Abstract: Described is transparently compressing content for network transmission, including end-to-end compression. An end host or middlebox device sender sends compressed packets to an end host or middlebox device receiver, which decompresses the packets to recover the original packet. The sender constructs compressed packets including references to information maintained at the receiver, which the receiver uses to access the information to recreate actual original packet content. The receiver may include a dictionary corresponding to the sender, e.g., synchronized with the sender's dictionary. Alternatively, in speculative compression, the sender does not maintain a dictionary, and instead sends a fingerprint (hash value) by which the receiver looks up corresponding content in its dictionary; if not found, the receiver requests actual content.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating distributed processing systems includes inputting component descriptions in a distributed processing system and determining importance of each component. Capacity and failure characteristics of resource groups representing units of available processing capacity are also input. Components are assigned to a plurality of resource groups based on the capacity. Each resource group includes components where the failure characteristics permit simultaneous failures, such that in the event of such failures, an output value of the application is maximized.