Abstract: A paint-drying system suitable for drying paint applied to a surface of a work piece, the system comprises at least one NIR generating device, at least one holding device for holding one or more work pieces, and a controller for controlling operation of the system. In use, either one or both of the or each NIR generating device and holding device is/are moved relative to the or each other such that the spatial-distance between the or each NIR generating device and a surface of a work piece held by the or each holding device is maintained substantially constant by the controller during actuation of the or each NIR generating device.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a secondary server (server blade). The server blade sends a request, via an Ethernet switch, for a boot program to multiple Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers. One of the DHCP servers responds with an address of at least one Pre-boot Execution Environment (PXE) server that can upload a boot program to the server blade. Only if the responding DHCP server is on a list of known trusted DHCP servers will the Ethernet switch allow the server blade to receive the response from the responding DHCP server, thus allowing the download of a boot program from a PXE server.

Abstract: A method and system for remotely booting a plurality of server blades in a BLADECENTER® and for updating each blade without the need for an administrator to access each blade via a separate user identification number and corresponding password. A temporary virtual local area network is created to provide an out-of-band communication channel between a management module and the plurality of server blades. The management module receives and saves the original boot sequence for each server blade and alters each boot sequence such that each server blade begins with a network boot. After receiving an initial transmission over the network containing server blade boot instructions and storing the boot instructions in a temporary boot server, subsequent server blade boot requests from the network are intercepted and the stored boot instructions are re-routed from the temporary boot server to each of the remaining blades in the blade server thus removing the need for repeated boot packet transmission over the network.

Abstract: An aggregated server blade system includes a plurality of individual server blades and a management module which can be designated as a bootable device. A boot list maintained and executed in each server blade includes a management module entry in its list of bootable devices. In response to the management module entry being selected or otherwise made active as the bootable device for a particular blade, an alternative bootable-devices list maintained on the management module is referenced and the boot process proceeds according to the alternative list.

Abstract: A method, system, and operating system (OS) software utility that prevents installation of a software product in a computer system in an un-approved location. The OS of the computer system (or the application itself) is coded to require a check of geographical restrictions prior to installing certain software products. The computer system is provided with a GPS receiver, which provides current geographic or spatial location of the computer system. When application installation is requested, the current location is compared against a list of approved locations for installing software on the computer system. No software installation is allowed on the computer system unless the current location is an approved location for the software and/or the computer system.

Abstract: A method, system and service for providing on-demand computing power to an owner of a multi-blade computer in a server blade chassis. The server blade chassis is delivered fully populated with server blades to a customer. However, only a portion of the total number of server blades is initially enabled. A management module in the server blade chassis monitors usage of the enabled server blades and associated hardware. If the usage of the enabled server blades exceeds a pre-defined parameter, then additional server blades in the server blade chassis are permanently turned on using the management module and a remotely provided key from the manufacturer of the multi-blade computer.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for dynamically sharing a limited supply of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses among a larger number of servers. A manager coupled between the Internet and a plurality of servers may receive a request for an IP address associated with a domain name from a client coupled to the Internet. The manager may be configured to map the domain name into an IP address assigned to the server hosting the web site of the domain name. Each assigned IP address may be valid only for a limited time. Once the time the assigned IP address is valid has expired, the assigned IP address may be returned to the pool of available IP addresses thereby allowing a smaller number of IP addresses to be dynamically shared among a larger number of servers.

Abstract: A method and system for a failover management module for a server blade chassis. A virtual out-of-band network connects management modules in different server blade chassis. Upon a detection of a failure of the management module(s) in a first server blade chassis, a management module in a second server blade chassis takes over control of the first server blade chassis.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for efficiently handling client requests in a server farm. A server in the server farm may comprise a hardfile constrained to activate a limited number of logical partitions. The hardfile may store a partition table that defines the logical partitions activated. An image may refer to a collection of the limited number of logical partitions. Each image may be associated with a web site. Hence, the server may host a web site associated with the image currently active. The server may further store an image definition table storing a listing of images. An image associated with a different web site than the web site hosted may be selected. The logical partitions of the image selected may substitute the logical partitions defined in the partition table. Consequently, the server hosts a different web site without copying the old image or installing the new image.

Abstract: A method for co-operative thermal management of a number of independent electronic devices housed within a common enclosure that includes designating a priority number and measuring a temperature for each of the independent electronic devices. Next, for each of the independent electronic devices, the measured temperature is evaluated to determine if it exceeds a threshold value for the independent electronic device. If the measured temperature exceeds a threshold value, a count-down value is initialize to the designated priority number of the independent electronic device. Following which, the count-down value is evaluated to determine if it is equal to zero. If the count-down value is equal to zero, the independent electronic device is powered down. However, if the count-down value is not equal to zero, a specified time interval is allowed to expire before the count-down value is decremented and re-evaluated to determine if it is equal to zero.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and hard disk configuration for protecting data associated with a first image file in an appliance server after the first image file has been replaced with a second image file. In a first aspect, the method of the invention includes partitioning a hard disk of the appliance server into a plurality of partitions, wherein at least one of the plurality of partitions is a hidden partition and copying the data associated with the first image file to the hidden partition, wherein the data in the hidden partition is invisible to a network operating system during normal server operation.

Abstract: A data processing system suitable for use as a client device in a network includes a service processor communicatively coupled to a general purpose processor of the system. The system is enabled to respond to a boot event by requesting boot information from a network device. If the boot information request expires unsuccessfully, the boot information is requested from the service processor. If the attempt to retrieve the boot information from the service processor is successful, the retrieved boot information is used to establish a network connection to a file transfer server. The file transfer server connection is then used to download an operating system image from the file transfer server to boot the operating system image and install an operating system on the client device. In one embodiment, the client device is a PXE client on a network lacking a DHCP server.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a secure configuration of a server blade on a network. The server blade has a Remote Supervisor Adapter (RSA) card, which contains a list of trusted Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers. A remote manager, which communicates with the RSA card via a hyper-secure network, maintains the list of trusted DHCP servers on the RSA card. When the server blade broadcasts a request for configuration parameters to join the network, a response offer is returned from a DHCP server. If the responding DHCP server is not on the list of trusted DHCP servers contained in the RSA card, then the offer is refused, and another DHCP server's offer is evaluated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for automatically re-provisioning an appliance server without significant user-interaction. The disk drive of a server to be utilized as an appliance server is partitioned into at least three partitions, including a systems partition, a network operating system partition, and an images partition. A re-provisioning utility is provided, which, when activated by a user, removes the present application from the server and forwards it to a storage location on the network or in a fourth storage partition and installs another application on the server. The system is re-booted and re-configured to provide full operation of the new application.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a download of software from an application server to a client computer depending on a physical location of the client computer. The client computer transmits a real-time Global Position System (GPS) coordinate to the application server. This location is then compared to a list of authorized location ranges associated with the requested application. If the client computer is located within an authorized location range, the application server then downloads the application to the client computer. If the client computer is not within an authorized area, then the application is not allowed be downloaded.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a secondary server (server blade). The server blade sends a request, via an Ethernet switch, for a boot program to multiple Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers. One of the DHCP servers responds with an address of at least one Pre-boot Execution Environment (PXE) server that can upload a boot program to the server blade. Only if the responding DHCP server is on a list of known trusted DHCP servers will the Ethernet switch allow the server blade to receive the response from the responding DHCP server, thus allowing the download of a boot program from a PXE server.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a server blade. The server blade is part of a server blade chassis, which holds multiple server blades that communicate with outside devices via a Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) enabled network interface card. When a server blade receives a response from a PXE boot server offering a boot program download, a Remote Supervisory Adapter (RSA) card, managed by a remote manager, compares the identity of the responding PXE boot server with a list of trusted PXE boot servers. Only if the responding PXE boot server is on the list of trusted PXE boot servers will the server blade be allowed to use a boot program provided by the responding PXE boot server.

Abstract: A method and system for method of removing a node from a multi-node computer. The node receives a system management interrupt (SMI), resulting in a quiescenting of only that node. The SMI receiving node then polls other nodes in the multi-node computer to determine if the SMI affects an operation of any of the other nodes, and quiescents any other node affected by the SMI. Each quiescent node then transfers all of the contents of its system memory to a backup memory in an unaffected remote node in the multi-node computer. The remote node than assumes the function of the removed node that had received the SMI. The method and system thus allows node removal in the event of a hot-swap request or a predicted failure of a node.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a download of software from an application server to a client computer depending on a physical location of the client computer. The client computer transmits a real-time Global Position System (GPS) coordinate to the application server. This location is then compared to a list of authorized location ranges associated with the requested application. If the client computer is located within an authorized location range, the application server then downloads the application to the client computer. If the client computer is not within an authorized area, then the application is not allowed be downloaded.