Abstract: According to a method of access to a shared data record subject to contemporaneous read and write access by multiple requesters, a requester reads a shared data record including a payload and a first checksum. The requester calculates a second checksum of the payload of the data record. If the first and second checksums are not equal, the requester again reads the shared data record, including a third checksum, and calculates a fourth checksum of the payload of the shared data record. If the third and fourth checksums are equal, the requester processes the shared data record as valid, and if the second and fourth checksums are equal, the requester handles the shared data record as corrupt.

Abstract: A gossiping scheme for sharing node status in a cluster of nodes provides a robust mechanism for determining node status within the cluster. Nodes transmit gossip messages to each other nodes, the gossip messages listing other nodes in the cluster that are operational. When a node does not receive a gossip message from a particular node within a predetermined time period, then the node transmits messages to the other nodes indicating that the particular node is down. However, if another node has received a packet from the particular node within the predetermined time period and receives the node down message, then the other node responds with a node alive message.

Abstract: A second node receives a message from a first node in a cluster environment. The message includes a unique identifier of a shared data storage device including a cluster configuration database that defines membership of nodes in a cluster. In response to receiving the message, the second node attempts to find the shared data storage device. In response to finding the shared data storage device, the second node locates and reads the cluster configuration database on the shared data storage device. The second node then assimilates a cluster configuration update indicated by the cluster configuration database.

Abstract: Communication ability between nodes in a cluster-based computer system is tracked to inform applications executing on the nodes of the existence and quality of the endpoint-to-endpoint communications available between the nodes. Communications between a node and other nodes are tracked, and a database records the communication ability between the node and the other nodes for each link between the nodes. The tracking and recording are repeated at the other nodes. A registration by an application executing at a particular one of the nodes to receive notifications of changes in the communication ability with another node over a particular link (or in general) will cause notification of the application when the link status changes.

Abstract: A unique device name is assigned to each of a plurality of shared storage devices in a cluster configuration database defining membership of nodes in a cluster. A particular node among the nodes defined by the cluster configuration database as a member of the cluster searches the cluster configuration database for a device identifier matching a device identifier of a shared storage device hosted by the particular node. In response to finding a matching device identifier in the cluster configuration database, the particular node renames, in a local configuration maintained at the particular node, a storage device associated with the matching device identifier with the unique name assigned to that storage device in the cluster configuration database.

Abstract: In response to a stimulus indicating configuration of a node into a cluster of a plurality of nodes including the node, the node determines whether or not the node has a universally unique identifier (UUID), and if not, the node provides its own persistent self-assigned UUID. The node searches a cluster configuration database for a temporary identifier associated with the node. In response to the node locating the temporary identifier of the node in the cluster configuration database, the node writes its self-assigned UUID into the cluster configuration database and joins the cluster.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data processing system for facilitating network communications involves creating a primary logical partition (LPAR) in the data processing system, the LPAR configured to host a specified operating system. The method further includes creating a first virtual network adapter within the LPAR, associating the first virtual network adapter with a first network address, and binding the first virtual network adapter to the LPAR. The method additionally involves creating a first logical subpartition (LSPAR) within the LPAR, the first LSPAR configured to employ said specified operating system and no other. The method also includes creating a second virtual network adapter within the LPAR, associating the second virtual network adapter with a second network address, wherein the second network address is not an alias network address of the first network address, and binding the second virtual network adapter to the first LSPAR.

Abstract: An event notification system for distributed processing systems provides for replacement of event identifiers associated with transient objects, such as processes within the processing system. An event management interface receives a notification from an event producer that an identifier of an event produced by the event producer is no longer valid. The event management interface blocks event notification for the event and dissociates an event registration entry associated with the event from the event identifier. A new event identifier is received from the event producer by the event management interface, which associates the registration entry with the new event identifier. Event notification for the event is then resumed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product to selectively extracts compressed-encrypted files from an archive. The data processing system receives a command to preprocess the archive from an authenticated user, wherein the authenticated user is associated with at least one fingerprint. The data processing system determines that the at least one fingerprint fails to match all fingerprints in metadata of a first compressed-encrypted file in the archive. The data processing system, responsive to a determination that the fingerprint fails to match all fingerprints, deletes the compressed-encrypted file. The data processing system determines that the fingerprint matches a second fingerprint in metadata of a second compressed-encrypted file in the archive. The data processing system, responsive to a determination that the fingerprint matches the second fingerprint, avoids deleting the second compressed-encrypted file.

Abstract: An event notification system for distributed processing systems provides reduction of queue space and event processing bandwidth associated with duplicate events such as a particular event that is duplicated and results in multiple event notifications propagated for multiple consumers. When a duplicate event notification is received at an input to an event notification queue, rather than queuing the duplicate event notification, a sequence number of the event notification already in the queue is updated to indicate to the event consumer, exactly how many duplicate events have been received. The timestamp of the updated event notification may also be set to the timestamp of the most recently received duplicate event notification.

Abstract: An event notification system for distributed processing systems provides remote and local node event notification in systems that require local registration of an event consumer in order produce an event notifications. To provide notification of an event occurring on a remote node, either event consumers on all nodes in the cluster register locally to receive event notifications and specify that the event is a cluster event, in which case the nodes send notification of their locally-occurring events to all nodes, or remote registrations are accepted at nodes and if a local consumer for the event is not present, a listener thread registers as an event consumer. The listener thread sends the event notifications to the remote nodes registered as consumers for the event by observing communication between the event producer and the local consumer, or receiving the event notifications directly if there is no local consumer.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a tangible computer storage medium, and a data processing system provide high availability support for virtual machines in a logical partitioned platform. A monitoring system detect a failure in the virtual machine. Partition management firmware then restarts the virtual machine in a consistency failover image node utilizing a consistency failover image. If a subsequent failure of the virtual machine is detected within a predetermined time, partition management firmware restarts the virtual machine in a boot failover image node utilizing a boot failover image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product to protect a first user from authorization limitation by a second user. The computer may receive an authorization command from the second user, wherein the authorization command targets the first user, and the second user is at least partially authorized to operate the authorization command. The computer determines that the first user is an ancestor user of the second user. In addition, the computer, responsive to a determination that the first user is an ancestor user of the second user, prevents operation of code of the authorization command to change an authorization of the first user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for a checkpoint process associated with a device driver in a workload partitioned environment. In response to initiation of a checkpoint process, a stream is frozen. The stream comprises a set of kernel modules driving a device. Freezing the stream prevents any module in the set of kernel modules from sending any messages, other than a checkpoint message, to another module in the set of kernel modules. The message block for each module in the set of kernel modules is updated with internal data to form a restart message. The internal data is data describing a state of the module in the set of kernel modules.

Abstract: A document camera includes a base, a first arm, a second arm, and a camera head assembly. The base includes control electronics. The first arm is connected at a first end to a side of the base utilizing a first hinge. The second arm is connected at a first end to a second end of the first arm utilizing the second hinge. The camera head assembly is connected at a first end to a second end of the second arm utilizing the third hinge. The camera head assembly includes a lens adjuster and an imaging sensor and movement of the lens adjuster changes an orientation of the imaging sensor. The first side of the first arm is connected to a first side of the base and a second side of the first arm is connected to the second hinge.

Abstract: A method, system, and program are provided for managing a response to an email by a hidden email recipient. A hidden recipient manager detects a request to respond to an electronic communication by a hidden recipient of that electronic communication from among a plurality of recipients of the electronic communication. The hidden recipient detects whether the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient other than a sender of the electronic communication. If the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient other than a sender of the electronic communication, then the hidden recipient manager warns the hidden recipient that the request to respond is addressed to at least one recipient who is unaware of the recipient of the electronic communication by the hidden recipient.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a tangible computer storage medium, and a data processing system provide high availability support for virtual machines in a logical partitioned platform. A monitoring system detect a failure in the virtual machine. Partition management firmware then restarts the virtual machine in a consistency failover image node utilizing a consistency failover image. If a subsequent failure of the virtual machine is detected within a predetermined time, partition management firmware restarts the virtual machine in a boot failover image node utilizing a boot failover image.

Abstract: A speaker assembly mounted on a bracket extending from a ceiling comprises an enclosure that includes a bottom wall, side walls including opposing first and second side walls, a sleeve that receives a tubular member of the bracket, and an interior wall having a first segment that extends from the sleeve to the first side wall and a second segment that extends from the sleeve to the second side wall. The interior wall cooperates with the sleeve to divide the enclosure into two approximately equal sized compartments. Each of the speakers within the assembly either forms, or is mounted in or on, one of the side walls. A top plate is mounted on, and forms a top of, the enclosure and seals the two compartments, the top plate having an opening that is aligned with the sleeve when the top plate is mounted on the enclosure. A power unit and circuitry for the speakers are mounted on the top plate.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data processing system for facilitating network communications involves creating a primary logical partition (LPAR) in the data processing system, the LPAR configured to host a specified operating system. The method further includes creating a first virtual network adapter within the LPAR, associating the first virtual network adapter with a first network address, and binding the first virtual network adapter to the LPAR. The method additionally involves creating a first logical subpartition (LSPAR) within the LPAR, the first LSPAR configured to employ said specified operating system and no other. The method also includes creating a second virtual network adapter within the LPAR, associating the second virtual network adapter with a second network address, wherein the second network address is not an alias network address of the first network address, and binding the second virtual network adapter to the first LSPAR.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for restarting pseudo terminal streams. In one embodiment, a device associated with a file descriptor in a set of file descriptors is opened. The set of file descriptors are identified in checkpoint data for restarting the pseudo terminal streams. In response to identifying the device as a pseudo terminal slave device, an entry for the identified pseudo terminal slave device is added to a list of open pseudo terminal slave devices. The entry for the identified pseudo terminal slave device is marked as an open pseudo terminal slave device. The list of open pseudo terminal slave devices permit pseudo terminal master devices and pseudo terminal slave devices to be restored and restarted in random order during a restart of the pseudo terminal streams.