Abstract: Various embodiments and related methods are provided that can include or operate a variety of modular systems such as, a group of user interfaces and software modules which receive inputs from the user interfaces to perform Secure Configuration Evaluation, Remediation, and Reporting Tool tasks. Exemplary modules can include a scan or current state module to populate and/or identify a current state configuration as well as collecting available information on available vulnerability patches or system updates, a software, update, and/or patch configuration selection module that generates a “picklist” user interface for all available software, patches or updates or optionally patches or updates that meet one or more search criteria associated with a baseline data, a data store with install files for all selected or available software, patches or updates selected with the picklist user interface, an installer export package system to generate install packages, and an access/use verification system.

Abstract: A framework for determining best in class pricing achievement for negotiated deals and underlying products and services is disclosed. An enterprise, such as a financial institution, may develop a list of industry standard pricing metrics for use when benchmarking or comparing similar products and services. The enterprise and competitive analysis firms may apply the scoring metrics to analyze negotiated deals and establish benchmarks of the deals to reach best in class. The deals may be reached using both internal and external analyses, and a deal score and executive summary template may be delivered to the enterprise at request.

Abstract: Systems and methods for competitive pricing analysis are provided. An interactive pricing analysis template may be presented to at a user at a display device, and information describing a negotiated deal involving the purchase of a set of components may be received at the template from the user. The template may be presented to another user at another display device, and a standard pricing metric and best-in-class offer may be received from that user for each component. A component score may be automatically calculated for each component based, at least in part, on the best-in-class offer and a pricing analysis framework. A composite score for the negotiated deal may also be automatically calculated based, at least in part, on the pricing analysis framework. The template may include, for each component, input elements that respectively receive the standard pricing metric, the best-in-class offer, a proposed offer, and a quantity.

Abstract: Described are an apparatus and method for remotely releasing one or more game animals. The apparatus includes one or more doors that enclose an inside of a game-release box. When in a closed position, the game-release box can selectively secure one or more game animals. The game-release box may include a receiver in communication with a remote, and may include an actuator that selectively engages one of the one or more doors. Upon receiving a signal from the remote, the receiver causes the actuator to disengage a latch associated with one of the one or more doors. Once at least one of the one or more doors has opened, the one or more game animals may exit the game-release box.

Abstract: A router for use in a network includes a scalable architecture and performs methods for implementing quality of service on a logical unit behind a network port; and for implementing storage virtualization. The architecture includes a managing processor, a supervising processor; and a plurality of routing processors coupled to a fabric. The managing processor has an in-band link to a routing processor. A routing processor receives a frame from the network, determines by parsing the frame, the protocol and logical unit number, and routes the frame to a queue according to a traffic class associated with the logical unit number in routing information prepared for the processors. An arbitration scheme empties the queue in accordance with a deficit round robin technique. If a routing processor detects the frame's destination is a viral entity, and so is part of a virtual transaction, the router conducts a nonvirtual transaction in concert with the virtual transaction.

Abstract: A router for use in a network includes a scalable architecture and performs methods for implementing quality of service on a logical unit behind a network port; and for implementing storage virtualization. The architecture includes a managing processor, a supervising processor; and a plurality of routing processors coupled to a fabric. The managing processor has an in-band link to a routing processor. A routing processor receives a frame from the network, determines by parsing the frame, the protocol and logical unit number, and routes the frame to a queue according to a traffic class associated with the logical unit number in routing information prepared for the processors. An arbitration scheme empties the queue in accordance with a deficit round robin technique. If a routing processor detects the frame's destination is a virtual entity, and so is part of a virtual transaction, the router conducts a nonvirtual transaction in concert with the virtual transaction.

Abstract: A network interface for secure virtual interface data communication includes a doorbell circuit, a processor, memory, and a bridge circuit. The doorbell circuit responds to physical I/O addresses of the host that are mapped by a memory management unit by a registration process. An application program seeking to use a channel of a virtual interface must register the virtual address of host memory where data for communication is or will be stored and register the virtual address of a page of I/O addresses. Access to the doorbell functions and to the host memory via the memory management unit are therefore denied when the requesting process identifier does not successfully compare with the process identifier for the process that performed the registrations. A password may be stored in the network interface in association with a virtual interface (VI) channel identifier and stored in association with the virtual to physical map used for VI communication.

Abstract: A collapsible stool is attached to a foldable ground cover mat, providing portable ground cover with elevated seating for outdoor enthusiasts. The mat is of sufficient size to provide ground cover, protecting the user's gear and keeping the user clean and dry while donning the selected gear. A wader bag is adapted with compartments to store the gear and the closed stool with folded mat for convenient transportation. The bag may hold gaiters and changeable soles or other selected gear such as beach clothing, shoes, and toys. The elevated seat eases changing shoes. Attaching the seat to the mat aids in preventing mat movement during gusty winds. Alternatively, the collapsible stool with attached ground cover mat may be stored in a compartment of a golf club bag. Additionally, a wader bag may be reinforced to support a seated user and the foldable mat attached directly to the reinforced bag.

Abstract: An architecture for a distributed data processing system comprises a system-level service processor along with one or more node-level service processors; each are uniquely associated with a node, and each is extended to comprise any components that are necessary for operating the nodes as trusted platforms, such as a TPM and a CRTM in accordance with the security model of the Trusted Computing Group. These node-level service processors then inter-operate with the system-level service processor, which also contains any components that are necessary for operating the system as a whole as a trusted platform. A TPM within the system-level service processor aggregates integrity metrics that are gathered by the node-level service processors, thereafter reporting integrity metrics as requested, e.g., to a hypervisor, thereby allowing a large distributed data processing system to be validated as a trusted computing environment while allowing its highly parallelized initialization process to proceed.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer program product is presented for virtualizing trusted platform modules within a data processing system. A virtual trusted platform module along with a virtual endorsement key is created within a physical trusted platform module within the data processing system using a platform signing key of the physical trusted platform module, thereby providing a transitive trust relationship between the virtual trusted platform module and the core root of trust for the trusted platform. The virtual trusted platform module can be uniquely associated with a partition in a partitionable runtime environment within the data processing system.

Abstract: A network node for processing messages transmitted via a network, the node including: a first circuit providing a processor-based node path; a second circuit, coupled to the first circuit, providing a switch-based node path; and a memory storing mapping information accessible by the first and second circuits, wherein the processing of messages received by the network node is allocated between the first and second circuit based on the mapping information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically collecting, combining, and storing operating system environment information in a trusted location on the data processing system to provide a persistent store record of all operating system events leading up to the detection of a problem. The software for the ‘black box’ device is a combination of existing system software and logging capability with the added ‘black box’ specific software functions required to generate, time-stamp, cryptographically sign and log events to the secure logging device. Operating system environment information is collected, entered into a log, and stored in a trusted location on the system. The information in this log may be used to analyze system crashes caused by security breaches. Determinations can be made from the log if the system was at correct security software ‘patch’ level or if network services were incorrectly configured or enabled.

Abstract: A router for use in a network includes a scalable architecture and performs methods for implementing quality of service on a logical unit behind a network port; and for implementing storage virtualization. The architecture includes a managing processor, a supervising processor; and a plurality of routing processors coupled to a fabric. The managing processor has an in-band link to a routing processor. A routing processor receives a frame from the network, determines by parsing the frame, the protocol and logical unit number, and routes the frame to a queue according to a traffic class associated with the logical unit number in routing information prepared for the processors. An arbitration scheme empties the queue in accordance with a deficit round robin technique. If a routing processor detects the frame"s destination is a virtual entity, and so is part of a virtual transaction, the router conducts a nonvirtual transaction in concert with the virtual transaction.

Abstract: A device which is adapted to transmit electrical energy between an electrical instrument and a living body such as a human body. The device includes a support which has an outer face adapted to be placed in engagement with a surface such as a human skin surface, while the support has an outer periheral edge surrounding the latter outer face thereof and the support being formed inwardly of its outer peripheral edge with an opening extending at least partly into the support from its outer face. An electrically-conductive gel is situated in the latter opening and is at least partly exposed at the outer face of the support so as to be capable of engaging and making electrical contact with the surface which is engaged by the outer face of the support. At least one carbon yarn has a portion situated in this gel for making electrical contact therewith, and an insulation covers the yarn at the region of its portion which is situated in the gel.