Abstract: A server computer system includes a keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism that monitors current operating conditions and dynamically adjusts the keep-alive specification to optimize the keep-alives for the current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism monitors the total number of clients, and the average number of requests per client. The value of a keep-alive specification that determines how log to keep a connection open may be dynamically and autonomically adjusted by the keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism according to the monitored current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism may also include the ability to autonomically enable and disable the keep-alives. In this manner the performance of the server may be tuned to optimize the effect of using keep-alives according to current operating conditions.

Abstract: A system and method for inquiring about products and providing incentives to users participating in a virtual universe. The system comprises an information tracking system configured to track information about at least one of a product, a service, and one or more user purchasing the product or service based on obtained information associated with the product or service and the one or more users. The incentive system provides incentives for frequent purchases and incentives for time spent proximate to virtual universe product areas. The system also comprises a storage system configured to aggregate information obtained from the information tracking system to build a profile.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method comprises hosting a virtual universe in which one or more avatars interact with one or more virtual objects. The method can also include presenting energy conservation options that reduce amounts of power consumed in rendering the avatars and virtual objects in the virtual universe, detecting a selection of the energy conservation options, and configuring logic for rendering the avatars and virtual objects according to the selected energy conservation options. The method can also comprise rendering, according to the selection of energy conservation options, the avatars and virtual objects in the virtual universe.

Abstract: A method for providing inline service-oriented architecture application fragments is disclosed. A remote procedure call is initially from a client application executing on a first data processing system by an application server executing on a second data processing system. The remote procedure call is a call to execute a service in a service-oriented architecture hosted by the application server. The remote procedure call includes a metadata tag indicating a preference for having computer-executable code corresponding to the service transmitted from the second data processing system to the first data processing system for execution on the first data processing system. A determination is made whether or not the service supports transmitting computer-executable code. If the service supports the transmitting computer-executable code, a service unit of work is transmitted to the first data processing system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and program products are provided for effecting compliance with power usage specifications through positive feedback to a monitoring entity. A power usage specification is provided for a device for a task performed by the device using the device to perform the task, embodiments monitoring power used by the device to perform the task to generate power usage data, comparing the power usage data to the power usage specification, and if the power usage data exceeds the power usage specification, automatically providing a reward to a device end-user selected as a function of a value of the specification exceeding and an agreement with the end-user or a third party. Power usage specifications may comprise predicted power usage values and requirements for the device to perform the task during a first power rate period having a lower energy or resource cost than a second power rate period.

Abstract: Real world energy usage can be reduced using a virtual environment. A virtual universe energy conservation system (“system”) can determine energy usage from a power grid by energy consuming devices supporting a virtual universe. The system can determine that the energy usage is at a time that corresponds to a peak power usage period on the power grid. The system can determine a virtual universe user account associated with the energy consuming devices. The system can also transmit an offer of a virtual universe award to an electronic device associated with the virtual universe user accounts to entice a reduction in energy usage from the power grid during the peak power usage period.

Abstract: Real world energy usage can be reduced using a virtual environment. A virtual universe energy conservation system (“system”) can determine comprehensive energy usage at a physical site where a client accessing a virtual universe is located. The system can determine that the comprehensive energy usage at the physical site exceeds an energy usage threshold. The system can also notify a virtual universe user account associated with the client that the comprehensive energy usage at the physical site exceeds the energy usage threshold.

Abstract: Middleware may dynamically restrict or otherwise allocate computer resources in response to changing demand and based on prioritized user access levels. Users associated with a relatively low priority may have their resource access delayed in response to high demand, e.g., processor usage. Users having a higher priority may experience uninterrupted access during the same period and until demand subsides.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for optimizing “Hypertext Preprocessor” (PHP) processes by identifying the PHP pages which are active on a server and forwarding requests for specific pages to a processor which has recently processed that page. A request processing optimization (RPO) utility assigns an initial request received at the server for a PHP page based on a number of factors which may include a relative usage level of a processor within a pool of available processors on a server. The RPO utility assigns a request to additional processors based on: (1) a threshold frequency of page requests; and (2) a resource intensive factor of a page request measured by average response time of the page request. The assignment of PHP pages to a particular processor(s) enhances cache performance since the requisite code for a specific PHP page is loaded into the processor's cache.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product include an object heap having memory space dedicated to individual threads. Individual threads may allocate objects into their respective, assigned spaces. If their space should become full, the thread may allocate an object to a shared space of the object heap. Filling the space in this manner may allow the thread to continue working, without pauses. The thread may be continued to allocate objects and otherwise complete the work until it is done, and before any associated cleanup and consequent pauses. A garbage collection algorithm minimizes pauses for a given transaction by making the garbage collection scheme aware of the presence of end to end transactions. This awareness may allow the system to make appropriate decisions for optimizing object allocation processes.

Abstract: A computer system includes a first electronic device having a first display. The first display includes a first electronic image having an anchor point. The computer system also includes a second electronic device that is moveable relative to the first electronic device. The second electronic device includes a movement sensor and a second display operatively connected with the first display. The second display includes a second electronic image that is associated with the first electronic image. Upon sensing movement of the second electronic device relative to the first electronic device, the movement sensor determines a direction of the movement relative to the anchor point and triggers a shifting of the second electronic image relative to the anchor point of the first electronic image.

Abstract: A method of storing probabilistic data in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes capturing a first instance of a probabilistic data sample, storing the first instance of the probabilistic data sample as a probabilistic data record, collecting a second instance of the probabilistic data sample, refining the probabilistic data record with the second instance of the probabilistic data sample to establish a refined probabilistic data record, and saving the refined probabilistic data record in a probabilistic data record database.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for optimizing the processing of backend transactions by receiving related transactions for processing from a program executing on a computer, and prioritizing the related transactions by determining: a degree of necessity for each related transaction; and which of the related transactions can be executed in parallel by determining which related transactions depend upon the successful completion of a transaction. The method further includes executing all related transactions that can be in parallel, and do not depend upon the successful completion of a transaction, executing related transactions that depend upon the successful completion of a transaction if it successful completes, canceling execution of any of the related transactions that depend upon the transaction that did not successful complete and has the degree of necessity of critical or best effort, and returning to the program any data resulting from the execution of the related transactions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for optimizing the processing of backend transactions. The method operates by identifying a transaction group comprising related transactions for processing from a program executing on a computer and determining a degree of necessity for each of the related transactions, where the degree of necessity represents a predetermined time period given for each of the plurality of related transactions to successfully complete execution. The method includes determining which of the plurality of related transactions depend upon the successful completion of a transaction, assigning a priority for each of the related transactions, and scheduling the execution of the related transactions based upon priority. The method further includes canceling the execution of any of the related transactions that depend upon a transaction that does not successful complete execution, and returning to the program any data resulting from the execution of the related transactions.

Abstract: A server computer system includes a keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism that monitors current operating conditions and dynamically adjusts the keep-alive specification to optimize the keep-alives for the current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism monitors the total number of clients, and the average number of requests per client. The value of a keep-alive specification that determines how log to keep a connection open may be dynamically and autonomically adjusted by the keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism according to the monitored current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism may also include the ability to autonomically enable and disable the keep-alives. In this manner the performance of the server may be tuned to optimize the effect of using keep-alives according to current operating conditions.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a selection of an original transaction is received. In response to the selection of the original transaction, a call stack of the application that sends the original transaction during a learn mode of the application is saved. A specification of a new transaction and a location of the new transaction with respect to the original transaction in an transaction stream is received. During a production mode of the application, the original transaction is received from the application. A determination is made that the call stack of the application during the production mode matches the saved call stack of the application during the learn mode. In response to the determination, the new transaction is inserted at the location into a transaction stream that is sent to a database.

Abstract: A server computer system includes a keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism that monitors current operating conditions and dynamically adjusts the keep-alive specification to optimize the keep-alives for the current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism monitors the total number of clients, and the average number of requests per client. The value of a keep-alive specification that determines how log to keep a connection open may be dynamically and autonomically adjusted by the keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism according to the monitored current operating conditions. The keep-alive autonomic adjustment mechanism may also include the ability to autonomically enable and disable the keep-alives. In this manner the performance of the server may be tuned to optimize the effect of using keep-alives according to current operating conditions.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a request is received that is directed to a page. A determination is made whether a session associated with the request already exists by determining whether the request is dependent on a previous request. If the session does not already exist, then a decision is made whether the request will result in creating a session. If the request will result in creation of a session, then a server is selected based on a load-balancing metric instance associated with the page, and the request is sent to the selected server. The load-balancing metric instance has an algorithm and an input parameter to the algorithm. The server is selected by executing the algorithm and selecting the server identified by an output parameter from the algorithm.

Abstract: A method for modeling the performance of memory address translation mechanism (MATM), comprises: a) receiving an execution profile that contains a memory address reference stream of an application, a set of page size mappings, and events about the application's data allocations and de-allocations; b) translating each memory reference in the input memory reference stream into a reference to the corresponding data object, by consulting the memory allocation and de-allocation events, to provide a data object reference stream; c) translating each data object reference into a corresponding page reference by consulting the page size mapping and by modeling the data allocation and de-allocation events in accordance with the mapping to provide a page reference stream and a number of pages of each page size that are needed by the respective mapping; d) using the page reference stream to provide a stream of reuse distance values; e) determining, for each reference in the reuse distance value stream, whether the referen

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, calculate the average number of servers that executed an application in a previous time period, decide whether the current number of servers that execute the application is less than the average number of servers, and, if so, power on the average number of servers. The application is then distributed across the average number of servers. In an embodiment, the server is powered on by increasing the clock speed of the processors associated with the servers. In an embodiment, a determination is periodically made whether the response time of the application is greater than a threshold, and, if so, the servers are powered on and the application is distributed across the servers. In an embodiment, a determination is periodically made whether the response time of the application is less than a threshold, and, if so, servers are powered off and the application is distributed across the remaining servers.