Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to testing a storage system point-in-time copy of data for consistency. An aspect of the invention includes receiving system and application event information from systems and applications associated with point-in-time copies of data. The system and application event information is associated with each of point-in-time copies of data. At least one point-in-time copy of data is selected for testing. The system and application event information is compared with inconsistency classes to determine tests for testing the point-in-time copy of data. The point-in-time copy of data is tested.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach that utilizes discrete event simulation to quantitatively analyze the reliability of a modeled de-duplication system in a computer storage environment. In addition, the approach described herein can perform such an analysis on systems having heterogeneous data stored on heterogeneous storage systems in the presence of primary faults and their secondary effects due to de-duplication. In a typical embodiment, data de-duplication parameters and a hardware configuration are received in a computer storage medium. A data de-duplication model is then applied to a set of data and to the data de-duplication parameters, and a hardware reliability model is applied to the hardware configuration. Then a set (at least one) of discrete events is simulated based on the data de-duplication model as applied to the set of data and the data de-duplication parameters, and the hardware reliability model as applied to the hardware configuration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a hybrid (e.g., local and remote) approach for data backup in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). In a typical embodiment, a set of storage configuration parameters corresponding to a set of data to be backed up is received and stored in a computer data structure. The set of storage configuration parameters can comprise at least one of the following: a recovery time objective (RTO), a recovery point objective (RPO), and a desired type of protection for the set of data. Regardless, the set of data is compared to previously stored data to identify at least one of the following: portions of the set of data that have commonality with the previously stored data; and portions of the set of data that are unique to the set of data (i.e., not in common with any of the previously stored data). The above-described process is referred to herein as “de-duplication”.

Abstract: A device, system and method for accessing internal tissue include a probe (108) disposed on a distal end portion of a medical device and configured to be inserted into a body along a trajectory path. A sensor (102) is mounted on a displacement tracker portion (104) of the medical device which is disposed on a proximal end portion of the device. The sensor is configured to measure a distance parallel to the probe between the displacement tracker portion and a tissue surface such that a position of the probe is determinable relative to the tissue surface upon advance or retraction of the probe along the trajectory path.

Abstract: A multi-view stereo approach generates an inventory of objects located on an object holder. An object may be a sample tube and an object holder may be a tube rack as used in lab automation for healthcare diagnostics. A processor performs 3D tracking of the object holder and the geo-metric analysis of multiple images generated by a calibrated camera. A homography mapping between images is utilized to warp a second image to a viewpoint of a first image. Plane induced parallax causes a normalized cross-correlation score between the first image and the warped second image of a location on the holder that has an object that is significantly different from a normalized cross-correlation score of a location that has not an object and enables the processor to infer tube inventory and absence or presence of a tube at a location in a rack.

Abstract: Disclosed are system and method embodiments for determining the root-causes of a performance objective violation, such as an end-to-end service level objection (SLO) violation, in a large-scale system with multi-tiered applications. This determination is made using a hybrid of component-level snapshots of the state of the system during a period in which an abnormal event occurred (i.e., black box mapping) and of known events and their causes (i.e., white-box mapping). Specifically, in response to a query about a violation (e.g., why did the response time for application a1 increase from r1 to r2), a processor will access and correlate the black-box and white-box mappings to determine a short-list of probable causes for the violation.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods adapted to aid in a calibration of a robotic end effector. The method includes providing a robotic component having an end effector and a light beam sensor provided in a fixed orientation to the end effector fingers, rotating a light beam of the light beam sensor relative to a geometrical calibration feature of a teach tool mounted in an approximately known orientation to an article, and determining a precise location (e.g., center) of the geometrical calibration feature based upon engagement of the light beam with edges of the geometrical calibration feature. In another aspect, a rotational orientation of the fingers of the end effector are calibrated using the teach tool. A novel teach tool and a robot calibration system including the teach tool are disclosed, as are other aspects.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to determine one or more optimal mappings between a server layer and a storage layer through a network layer based on performance metrics of one or more ports of at least one of the server layer, the storage layer and the network layer.

Abstract: A system (10) and method (50) for distributing digital information, including download information and activation or digital rights management information, to one or more branch devices. The method includes a root device receiving digital information from an information source, and transmitting the download information and the activation information associated with the download information to one or more branch devices. The branch device, upon receiving the activation information can activate, install or execute the download information. The download information and/or the activation information can be conditionally distributed, e.g., based on a time-based, location-based or authentication-based condition or event. The method also may include extracting the distributed information, e.g., upon the completion of the condition or event.

Abstract: A method and associated system for continuously optimizing data archive management scheduling. A flow network is modeled. The flow network represents data content, software programs, physical devices, and communication capacity of the archive management system in various levels of vertices such that an optimal path in the flow network from a task of at least one archive management task to a worker program of the archive management system represents an optimal initial schedule for the worker program to perform the task.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for providing non-disruptive transitioning of application replication configurations and proactive analysis of possible error scenarios. Specifically, under embodiments of the present invention, a common integration model (CIM)-compatible representation of a system replication plan is provided in a computer data structure. Based on the representation, a hierarchical tree data structure having a set of nodes is created. A set of system configuration updates pertaining to the set of nodes are then classified (e.g., based upon the type of configuration update). Once the set of nodes has been classified, the set of nodes may then be analyzed to determine if any nodes of the set are isomorphic. If so, the plan can be modified accordingly. In any event, the replication plan (or modified replication plan) may then be implemented.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing power consumption of a data center by dynamic workload adjustment. At least one candidate workload solution for the data center is generated. Each candidate workload solution represents a respective application map that specifies a respective workload distribution among application programs of the data center. Workload of the data center is dynamically adjusted from a current workload distribution to an optimal workload solution. The optimal workload solution is a candidate workload solution of the at least one candidate workload solution having a lowest sum of a respective power cost and a respective migration cost. Dynamically adjusting the workload of the data center includes: estimating a respective overall cost of each candidate workload solution, selecting the optimal workload solution that has a lowest overall cost as determined from the estimating, and transferring the optimal workload solution to devices of a computer system for deployment.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to determine one or more optimal mappings between a server layer and a storage layer through a network layer based on performance metrics of one or more ports of at least one of the server layer, the storage layer and the network layer.

Abstract: A system and associated method for continuously optimizing data archive management scheduling. A job scheduler receives, from an archive management system, inputs of task information, replica placement data, infrastructure topology data, and resource performance data. The job scheduler models a flow network that represents data content, software programs, physical devices, and communication capacity of the archive management system in various levels of vertices according to the received inputs. An optimal path in the modeled flow network is computed as an initial schedule, and the archive management system performs tasks according to the initial schedule. The operations of scheduled tasks are monitored and the job scheduler produces a new schedule based on feedbacks of the monitored operations and predefined heuristics.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for chargeback cost allocation in an information technology (IT) system including multiple resources. The method includes categorizing cost attributes of different resources into multiple levels defining a cost attribute hierarchy, defining different chargeback groups for resources with similar cost attributes and chargeback policies at different levels of the hierarchy, and performing chargeback cost allocation by allocating the cost for resources at each hierarchy level independently using chargeback policies defined for the resources at that hierarchy level.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for providing non-disruptive transitioning of application replication configurations and proactive analysis of possible error scenarios. Specifically, under embodiments of the present invention, a common integration model (CIM)-compatible representation of a system replication plan is provided in a computer data structure. Based on the representation, a hierarchical tree data structure having a set of nodes is created. A set of system configuration updates pertaining to the set of nodes are then classified (e.g., based upon the type of configuration update). Once the set of nodes has been classified, the set of nodes may then be analyzed to determine if any nodes of the set are isomorphic. If so, the plan can be modified accordingly. In any event, the replication plan (or modified replication plan) may then be implemented.

Abstract: A system and associated method for optimizing power consumption of a data center by dynamic workload adjustment. A current workload distribution of the data center is shifted to an optimal workload solution that provides acceptable level of service with the least amount of power consumption. The sum of power cost and migration cost that corresponds to the optimal workload solution is the lowest among all sums that correspond to respective candidate workload solutions. The power cost is determined by a maximum temperature of the data center and accompanying cooling cost for each candidate workload solution. The migration cost is determined by performance degradation that occurs during shifting a workload distribution of the data center from the current workload distribution to each candidate workload solution.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach that utilizes discrete event simulation to quantitatively analyze the reliability of a modeled de-duplication system in a computer storage environment. In addition, the approach described herein can perform such an analysis on systems having heterogeneous data stored on heterogeneous storage systems in the presence of primary faults and their secondary effects due to de-duplication. In a typical embodiment, data de-duplication parameters and a hardware configuration are received in a computer storage medium. A data de-duplication model is then applied to a set of data and to the data de-duplication parameters, and a hardware reliability model is applied to the hardware configuration. Then a set (at least one) of discrete events is simulated based on the data de-duplication model as applied to the set of data and the data de-duplication parameters, and the hardware reliability model as applied to the hardware configuration.

Abstract: The invention provides an enterprise administration system and method. The system includes a user interface module configured to enter administration terms or select a predetermined script of administration terms, a knowledge base configured to store system information, a meta information module configured to use the system information to store entity-objective indexes, and a workflow mapping module configured to map the administration terms to system information extraction tasks to extract relevant entities and objectives and apply a rule to the extracted entities and objectives for presenting the extracted entities and objectives in a ranked order.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method and software application for associating one or more phone numbers with an action on a phone and performing an action on the phone in response to the user initiating a call to one of such phone numbers. Certain phone numbers are associated with an action. The user's phone, or a server with which the user's phone communicates, maintains a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, and each phone number in the table is related to an action. Software on the user's phone listens for call initiated by a user. When the user initiates a call, software on the phone “intercepts” the call, and the phone (or a server with which the phone communicates) determines whether the call is to a phone number that is in the table. If the phone number is in the table, then it is associated with an action, and the user's phone performs that action at a time specified by instructions for such action.