Abstract: An apparatus and computer-readable medium for securely maintaining communications network connection data is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed according to which a user is prompted for network element address substitution data which specifies a substitute network element address for a network element address associated with a network element of a first communications network. The network element address substitution data is then stored within a first storage element, wherein access to the first storage element outside of the first communications network is restricted. Connection monitor data associated with the first communications network is processed utilizing the network element address substitution data.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating resources on a network, including a server and at least one client. The resources are associated within a single set, such that the number of resources within the network can be easily incremented or decremented. Flags are associated with each resource, where the flags may be set to one of two states: a first state or a second state. When the server receives a connection request from a client, the server examines the flags associated with the resources to find a flag set to a second state. Upon finding a resource with a flag set to the second state, that resource is assigned to the client. Once the resource is assigned to a client, the associated flag is set to a first state and another flag associated with another resource is set to a second state.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are provided for tunneling IPv6 packets. Embodiments include receiving, by an origin IPv6 border router from an origin IPv6 host, an IPv6 packet having an IPv6 destination address; receiving, by an origin IPv6 border router from an origin IPv6 host, an IPv4 address for a destination IPv6 border router retrieved from a data structure associating IPv6 destination addresses with IPv4 addresses for destination IPv6 border routers; encapsulating, by the origin IPv6 border router, the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet; and sending the encapsulated packet to a destination IPv6 border router at the IPv4 address. In many embodiments, encapsulating, by the origin IPv6 border router, the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet is carried out by adding an IPv4 header to the IPv6 packet.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system. A configuration is identified for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration. The hardware for the remote data processing system is configured. An installation application is sent to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system. Installation files are sent across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system. The installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for a secure network install. One aspect of the present invention provides a proxy server within the same subnet of the client for performing a lookup of the boot image file and downloading the boot image file from a boot file server in a secure manner. The client in turn downloads the file from the proxy TFTP server. Another aspect of the present invention modifies the client remote boot code to include a secure boot file download discovery (SBDD) mode. The client starts the SBDD mode by sending a request for a boot image file to a subnet broadcast address and port, which is listened by a proxy TFTP server. The proxy TFTP server receives the client request and downloads the boot image file. The client in turn downloads the boot image file from the proxy TFTP server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are provided for tunneling IPv6 packets. Embodiments include receiving, by an origin IPv6 border router from an origin IPv6 host, an IPv6 packet having an IPv6 destination address; receiving, by an origin IPv6 border router from an origin IPv6 host, an IPv4 address for a destination IPv6 border router retrieved from a data structure associating IPv6 destination addresses with IPv4 addresses for destination IPv6 border routers; encapsulating, by the origin IPv6 border router, the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet; and sending the encapsulated packet to a destination IPv6 border router at the IPv4 address. In many embodiments, encapsulating, by the origin IPv6 border router, the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet is carried out by adding an IPv4 header to the IPv6 packet.

Abstract: A data processing system for resending a previously sent email message. A new recipient for the previously sent email message is selected. The new recipient of the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient. An indicator to the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to a form a new version of the previously sent email message. The new version of the previously sent email message is sent in response to adding the indicator, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

Abstract: A method in a data processing system for reducing the learning curve of a transmission control protocol connection. A domain name system is queried for information. The information and a previously used transmission control protocol parameter for a transmission control protocol connection are received from the domain name system. The information and the previously used transmission control protocol parameter are used to configure a current transmission control protocol connection.

Abstract: A method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for protocol definition for software bridge failover. In a first aspect of the present invention, a first software bridge determines the proper working operation of a physical adapter. Limbo packets are sent to a second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic responsive to the physical adapter failure in the first software bridge. The second software bridge receives the limbo packets, and, in response to receiving the limbo packets, asserts primary control and initiates bridging of traffic. In an alternative aspect of the present invention a first software bridge sends keep-alive packets. A second software bridge monitors the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge and, in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, the second software bridge initiates bridging of traffic.

Abstract: The reassembly timer in a TCP/IP receiver is dynamically set to avoid data corruption on fast networks caused by IP identification wrap-around. A sender generates IP packets with a special option specifying a reassembly time for fragments based on the subnet of the destination or on the calculated round-trip time of the connection. A receiver sets the reassembly timer to the reassembly time specified in the option. A sender can generate IP packets with an alternative option setting a time stamp for the generated packet. A receiver calculates a traversal time based on the difference between the arrival time of the fragment and this time stamp, and sets the reassembly timer based on this traversal time. A receiver can independently set the reassembly timer to a first reassembly time set by the user for fast networks or to a second reassembly timer set by the user for slow networks based on whether the receiver and sender are on the same subnet.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for redirecting client connection requests among sockets providing a same service are provided. An application requests multiple sockets from a kernel. In addition, the application generates a socket call option to bind the sockets to a particular port number and passes a list of the sockets to the kernel, where the list indicates that the sockets will all provide access to server systems providing the same service. In response, the kernel sets up the sockets, bound to the same port, and set to reference one another. Then, when a connection request is received for a first socket in the list with a queue that is full, the kernel redirects the connection request to a second socket in the list with available queue space. Thus, rather than drop the connection request from the first socket when it lacks available queue space, the connection request is redirected to another socket providing access to the same service.

Abstract: In a method comprising an embodiment of the invention, an original application initially binds to a port, and selects or designates a confidential key, which usefully may be a conventional cookie. The invention also sets a socket option, referred to by way of example, as SO_SECURE_REUSEPORT. The confidential key, together with the port number, is then registered with the operating system of a host associated with the port. In order for another application to subsequently bind to the port, such application must provide the operating system with a key that is identical to the confidential key. In one useful embodiment of the invention, a first application binds a socket to a particular port associated with the host. A specified key is registered with the operating system, and a second application is allowed to bind to the particular port only if the second application can furnish the operating system with a key that matches the specified key.

Abstract: A data processing system for resending a previously sent email message. A new recipient for the previously sent email message is selected. The new recipient of the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the previously sent email message is directed to the new recipient and a previous recipient. An indicator to the previously sent email message is added in response to selecting the new recipient, wherein the indicator indicates that the new recipient has been added to a form a new version of the previously sent email message. The new version of the previously sent email message is sent in response to adding the indicator, wherein the indicator causes the new version of the previously sent email message to replace the previously sent email message at an email program of the previous recipient.

Abstract: TCP congestion avoidance is implemented upon retransmission of a packet and is reverted back to the original congestion state upon receipt of an early acknowledgement (ACK), indicating reordering of packets, thereby eliminating a needless restriction on TCP bandwidth. Upon receiving an ACK to a retransmitted packet, it is determined if the ACK resulted from receipt of the original reordered packet or the retransmitted packet, based on the arrival time of the ACK at the sender. If the round-trip-time (RTT) for the retransmitted packet is much lower than the average or current calculated RTT for the network link between sender and receiver, then the retransmission occurred as a result of a reordering event, and the congestion window is restored back to its value prior to the retransmission, thereby permitting the network link to continue operating at its original increased throughput.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for virtual segmentation off-load in a logically partitioned data processing system. A data transmission protocol stack formats a data message for segmentation off-load to form a virtual segmentation off-load package. The size of the data message is larger than a size of a maximum transmission unit. A partition manager firmware copies the virtual segmentation off-load package from a first logical partition to a virtual Ethernet adapter associated with a second logical partition. The virtual segmentation off-load package is copied without performing a segmentation operation on the data message associated with the virtual segmentation off-load package.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating resources on a network, including a server and at least one client. The resources are associated within a single set, such that the number of resources within the network can be easily incremented or decremented. Flags are associated with each resource, where the flags may be set to one of two states: a first state or a second state. When the server receives a connection request from a client, the server examines the flags associated with the resources to find a flag set to a second state. Upon finding a resource with a flag set to the second state, that resource is assigned to the client. Once the resource is assigned to a client, the associated flag is set to a first state and another flag associated with another resource is set to a second state.

Abstract: An automated learning system for improving graphical user interfaces. Information about a user transaction which caused an error is obtained from an input to an element in a graphical user interface. Associations are created between the error and one or more elements in the graphical user interface which generated the error to form association rules. The association rules are applied to a set of control rules to create user interface preference rules. A corrective action may then be performed on the one or more elements in the graphical user interface according to the user interface preference rules.

Abstract: Retrieving dated content from a website including receiving a URL for dated content with a date field; inserting the current date in the date field; and retrieving the dated content with the URL bearing the current date in its date field. In some embodiments, date field bears an encoded date and inserting the current date in the date field includes replacing the encoded date with the current date. Typical embodiments also include bookmarking the URL, including replacing an encoded date in the date field with a date tag. Some embodiments include prompting the user for a date format. In many embodiments, the date tag includes a default date format. Some embodiments include configuring the browser with a default date format.

Abstract: A receiving host in a TCP/IP network sends an acknowledgment indicating a received data packet is corrupt. The sending host will begin transmitting with a new field set in the IP header called a check-TCP-checksum bit, thereby requesting that all routers in the TCP/IP network perform a checksum on the entire received packet. Routers in the TCP/IP network will perform a complete checksum on an entire packet with the check-TCP-checksum bit set, and not just on the IP header. The routers continuously monitor the ratio of corrupt packets received on a particular port that fail the entire packet checksum to the total number of packets received on that port. If the ratio of corrupt-to-received packets exceeds a corruption threshold, the router assumes that the associated link is causing data corruption and issues a routing update indicating that the link is bad and should be avoided.

Abstract: TCP congestion avoidance is implemented upon retransmission of a packet and is reverted back to the original congestion state upon receipt of an early acknowledgement (ACK), indicating reordering of packets, thereby eliminating a needless restriction on TCP bandwidth. Upon receiving an ACK to a retransmitted packet, it is determined if the ACK resulted from receipt of the original reordered packet or the retransmitted packet, based on the arrival time of the ACK at the sender. If the round-trip-time (RTT) for the retransmitted packet is much lower than the average or current calculated RTT for the network link between sender and receiver, then the retransmission occurred as a result of a reordering event, and the congestion window is restored back to its value prior to the retransmission, thereby permitting the network link to continue operating at its original increased throughput.