Abstract: A broker service that acquires location based image data receives a request from a requestor. The request comprises request criteria that at least include a location criterion and a time criterion for obtaining image data, which comprises at least one of a still image and a video. The broker service determines that a position indication of a first producer of a plurality of producers fulfils the location criterion at least to an extent. The plurality of producers comprises devices remote from the requestor and having capabilities of image capture and location determination. The broker service transmits an image request to the first producer. The image request corresponds to the request. The broker service receives image data from the first producer responsive to the image request. The broker service determines that the image data fulfils the time criterion. The broker service transmits the image data to the requestor.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for identifying transparent network communication interception appliances in a network topology. The mechanisms collect network configuration data from a plurality of devices in the network topology and analyze the collected network configuration data using one or more heuristics to identify patterns in the collected network configuration data indicative of the presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance. The mechanisms calculate a confidence measure value based on results of the analysis of the collected network configuration data. The mechanisms further send a notification of a detected presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance to a computing device in response to the calculated confidence measure value meeting or exceeding at least one threshold value.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for collecting configuration data from components of a managed computing system environment. A portion of code is obtained, in a data processing system, from a data collection system that does not have security credentials to allow the data collection system to directly access to the managed computing system environment. The portion of code is executed by the data processing system using security credentials maintained in the data processing system. Executing the portion of code causes the data processing system to access the managed computing system environment and collect configuration data from the managed computing system environment. The data processing system, via the portion of code, provides the configuration data collected from the managed computing system to the data collection system which stores the collected configuration data in a data storage.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for collecting configuration data from components of a managed computing system environment. A portion of code is obtained, in a data processing system, from a data collection system that does not have security credentials to allow the data collection system to directly access to the managed computing system environment. The portion of code is executed by the data processing system using security credentials maintained in the data processing system. Executing the portion of code causes the data processing system to access the managed computing system environment and collect configuration data from the managed computing system environment. The data processing system, via the portion of code, provides the configuration data collected from the managed computing system to the data collection system which stores the collected configuration data in a data storage.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for collecting configuration data from components of a managed computing system environment. A portion of code is obtained, in a data processing system, from a data collection system that does not have security credentials to allow the data collection system to directly access to the managed computing system environment. The portion of code is executed by the data processing system using security credentials maintained in the data processing system. Executing the portion of code causes the data processing system to access the managed computing system environment and collect configuration data from the managed computing system environment. The data processing system, via the portion of code, provides the configuration data collected from the managed computing system to the data collection system which stores the collected configuration data in a data storage.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for collecting configuration data from components of a managed computing system environment. A portion of code is obtained, in a data processing system, from a data collection system that does not have security credentials to allow the data collection system to directly access to the managed computing system environment. The portion of code is executed by the data processing system using security credentials maintained in the data processing system. Executing the portion of code causes the data processing system to access the managed computing system environment and collect configuration data from the managed computing system environment. The data processing system, via the portion of code, provides the configuration data collected from the managed computing system to the data collection system which stores the collected configuration data in a data storage.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for identifying transparent network communication interception appliances in a network topology. The mechanisms collect network configuration data from a plurality of devices in the network topology and analyze the collected network configuration data using one or more heuristics to identify patterns in the collected network configuration data indicative of the presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance. The mechanisms calculate a confidence measure value based on results of the analysis of the collected network configuration data. The mechanisms further send a notification of a detected presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance to a computing device in response to the calculated confidence measure value meeting or exceeding at least one threshold value.

Abstract: A broker service that acquires location based image data receives a request from a requestor. The request comprises request criteria that at least include a location criterion and a time criterion for obtaining image data, which comprises at least one of a still image and a video. The broker service determines that a position indication of a first producer of a plurality of producers fulfils the location criterion at least to an extent. The plurality of producers comprises devices remote from the requestor and having capabilities of image capture and location determination. The broker service transmits an image request to the first producer. The image request corresponds to the request. The broker service receives image data from the first producer responsive to the image request. The broker service determines that the image data fulfils the time criterion. The broker service transmits the image data to the requestor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting attacks on a data communication network. The apparatus includes a router with a mechanism for monitoring return messages addressed to an originating user system local to the router. The mechanism includes a message checker for identifying a return message of a specified nature and a rerouter for temporarily routing subsequent messages from the originating user system to the intrusion detection sensor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing an IP network interconnecting a plurality of network hosts (2). Status information, indicative of status of a host, is automatically acquired from each host (2). The status information, such as MAC address, security and/or operational information, acquired from a host (2) is automatically recorded in at least one DNS record, associated with the IP address of that host (2), of a DNS server (4). The host status information in the DNS records can then be accessed for network management operations. The automatic acquisition and recording of the status information may be performed by a DHCP server (3) of the network on allocation of dynamic IP addresses to hosts (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating virtual networks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing an IP network interconnecting a plurality of network hosts (2). Status information, indicative of status of a host, is automatically acquired from each host (2). The status information, such as MAC address, security and/or operational information, acquired from a host (2) is automatically recorded in at least one DNS record, associated with the IP address of that host (2), of a DNS server (4). The host status information in the DNS records can then be accessed for network management operations. The automatic acquisition and recording of the status information may be performed by a DHCP server (3) of the network on allocation of dynamic IP addresses to hosts (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating virtual networks.