Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to seamless access to a common physical disk in an AMP system without an external hypervisor, and includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components of the system to perform operations including instantiating, by a first instance, a second instance during a system upgrade, creating, in the first instance, a first disk abstraction for a block device of a physical disk, and attaching the block device under the first disk abstraction. The operations further include providing the second instance network-based access to the physical disk using the first disk abstraction of the first instance during the system upgrade.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to seamless access to a common physical disk in an AMP system without an external hypervisor, and includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components of the system to perform operations including instantiating, by a first instance, a second instance during a system upgrade, creating, in the first instance, a first disk abstraction for a block device of a physical disk, and attaching the block device under the first disk abstraction. The operations further include providing the second instance network-based access to the physical disk using the first disk abstraction of the first instance during the system upgrade.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to migrating logical volumes from a thick provisioned layout to a thin provisioned layout, and includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components of the system to perform operations comprising creating an abstraction layer on top of a logical volume in a storage device, the abstraction layer for accessing the logical volume, the logical volume one of a plurality of logical volumes in a volume group of the storage device; allocating a thin pool from remaining storage space in the volume group of the storage device; creating a snapshot of the logical volume; adding a thin virtual volume corresponding to the logical volume to the thin pool; and copying data from the snapshot to the thin virtual volume.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to migrating logical volumes from a thick provisioned layout to a thin provisioned layout, and includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components of the system to perform operations comprising creating an abstraction layer on top of a logical volume in a storage device, the abstraction layer for accessing the logical volume, the logical volume one of a plurality of logical volumes in a volume group of the storage device; allocating a thin pool from remaining storage space in the volume group of the storage device; creating a snapshot of the logical volume; adding a thin virtual volume corresponding to the logical volume to the thin pool; and copying data from the snapshot to the thin virtual volume.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an in-memory communication infrastructure for an asymmetric multiprocessing system without an external hypervisor, and includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components to perform operations including identifying data for transmission from a first instance to a second instance, writing, by the first instance, the data into a first ring of a shared memory, the first ring configured as a first transmit ring for the first instance, sending an inter-processor interrupt to the second instance to alert the second instance of the data written into the first ring, reading, by the second instance, the data from the first ring, the first ring configured as a first receive ring for the second instance, and transmitting the data to an application of the second instance.

Abstract: A carton for shipping, storing, and displaying rolls of material is disclosed. The carton comprises a front wall including a removable panel, with a reinforced panel provided above the removable panel and a lower panel extending across the front wall provided below the removable panel. During shipping, the removable panel strengthen the walls of the carton. At the destination, the removable panel is easily removed to allow access to the rolls in the carton. The reinforced panel allows the rolls to rest against the carton without tipping.

Abstract: A unique approach to the funeral industry includes the packaging of life insurance with customer services to be continuously provided from the time of enrollment through time of need. This invention includes a central services provider that makes continuously available to a customer who has obtained life insurance consultation services for the purpose of arranging with a customer a funeral plan. The customer services provider provides internet access to a website or other internet-based address to provide for electronic enrollment both for insurance and funeral planning. Such internet access or website is linked to competitive pricing databases and/or customer satisfaction databases, which are electronically available through the website or otherwise to customer members.

Abstract: A method of forming a stem seal and controlling the sealant film thickness in a lubricated plug valve in which a deformable ring is inverted in an annular space between the stem, the valve cover and the top of the plug and the ring is deformed into sealing engagement with the plug, the stem and cover by applying pressure to the sealant system of the valve during assembly.

Abstract: A valve actuator is capable of being mounted on a valve in alignment with a valve stem which can be moved to open and close the valve. The actuator includes a hydraulic cylinder and a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder. A piston rod is joined at a first side of the piston and extends outwardly of the cylinder toward the valve to be joined to the valve stem. A high pressure gas accumulator is mounted on the cylinder and includes a generally spherical shaped pressure wall which is intersected by the cylinder to locate an end of the cylinder within the accumulator to allow communication of the interior of the accumulator with a second side of the piston. Hydraulic oil acting on the first side of the piston opens the valve against high pressure gas within the accumulator and evacuation of the hydraulic oil allows the high pressure gas to act on the second side of the piston to rapidly close the valve.