Abstract: A method includes a compute node transmitting data to a port of a first switch at a first data transfer rate, monitoring the temperature of the port, and a management node providing an instruction to the compute node in response to the port temperature exceeding a temperature limit, wherein the instruction instructs the compute node to reduce the first data transfer rate to the port. The method further includes the compute node reducing the data transfer rate to the port in response to receiving the instruction. The method is applicable to multiple compute nodes transmitting data to multiple ports of a first switch. The data transfer rate may be reduced by throttling the compute node, renegotiating a link speed between the compute node and the port, or redirecting data to another switch. The methods facilitate thermal control of a switch without its own thermal throttling capability.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing guidance for image capture includes a recognition module that recognizes data objects in data available to an image capture device. At least a portion of the data includes characters. The apparatus includes a context module that determines a context associated with a first image available from the image capture device. The context includes one or more expected data objects, where the first image includes at least a portion of the recognized data objects. The apparatus includes a data module that compares the expected data objects for the determined context, with the recognized data objects from the first image to identify missing expected data objects not found in the first image. The apparatus includes a guidance module that, in response to identified missing data, provides guidance for capturing a second image expected to include the missing expected data objects.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a computer system, and management of an operating mode of a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter. A tool is provided to control the function of the GPGPU adapter. The tool includes an input/output (I/O) interface operatively coupled to the GPGPU adapter. The tool further includes basic input/output system (BIOS) to determine presence of the GPGPU adapter and to interrogate the GPGPU adapter to automatically set an operating mode of the GPGPU adapter. At least two modes of the GPGPU adapter are provided. The GPGPU adapter is set to a first mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display, and set to the second mode in response to determining that the GPGPU is not in communication with a visual display.

Abstract: A computer program product is provided for controlling the airflow direction through a device enclosure. A first device enclosure is positioned adjacent a second device enclosure, wherein both enclosures have an airflow pathway extending from the front to the back, and a fan for moving air through the airflow pathway, wherein the fan of the first device enclosure is a reversible rotary fan. The computer program product automatically determines whether the first device enclosure is in a first orientation with its front facing in the same direction as the front of the adjacent second device enclosure or in a second orientation with the front facing in the same direction as the back of the adjacent second device enclosure. The airflow direction imparted by a reversible rotary fan is then controlled according to the determined orientation of the first device enclosure relative to the second device enclosure.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling access to a target device. The method comprises receiving, by the target device, primary input from a user or user device, wherein the primary input matches a predetermined input stored by the target device and authorizes the user or user device to access the target device. The method further comprises storing, by the target device, one or more wireless secondary signals that are detected by the target device during a time period in which the primary input is received. Still further, the method comprises allowing access to the target device in response to receiving the primary input, and then allowing access to the target device in response to subsequently receiving at least one of the one or more wireless secondary signals matching one or more of the stored wireless secondary signals in the absence of receiving the primary input.

Abstract: An apparatus for contacting a user via an alternate device includes a tracker module, an accessibility module, a contact identification module, and a contact router module. The tracker module obtains tracking information from one or more electronic devices of a user. At least one of the one or more electronic devices includes a communication device. The accessibility module determines, based on the tracking information, that the user is inaccessible via the communication device. The contact identification module autonomously identifies an alternate device for contacting the user. The alternate device is projected, based on the tracking information, to be in proximity to the user. The contact router module reroutes an incoming communication based on the alternate device.

Abstract: A method includes tracking access to files that are stored on a single disk, and identifying a file access sequence involving a first file and a second file stored on the disk, wherein the first file is accessed before the second file. The method further includes determining a time differential between a time that the first file is accessed and a time that the second file is accessed, and determining a direction and speed at which a drive head of the disk can move between sectors and tracks of the disk. Still further, the method includes migrating one or both of the first and second files to a new location on the disk so that, after the drive head of the disk has read the first file, the drive head is repositioned at a beginning of the second file in a period of time that is a function of the time differential.

Abstract: An apparatus for contacting a user via an alternate device includes a tracker module, an accessibility module, a contact identification module, and a contact router module. The tracker module obtains tracking information from one or more electronic devices of a user. At least one of the one or more electronic devices includes a communication device. The accessibility module determines, based on the tracking information, that the user is inaccessible via the communication device. The contact identification module autonomously identifies an alternate device for contacting the user. The alternate device is projected, based on the tracking information, to be in proximity to the user. The contact router module reroutes an incoming communication based on the alternate device.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing guidance for image capture includes a recognition module that recognizes data objects in data available to an image capture device. At least a portion of the data includes characters. The apparatus includes a context module that determines a context associated with a first image available from the image capture device. The context includes one or more expected data objects, where the first image includes at least a portion of the recognized data objects. The apparatus includes a data module that compares the expected data objects for the determined context, with the recognized data objects from the first image to identify missing expected data objects not found in the first image. The apparatus includes a guidance module that, in response to identified missing data, provides guidance for capturing a second image expected to include the missing expected data objects.

Abstract: Using a conversation context to manage conference participants including receiving a request from an invitee to join a conference in progress; extracting audio from the conference; converting said audio to data describing the conference; matching data to a context, wherein the context comprises a specification of a subject matter of the conference and a list of authorized participants for the conference; comparing the invitee to the list of the authorized participants for the conference; responsive to determining that the invitee matches an authorized participant of the list of authorized participants for the conference, granting permission to the invitee to join the conference; and responsive to determining that the invitee does not match an authorized participant of the list of authorized participants for the conference, denying the invitee access to the conference.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and program product are disclosed for loading a program during boot of a device. A monitor module collects usage data for each of one or more programs executing on a device. The usage data for each program comprising an amount of time that the program was used and a schedule of when the program was used. A priority module assigns a boot priority to each of the one or more programs based on the amount of time that each program was used. A boot module selects one or more programs to load during a boot period for the device based on each program's usage schedule. The one or more selected programs are loaded according to each selected program's boot priority.

Abstract: Profiling operating efficiency deviations of a computing system includes: generating a profile of expected operating efficiency for a computing system in an ideal configuration; for each of a plurality of alternative configurations of the computing system, wherein each of the alternative configurations includes a variation of the ideal configuration that introduces a deviation in operating efficiency of the computing system, said variation comprising a root cause of the deviation: monitoring operating efficiency of the computing system identifying, from the monitored operating efficiency, a deviation of operating efficiency from the expected operating efficiency; and recording, in a data structure, an association of the deviation and the root cause of the deviation.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining and using correlative thermal efficiency impacts to distribute workloads includes a baseline module, a deviation module, and a transfer module. The baseline module determines a baseline system thermal efficiency of a plurality of servers based on a utilization level of the plurality of servers, the baseline system thermal efficiency including a baseline thermal efficiency of a first server of the plurality of servers. The deviation module determines a deviation in a thermal efficiency from the baseline thermal efficiency of the first server of the plurality of servers based on a new workload assigned to the first server of the plurality of servers. The transfer module transfers the new workload to a second server of the plurality of servers in response to the deviation being above a deviation threshold.

Abstract: A method and computer program product are provided for controlling the airflow direction through a device enclosure. A first device enclosure is positioned adjacent a second device enclosure, wherein both enclosures have an airflow pathway extending from the front to the back, and a fan for moving air through the airflow pathway, wherein the fan of the first device enclosure is a reversible rotary fan. The method automatically determines whether the first device enclosure is in a first orientation with its front facing in the same direction as the front of the adjacent second device enclosure or in a second orientation with the front facing in the same direction as the back of the adjacent second device enclosure. The airflow direction imparted by a reversible rotary fan is then controlled according to the determined orientation of the first device enclosure relative to the second device enclosure.

Abstract: A method of a first mobile computing device includes storing a wireless communication address of a second mobile computing device, determining that the first mobile computing device has left a sleep state while in a closed condition, and automatically wirelessly transmitting a notification to the second mobile computing device in response to determining that the first mobile computing device has left the sleep state while in a closed condition. A method of a second mobile computing device includes receiving a wireless notification from a first mobile computing device indicating that the first mobile computing device has left a sleep state while in a closed condition, and providing an alert to a user of the second mobile computing device in response to receiving the wireless notification.

Abstract: An apparatus for user authentication based on tracked activity includes an activity tracker module, a challenge module, and an authentication module. The activity tracker module is configured to electronically track one or more activities of a user. Electronically tracking the one or more activities includes obtaining information about at least one activity from an electronic device of the user. The challenge module is configured to present an authentication challenge to the user via a user interface for the electronic device. The authentication challenge is based on the one or more electronically tracked activities for the user. The authentication module is configured to determine whether to authenticate the user for access to one or more resources via the electronic device, based on the user's response to the authentication challenge.

Abstract: A method includes a compute node transmitting data to a port of a first switch at a first data transfer rate, monitoring the temperature of the port, and a management node providing an instruction to the compute node in response to the port temperature exceeding a temperature limit, wherein the instruction instructs the compute node to reduce the first data transfer rate to the port. The method further includes the compute node reducing the data transfer rate to the port in response to receiving the instruction. The method is applicable to multiple compute nodes transmitting data to multiple ports of a first switch. The data transfer rate may be reduced by throttling the compute node, renegotiating a link speed between the compute node and the port, or redirecting data to another switch. The methods facilitate thermal control of a switch without its own thermal throttling capability.

Abstract: A laptop computer housing includes a base, a lid, a hinge coupling the base and the lid, and one or more detection circuit for detecting multiple open lid angles between the lid and the base. A method includes detecting an open lid angle between the lid and the base of the laptop, and scaling power consumption of one or more components of the laptop in response to the detected open lid angle. For example, the method may enforce a first reduced power setting for the one or more components in response to detecting a first open lid angle, and may enforce a second reduced power setting for the one or more components in response to detecting a second open lid angle.

Abstract: A method includes tracking access to files that are stored on a single disk, and identifying a file access sequence involving a first file and a second file stored on the disk, wherein the first file is accessed before the second file. The method further includes determining a time differential between a time that the first file is accessed and a time that the second file is accessed, and determining a direction and speed at which a drive head of the disk can move between sectors and tracks of the disk. Still further, the method includes migrating one or both of the first and second files to a new location on the disk so that, after the drive head of the disk has read the first file, the drive head is repositioned at a beginning of the second file in a period of time that is a function of the time differential.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a movement event that will cause a computer to limit access to a first data storage device of the computer, wherein the first data storage device has internal moving parts. The method further includes identifying an application or file stored on the first data storage device that is to be accessed during a duration of the movement event, and caching or storing the identified application or file on a second data storage device of the computer prior to the movement event, wherein the second data storage device is a solid state device. Still further, the method includes accessing the identified application or file from the second data storage device for the duration of the movement event.