Abstract: Migration mechanisms are disclosed herein that smartly transfer data among virtual machines, minimizing the down time of migration of such machines but maximizing the consistent state of data stored thereon. Specifically, data can be classified into three types: low volatility data (such as hard disk data), high volatility data (such a random access memory data), and immutable data (such as read only data). This data can be migrated from a source virtual machine to a target virtual machine by sending the immutable data along with the low volatility data first—before the source virtual machine has stopped itself for the migration process. Then, after the source virtual machine has stopped, high volatility data and (again) low volatility data can be sent from the source to the target. In this latter case, only differences between the low volatility data may be sent (or alternatively, new low volatility data may be sent).

Abstract: Technology for determining a point-to-point separation between a first ship (e.g., guide ship) and a second ship (e.g., following ship) is disclosed. One approach can include maritime autonomous station keeping (MASK) interactive device comprising a communication module and a processor. The communication module can be configured to receive a following ship reference point (SRP) generated by at least one differential global positioning system (DGPS) receiver on a following ship relative to a guide SRP generated by at least one DGPS receiver on a guide ship. The processor can be configured to generate a plurality of fixed following reference edge points (REPs) relative to the following SRP representing a following ship hull, generate a plurality of fixed guide REPs relative to the guide SRP representing a guide ship hull, and monitor a plurality of distances between the plurality of following REPs and the plurality of guide REPs.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed for configuring a VM of a deployment to be managed by a management system. In an embodiment, a deployment manager of a deployment instructs a host to create a VM. The VM is created with a base management agent that exposes interfaces to the deployment manager that enable the deployment manager to install management agents on the VM. The deployment manager installs a management agent that corresponds to a management system on the VM, and registers the VM with the management system. The management system may then manage the VM by communicating with the installed management agent on the VM.

Abstract: Deployment and servicing tasks associated with multi-tier, distributed applications, application environments and data centers are automated so that a person does not have to manually perform these tasks. All of the information describing and defining the distributed service is modeled and stored in a re-useable service template that can be used to drive an automated system to programmatically deploy and manage the service over time. Deployment and servicing of a distributed application can be automated using re-useable models that capture hardware and workload definitions. The re-useable models in the form of service templates enable delta-based servicing of the application. The service can be deployed to one or more physical machines, one or more virtual machines or to a combination thereof. A default deployment plan can be customized with instance-specific customizations of service parameters.

Abstract: Model-based virtual system provisioning includes accessing a model of a workload to be installed on a virtual machine of a system as well as a model of the system. A workload refers to some computing that is to be performed, and includes an application to be executed to perform the computing, and optionally includes the operating system on which the application is to be installed. The workload model identifies a source of the application and operating system of the workload, as well as constraints of the workload, such as resources and/or other capabilities that the virtual machine(s) on which the workload is to be installed must have. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the workload and the model of the virtual system.

Abstract: Deployment and servicing tasks associated with multi-tier, distributed applications, application environments and data centers are automated so that a person does not have to manually perform these tasks. All of the information describing and defining the distributed service is modeled and stored in a re-useable service template that can be used to drive an automated system to programmatically deploy and manage the service over time. Deployment and servicing of a distributed application can be automated using re-useable models that capture hardware and workload definitions. The re-useable models in the form of service templates enable delta-based servicing of the application. The service can be deployed to one or more physical machines, one or more virtual machines or to a combination thereof. A default deployment plan can be customized with instance-specific customizations of service parameters.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system configured to describe the relationship between a first Namespace and a second Namespace is provided. The system includes a containment relationship identifying a direct relationship between a first object of the first Namespace and a second object of the first Namespace. Moreover, the system includes a junction relationship linking the second object of the first Namespace to a first object of the second Namespace. In one embodiment, the system is configured to facilitate the recovery of information based on the descriptions of the Namespaces that is maintained.

Abstract: A secure DMZ-resident computer that cannot connect to the internal network while allowing data to be transferred to and from the DMZ-resident computer is disclosed. The mechanism may include the transference of virtual hard disk files between the internal network and the DMZ host computer. The DMZ host computer may be configured with two network interface cards (“NICs”). One NIC may be connected to the DMZ network. The other NIC may be connected to the internal network. The virtual machines are connected only to the DMZ NIC. The physical host communicates only with the internal network NIC. When it is necessary to publish data to the DMZ-resident computer, a virtual hard disk file may be copied to the DMZ host over the internal network NIC. The DMZ resident virtual computer simply detects the presence of the new drive and mounts it.

Abstract: In embodiments of virtual machine migration, a virtual machine migration system includes a storage array that maintains data. A first host computer includes at least one virtual machine with a virtual drive that is mapped to a logical unit number (LUN) of the storage array, and the LUN corresponds to a LUN mask that associates the LUN with the first host computer. A virtual manager is executable on the first host computer, and is implemented to unmask the LUN to migrate the virtual machine from the first host computer to a second host computer that is configurable as a host of the virtual machine. The virtual manager can log the first host computer out of the LUN and the second host computer can log into the LUN to access the data in the storage array.

Abstract: Model-based virtual system provisioning includes accessing a model of a workload to be installed on a virtual machine of a system as well as a model of the system. A workload refers to some computing that is to be performed, and includes an application to be executed to perform the computing, and optionally includes the operating system on which the application is to be installed. The workload model identifies a source of the application and operating system of the workload, as well as constraints of the workload, such as resources and/or other capabilities that the virtual machine(s) on which the workload is to be installed must have. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the workload and the model of the virtual system.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system configured to describe the relationship between a first Namespace and a second Namespace is provided. The system includes a containment relationship identifying a direct relationship between a first object of the first Namespace and a second object of the first Namespace. Moreover, the system includes a junction relationship linking the second object of the first Namespace to a first object of the second Namespace. In one embodiment, the system is configured to facilitate the recovery of information based on the descriptions of the Namespaces that is maintained.

Abstract: Providing information about two or more datasets. The method includes accessing metadata for two or more datasets. The method further includes displaying a comparison of the two or more datasets based on metadata for the two or more datasets.

Abstract: A method and system to handle single failure GPS faults in high integrity relative positioning systems is provided. The system is configured to receive a number of reference measurements in carrier-phase real time kinetic positioning systems and identify if a single fault exists. The system identifies the type of fault and mitigates the effects of the single fault to provide a positioning system with a high integrity that is suitable for applications involving risk to human lives.

Abstract: A virtual machine comprises a unique identifier that is associated with one or more encryption keys. A management server encrypts the virtual machine's virtual hard disk(s) using the one or more associated encryption keys. The management server further provides the one or more encryption keys to a limited number of one or more servers in a system. Only those one or more servers that have been provided the one or more encryption keys can be used to load, access, and/or operate the virtual machine. The management server can thus differentiate which virtual machines can be operated on which servers by differentiating which servers can receive which encryption keys. In one implementation, a management server encrypts all virtual machines in the system, but encrypts virtual machines with sensitive data with a limited set of encryption keys, and further provides those encryption keys to a limited set of trusted servers.

Abstract: An interactive entertainment and information system using a television set-top box, wherein pages of information are periodically provided to the set-top box for user interaction therewith. The pages include associated meta-data defining active locations on each page. When a page is displayed, the user interacts with the active locations on the page by entering commands via a remote control device, whereby the system reads the meta-data and takes the action associated with the location. Actions include moving to other active locations, hyperlinking to other pages, entering user form data and submitting the data as a form into memory. The form data may be read from memory, and the pages may be related to a conventional television program, thereby providing significant user interactivity with the television.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for using known update technologies to automatically identify the updates installed on a physical machine prior to facsimile creation, to locate the update packages from an update server, and to download them to the machine performing the facsimile creation. The use of update technologies enables precise identification of the updates that affect the defined set of files requiring replacement, and thus minimizes the number of updates that need to be downloaded. In addition, the desired set of replacement files are extracted and cached to allow for their reuse during subsequent facsimile creations using either the same or different physical or virtual machine as the source. Downloading the minimal set of updates and caching them for reuse eliminates the redundant downloads of updates and results in a shorter time for facsimile creation.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) is stored in a halted form in a library for retrieval from the library and re-starting on a host. Each re-started VM includes a plurality of software constructs, each of which is at least potentially non-current and requires a software update. To update a non-current VM, such VM is retrieved and re-started on a maintenance host, and each non-current software construct is allowed to be updated by obtaining the required software update from a corresponding update source as a patch. Alternatively, the VM is mounted to a computing device, constituent components of the mounted VM are examined to determine whether each software construct thereof is current, and each non-current software construct is updated by obtaining the required software update from the corresponding update source as a patch and applying same to the mounted VM.

Abstract: Indexing functionality can be shifted to one or more backup servers in a backup system. In one implementation, a backup server can receive one or more data backups from one or more production servers. The backup server can then build or create one or more indexes at the backup server, which correspond to the contents of the one or more data backups. In one implementation, one or more management agents can also identify any appropriate components that might be needed to read the backup data at the backup server pursuant to building the one or more indexes. In either case, the one or more indexes can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as to manage data usage quotas at the one or more production servers, as well as to retrieve data from the backup server based on specific file requests.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for using known update technologies to automatically identify the updates installed on a physical machine prior to facsimile creation, to locate the update packages from an update server, and to download them to the machine performing the facsimile creation. The use of update technologies enables precise identification of the updates that affect the defined set of files requiring replacement, and thus minimizes the number of updates that need to be downloaded. In addition, the desired set of replacement files are extracted and cached to allow for their reuse during subsequent facsimile creations using either the same or different physical or virtual machine as the source. Downloading the minimal set of updates and caching them for reuse eliminates the redundant downloads of updates and results in a shorter time for facsimile creation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for updating a virtual machine image. The virtual machine image may be stored as a collection of one or more virtual hard disk files. The virtual machine image is rendered to file-system data. Rendering the virtual machine image to file-system data may comprise mounting the virtual machine image's virtual hard disk drives. An analysis engine is invoked to scan the exposed file-system data to determine the update status of software constructs of the virtual machine image and data indicative of the scanning may be stored. The virtual machine image may be updated while inactive or may be deployed and activated in a protected environment for updating.