Abstract: Provided herein is a compressed cache design to predict indirect branches in a microprocessor based on the characteristics of the addresses of the branch instructions. In one aspect, a method for predicting a branch target T in a microprocessor includes the following steps. A compressed count cache table (CTABLE) of branch targets indexed using a function combining a branch address and a branch history vector for each of the targets is maintained, wherein entries in the CTABLE contain only low-order bits of each of the targets in combination with an index bit(s) I. A given one of the entries is obtained related to a given one of the branch targets and it is determined from the index bits I whether A) high-order bits of the target are equal to the branch address, or B) the high-order bits of the target are contained in an auxiliary cache table (HTABLE).

Abstract: A processor is configured to execute instructions of a first thread and a second thread. A first return stack corresponds to the first thread, and a second return stack to the second thread. Control circuitry pushes a return address to the first return stack in response to a branch to subroutine instruction in the first thread. If the first return stack is full and borrowing is not enabled by the borrow enable indicator, the control circuitry removes an oldest return address from the first return stack and not store the removed oldest return address in the second return stack. If the first return stack is full and borrowing is enabled by the borrow enable indicator and the second thread is not enabled, the control circuitry removes the oldest return address from the first return stack and push the removed oldest return address onto the second return stack.

Abstract: A method includes suppressing execution of an operation portion of a load-operation instruction in a processor responsive to an invalid status of a load portion of load-operation instruction. A processor includes an instruction pipeline including an execution unit operable to execute instructions and a scheduler unit. The scheduler unit includes a scheduler queue and is operable to store a load-operation in the scheduler queue. The load-operation instruction includes a load portion and an operation portion. The scheduler unit schedules the load portion for execution in the execution unit, marks the operation portion in the scheduler queue as eligible for execution responsive to scheduling the load portion, receives an indication of an invalid status of the load portion, and suppresses execution of the operation portion responsive to the indication of the invalid status.

Abstract: A computer program product for splitting live register ranges includes a computer readable storage medium and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium, the program instructions include instructions for identifying one or more H pathways comprising one or more H nodes having high register pressure using a backwards data flow in the graph, identifying an L pathway consisting of two or more L nodes using a depth first search, and inserting register splitting instructions for each symbolic register that is live in both the one or more H pathways and the L pathway. The register splitting instructions are inserted at a starting node of the one or more H pathways. Register merging instructions are inserted at an ending node of the one or more H pathways.

Abstract: A method and system uses exceptions for code specialization in a system that supports transactions. The method and system includes inserting one or more branchless instructions into a sequence of computer instructions. The branchless instructions include one or more instructions that are executable if a commonly occurring condition is satisfied and include one or more instructions that are configured to raise an exception if the commonly occurring condition is not satisfied.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to management of shared transactional resources. A system includes a transactional facility configured to support transactions that effectively delay committing stores to memory or results to an architectural state until transaction completion. The system includes a processor configured to perform an allocation or arbitration of processing resources to instructions of a transaction within a thread. The processor detects that the transaction has exceeded a manageable capacity of a resource or a potential collision of a transactional instruction storage access has occurred, resulting in a transaction abort. A transaction abort reason and a current configuration are examined to determine whether the transaction abort was based on an initiating program exceeding a restricted limit on the manageable capacity of the resource or an allocation. A processor state is updated to increase a likelihood of success upon retrying the transaction.

Abstract: A method of providing instant messaging communication between a first user and at least one other user via a communication network.

Abstract: The present invention protects a memory image of an OS in a sleep state. A CPU executes a first OS or a second OS while switching there between. The first OS is loaded into a main memory, and the second OS is loaded into an auxiliary memory. The auxiliary memory may be connected to a chipset through a PCIe interface. The main memory and the auxiliary memory are configured such that, when one is in an active state where the right of access to the CPU is obtained, the other makes a transition to the sleep state where there is no right of access to the CPU while maintaining the memory image. In order to prevent one OS in the active state from accessing the main memory or the auxiliary memory in which the memory image of the other OS in the sleep state is stored, the BIOS may set a corresponding controller to disabled during a POST.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include a method of deploying user assistance information. The method includes providing access to a container storing a plurality of context domain declarations (CDDs), creating a new CDD, wherein the new CDD specifies an associated user assistance repository (UAR), creating pattern information which identifies an application or application state for which the associated UAR is applicable, deploying the new CDD independently from the application and the associated UAR, and distributing the new CDD to one or more users.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a reading unit that reads, from a memory area of an IC chip, identification information of a service including at least any one of a wire communication service via an external wire communication or a wireless communication service via an external wireless communication, which use the memory area of the IC chip. The information processing apparatus also includes an acquisition unit that acquires service information to allow a user to use a service from an external server by transmitting the identification information of the service which the reading unit has read to the external server, and includes a display unit that displays to allow the user to use the service based on the service information which the acquisition unit has acquired.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for updating components in a converged infrastructure system are disclosed. According to one method, the method includes identifying components in a converged infrastructure system that require remediation in order to comply with a defined converged infrastructure configuration and determining remediation content to enable each of the identified components to be compliant with the defined converged infrastructure configuration. The method further includes retrieving the remediation content for the identified components from a repository and utilizing the remediation content to update the identified components on the converged infrastructure system in accordance with the defined converged infrastructure configuration.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for reconfiguring hardware at run-time. In multi-tasking environments, applications may depend on specific hardware configurations for their execution. The run-time hardware configuration change management API can receive hardware configuration requests from applications, accept or deny configuration requests, arbitrate conflicting configuration requests, and apply configuration requests.

Abstract: Implementations are disclosed herein for enhancing swizzling technology. In at least one implementation, functions are hooked by modifying their machine code implementations to jump to a central callback function. The central callback function may then route to other target functions that serve to replace the hooked functions. In another implementation, the machine code implementations are modified to jump to intermediate functions. The intermediate functions invoke dispatch functions that can call into a central callback function. The central callback function may return to the hooked functions.

Abstract: A version compatibility method may identify an interface provided by a first version of an operating system and identify an interface provided by a second version of the operating system. A monitoring module generates difference information between the first version and the second version of the operating system. A compatibility module on a host machine determines, using the difference information, whether a computer application program running on the host machine can resolve an interface dependency if an operating system running on the host machine is changed from the first version to the second version.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an emulation session to emulate a computer product for a host device. A method and system involve providing a communication link between the host device and an emulation bridge module provided on an emulation server separate from the host device; providing a host resource library file including a list of the plurality of resources available on the host device to the emulation bridge module; operating the emulation bridge module to determine emulation session resources required to provide the emulation session; selecting at least one of the host device and the emulation server for providing each required emulation session resource in the emulation session resources required to provide the emulation session; and providing the emulation session using the required emulation session resources provided by at least one of the host device and the emulation server.

Abstract: Providing a distributed network service includes: receiving network traffic at a first physical device; and executing a service engine to participate in the distributed network service. The distributed network service is provided to at least the first target application instance executing in a first VM on the first physical device, and a second target application instance executing in a second VM on a second physical device; and a shared state of the distributed network service is maintained with respect to the first physical device and the second physical device.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a communication is received from a software tool. The communication may be intended for a virtual machine and may contain an identification of a virtual file. A virtual file can then be retrieved using the identification. The virtual file defines a file socket, the file socket providing a communications channel for stream-based communications. Then the file socket can be established as a communications channel between the software tool and the virtual machine based on the virtual file.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product runs a virtual appliance in a distributed computing system. One or more predefined parameters, indicative of respective operating characteristics of the virtual appliance while running, are monitored. Time dependent values of the one or more predefined parameters are collected during the monitoring time period. For each of the one or more predefined parameters, a metric value from the time-dependent values of the parameter is derived. The metric values are evaluated, based on the constraints. In response to a determination that at least one metric value is violating at least part of the constraints, a second set of resources is allocated to the virtual appliance and a second set of virtual machines are determined for deploying the virtual appliance, in order to satisfy the constraints.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a commodity infrastructure operating system that manages and implements the resources and services found in the heterogeneous components of the common infrastructure. The infrastructure operating system managing one or more services residing within an operating system image of a partition. The infrastructure operating system capable of providing a service of a first partition's operating system to a second partition's operating system when the second partition is in need of the service.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a virtual environment are provided. A method includes receiving a packet from a first virtual machine at a virtual switch; determining if the packet is destined to a second virtual machine by comparing a destination address to a mapping data structure maintained by the virtual switch; transferring the packet to a first virtual function of a device assigned to the first virtual machine by directly mapping the first virtual function to the first virtual machine; the first virtual function initiating a direct memory access (DMA) operation to transfer the packet to the second virtual machine based on a logical memory address of the second virtual machine that is received from a second virtual function; and using the DMA operation to transfer the packet to the second virtual machine.

Abstract: A virtualization platform for Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is provided. The virtualization platform may include a host processor coupled to an acceleration coprocessor. The acceleration coprocessor may be a reconfigurable integrated circuit to help provide improved flexibility and agility for the NFV. To help improve performance predictability, a hierarchical accelerator registry may be maintained on the coprocessor and/or on local servers. The accelerator registry may assign different classes and speed grades to various types of available resources to help the virtualized network better predict certain task latencies. The accelerator registry may be periodically updated based on changes detected in the local storage and hardware or based on changes detected in remote networks.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of detecting user identity, differentiating between users of a computerized service, and detecting a cyber-attacker. An end-user device (a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like) interacts and communicates with a server of a computerized server (a banking website, an electronic commerce website, or the like). The interactions are monitored, tracked and logged. Communication interferences are intentionally introduced to the communication session; and the server tracks the response or the reaction of the end-user device to such communication interferences. The system determines whether the user is a legitimate human user; or a cyber-attacker posing as a legitimate human user but actually utilizing a Virtual Machine.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for triggering an event in a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the HAL can include unarchitected hardware or software that can be used to, for example, facilitate instruction emulation and debug; enable protection of model specific resources, instructions, and behaviors; redirect, resteer, or substitute instructions; and provide a framework for additional capabilities and features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a virtual storage system 200 may represent a file data set differently based on the activity being performed. The virtual storage system 200 may execute a runtime activity on a runtime format file 214 representing a file data set 212 on a virtual execution layer 220. The virtual storage system 200 may execute an interchange activity on an interchange format file 230 representing the file data set 232.

Abstract: A transparent dynamic code optimization capability natively executes code and identifies hot regions within the code or identifies code that is to otherwise be optimized; notifies an optimizer that such hot region or code has been identified enabling the optimizer to create optimized code; efficiently passes control to the newly optimized code; and transfers control back from such optimized code.

Abstract: A method for collecting transcripts each storing an order in which portions of an application file were accessed by the file when the file was executed on one of a plurality of computing devices. The method includes receiving requests to download the file from directing processes each executing on a different one of the computing devices, and in response to those requests, downloading the file to the computing devices and instructing the directing processes to profile usage of the file. Then, transcripts created by the directing processes are received therefrom. A streaming model may be created based on the transcripts received. The file may be divided into a plurality of smaller files based on the streaming model. The streaming model may be used to download the file by downloading at least a portion of the smaller files using a conventional download protocol without using a specialized streaming protocol.

Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed for detecting inconsistent instances of a system table in a virtualized computer system. In accordance with one embodiment, a processing device decompiles a first binary representing a first instance of a system table, to obtain a first string of symbols. The processing device also decompiles a second binary representing a second instance of the system table that is associated with guest firmware of a first virtual machine, to obtain a second string of symbols. When there is a difference between the first string of symbols and the second string of symbols and the difference is unrelated to a compiler version and a temporary variable name, a signal indicating an inconsistency between the first instance and the second instance is generated.

Abstract: Systems, computer readable mediums, and techniques are described for converting virtual machine input/output (I/O) requests. One of the techniques includes obtaining access request data for one or more virtual machines (VMs) executing on a physical machine, wherein the access request data characterizes data access requests received from the one or more VMs; classifying, using the access request data, each of the one or more VMs as having either a sequential data access pattern or a random data access pattern;receiving a first I/O request packet from a first VM of the one or more VMs; determining that the first VM has been classified as having a random data access pattern; andsplitting the first I/O request packet into a plurality of second I/O request packets based at least in part on determining that the first VM has been classified as having a random data access pattern.

Abstract: An access data collector collects access assignment data characterizing active access assignment operations of a hypervisor in assigning host computing resources among virtual machines for use in execution of the virtual machines. Then, a capacity risk indicator calculator calculates a capacity risk indicator characterizing a capacity risk of the host computing resources with respect to meeting a prospective capacity demand of the virtual machines, based on the access assignment data.

Abstract: A virtualization manager executing on a processing device adds a host to a list of hosts associated with the virtualization manager. The virtualization manager identifies a list of external VMs running on the host that are not managed by the virtualization manager. The virtualization manager obtains detailed information for each of the external VMs running on the host from an agent running on the host. The virtualization manager then manages the external VMs running on the host using the detailed information.

Abstract: A method performed by a physical computing system includes, with a guest, requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction, determining that virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, in response to the requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction and determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, exiting a context of the guest, after a page table that maps guest virtual addresses to guest physical addresses is validated, determining that the virtual machine function ability is enabled, and in response to determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in an enabled state, executing the virtual machine function instruction.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and systems for providing virtual machine services. A number of embodiments can include a user VM with a virtual workstation, a number of service modules that can provide a number of services without communicating with the user VM and/or the virtual workstation, a communication channel that allows the number of service modules to communicate with each other, a computing device, and a manager. A number of embodiments can also include a virtual machine monitor to enforce an isolation policy within the system.

Abstract: A computing device initiates execution of a first co-routine on the computing device. The first co-routine utilizes an execution stack in a memory of the computing device. A differential symmetric co-routine module pauses execution of the first co-routine and, subsequently, resumes execution of the first co-routine utilizing the same execution stack.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring objects in a system diagram to access interfaces of other objects are described. A first node and a second node may be displayed in the system diagram. The second node may implement one or more interfaces, where each interface includes one or more callable functions. An interface wire connecting the first node to the second node may be displayed in response to user input. The system may automatically configure the first node to access at least one of the one or more interfaces of the second node in response to displaying the interface wire.

Abstract: A computing device may receive a data packet. The computing device may be operating a plurality of kernel-space software modules that are in a suspended state, and the computing device may also be operating a plurality of user-space software modules that are in the suspended state. It may be determined that the data packet is of a particular packet type. Data packets of the particular packet type may be consumed by any of a particular subset of the kernel-space software modules. While the user-space software modules remain in the suspended state, the computing device may further (i) transition at least some kernel-space software modules to a non-suspended state, (ii) consume, by a particular one of the non-suspended kernel-space software modules, the data packet, and (iii) transition the non-suspended kernel-space software modules to the suspended state.

Abstract: A calculation device is provided that executes calculations within real-time restrictions. The calculation device implements a step of predicting a processing time of a calculation related to the amount and property of input data based on a prediction model; a step of adjusting the processing time by decreasing the amount of data used for the calculation or decreasing the number of iterative calculations when the processing time exceeds a time slice allocated to the calculation; a step of executes the calculation using the adjusted processing time; a step of updating, as required, the prediction model used for predicting the processing time according to the result of the calculation which is executed in a period where the calculation is not performed while implementing a change of the amount of data or the number of iterative calculations or change to an approximation.

Abstract: A method of performing an asynchronous, interactive workflow is provided. The method includes generating a workflow comprising one or more tasks and executing at least a portion of the one or more tasks of the workflow automatically, without user interaction, and in response to a trigger. The method further includes detecting that a current task of the one or more tasks of the workflow requires user interaction, adding the current task to a to-do list of tasks requiring user interaction, and determining that one of an at least one user associated with the workflow has logged on, presenting at least one task from the to-do list to the user, receiving the required user interaction, and executing the at least one task from the to-do list based on the received user interaction.

Abstract: Embodiments of techniques and systems for performance of predicted actions are described. In embodiments, a predicted action performance engine (“PAE”) may receive one or probabilities of potential actions that may be performed on a computing device. The PAE may also receive a system context for the computing device describing available resources on the computing device, workload, etc. Based on these probabilities and the system context, the PAE may determine one or more predicted actions and/or resource utilizations which are likely to occur and which may be performed ahead of time. The PAE may then facilitate performance of these actions and/or resource utilizations. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: Optimizing operational costs in a computing environment includes identifying high-cost jobs that are executed to generate one or more reports in the computing environment, identifying one or more reports the generation of which is dependent on the execution of the high-cost jobs, and culling at least a first job from among the high-cost jobs, in response to determining that a benefit achieved from the reports that depend on the first job does not justify costs associated with generating the reports.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide accelerated input and output of data in a work process. In one example, a method of operating a support process within a computing system for providing accelerated input and output for a work process includes monitoring for a file mapping attempt initiated by the work process. The method further includes, in response to the file mapping attempt, identifying a first region in memory already allocated to a cache service, and associating the first region in memory with the work process.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to data shuffling by logically rotating processing nodes. The nodes are logically arranged in a two or three dimensional matrix. Every time two of the nodes in adjacent rows of the matrix are positionally aligned, these adjacent nodes exchange data. The positional alignment is a logical alignment of the nodes. The nodes are logically arranged and rotated, and data is exchanged in response to the logical rotation.

Abstract: A system and computer program product, operable by a service registry in a service orientated architecture system, for providing a service within the system. A service request is received from a service requester in the system. The status of the service is checked as registered in the service registry. In response to the service not having a registered service endpoint or a property of the service falling below a defined threshold, a request is sent to service providers or subsequent service registries to provide a new service and according to the defined threshold. In response to a service provider providing the new service according to the defined standard, the service registry is updated with the new service and responding to the service requester that the service is available. The embodiments allow both direct interaction between the requester and provider or indirect interaction via a service management layer.

Abstract: Various aspects for scaling an availability of information are disclosed. In one aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. A characterization of the response performance is ascertained, and a scaling of resources is facilitated based on the characterization. In another aspect, a data consumption status indicative of data consumed is ascertained. Here, a scalability interface is provided, which displays aspects of the status, and receives an input from a content provider. An allocation of resources is then modified in response to the input. In yet another aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. An application programming interface (API) call is generated based on a characterization of the response performance, and transmitted to a content provider. An API response is then received from the content provider indicating whether a scaling of resources for hosting the data was performed.

Abstract: A system for fault tolerant batch processing in a virtual environment is configured to perform batch job execution, the system includes computing devices configured as a virtualized grid cluster by means of a virtualization platform, the cluster includes a centralized storage repository, a grid manager deployed on an instantiated virtual machine and a message bus whereby data and messages are exchanged between the grid manager and one or more grid nodes. The grid manager is configured to manage one or more incoming job requests, queue one or more of the received job requests in a job execution queue and monitor one or more virtual grid nodes.

Abstract: Systems and program products for dynamically optimizing platform resource allocation of a logically-partitioned data processing system. Processor and memory resources are allocated to logical partitions of the data processing system. After allocating the processor and memory resources to the plurality of logical partitions, local and non-local memory accesses are monitored for the logical partitions. Based at least in part on the local and non-local memory accesses, a determination is made whether to reallocate the processor and memory resources of the logical partitions. Responsive to determining to reallocate the processor and memory resources, the processor and memory resources are dynamically reallocated to the logical partitions of the data processing system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mechanisms for managing VM instances. More specifically, the mechanisms provide at least one VM instance in a resource pool. A configuration requirement is provided with respect to a virtual machine, the configuration requirement describing a first amount of application resources to be installed on the virtual machine. Based on the configuration requirement, a resource tree is built describing a dependency relation between the first amount of application resources. At least one VM instance corresponding to a sub-path of the resource tree is provided in the resource pool, where on each VM instance in the at least one VM instance there are installed application resources included in the sub-path.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a plurality of processing cores for packet processing in a virtualized network environment are described herein. An example system can comprise a scheduler operable to initiate a processing core of the plurality of processing cores. The processing core is operable to process a plurality of data packets. Based on the determination that the processing core exceeds a threshold processing capacity associated with the processing core, the scheduler sequentially initiates at least one subsequent processing core. The at least one subsequent processing core has a corresponding threshold processing capacity and is operable to process data packets of the plurality of data packets in excess of threshold processing capacities associated with preceding processing cores. Thus, the threshold processing capacities associated with the preceding processing cores are not exceeded.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for methods and systems effective to execute a program in a multi-core processor. In an example, methods to execute a program in a multi-core processor may include executing a first procedure on a first core of a multi-core processor. The methods may further include while executing the first procedure, sending a first and second instruction, from the first core to a second and third core, respectively. The instructions may command the cores to execute second and third procedures. The methods may further include executing the first procedure on the first core while executing the second procedure on the second core and executing the third procedure on the third core.

Abstract: A plurality of compute nodes are divided into a plurality of groups. A maximum available resource amount determining unit determines, for each of the plurality of groups, the available resource amount of the compute node having the greatest available resource amount among the compute nodes belonging to the group as the maximum available resource amount of the group. An excluding unit compares the resource consumption of a job with the maximum available resource amount of each of the plurality of groups, and excludes a group whose maximum available resource amount is less than the resource consumption from search objects. A searching unit searches for a compute node whose available resource amount is greater than or equal to the resource consumption, from the compute nodes belonging to a group that is not excluded from the search objects.

Abstract: A computing apparatus for optimizing process wait time, including a plurality of computing units, is disclosed. When there is any process having a maximum wait time, among processes that have been queued, which has the wait time exceeding a predetermined value, and when processes in a particular process type among different process types, are being executed or have been queued in all of the computing units, all processes in that particular process type, are executed on at least one of the computing units, based on a list of all of processes. A method of controlling a computing apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.