Abstract: The invention broadly and generally provides a method for calibrating the relationship between management-inherent complexity metrics deriving from the management structure and human perceived complexity of information technology management comprising: (a) obtaining a set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (b) obtaining a set of human-perceived complexity metrics; (c) constructing a control model identifying a set of dominant indicators selected from the aforesaid set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (d) establishing a value model mapping from the aforesaid set of dominant indicators to the aforesaid set of human-perceived complexity metrics.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and system for preparing a migration and consolidation of at least one source application to be migrated to or consolidated in at least one heterogeneous server device. A computing system selects at least one prospective target platform component based on an evaluation of at least one source platform component, a requirement of the at least one source application, and a compatibility and an affinity of the at least one prospective target platform component. The computing system collects first metadata of the at least one source platform component and the at least one prospective target platform component. The computing system collects second metadata associated with the migration and consolidation. The computing system groups the first metadata and the second metadata into a RFM (Request For Migration). The computing system prepares and configures a final target platform in accordance with the RFM.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the objects and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing a multi-user advance reservation system where reservations are specified in terms of flexible constraints, inflexible constraints and business values. The specification of reservations in this manner allows an entity managing the reservation system to arbitrate among reservations received from a user population with a view toward maximizing business value across the user population. In methods and apparatus of the present invention, penalties and rewards associated with various reservation outcomes can be specified in reservations to assist in business value maximization. In an example, a reservation having a low business value may be declined when there is a significant possibility that a reservation having a high business would be submitted during the pendency of service delivery to the user issuing the reservation with a low business value.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the object, and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing a multi-user advance reservation system where reservations are specified in terms of flexible constraints, inflexible constraints and business values. The specification of reservations in this manner allows an entity managing the reservation system to arbitrate among reservations received from a user population with a view toward maximizing business value across the user population. In methods and apparatus of the present invention, penalties and rewards associated with various reservation outcomes can be specified in reservations to assist in business value maximization. In an example, a reservation having a low business value may be declined when there is a significant possibility that a reservation having a high business would be submitted during the pendency of service delivery to the user issuing the reservation with a low business value.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the objects and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: The invention broadly and generally provides a database comprising at least one record, the aforesaid at least one record comprising: (a) solution metadata relating to an information technology solution; and (b) evaluation metadata relating to a complexity evaluation of the aforesaid information technology solution.

Abstract: The invention broadly and generally provides a method for calibrating the relationship between management-inherent complexity metrics deriving from the management structure and human perceived complexity of information technology management comprising: (a) obtaining a set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (b) obtaining a set of human-perceived complexity metrics; (c) constructing a control model identifying a set of dominant indicators selected from the aforesaid set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (d) establishing a value model mapping from the aforesaid set of dominant indicators to the aforesaid set of human-perceived complexity metrics.

Abstract: The invention broadly and generally provides a database comprising at least one record, the aforesaid at least one record comprising: (a) solution metadata relating to an information technology solution; and (b) evaluation metadata relating to a complexity evaluation of the aforesaid information technology solution.

Abstract: The invention broadly and generally provides a method of quantifying the complexity of an information technology management process, the aforesaid method comprising: (a) obtaining process-related data for the aforesaid information technology management process; wherein the aforesaid process-related data defines: at least one task, at least one role, and any number of business items which can be transferred between a plurality of roles within the aforesaid at least one role while executing the aforesaid at least one task; (b) creating a set of process component complexity metrics by applying a process complexity model to the aforesaid process-related data, the aforesaid process complexity model comprising at least one relationship of properties selected from the roles, tasks, and business items; and (c) creating a value representing the complexity of the aforesaid information technology management process from the aforesaid set of process component complexity metrics.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing a multi-user advance reservation system where reservations are specified in terms of flexible constraints, inflexible constraints and business values. The specification of reservations in this manner allows an entity managing the reservation system to arbitrate among reservations received from a user population with a view toward maximizing business value across the user population. In methods and apparatus of the present invention, penalties and rewards associated with various reservation outcomes can be specified in reservations to assist in business value maximization. In an example, a reservation having a low business value may be declined when there is a significant possibility that a reservation having a high business would be submitted during the pendency of service delivery to the user issuing the reservation with a low business value.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the object, and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: A method for preparing rules used for generating text to describe structured data comprises providing a sample of structured data, and providing a text corresponding to the sample of structured data to a pattern matching learning engine, the text comprising at least one value from within the sample of structured data. The method further comprises organizing the text into a hierarchy of syntactic components, and building rules based on the text and the sample of structured data, wherein the rules define an organization of the hierarchy of syntactic components.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the object, and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: A method for presenting advertising in an interactive service provided on a computer network, the service featuring applications which include pre-created, interactive text/graphic sessions is described. The method features steps for presenting advertising concurrently with service applications at the user terminal configured as a reception system. In accordance with the method, the advertising is structured in a manner comparable to the service applications enabling the applications to be presented at a first portion of a display associated with the reception system and the advertising presented at a second portion. Further, steps are provided for storing and managing advertising at the user reception system so that advertising can be pre-fetched from the network and staged in anticipation of being called for presentation.

Abstract: A method for presenting advertising in an interactive service provided on a computer network, the service featuring applications which include pre-created, interactive text/graphic sessions is described. The method features steps for presenting advertising concurrently with service applications at the user terminal configured as a reception system. In accordance with the method, the advertising is structured in a manner comparable to the service applications enabling the applications to be presented at a first portion of a display associated with the reception system and the advertising presented at a second portion. Further, steps are provided for storing and managing advertising at the user reception system so that advertising can be pre-fetched from the network and staged anticipation of being called for presentation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for rendering modality-independent scripts (e.g., intent-based markup scripts) in a multi-modal environment, whereby a user can interact with an application using a plurality of modalities (e.g., speech and GUI) with I/O events being automatically synchronized over the plurality of modalities presented. In one aspect, immediate synchronized rendering of the modality-independent document in each of the supported modalities is provided. In another aspect, deferred rendering and presentation of intent-based scripts to an end user is provided, wherein a speech markup language script (such as a VoiceXML document) is generated from the modality-independent script and rendered (via, e.g., VoiceXML browser) at a later time.

Abstract: Methods for serving data include maintaining an incomplete version of an object at a server and at least one fragment at the server. In response to a request for the object from a client, the incomplete version of the object, an identifier for a fragment comprising a portion of the object, and a position for the fragment within the object are sent to the client. After receiving the incomplete version of the object, the identifier, and the position, the client requests the fragment from the server using the identifier. The object is constructed by including the fragment in the incomplete version of the object in a location specified by the position.

Abstract: A method for preparing rules used for generating text to describe structured data comprises providing a sample of structured data, and providing a text corresponding to the sample of structured data to a pattern matching learning engine, the text comprising at least one value from within the sample of structured data. The method further comprises organizing the text into a hierarchy of syntactic components, and building rules based on the text and the sample of structured data, wherein the rules define an organization of the hierarchy of syntactic components.