Abstract: A technique for avoiding a ping-pong effect on active-passive paths in a storage system managing one or more logical storage units (LUNs) on behalf of one or more host systems. A first path to the LUNs is designated as an active path and a second path to the LUNs is designated as a passive path. The first path is also designated as a preferred path to the LUNs. In response to a path failure in which a host system cannot access the LUNs on the first path, a failover operation is implemented wherein the second path is designated as the active path and the first path is designated as the passive path. The designation of the first path as the preferred path to the LUNs is not changed. Subsequent failback operations are conditionally inhibited so that only the failover host that initiated the failover is permitted to initiate a failback.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product for monitoring and managing virtual machine image storage in a virtualized computing environment, where the method for managing storage utilized by a virtual machine can include identifying one or more unused disk blocks in a guest virtual machine image, and removing the unused disk blocks from the guest virtual machine image.

Abstract: In a method for selecting a parking lot exit, a computer receives geographic coordinates of a first parking exit of a parking facility. The computer receives geographic coordinates of a second parking exit of the parking facility. The computer determines a first route from the first parking exit to a destination, using the geographic coordinates of the first parking exit. The computer determines a second route from the second parking exit to the destination, using the geographic coordinates of the second parking exit. The computer selects one of the first parking exit and the second parking exit based on the first route and the second route.

Abstract: Methods for identifying symbolic links in network file systems are provided herein. An absolute path may be determined at a network file server. This may include determining a complete client path from an initial client path and combining the complete client path with a server export path. Once the absolute path is determined, it may be traversed using a file descriptor of each file in the absolute path to identify a symbolic link.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for identifying symbolic links in network file systems are provided herein. An absolute path may be determined at a network file server. This may include determining a complete client path from an initial client path and combining the complete client path with a server export path. Once the absolute path is determined, it may be traversed using a file descriptor of each file in the absolute path to identify a symbolic link.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided that may relate to controlling access to or accessing computer files over a computer network. A file server may execute on a first computer system and a client may execute on a second computer system. The client may be configured to send a first communication to the file server relating to a first computer file stored on the first computer system. The first communication may include first access control data associated with the first computer file. The file server may be configured to receive the first communication and extract the first access control data from the first communication. The file server may then store the extracted first access control data in extended attributes of the first computer file on the first computer system.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are disclosed herein for assigning visual characteristics to records of a data structure and displaying those records. In response to an attribute being selected, records of the data structure may be sorted by values of the selected attribute of the records. A first set of records having values of the selected attribute that correspond to a first value may be identified. A second set of records having values of the selected attribute that correspond to a second value also may be identified. A first visual characteristic may automatically be assigned to each record of the first set of records and a second visual characteristic, that is different from the first visual characteristic, may be automatically assigned to each record of the second set of records.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for management of email communication content across a computer system network. An archive of email communications is retained on storage media in communication with the network. In addition, email communication is retained on storage media in communication with a client machine in the network. To mitigate duplication of email communications, duplicate communications are replaced with a hyperlink to the archive communication. This replacement supports removal of the duplicate communication from the storage media in communication with the client machine.

Abstract: File system objects of unknown type are backed up and restored. A list of file system objects is received from a file system. The file system objects are to be backed up. For each file system object that has a file type that is unknown, the following is performed. First, the file system is queried to obtain information regarding the file system object that is sufficient for the file system to later recreate the file system object if necessary. Second, the file system object and the information regarding the file system object are stored. Examples of file system object types of the file system that may be unknown to an application running on a Microsoft Windows® operating system include symbolic links, named pipes, and special device files.

Abstract: A system and method for providing access in a distributed filesystem. The disclosure describes systems and methods for providing access to filesystem objects in a distributed filesystem (DFS). In one implementation, access to filesystem objects in the DFS can he restricted to only authenticated users and client devices. To this end, the client devices of the DFS can be divided into trusted and non-trusted clients, and further access can be denied to non-trusted clients. Concepts of trusted computing can be utilized to obtain trusted clients. New clients added to the system can be added as non-trusted clients. Further, access can be restricted by extending the file access permissions to include additional bits that can control access to non-trusted clients. In certain situations, the owner of the object can be allowed access to the object from a non-trusted client.

Abstract: Facilitating error handling of computing environments, including those environments having file systems. Responsive to an entity of the computing environment, such as a client of a file system, obtaining at least an indication of an error, a portion of functionality of the entity is automatically frozen. The obtaining is, for instance, responsive to an event of another entity of the computing environment, such as a server of the file system. Eventually, the frozen functionality is thawed allowing the functionality to proceed.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for determining whether content of an object has changed. Under control of a backup system, opaque object attributes and a data identifier are received, wherein the data identifier is generated based on one or more relevant object attributes of the opaque object attributes that indicate whether at least one of the content of the object and one or more of the relevant object attributes has changed. The received data identifier is compared with a previously stored data identifier. In response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do not match, it is determined that the content of the object has changed.

Abstract: A method and system for managing availability of a dependent thread to service a nested request is provided. A plurality of reply threads are maintained in a single thread pool. In addition, a counter is provided to track availability of a reply thread from the thread pool. A service thread that requires at least one reply thread to complete execution of a request must check the counter to determine availability of the reply thread prior to execution of the request. The process of determining availability of a reply thread prior to execution of a service thread request avoids initiating execution of a request that cannot be completed in a timely manner, or at all.

Abstract: Facilitating error handling of computing environments, including those environments having file systems. Responsive to an entity of the computing environment, such as a client of a file system, obtaining at least an indication of an error, a portion of functionality of the entity is automatically frozen. The obtaining is, for instance, responsive to an event of another entity of the computing environment, such as a server of the file system. Eventually, the frozen functionality is thawed allowing the functionality to proceed.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for processing an Input/Output (I/O) request. At least one data block is allocated for use in completing the I/O request. A current operations record is stored for the I/O request. It is determined whether the I/O request has been completed within a specified period of time. In response to determining that the I/O request has not been completed within the specified period of time, the allocated at least one data block is fenced.

Abstract: Facilitating error handling of computing environments, including those environments having file systems. Responsive to an entity of the computing environment, such as a client of a file system, obtaining at least an indication of an error, a portion of functionality of the entity is automatically frozen. The obtaining is, for instance, responsive to an event of another entity of the computing environment, such as a server of the file system. Eventually, the frozen functionality is thawed allowing the functionality to proceed.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting a concurrent recordation of a change in a data file by a server while allowing an application to continue writing changes to a data file. In response to a change in a data file, a near-instantaneous version of the file is created. Metadata reflecting the change to the data file are synchronized with a version of the file in cache and recorded in persistent storage. During the process of recording metadata changes to the file, subsequent changes to the data file may continue, and metadata reflecting the changes may be recorded in a subsequent near-instantaneous version of the file which may also be synchronized with a version of the metadata in persistent storage.

Abstract: Access to objects of a computing environment is managed. Access to an object of the computing environment is prohibited via one cached entity corresponding to the object, while access to the object is allowed via another cached entity. The cached entities are concurrently maintained for a period of time, but the one cached entity is in a shadow state. In one example, the cached entities are session locks and the object is a file system object.

Abstract: A method for sharing memory resources in a data network is provided. The method comprises monitoring first memory space available to a first system; transferring data to a second system, in response to determining that the first memory space has fallen below a first threshold level; and transferring instructions to the second system to perform a first operation on the data.

Abstract: Access to objects of a computing environment is managed. Access to an object of the computing environment is prohibited via one cached entity corresponding to the object, while access to the object is allowed via another cached entity. The cached entities are concurrently maintained for a period of time, but the one cached entity is in a shadow state. In one example, the cached entities are session locks and the object is a file system object.