Abstract: Examples relate to provisioning and activating hardware devices. In one example, a computing device may receive a request for a hardware resource; identify, in response to the request, a new hardware resource having hardware attributes indicating at least one capability of the new hardware resource; determine, based on the hardware attributes, a hardware template for provisioning the new hardware resource; configure the new hardware resource using the hardware template; and activate the new hardware resource in a cluster of at least one hardware device.

Abstract: Examples relate to provisioning and activating hardware devices. In one example, a computing device may receive a request for a hardware resource; identify, in response to the request, a new hardware resource having hardware attributes indicating at least one capability of the new hardware resource; determine, based on the hardware attributes, a hardware template for provisioning the new hardware resource; configure the new hardware resource using the hardware template; and activate the new hardware resource in a cluster of at least one hardware device.

Abstract: Examples relate to managing hardware devices. In one example, a computing device may receive a virtual network function specifying a particular function to be performed by at least one virtual machine; identify a particular performance metric for the virtual network function; determine, using the particular performance metric and a default resource configuration, a first infrastructure configuration specifying a value for each of a plurality of infrastructure options, each of the plurality of infrastructure options specifying a feature of the at least one virtual machine; and determine, using the particular performance metric and the first infrastructure configuration, a first resource configuration specifying a value for each of a plurality of virtualized hardware resources for the at least one virtual machine.

Abstract: An administrator selects a logical server for deployment. In response, a logical-server management program displays representations of potential real-server targets for said logical server. The representations include respective ratings for the real-server targets. The representations further include indications of a real-server technology involved in deploying said logical server to a respect real-server target.

Abstract: A deployed logical server is created by importing specifications, including a first network identity, of a first real server so that the logical server is stored in a logical-server database. The initially deployed logical server is released from the real server, and a second network identity is assigned to the first real server. The logical server is redeployed on a second real server so that it continues to be associated, in the logical-server database, with the first network identity and respective compute, storage, and network requirements.

Abstract: A logical-server manager provides for deployment of a logical server to a real server so a network identity of said logical server and a network identity of said real server are conformed.

Abstract: Improved methods and related apparatus and computer program products for integrating a security protocol into existing network environments are disclosed. A method of establishing secure communication between a client and server computer on a network comprises the steps of intercepting certain calls issued by the client, and substituting a security library for a working library of the client, the security library enabling operation of the call using a predefined security protocol. The certain calls can be, for instance, calls from a client application to a common library function in the working library of the client, such as the rcmd function, to establish a conventional unsecure network connection. The calling applications could include the r*utilities (rsh, rlogin, and rcp), or other applications which call rcmd to establish network connection. The security library enables operation of the call using a predefined security protocol, such as a secure shell (SSH) security protocol.