Abstract: A method, apparatus and system enable a temporary partition on a host to be isolated. More specifically, a temporary partition may be initialized in a partitioned host, assigned its own security policy and given the necessary resources to complete a task. Thereafter, the temporary partition may be dismantled. Since the temporary partition is isolated from the remaining partitions on the host, the temporary partition may be allowed to run a “weaker” security policy than the rest of the partitions because the isolation of the temporary partition ensures that the security of the remaining partitions may remain uncompromised.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for scheduling network communication packets in a multimedia environment where different packet streams have reservations of network bandwidth to form packet flows. The present invention divides the packet scheduling function into distinct components that may be implemented as separate drivers in a layered driver environment as exists, for example, in the Microsoft Windows NT operating system. One component is called a conformer and will generate and assign to each packet in the packet flow at least one conformance time that signifies the earliest a packet may be sent and still conform to the network resource requirements associated with the flow. Many different conformance algorithms can be supported so that the best algorithm is used for a particular packet flow and the service requirements that it represents. Should it be necessary to actually hold a packet until the conformance time is met, a shaper component is used to delay the packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a computer system to initiate, conduct, and terminate a multipoint computer conference regardless of the underlying network protocols. The computer system executes software which determines whether the network supports rooted control and rooted data. When the network supports rooted control, the computer system waits for a connect signal sent from a control leaf node of a plurality of control leaf nodes when the computer system is a control root node and the computer system is to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control root node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference. The computer system sends the connect signal to the control leaf node when the computer system is the control root node and the computer system is not to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control leaf node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference.

Abstract: In a computer video conferencing system it is often necessary to transmit multiple channels of information between remote computers, such as a video channel, an audio channel and data sharing channel. A socket based transport interface can be utilized to establish communication channels between remote computers over a connection oriented telephony network. A plurality of sockets are created at each endpoint, one for each type of data stream to be transferred between the computers. The sockets are formed into a group to indicate to the computer transport service provider that the data streams from the sockets can utilize the same telephony connection, and a quality-of-service specification is associated with the socket group so that the telephony connection can be established according to the requirements of the socket group. If a new data stream needs to be transmitted and there is already a telephony connection established, a new socket is created and added to the existing socket group.