Abstract: A smart scheduler is provided to prepare a machine for a job, wherein the job has specific requirements, i.e., dimensions. One or more config jobs are identified to configure the machine to meet the dimensions of the job. Information concerning the machine's original configuration and groupings of config jobs that change the machine's configuration are cached in a central storage. The smart scheduler uses information in the central storage to identify a suitable machine and one or more config jobs to configure the machine to meet the dimensions of a job. The smart scheduler schedules a run for the config jobs on the machine.

Abstract: Modern enterprises have multiple dissimilar data stores. Collectively, the enterprise data stores store a set of enterprise data objects, typically in multiple dissimilar formats. An object-oriented heterogeneous data store interface (HDSI) for interacting with such enterprise data stores and data objects is described. The HDSI may include a query component, a data store component and a provider interface that specifies a query behavior with a query component parameter. For each type of data store, there may be a provider plug-in to the HDSI. Each provider plug-in may include provider components that conform to the provider interface. The HDSI may further include data store object components corresponding to data objects stored in the data stores. A data store object design GUI may be utilized to build graphical representations of data objects. A data store object source code generator may generate object-oriented programming language source code for each data store object component.

Abstract: A mechanism dynamically allocates physical machines (computers) for satisfying requests for the machines, such as in the context of assigning test machines for running test cases. Each request specifies one or more logical machine sets it needs, and each logical machine set has specified requirements. The physical machines are organized into a hierarchical structure that includes groups and subgroups of machines. An allocation engine performs the function of allocating available machines from a selected group in the hierarchy for a request based on the requirements of each logical machine set of the request. A group or subgroup of machines may be marked as “allocate as one unit” and all machines in it will be reserved for one request. A job corresponding to a request may have sub-jobs, and machines allocated for the sub-job are selected from the machines allocated for the parent job.