate service. It is determined whether the score for the candidate service exceeds a first threshold. If the score for the candidate service exceeds the first threshold, the candidate service is listed as a published service in the service catalog. Feedback is received about the published service that is used to determine a score for the published service. It is determined whether the score for the published service exceeds a second threshold. If the score for the published service exceeds the second threshold, a signal is sent to a service actualization unit to actualize the published service.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of providing user context-based services over computer networks, using mechanisms for collecting and specifying one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, mechanisms for collecting affective (emotive) data to inform the user context, and also an interactive graphical view to gain insight into available services for assisting in understanding available service information and making decisions on purchasing.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing a plurality of services in a service catalog. Metadata is received about one or more services. The metadata is analyzed to determine whether to perform a management activity on the service catalog, the management activity including recommending one or more services in the service catalog or coupling two or more services in the service catalog. If it is determined that the received metadata is insufficient, a signal is generated to gather additional metadata within a time period the metadata is determined to be insufficient.

Abstract: A method, data processing system, and computer program product for associating tags with a person or user. A computer receives a communication file. The computer determines a tag for the communication file to form a communication file association of the tag with the communication file. The computer identifies contact information for a user from the communication file. The computer forms a user association between the user and the tag.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating information between vehicle operators. The method includes receiving a request from a send vehicle operator to communicate a vehicle information message from a send vehicle. The method also includes generating the vehicle information message at the send vehicle. The method further includes sending the vehicle information message from the send vehicle to a receive vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for scheduling meetings at conflicting times. The method includes receiving from a meeting requestor a request to schedule a proposed meeting at a time interval. The method also includes determining that the time interval includes a conflicting meeting in an electronic calendar of at least one proposed meeting invitee. The method further includes automatically calculating by a computer processor a free-time probability value for the conflicting meeting based on at least one non-temporal attribute of the conflicting meeting or the proposed meeting. Additionally, the method includes automatically scheduling the proposed meeting if the free-time probability value is beyond a free-time probability threshold.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing information relevant to a collaboration. An example method includes automatically calculating by a computer processor a relevance value of user-encountered information respective to the collaboration. The method also includes distributing to at least one attendee of the collaboration the user-encountered information if the relevance value is beyond a relevance threshold.

Abstract: An approach that provides a seamless conversation service between interacting environments is described. In one embodiment, there is a seamless conversation service tool that includes a conversation commencement component configured to facilitate commencement of a conversation between two or more parties occurring over a communication path in one of two or more interacting environments. A user context monitoring component is configured to monitor a user context associated with the conversation. A user context change identification component is configured to identify a change in the user context of the conversation. A conversation transfer component is configured to transfer the conversation between the two or more interacting environments in response to the identified change in the user context, while maintaining a transparency of functionality of the communication path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of providing user context-based services over computer networks, using mechanisms for collecting and specifying one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, mechanisms for collecting affective (emotive) data to inform the user context, and also an interactive graphical view to gain insight into available services for assisting in understanding available service information and making decisions on purchasing.

Abstract: Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment is described. In one embodiment, there is a data center management tool for managing a physical data center from a representation of the physical data center operating in a virtual universe. The data center management tool includes a data center contextual object component configured to obtain a data center contextual object that describes operational information of the physical data center in the virtual universe. An operational change component is configured to implement at least one operational change to the representation of the physical data center in the virtual universe. The at least one operational change is implemented as a function of the data center contextual object. A management component is configured to manage the physical data center pursuant to a result obtained from implementing the at least one operational change.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes detecting one of an absence of a virtual universe (VU) occurrence in a VU within a predetermined time period, a special event in the VU and a change of real world status from a previous real world status. Additionally, the method includes determining a VU asset of a VU resident relevant to the VU occurrence, the special event or the previous real world status. Further, the method includes performing an automated asset reduction of the VU asset based on the determining.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes detecting one of an absence of a virtual universe (VU) occurrence in a VU within a predetermined time period, a special event in the VU and a change of real world status from a previous real world status. Additionally, the method includes determining a VU asset of a VU resident relevant to the VU occurrence, the special event or the previous real world status. Further, the method includes performing an automated asset reduction of the VU asset based on the determining.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of providing user context-based services over computer networks, using mechanisms for collecting and specifying one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, mechanisms for collecting affective (emotive) data to inform the user context, and also an interactive graphical view to gain insight into available services for assisting in understanding available service information and making decisions on purchasing.

Abstract: Methods, program products, services and devices are provided for protecting a protected avatar from actions of a second avatar within a virtual universe. Protection is implemented for a protected avatar from a second avatar within a virtual universe, including identifying an activity of the second avatar and disqualifying the second avatar from engaging in the identified activity within the virtual universe as a function of a relation of the identified activity to the protected avatar. A protective action is defined, associated with the identified activity and executable against the protected avatar or the second avatar. Activity of the protected avatar or the second avatar is monitored within the virtual universe for an occurrence of the identified activity, and the protective action is executed against the protected avatar or the second avatar in response to detecting the occurrence of the identified activity.

Abstract: An approach that applies user context to searches in a virtual universe is described. In one embodiment, there is an enhanced virtual universe search tool that includes a receiving component configured to receive a query from an avatar that is online in the virtual universe. A scanning component is configured to scan a collection of avatar data describing attributes that are relevant to behavioral, search and informational needs of the avatar. A resource search component is configured to return search results for the query that are in accordance with the scanned collection of avatar data.

Abstract: Methods, program products, services and devices are provided for protecting a protected avatar from actions of a second avatar within a virtual universe. Protection is implemented for a protected avatar from a second avatar within a virtual universe, including identifying an activity of the second avatar and disqualifying the second avatar from engaging in the identified activity within the virtual universe as a function of a relation of the identified activity to the protected avatar. A protective action is defined, associated with the identified activity and executable against the protected avatar or the second avatar. Activity of the protected avatar or the second avatar is monitored within the virtual universe for an occurrence of the identified activity, and the protective action is executed against the protected avatar or the second avatar in response to detecting the occurrence of the identified activity.

Abstract: This invention includes a workforce management system having a system bus, at least one database in communication with the system bus that includes data representative of workforce employees, and social networking data associated with the employees. A matching functional unit includes a text mining function for mining contextual information from the at least one database to generate context labels for an employee, a clustering function for generating concept labels for an employee, and a matching function that sorts and matches employees by the labels in accordance with a matching criteria. A user interface provides user input to the support operation of the workforce management system.

Abstract: A method, data processing system, and computer program product for associating tags with a person or user. A computer receives a communication file. The computer determines a tag for the communication file to form a communication file association of the tag with the communication file. The computer identifies contact information for a user from the communication file. The computer forms a user association between the user and the tag.

Abstract: A system and method of determining performance metrics for inclusion in a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between a customer and a host computing service provider. The method comprises: receiving a provisioning request from a customer including receiving computing performance requirement parameters and environmental parameters for inclusion in the SLA from the customer; deploying discovery tools to identify relevant infrastructure components based on performance metrics. Based on identification of the customer's relevant infrastructure components, probes are deployed and installed. Then, data is obtained from the probes while changing infrastructure components for simulating and assessing impact of one or more different customer scenarios for different performance policies. In one aspect, the obtained data is used to identify and implement an a priori risk sharing agreement between the customer and service provider.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of providing user context-based services over computer networks, using mechanisms for collecting and specifying one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, mechanisms for collecting affective (emotive) data to inform the user context, and also an interactive graphical view to gain insight into available services for assisting in understanding available service information and making decisions on purchasing.