Abstract: A scalable and fault tolerant finite state machine engine, for example, for use in an automated incident management system, logs or records data in persistent storage at different points or levels during various internal processing of an event associated with an information technology element, and action taken associated with the event, by executing a finite state machine instance that encodes policies for handling incidents on such types of information technology elements. In the event that the finite state machine engine is shutdown during processing, the finite state machine engine is able to pick up from where it left off when it was shutdown, for each abnormally terminated finite state machine instance, by using the data logged in the persistent storage and determining a point of processing from where it should continue its execution.

Abstract: A method, system, and article are provided to enable a Hyperswap operation in a clustered computer system. Each node in the system is configured with flash memory, with a hierarchical list of boot volumes therein. Following a Hyperswap operation, the current boot volume is communicated to each node in the cluster and each node joining the cluster. All previously inactive nodes that were booted from the improper boot volume are re-booted from the correct and the flash memory is amended to reflect the correct boot volume.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for detecting and reacting to a network discrepancy within a data center network environment. The method comprises monitoring network traffic between a first computer configured as a first hypervisor inter-networked within the data center network environment and a second computer inter-networked within the data center network environment in order to detect a presence of a predetermined condition representing a presence of the network discrepancy in the data center network environment between a recorded state of the data center network environment and an observed state of the data center network environment. The monitoring includes determining the observed state of the data center network environment using one of: polling, event-based or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for resolving a silent error is disclosed. A primary program copy runs on a primary host, and a secondary program copy runs on a secondary host. The primary and secondary copies communicate to maintain synchronized execution. A third copy of the data is stored on a storage device as a write operations log and maintained in memory on the primary host while the program is running. The primary copy is synchronized with the secondary copy by computing a first checksum of data on the primary host in response to a read operation local to the primary host, computing a second checksum of data on the secondary host in response to a read operation local to the secondary host, and periodically communicating the first checksum to the secondary host, and resolving any discrepancies between the first and second checksum of data reflecting a silent data error.

Abstract: The acquisition of a lock among nodes of a divided cluster is disclosed. A method is performable by each of at least one node of the cluster. A node waits for a delay corresponding to its identifier. The node asserts intent to acquire the lock by writing its identifier to X and Y variables where another node has failed to acquire the lock. The node waits for another node to acquire the lock where the other node has written to X, and proceeds where Y remains equal to its own identifier. The node waits for another node to acquire the lock where the other node has written to a Z variable, and writes its own identifier to Z and proceeds where the other node has failed. The node writes a value to Y indicating that it is acquiring the lock, and maintains acquisition by periodically writing to Z.

Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product for analyzing a document are disclosed. In response to receiving the document, the document is partitioned into a plurality of segments using a set of pre-defined attributes. The plurality of segments of the document is mapped with corresponding segments of at least one template selected from a set of stored templates. A first template from the set of stored templates is selected and a group of segments in the first template is identified by computing at least one of a structural similarity and a textual similarity associated with the group of segments compared with the plurality of segments of the document. A subset of segments from the group of segments is aligned with corresponding segments from the plurality of segments of the document. A set of scores is computed using a set of pre-defined criteria, in response to the mapping. The document is analyzed based on the computed set of scores.

Abstract: The acquisition of a lock among nodes of a divided cluster is disclosed. A method is performable by each of at least one node of the cluster. A node waits for a delay corresponding to its identifier. The node asserts intent to acquire the lock by writing its identifier to X and Y variables where another node has failed to acquire the lock. The node waits for another node to acquire the lock where the other node has written to X, and proceeds where Y remains equal to its own identifier. The node waits for another node to acquire the lock where the other node has written to a Z variable, and writes its own identifier to Z and proceeds where the other node has failed. The node writes a value to Y indicating that it is acquiring the lock, and maintains acquisition by periodically writing to Z.

Abstract: A method, system, and article are provided to enable a Hyperswap operation in a clustered computer system. Each node in the system is configured with flash memory, with a hierarchical list of boot volumes therein. Following a Hyperswap operation, the current boot volume is communicated to each node in the cluster and each node joining the cluster. All previously inactive nodes that were booted from the improper boot volume are re-booted from the correct and the flash memory is amended to reflect the correct boot volume.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for merging search results. In one embodiment, the method comprises identifying a query, splitting the query into sub-queries, and calculating information content for each of the sub-queries. This method also comprises executing each of the sub-queries to obtain a plurality of search results, and combining the search results based on the information content calculated for the sub-queries. In an embodiment, the execution of each of the sub-queries includes identifying a multitude of search results for at least one of the sub-queries; and the combining includes grouping said multitude of search results into a plurality of clusters, and computing a relevance score for each of said clusters. In the embodiment the combining further includes merging the clusters based on the relevance scores computed for the clusters as well as the information content calculated for the sub-queries.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for use in a server cluster having plural server nodes implementing a server tier in a client-server computing architecture in order to determine which of two or more partitioned server subgroups has a quorum. A determination is made of relative priorities of the subgroups and a quorum is awarded to the subgroup having a highest relative priority. The relative priorities are determined by policy rules that evaluate comparative server node application state information. The server node application state information may include one or more of client connectivity, application priority, resource connectivity, processing capability, memory availability, and input/output resource availability, etc. The policy rules evaluate the application state information for each subgroup and can assign different weights to different types of application state information. An interface may be provided for receiving policy rules specified by a cluster application.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for resolving a silent error is disclosed. A primary program copy runs on a primary host, and a secondary program copy runs on a secondary host. The primary and secondary copies communicate to maintain synchronized execution. A third copy of the data is stored on a storage device as a write operations log and maintained in memory on the primary host while the program is running. The primary copy is synchronized with the secondary copy by computing a first checksum of data on the primary host in response to a read operation local to the primary host, computing a second checksum of data on the secondary host in response to a read operation local to the secondary host, and periodically communicating the first checksum to the secondary host, and resolving any discrepancies between the first and second checksum of data reflecting a silent data error.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting entity changes in a storage area network. A discovery module probes a plurality of entities of the storage area network to detect an event in response to a policy, stores attributes of the probed entities, and reports the event with a probe event reference. A monitor module receives a self-announced event reference of the event if an entity communicates the event. A configuration module records the event as an initiated event reference if the event is initiated by an administrator. An event manager synthesizes a report of the event from the event references.

Abstract: A detectibility service for a storage infrastructure manager (SIM) operating on a storage area network (SAN) is disclosed directed to addressing a situation where there may be multiple sources of duplicate or contradictory information to the SIM about the presence and condition of an element in the SAN. The service can account for both authoritative as well as nonauthoritative sources of information in a SAN, which participate in the discovery process scanning for SAN elements. Both authoritative and nonauthoritative sources of information can be used to report a given SAN element during a probe, taking advantage of the more efficient processing of information from authoritative sources to override information from nonauthoritative sources regardless of the order in which the various scans may occur.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for re-using, across plural customer accounts, information generated as part of technical solution designs by a service provider for delivering Information Technology (IT) outsourcing services to customers. The method comprises the step of providing a set of standard service elements and a set of standard service designs. The method comprises the further steps of customizing one or more of the standard service designs to generate customized service designs, generating custom service elements, and generating custom service designs associated with them. The custom service elements and service designs, and the customized service designs are stored in a tool-specific metadata repository that is accessed to promote reuse of the customizations across plural customer accounts.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed herein that includes creating a flashcopy of initial replica data, performing a recovery of the created flashcopy, and exporting the recovered flashcopy. In one implementation, the method includes determining whether the initial replica data has changed data, generating an updated flashcopy based on the determination, sequentially quiescing an export of the recovered flashcopy, switching the recovered flashcopy with the updated flashcopy, and exporting the switched flashcopy.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing automated assistance to a service provider for creating a technical solution definition for a project for delivering Information Technology (IT) outsourcing services for a customer. The method comprises the steps of providing, in machine processable form, a definition of a taxonomy of a set of standard services offered by the service provider; providing, in machine processable form, a repository of service designs, each of the service designs describing a set of IT architecture components to deliver a service associated with a standard service element, according to a specified best practice rule; and providing, in machine processable form, a collection of policies that can be executed to validate the service designs selected to deliver the set of contracted services. A computer implemented design tool is used to define the scope of a project a set of service designs, and to run policy-based validation checks on the design.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting entity changes in a storage area network. A discovery module probes a plurality of entities of the storage area network to detect an event in response to a policy, stores attributes of the probed entities, and reports the event with a probe event reference. A monitor module receives a self-announced event reference of the event if an entity communicates the event. A configuration module records the event as an initiated event reference if the event is initiated by an administrator. An event manager synthesizes a report of the event from the event references.

Abstract: A detectibility service for a storage infrastructure manager (SIM) operating on a storage area network (SAN) is disclosed directed to addressing a situation where there may be multiple sources of duplicate or contradictory information to the SIM about the presence and condition of an element in the SAN. The service can account for both authoritative as well as nonauthoritative sources of information in a SAN, which participate in the discovery process scanning for SAN elements. Both authoritative and nonauthoritative sources of information can be used to report a given SAN element during a probe, taking advantage of the more efficient processing of information from authoritative sources to override information from nonauthoritative sources regardless of the order in which the various scans may occur.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for use in a server cluster having plural server nodes implementing a server tier in a client-server computing architecture in order to determine which of two or more partitioned server subgroups has a quorum. A determination is made of relative priorities of the subgroups and a quorum is awarded to the subgroup having a highest relative priority. The relative priorities are determined by policy rules that evaluate comparative server node application state information. The server node application state information may include one or more of client connectivity, application priority, resource connectivity, processing capability, memory availability, and input/output resource availability, etc. The policy rules evaluate the application state information for each subgroup and can assign different weights to different types of application state information. An interface may be provided for receiving policy rules specified by a cluster application.

Abstract: Extensions are provided to a lock for supporting concurrency of read and write operations of a shared resource in a computer system. Both reader and writer modes are maintained. In addition, an append mode and a prefix mode are provided. The append mode supports non-exclusive access to the shared resource while enabling modification of the shared resource after a marker. The prefix mode supports non-exclusive access to read the shared resource prior to the marker. Lock mode requests to the shared resources are mediated to ensure compatibility of granted lock modes with lock mode requests.