Abstract: A file server and a data protection manager server can work in tandem to efficiently backup protected volumes, and also provide efficient access to replicas of the protected volumes. In one implementation, a file server institutes a mock replication process, in which the file server observes data associated with write operations in one or more protected volumes. Appropriate volume allocation information can then be determined, which can be used to allocate log file, spill log file, replica volume, and shadow copy volume sizes, both at the file server and at the data protection manager server. In one implementation, the file server or data protection manager server automatically determines volume allocation information and automatically provides this information to the data protection manager server. The data protection manager server can then compare the volume allocation information with identified characteristics of its storage mediums, and implements an appropriate, efficient backup policy.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing high integrity probability of connect fix (PCF) in GPS navigation applications, such as precision approach and landing and airborne refueling. In an exemplary embodiment, an enlarged pull in region is used to compute protection levels. In an exemplary embodiment, geometric extra-redundancy is used to enhance PCF and PAF (probability of almost fixed). In an exemplary embodiment, geometric extra-redundancy almost fixed solutions provide superior accuracy and integrity for GPS navigation applications.

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: Data in backup systems can be effectively protected against viruses, even if definitions for certain viruses are found after infected data have been backed up to a backup server. In one implementation, a combined filter that includes antivirus and replica filtering components can identify and process I/O system calls (e.g., including writes to files). If a virus is present, the antivirus component of the combined filter can mark the file and/or file write (and cleanse the file/file write), and pass that information to the replica component. If the file write is associated with a file to be backed up, the replica component can then pass along the antivirus filter's indications with a copy of the file write. The backup server can also identify that previous versions of the file stored at the backup server may have been infected, and can thus perform any appropriate actions.

Abstract: A backup administrator can backup files from a production server on any of a plurality of different bases. In particular, some files can be replicated on a changed-byte basis. In other cases, files can be backed up by replicating updated copies of the entire file, or even byte blocks of the file. Determinations as to how a replication agent will back up a certain file or set of files can be made by a backup administrator, automatically through a predefined logic, or dynamically based on defined criteria. Corresponding agents at the production server can then flag these files as indicated. Thus, at a later point, when the DPM server requests the updates of each file, the production server can either send over copies of the changed file bytes, entire copies of the changed file itself, or even changed blocks of a file, as appropriate.

Abstract: Computer components may be installed and configured using virtual machines, where a trusted relationship with a virtual machine is created when a virtual machine is launched on a device with an installation manager. The installation manager may provide configuration options, scripts, and other information to a configuration agent operating in the virtual machine. Additional virtual machines may be launched on other devices and trusted relationships established with the installation manager, which may also manage configuration agents on the additional virtual machines. In some embodiments, a remote controller may be used to control functions of the installation manager.

Abstract: Described herein is a technology for in the realm of digital video broadcast technology or other such technology. One implementation, described herein, relates to broadcasting web content to client devices in a DVB (digital video broadcast) environment using rotational sequences of data modules (e.g., DSMCC carousels). One implementation, described herein, relates to emulating an interactive browsing experience of web content over a broadcast channel. One implementation, described herein, relates to the client device “smartly” caching select portions of the web content being broadcast. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Abstract: A management service can install one or more third-party agents and any number of customizations for an operating system/virtual machine at the same as the system/machine is installed. In one implementation, a management service places (e.g., from a remote location) an operating system/virtual machine image in a mounting location. Before installing the corresponding system (OS or virtual machine), the management service also inserts one or more third-party agents into the image, as well as any number or type of policies and customizations. The management service then directs installation of the combined image (including rules, policies, and customizations) so that the operating system, third-party agents, and provided customizations, are all installed together during the same installation process. Accordingly, the management service allows for agents to reliably and immediately begin executing with installation of the operating system/virtual machine.

Abstract: A virtual environment can be configured to coordinate life cycles of virtual machines and application programs executing therein. In one implementation, the virtual environment includes an application layer and a virtual machine layer. The application layer communicates with the virtual machine layer to coordinate and directs virtual machine creation and deletion in a coordinated fashion with application programs. For example, the application layer receives a request to initiate an application program. The application layer determines from associated application properties the type and/or number of virtual machines to be created. The application layer then directs creation of the appropriate virtual machines (through the virtual machine layer), and further directs installation of the requested application programs therein.

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: An optimized placement of virtual machines may be determined by optimizing an energy cost for a group of virtual machines in various configurations. For various hardware platforms, an energy cost per performance value may be determined. Based on the performance usage of a group of virtual machines, a total power cost may be determined and used for optimization. In some implementations, an optimized placement may include operating a group of virtual machines in a manner that does not exceed a total energy cost for a period of time.

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: Data can be protected at a production server in a virtually continuous fashion, without necessarily imposing severe constraints on the source application(s). For example, a production server can create an application-consistent backup of one or more volumes, the backups corresponding to a first instance in time. A volume filter driver can monitor data changes in each volume using an in-memory bitmap, while a log file and/or update sequence number journal can keep track of which files have been added to or updated. The volume updates are also consistent for an instance (later) in time. At the next replication cycle, such as every few minutes (however configured), the volume filter driver passes each in-memory bitmap to the physical disk on the production server. The production server then sends the updates to the backup server, which thus stores application-consistent backups for the volume for multiple instances of time.

Abstract: EPG services are provided, which enables a device such as a computer, a set top box or the like to collect EPG data from multiple EPG data providers or sources. The EPG data is collected at the device by EPG loaders. Each EPG loader collects EPG data from a particular source. The EPG loaders deliver the EPG data to a writer module, which performs scaling and formatting functions to the EPG data. The writer module also stores the scaled and formatted EPG data in a database or other storage. Once stored, applications gain access to the EPG data through a control module. The writer module may also be implemented by chaining EPG loaders in a priority scheme. However, EPG loader interaction reduces independence and forces more rigid interface and implementation constraints upon the design of EPG loaders. The control module provides the accessed EPG data to the applications. EPG services function to isolate the operation of the applications from the EPG data sources.

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: 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: For data encoded with an encoding scheme, a data compression technique utilizes encoding scheme values as compression indexing values where the encoding scheme values are part of the encoding scheme, but are not used to encode the data. In an implementation, a data compression dictionary is generated and indexed with the unused encoding scheme values. In an eight-bit encoding scheme, for example, the data is compressed from each letter and/or number being represented with eight bits down to complete words, numbers, and/or combinations of words and numbers being represented with only two bytes.

Abstract: Implementations of the present invention allow clients (e.g., end-users, administrators, etc.) to associate data with one or more protection intents at the data/data source level. A backup server can then associate the data with a specific protection mechanism regardless of where the data/data source(s) are located, or regardless of how other like-data are being backed up. The backup server can then backup data that are associated with similar protection intents in a similar manner based on client specifications. The backup server can also monitor the various protection intents and associations to ensure that the protection intents are being met. For example, if the backup server identifies that data are not being backed up in accordance with their associated protection intent, the backup server can send one or more communications indicating the same, such that the protection mechanisms can be adjusted appropriately.

Abstract: A method for protecting protectable objects located at a production location is provided. A Namespace, representative of a plurality of protectable objects, is provided to a user for selection. A selection of at least a portion of the Namespace is received and that selected portion is mapped to at least one protectable object. A plan for protecting the mapped protectable object is created, and using that plan the protectable object is protected.

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.