Abstract: To measure usage of computing resources on a computer, a logging service running on the computer generates event data. The computer transmits the event data to an event processing system. With a large number of computers, each computer transmits its event data to the event processing system. The event processing system stores the event data in a storage system as a file system object, such as a stream or file, in which different data fields of the received event data are stored in a structured or semi-structured manner. The event data can be processed in parallel on different pivots using map-reduce operations. Such processing can include, but is not limited to, de-duplicating event data, aggregating event data related to a resource into measurements of usage of that resource, and grouping original data or aggregated data by user or group of user for further analysis and reporting.

Abstract: To measure usage of computing resources on a computer, a logging service running on the computer generates event data. The computer transmits the event data to an event processing system. With a large number of computers, each computer transmits its event data to the event processing system. The event processing system stores the event data in a storage system as a file system object, such as a stream or file, in which different data fields of the received event data are stored in a structured or semi-structured manner. The event data can be processed in parallel on different pivots using map-reduce operations. Such processing can include, but is not limited to, de-duplicating event data, aggregating event data related to a resource into measurements of usage of that resource, and grouping original data or aggregated data by user or group of user for further analysis and reporting.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: To measure usage of computing resources on a computer, a logging service running on the computer generates event data. The computer transmits the event data to an event processing system. With a large number of computers, each computer transmits its event data to the event processing system. The event processing system stores the event data in a storage system as a file system object, such as a stream or file, in which different data fields of the received event data are stored in a structured or semi-structured manner. The event data can be processed in parallel on different pivots using map-reduce operations. Such processing can include, but is not limited to, de-duplicating event data, aggregating event data related to a resource into measurements of usage of that resource, and grouping original data or aggregated data by user or group of user for further analysis and reporting.

Abstract: To measure usage of computing resources on a computer, a logging service running on the computer generates event data. The computer transmits the event data to an event processing system. With a large number of computers, each computer transmits its event data to the event processing system. The event processing system stores the event data in a storage system as a file system object, such as a stream or file, in which different data fields of the received event data are stored in a structured or semi-structured manner. The event data can be processed in parallel on different pivots using map-reduce operations. Such processing can include, but is not limited to, de-duplicating event data, aggregating event data related to a resource into measurements of usage of that resource, and grouping original data or aggregated data by user or group of user for further analysis and reporting.

Abstract: A database management tool may migrate a portion of a constrained database by transferring the portion to a constraint-free database from a first constrained database, then populating a second constrained database using the constraint-free data. The constraint-free data may be transformed prior to populating to update internal database identifiers. In some cases, the transformation may also update the data to a different schema of the target database. The database management tool may also include a load balancer that may monitor the loads on a distributed database and may separate portions of the database to different database instances to more effectively load balance the larger database.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing device drivers includes requesting a device driver update set for a plurality of devices connectable to a computing device. The method also includes receiving the device driver update set, installing each driver of the device driver update set on the computing device. At least one updated driver in the update set is an updated driver for a device that is disconnected from the computing device at the time of the request. The method further includes configuring the at least one updated driver for the non-connected to activate when the device is detected by the computing device.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for updating software components through online stores. A computing device interacts with an online store to download applications and frameworks that are distributed from the online store. The computer system includes an operating system configured to keep distributed applications and frameworks updated. The operating system can, automatically and without user intervention, intelligently schedule and attempt application and framework updates in a manner that minimizes user disruptions. The operating system can manage application and framework updating for any and/or all user accounts on a computing device. The operating system can manage updates even when each application and/or framework is to be separately installed for different user accounts that have the application and/or framework installed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing device drivers includes requesting a device driver update set for a plurality of devices connectable to a computing device. The method also includes receiving the device driver update set, installing each driver of the device driver update set on the computing device. At least one updated driver in the update set is an updated driver for a device that is disconnected from the computing device at the time of the request. The method further includes configuring the at least one updated driver for the non-connected to activate when the device is detected by the computing device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for maintaining update dependencies includes receiving, at a computing device, an update set from an update service. The update set may include a dependent set including a first update having a dependency on a second update in the update set. The first and second updates are separated from the update set and installed. Upon installation, an activation condition may be applied to the first and second updates.

Abstract: A system and method for performing various operations on group policy objects, by manipulating group policy objects as a single entity to perform backup, restore, import and copy operations. The backup operation transfers the various subparts of a selected group policy object to a file system. A restore operation restores a backed-up group policy object to its domain, in the same state as when the backup was performed. An import operation transfers the settings within a backed-up source group policy object to a destination group policy object, erasing its previous settings. A copy operation transfers the settings from a source group policy object to a new group policy object. Copy and import operations can be cross-domain, and a migration table can be used to convert security group and UNC pathnames as appropriate for the destination domain. Backup management, rollback of incomplete operations, and support for application deployment are also provided.

Abstract: A database management tool may migrate a portion of a constrained database by transferring the portion to a constraint-free database from a first constrained database, then populating a second constrained database using the constraint-free data. The constraint-free data may be transformed prior to populating to update internal database identifiers. In some cases, the transformation may also update the data to a different schema of the target database. The database management tool may also include a load balancer that may monitor the loads on a distributed database and may separate portions of the database to different database instances to more effectively load balance the larger database.

Abstract: A system and method for managing group policy objects in a network, including interfaces that allow access by programs or a user interface component to functions of a group policy management console that performs management tasks on group policy objects and other related objects. The interfaces abstract the underlying data storage and retrieval, thereby facilitating searching for objects, and providing the ability to delegate, view, change and permissions on those objects, and check and save those permissions. Modeling and other test simulations are facilitated by other interfaces. Other interfaces provide dynamic and interactive features, such as to convey progress and rich status messages, and allow canceling of an ongoing operation. Still other interfaces provide methods for operating on group policy related data, including group policy object backup, restore, import, copy and create methods, and methods for linking group policy objects to scope of management objects.

Abstract: The description of an update package for updating a software application in an offline synchronization operation is presented. The update package includes update information for a plurality of updates. The update information includes a reference to the update payload and the relationships of the present update to other updates in the update package. A system for updating a software application on a client computer is also presented. An update agent includes a communication module and a media module. The communication module is configured to communicate with both an update source over a communication network, or the media module. The media module obtains update information from computer-readable media. The communication module communicates with the update source or the media module in the same manner.

Abstract: A system and method for managing group policy objects in a network, including interfaces that allow access by programs or a user interface component to functions of a group policy management console that performs management tasks on group policy objects and other related objects. The interfaces abstract the underlying data storage and retrieval, thereby facilitating searching for objects, and providing the ability to delegate, view, change and permissions on those objects, and check and save those permissions. Modeling and other test simulations are facilitated by other interfaces. Other interfaces provide dynamic and interactive features, such as to convey progress and rich status messages, and allow canceling of an ongoing operation. Still other interfaces provide methods for operating on group policy related data, including group policy object backup, restore, import, copy and create methods, and methods for linking group policy objects to scope of management objects.

Abstract: Managing software states using policy rules in a policy document in a distributed network. A policy document is generated and the policy document includes a set of policy rules defining one or more desired configurations of one or more pieces of software on the target devices. Target information is associated with the policy document, and the target information corresponds to a selected set of the target devices and includes information relating to characteristics of the software of the selected set of target devices. The set of policy rules included in the policy document is compared with other policy rules for the software. The policy document is modified as a function of the comparison and conflict resolution preferences. The modified policy document is provided for deployment to the selected set of the target devices.