Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for integrating a new Network Element Type 6 with an Element Management System 3 in a substantially ad-hoc manner. A Network Element Type Integration Toolkit 5 retrieves and integrates a definition of the Network Element Type 6 and an alarm definition of the Network Element Type 6 with the Element Management System to enable the new Network Element Type 6 to be supported by the Element Management System 3.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer storage media for load balancing at a client device in a distributed computing environment based on a dynamic validity duration and utilization metrics of one or more data stores are provided. The client device selects a data store from a plurality of data stores that each maintains a copy of a datum. The selection of data stores by a client is based on utilization metrics of the data stores. The utilization metrics are stored at the client. A data store determines if a request for a particular datum may be fulfilled within a validity period associated with a request from the client. The validity period is dynamically changed by the client across multiple requests to aid in the load balancing process. Additionally, a gossip protocol may be used to propagate utilization metrics of a plurality of data stores across the system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer storage media for load balancing at a client device in a distributed computing environment based on a dynamic validity duration and utilization metrics of one or more data stores are provided. The client device selects a data store from a plurality of data stores that each maintains a copy of a datum. The selection of data stores by a client is based on utilization metrics of the data stores. The utilization metrics are stored at the client. A data store determines if a request for a particular datum may be fulfilled within a validity period associated with a request from the client. The validity period is dynamically changed by the client across multiple requests to aid in the load balancing process. Additionally, a gossip protocol may be used to propagate utilization metrics of a plurality of data stores across the system.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing and sorting targets received in a referral response and for realizing a target fail-back and a target priority policy in a distributed file system is provided. In one embodiment, a sorting method includes receiving a referral response in the form of a list of targets that are sorted into bounded sets. Having a sorted referral response in bounded sets provides a basis for implementing a target fail-back and a target priority policy. The computer system may select a target from a sorted list of targets sorted according to site-cost and/or target priority. Then, the computer system may determine if the set target is associated with a more preferred target when compared to all available targets in the sorted list and if not, switch back to a more preferred target.

Abstract: A directory services implementation is provided to associate distributed file system (DFS) links with individual directory objects, and metadata to attributes thereof, to allow leveraging directory services features for DFS for a given namespace. For example, updating directory objects with modified metadata related to DFS links requires only that the directory object related to the link be updated rather than an entire directory object related to the corresponding namespace. Moreover, directory services functionalities such as querying can be utilized with DFS to provide efficient location of updated records. In this regard, efficient replication of DFS throughout a network is facilitated.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing and sorting targets received in a referral response and for realizing a target fail-back and a target priority policy in a distributed file system is provided. In one embodiment, a sorting method includes receiving a referral response in the form of a list of targets that are sorted into bounded sets. Having a sorted referral response in bounded sets provides a basis for implementing a target fail-back and a target priority policy. The computer system may select a target from a sorted list of targets sorted according to site-cost and/or target priority. Then, the computer system may determine if the set target is associated with a more preferred target when compared to all available targets in the sorted list and if not, switch back to a more preferred target.

Abstract: A system for detecting and measuring subsurface fatigue cracks wherein acoustic pulse-echo data from the crack under test are manipulated to extract all acoustic characteristics by means of a Fourier operation, deconvolution and inverse Fourier operation, providing a spectral and cepstral analysis on these data and then utilizing the results of the spectral and cepstral analysis to obtain parameters which are utilized in an adaptive learning network to provide crack length measurements.