Abstract: A computer-implemented computer shut-down method includes identifying that a computing device has been moved from an open configuration in which input and output mechanisms on the computing device are accessible to a user, to a closed configuration in which at least some of the input and output mechanisms are inaccessible to a user; starting a shut-down timer in response to identifying that the computing device has been moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration; waiting a predefined time period, as established by the shut-down timer, and determining from the shut-down timer that the computing device can be transitioned from an active state into a sleep state in which power consuming components of the computing device are powered down; and transitioning the computing device from the active state to the sleep state upon determining that the computing device can be transitioned.

Abstract: A method and system detect temperatures of multiple zones of a computer system using sensors distributed across the computer system. For each of the sensors, the system may determine whether a detected temperature associated with the sensor exceeds a predetermined value. If the detected temperature exceeds the predetermined value, the system may cool at least one of a plurality of devices of the system, based on a proximity of the at least one of the plurality of devices to the sensor.

Abstract: Described are data structures, and methodology for forming same, for network protocol processing. A method for creating data structures for firewalling and network address translating is described. A method for creating data structures for physical layer addressing is described. A method for security protocol support using a data structure is described. A method for creating at least one data structure sized responsive to whether a firewall is activated is described. A data structure for routing packets is described. A method of forming hashing table chains is described. Additionally, method and apparatus for tracking packet states is described. More particularly, Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) tracking of states for packets is described. In an embodiment, a division between software states and hardware states is made as a packet is processed by both software and hardware. Additionally, method and apparatus for network protocol processing are described.

Abstract: A method for identifying a failed network interface card in a system having two NICs configured as a team includes the steps of transmitting a first data packet from the first NIC to a third NIC, wherein the third NIC is not a member of the team, and transmitting a second data packet from the first NIC to the second NIC or from the second NIC to the third NIC, depending on whether the third NIC responds to the transmission of the first data packet. One advantage of the disclosed method is that it specifically identifies which NIC within the team has failed, which is something that cannot be determined by simply exchanging packets between the two NICs.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include operating a computing device in a first power mode. The method may also include executing, by a processor of the computing device, at least one non-interactive task. The method may also include detecting, by a processor of the computing device, a request to place the computing device in a second power mode, wherein the second power mode consumes less system resources than the first power mode. The method may further include delaying the transition of the computing device to the second power mode until either the completion of the non-interactive task or an overriding triggering event.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling scaling in a computing device is disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, the system information of the computing device is collected and is compared with a trigger condition to generate a comparison result. According to the comparison result, the distribution of a processing task to handle network traffic received by the computing device to at least one designated processing unit in this computing device is either enabled or disabled.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for gathering and analyzing operating statistics are disclosed. An example method includes automatically scheduling a wake-up event, where occurrence of the wake-up event, initiating, after scheduling the wake-up event, a transition of the computing device from an active power state to a low power state, initiating a transition of the computing device from the low power state to the active power state in response to occurrence of the scheduled wake-up event, gathering a first set of one or more operating statistics in response to the transition from the low power state to the active power state in response to occurrence of the wake-up event and analyzing the first set of one more operating statistics to determine one or more performance attributes of the computing device associated with the transitions between the low power state and the active power state.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a method may include, in response to an idle time of a computing device meeting or exceeding a power-save time threshold value, placing the computing device into a low-power state; in response to receiving an input to the computing device after the computing device has been placed into the low-power state, exiting the low-power state; determining whether the idle time meets or exceeds a lockout threshold value that is greater than the power-save time threshold value; after having exited from the low-power state, if the idle time meets or exceeds the lockout threshold value, requiring a user to perform a successful predetermined authentication to the computing device before allowing the user to access applications in the computing device; and if the idle time does not meet or exceed the lockout threshold value, allowing the user to access applications in the computing device without requiring the user to perform the successful predetermined authentication to the computing de

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for failing back network connections to a network interface card (NIC) within a computing device. The method includes the steps of monitoring a failed or unreliable NIC within the computing device, determining that the failed or unreliable NIC has recovered, determining that a functional NIC within the computing device is overloaded, selecting a first connection set communicating through the overloaded NIC, and transferring the first connection set to the recovered NIC. With this approach, intelligent decisions can be advantageously made regarding whether to fail back a network connection set to a recovered NIC based on the traffic loads on the overloaded NIC and the recovered NIC. Such an approach to balancing network traffic across the functional NICs within a computing device may substantially improve overall performance relative to prior art techniques.

Abstract: A system and methods of uploading payload data to user buffers in system memory and of uploading partially processed frame data to legacy buffers allocated in Operating System memory space are described. User buffers are stored in a portion of system memory allocated to an application program, therefore data stored in user buffers does not need to be copied from another portion of system memory to the portion of system memory allocated to the application program. When partially processed frame data is uploaded by hardware to a legacy buffer in system memory, a tag, uniquely identifying the legacy buffer location is transferred by the hardware to a TCP stack, enabling the TCP stack to locate the legacy buffer.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include operating a computing device in a first power mode. The method may also include executing, by a processor of the computing device, at least one non-interactive task. The method may also include detecting, by a processor of the computing device, a request to place the computing device in a second power mode, wherein the second power mode consumes less system resources than the first power mode. The method may further include delaying the transition of the computing device to the second power mode until either the completion of the non-interactive task or an overriding triggering event.

Abstract: A hash engine in a network device driver maintains data on the utilization and error rate for each network interface card (“NIC”) within a local computing device. From this data, the hash engine intelligently selects transmit NICs and receive NICs based on various networking parameters provided from a software driver program. Transmit packets sent from the operating system in a local computing device to a remote computing device are intercepted, modified and redirected to transmit NICs selected by the hash engine for transmission to remote computing devices. Similarly, address resolution protocol (“ARP”) response packets sent by the operating system in response to ARP request packets are intercepted, modified and redirected to receive NICs selected by the hash engine for transmission.

Abstract: A method of avoiding cache corruption when establishing a network connection includes the steps of transmitting a request to a computing device, where the request includes a masquerade layer-3 address, and receiving a reply transmitted by the computing device in response to the request, where the reply includes a MAC address associated with the computing device. Since the masquerade layer-3 address is unique relative to the computer network, computing devices within the network do no overwrite existing layer-3-to-MAC relationships in their respective caches with the layer-3-to-MAC relationship reflected in the request. Thus, the method enables a network connection to be initiated between two computing devices in the same computer network while avoiding neighbor cache pollution on other computing devices in that network.

Abstract: A method for establishing a network connection between two computing devices within the same computer network includes the steps of generating a masquerade IP address request, where the masquerade IP address request includes a masquerade MAC address, transmitting the masquerade IP address request to a DHCP server, and receiving a masquerade IP address from the DHCP server. The masquerade IP address is then used as the sender's IP address in an ARP broadcast request transmitted to set up the network connection. Since the masquerade IP address is unique relative to the computer network, computing devices within the network do no overwrite existing IP-to-MAC relationships in their respective ARP caches with the IP-to-MAC relationship reflected in the ARP broadcast request. Thus, the method enables a network connection to be initiated between two computing devices in the same computer network while avoiding ARP cache pollution on other computing devices in that network.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include operating a computing device in a first power mode. The method may also include executing, by a processor of the computing device, at least one non-interactive task. The method may also include detecting, by a processor of the computing device, a request to place the computing device in a second power mode, wherein the second power mode consumes less system resources than the first power mode. The method may further include delaying the transition of the computing device to the second power mode until either the completion of the non-interactive task or an overriding triggering event.

Abstract: A method may include, in response to an idle time of a computing device meeting or exceeding a power-save time threshold value, placing the device into a low-power state; in response to receiving an input to the device after the device has been placed into the low-power state, exiting the low-power state; determining whether the idle time meets or exceeds a lockout threshold value; after having exited from the low-power state, if the idle time meets or exceeds the lockout threshold value, requiring a user to perform a successful predetermined authentication to the device before allowing the user to access applications in the device; and if the idle time does not meet or exceed the lockout threshold value, allowing the user to access applications in the device without requiring the user to perform the successful predetermined authentication to the device.

Abstract: A method for identifying a failed network interface card in a system having two NICs configured as a team includes the steps of transmitting a first data packet from the first NIC to a third NIC, wherein the third NIC is not a member of the team, and transmitting a second data packet from the first NIC to the second NIC or from the second NIC to the third NIC, depending on whether the third NIC responds to the transmission of the first data packet. One advantage of the disclosed method is that it specifically identifies which NIC within the team has failed, which is something that cannot be determined by simply exchanging packets between the two NICs.

Abstract: Described are data structures, and methodology for forming same, for network protocol processing. A method for creating data structures for firewalling and network address translating is described. A method for creating data structures for physical layer addressing is described. A method for security protocol support using a data structure is described. A method for creating at least one data structure sized responsive to whether a firewall is activated is described. A data structure for routing packets is described. A method of forming hashing table chains is described. Additionally, method and apparatus for tracking packet states is described. More particularly, Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) tracking of states for packets is described. In an embodiment, a division between software states and hardware states is made as a packet is processed by both software and hardware. Additionally, method and apparatus for network protocol processing are described.

Abstract: A computer-implemented computer shut-down method includes identifying that a computing device has been moved from an open configuration in which input and output mechanisms on the computing device are accessible to a user, to a closed configuration in which at least some of the input and output mechanisms are inaccessible to a user; starting a shut-down timer in response to identifying that the computing device has been moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration; waiting a predefined time period, as established by the shut-down timer, and determining from the shut-down timer that the computing device can be transitioned from an active state into a sleep state in which power consuming components of the computing device are powered down; and transitioning the computing device from the active state to the sleep state upon determining that the computing device can be transitioned.

Abstract: A method for identifying a failed network interface card in a system having two NICs configured as a team includes the steps of transmitting a first data packet from the first NIC to a third NIC, wherein the third NIC is not a member of the team, and transmitting a second data packet from the first NIC to the second NIC or from the second NIC to the third NIC, depending on whether the third NIC responds to the transmission of the first data packet. One advantage of the disclosed method is that it specifically identifies which NIC within the team has failed, which is something that cannot be determined by simply exchanging packets between the two NICs.