Abstract: To dynamically update an operating system, a new factory object may have one or more new and/or updated object instances. A corresponding old factory object is then located and its version is checked for compatibility. A dynamic update procedure is then executed, which includes (a) changing a factory reference pointer within the operating system from the old factory object to the new factory object. For the case of updated object instances, (b) hot swapping each old object instance for its corresponding updated object instance, and (c) removing the old factory object. This may be performed for multiple updated object instances in the new factory object, preferably each separately. For the case of new object instances, they are created by the new factory and pointers established to invoke them. A single factory object may include multiple updated objects from a class, and/or new object instances from different classes, and the update may be performed without the need to reboot the operating system.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for monitoring availability of end user devices needed for performing tasks. The system comprises a first network including one or more devices associated with an end user, at least one device adapted for communicating with a service provider over a second network, the service provider providing network-based services in the system. The system includes a memory storage device for maintaining information of tasks associated with an end user, the information including recommended end-user devices adapted to perform the tasks, the information being accessible to at least one end-user device. At least one end-user device detects non-availability or performance deficiencies of any end-user device required in performing end-user tasks, and communicates with the service provider for invoking network-based services to facilitate correcting non-availability of any end-user device.

Abstract: A database access facility for accessing databases includes a monitoring function which monitors accesses by requesters of database data. The monitoring function tracks which database fields are requested to dynamically determine the fields which the application needs. Once sufficient tracking data is obtained, subsequent accesses to the database on behalf of an application are automatically modified by the application server to request only the fields which are likely to be needed. Preferably, the database access facility is an application server for one or middle tier applications which access the database on behalf of multiple clients in a three-tier client-server environment.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, determine a cipher strength based on a trust level associated with a request, create a unit of work based on the request, encrypt the unit of work into a message based on the cipher strength, and send the message to grid servers. In various embodiments, the trust level may be determined based on a security token associated with the request or based on a zone from which the request originates. In various embodiments, the request originates from a client that belongs to the zone or originates from one of the grid servers that belongs to the zone. In an embodiment, a request from a grid server may be associated with a response to a previous unit of work that the grid server executed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, determine that a second e-mail is associated with a first e-mail and that one of the recipients of the first e-mail was a blind-copy recipient, and, in response, send the second e-mail to the blind-copy recipient of the first e-mail. In various embodiments, the second e-mail may be a reply to or a forward of the first e-mail. In an embodiment, the second e-mail has an encrypted portion, which includes an identifications of the blind-copy recipient, the sender of the first e-mail, and the other recipients of the first e-mail. The blind-copy recipient of the first e-mail is not identified in the first e-mail to the other recipients of the first e-mail. In this way, blind-copy recipients of e-mails may be notified of further associated e-mails.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, send units of work to grid executors, create training data based on the performance of the grid executors, and train a neural network via the training data. The training data includes pairs of input and output data, where the input data is the types of the units of work and the output data is the service strengths of the grid executors. Once the neural network has been trained, subsequent units of work have their grid executors selected by inputting the types of the units of work to the neural network and receiving a service strength from the neural network as output. The grid executors are then selected based on the output service strength from the neural network. In this way, in an embodiment, the grid performance may be increased.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, determine units of work in a page, join selected pairs of the units of work with lowest complexity metrics until all of the units of work have complexity metrics that are less than a threshold. The joining is subject to rules of a dependency graph, which indicates data dependency relationships of the units of work. The selected joined pairs are then encapsulated into a processing unit, which is sent to multiple grid servers. Responses from the grid servers are used to assemble dynamic content into the page. In an embodiment, the complexity metrics are then modified based on an exponential moving average of responses times of the units of work. In this way, in an embodiment, the performance of assembling the page may be increased.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for caching dynamically generated queries such as SQL (Structured Query Language) statements. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises: providing a partial update query for updating at least one column in a table stored in a database; generating a key using a number representative of an update status of each column in the table; and determining if a prepared statement corresponding to the partial update query is located in a prepared statement cache using the key.

Abstract: A system and method includes steps, or acts, of: defining one or more events to provide a unified specification; registering one or more events to be detected; detecting an occurrence of at least one of the registered event or events; generating a monitoring entry each time one of the registered events is detected; and entering each of the monitoring entries generated into a single logical entity. The method can also be implemented as machine executable instructions executed by a programmable information processing system or as hard coded logic in a specialized computing apparatus such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, adjust a billing rate for the use of a resource by processes based on usage data that indicates the demand for the resource either by one of the processes or by an aggregation of the processes. In an embodiment, the resource has a resource threshold, a resource billing rate, and a billing rate increment, and the aggregation of the processes has an associated system threshold and a system billing rate. In an embodiment the billing rate is incremented by the billing rate increment if an amount of use by one process exceeds the resource threshold and the number of processes exceeds a threshold. In an embodiment, if the aggregation of the processes uses the resource more than the system threshold, then the resource billing rate is set to be the system billing rate. In this way, the demand for resources may be accounted for in billing for resource use.

Abstract: A method of managing instant messaging communication over a computer network is provided. One or more instant messaging session windows are organized in an instant messaging session manager. At least one distinguishing session characteristic is attributed to each of the one or more instant messaging session windows. The at least one distinguishing session characteristic is at least one of a sound clip associated with a user of the session, an instant messaging session window background associated with a user of the session, and a change in at least one of a color and an intensity of the instant messaging session window. The at least one distinguishing session characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging session windows.

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: Systems and method for providing an auction. A computer server has a searchable database of items offered for sale by a plurality of sellers. The database is accessible by a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers. A conglomeration agent running on the server identifies related items for sale as a single conglomeration and stores the conglomeration in the database. The buyer may view both individual items for sale and conglomerations of items for sale, and place a bid on a conglomeration of such items or the individual item. If the bid matches the conditions set forth by the sellers, the sale of either a conglomeration or an individual item is completed. The system also generates a performance metric for both buyers and sellers which are also made available to buyer and sellers and may be used to assess the desirability of dealing with certain buyers or sellers.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for enhancing a real-time operating system (RTOS) with functionality normally associated with a general purpose operating system (GPOS). A hypervisor that is adapted to perform a real-time scheduling function supports concurrent execution of an RTOS and a GPOS on a system of shared hardware resources. The RTOS or its applications can utilize services provided by the GPOS. Such services may include one or more of file system organization, network communication, network management, database management, security, user-interface support and others. To enhance operational robustness and security, the hypervisor can be placed in read-only storage while maintaining the ability to update scheduling mechanisms. A programmable policy manager that is maintained in read-write storage can be used to dictate scheduling policy changes to the hypervisor as required to accommodate current needs.

Abstract: A communication system including a database adapted to store communication tag information; and a database agent. The database agent is adapted to determine if a communication has a task tag. The database agent is adapted to transfer predetermined communication tag information of the task tag of the communication to the database. The database agent is adapted to automatically send a communication based upon information stored in the predetermined communication tag information.

Abstract: Systems, especially operating systems, are becoming more complex to the point where maintaining them by humans is becoming nearly impossible. Many corporations have recognized this trend and have begun investing in autonomic technology. Autonomic technology allows a piece of software to monitor, diagnose, and repair itself. This can be used for improved performance, reliability, maintainability, security, etc. Disclosed herein is a mechanism to allow operating systems to hot swap a piece of operating system code, while continuing to offer to the user the service which that code is providing. This can be used, for examples, to increase the performance of an application or to fix a detected security hole live without bringing the machine down. Some autonomic ability will be mandatory in next generation operating system for without it they will collapse under their own complexity. The invention offers a key component of being able to achieve autonomic computing.

Abstract: A piece of illuminated furniture (10) comprises a diffuser (12) built therein that spreads light evenly. A light source (14) is within the diffuser (12) to produce illumination therefrom.