Abstract: A technique to adaptively configure components of a converged infrastructure (CI). Component configuration information is collected from and representative of operating storage, compute, and network components of the CI. A pod descriptor is constructed from the collected information. The pod descriptor includes operating storage, compute, and network component configuration definitions for the CI based on the collected component configuration information. A package specification unit is generated based on the component configuration definitions of the pod descriptor. The package specification unit includes tasks that, when executed, automatically inventory, assess, and configure targeted ones of the CI components. The technique executes the tasks in the package specification unit to perform corresponding operations on targeted ones of the CI components.

Abstract: A technique to bootstrap a converged infrastructure design includes receiving a package specification unit (PU) representative of a design of a converged infrastructure (CI) including compute, storage, network, and virtualization components, the PU including component readable tasks that perform operations on the CI components. The PU further includes an inventory task model associated with tasks to read inventory information from the CI components, an assessment task model associated with tasks to assess the CI components, a configuration task model associated with tasks to configure the CI components, and a user input model to generate prompts to solicit and receive CI component information from a user, and provide the received information to the other PU models. The technique displays a PU model menu from which the PU models may be selected, and receives a selection of one of the PU models through the PU model menu.

Abstract: A technique to bootstrap a converged infrastructure design includes receiving a package specification unit (PU) representative of a design of a converged infrastructure (CI) including compute, storage, network, and virtualization components, the PU including component readable tasks that perform operations on the CI components. The PU further includes an inventory task model associated with tasks to read inventory information from the CI components, an assessment task model associated with tasks to assess the CI components, a configuration task model associated with tasks to configure the CI components, and a user input model to generate prompts to solicit and receive CI component information from a user, and provide the received information to the other PU models. The technique displays a PU model menu from which the PU models may be selected, and receives a selection of one of the PU models through the PU model menu.

Abstract: A technique to adaptively configure components of a converged infrastructure (CI). Component configuration information is collected from and representative of operating storage, compute, and network components of the CI. A pod descriptor is constructed from the collected information. The pod descriptor includes operating storage, compute, and network component configuration definitions for the CI based on the collected component configuration information. A package specification unit is generated based on the component configuration definitions of the pod descriptor. The package specification unit includes tasks that, when executed, automatically inventory, assess, and configure targeted ones of the CI components. The technique executes the tasks in the package specification unit to perform corresponding operations on targeted ones of the CI components.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allowing a central network manager to distribute corrective configuration information to customers using e-mail are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes determining if an issue is reported by a first customer system that supports a first device. The issue is associated with the first device. The method also includes obtaining updating information if the issue is reported by the first customer system, and providing the updating information to the first customer system. The first customer system is arranged to distribute the updating information to the first device and to cause the updating information to be implemented on the first device.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for maintaining an embedded network server. In one embodiment, one method includes the steps of providing a dynamic service loader in the embedded network server, receiving a service request to install a dynamic service in the embedded network server, and installing the dynamic service in the embedded network server with the dynamic service loader. The dynamic service may be installed in the embedded network server dynamically, thereby allowing other aspects of the embedded network server to operate without disruption.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allowing a central network manager to distribute corrective configuration information to customers using e-mail are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes determining if an issue is reported by a first customer system that supports a first device. The issue is associated with the first device. The method also includes obtaining updating information if the issue is reported by the first customer system, and providing the updating information to the first customer system. The first customer system is arranged to distribute the updating information to the first device and to cause the updating information to be implemented on the first device.

Abstract: In upgrading a concentrated executable computer code with an upgrade code, indexed lists are created for the concentrated code and for the upgrade code. The indexed lists have index references for code identifiers of code structures in the concentrated code and the upgrade code, respectively. The indexed lists are stored in a virtual table. The concentrated code is integrated with the upgrade code to form an integrated code. The virtual table contains an operable part referable by the integrated code such that when a code structure being executed originates from the concentrated code the indexed list for the concentrated code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table, and when a code structure being executed originates from the upgrade code the indexed list for the upgrade code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table.

Abstract: In upgrading a concentrated executable computer code with an upgrade code, a first indexed list is created of a plurality of index references corresponding to first identifiers of the first type code structures in the concentrated code, the first indexed list further containing upgrade flags to indicate whether corresponding first type code structures identified by the first identifiers have been upgraded. A first indexed upgrade list is created of a plurality of index references corresponding to first identifiers of the first type code structures in the upgrade code. A state of each upgrade flag is set to indicate whether a corresponding first identifier in the first indexed list has been upgraded based on comparing the first identifiers in the first indexed upgrade list with the first identifiers in the first indexed list.

Abstract: A portable executable software architecture including a virtual machine, preferably JAVA-based, a web browser, a web application server, and one or more applications. The web application server and the one or more applications execute on the virtual machine. The web application server transmits data to the web browser for display to the user, and the web browser transmits information to the web application server representing user interaction with the web browser. Responsive to information received from the web browser, one or more applications executing on the virtual machine and communicating with the web application server generate the data transmitted by the web application server to the web browser. The one of more applications receive the information transmitted by the web browser and display the information to the user.

Abstract: In dynamically upgrading an original concentrated executable computer software code with an upgrade bytecode, list processing and indexing is used to create indexes of various code structures within the upgrade bytecode. Preferably, index listings for each of the code structures are created. The index listings contain listings of identifiers corresponding to the particular instances of the respective code structures in the upgrade bytecode and index references corresponding to each of the identifiers included in the listing. The upgrade bytecode is reduced in size by replacing identifiers representing code structures in the upgrade bytecode with the corresponding index references. The concentrated upgrade bytecode is then integrated with the original concentrated bytecode, and the index listings formed during concentration of the upgrade bytecode are added to the virtual table as a record.

Abstract: In upgrading a concentrated executable software code with an upgrade bytecode, list processing and indexing is used to create indexes of various code structures within the upgrade bytecode. Preferably, index listings for each of the code structures are created. The index listings contain listings of identifiers corresponding to the particular instances of the respective code structures in the upgrade bytecode and index references corresponding to each of the identifiers included in the listing. The upgrade bytecode is reduced in size by replacing identifiers representing code structures in the upgrade bytecode with the corresponding index references. Identifiers representing code structures not in the upgrade bytecode are replaced with corresponding references to indexes of the various code structures created when concentrating the original bytecode.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for maintaining an embedded network server. In one embodiment, one method includes the steps of providing a dynamic service loader in the embedded network server, receiving a service request to install a dynamic service in the embedded network server, and installing the dynamic service in the embedded network server with the dynamic service loader. The dynamic service may be installed in the embedded network server dynamically, thereby allowing other aspects of the embedded network server to operate without disruption.

Abstract: A computer network or system for providing services that are controlled by email messages comprising a plurality of computing elements each of which has computing resources for supporting one or more services and a redirector, communicatively connected to each of the computing elements and configured to serve as an email proxy for the computing elements, where the services are controlled by email messages routed by the redirector among the computing elements.

Abstract: A device with mechanisms for accessing services across network security mechanisms. A device according to the present teachings includes a set of computing resources for providing a service which is accessible via a network and a service handler that provides access to the service in response to an email message which passes through network security mechanisms unhindered. A device according to the present teaching may be embodied in a computer system or specialized device having computing resources or in a variety of other arrangements.