Abstract: An aspect of optimizing storage of data in a data replication system includes, for a plurality of write requests received from a source site, determining transfer statistics corresponding to each of the write requests and updating a table with the transfer statistics. An aspect also includes grouping pages in the table having common transfer statistics, assigning a unique non-volatile memory express (NVMe) stream identifier (ID) to each of the groups, and identifying grouped pages based on the assigned NVMe stream ID. An aspect further includes selecting a storage optimization technique for each of the groups based on the common transfer statistics and storing data of the write requests for each of the groups according to the selected optimization technique.

Abstract: Techniques for proximity based on-die termination (ODT) include a memory device determining what ODT setting to apply during execution of a command by another memory device that is coupled to a same data channel as the memory device based on the memory device's proximity to the other memory device and whether the command is a read command or a write command.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including an apparatus for using probabilistic techniques to provide reformatted versions of digital components. In one aspect, a process includes obtaining data specifying a distribution parameter limit for a given reformattable digital component that is eligible for reformatting using a set of digital component extensions. For each of multiple digital component requests, a determination is made that a given digital component extension has an additional selection requirement that, when combined with a base selection requirement for the given reformattable digital component, would exceed the distribution parameter limit.

Abstract: A computer system for prefetching data in a multithreading environment includes a processor having a prefetching engine and a stride detector. The processor is configured to perform requesting data associated with a first thread of a plurality of threads, and prefetching requested data by the prefetching engine, where prefetching includes allocating a prefetch stream in response to an occurrence of a cache miss. The processor performs detecting each cache miss, and based on detecting the cache miss, monitoring the prefetching engine to detect subsequent cache misses and to detect one or more events related to allocations performed by the prefetching engine. The processor further performs, based on the stride detector detecting a selected number of events, directing the stride detector to switch from the first thread to a second thread by ignoring stride-1 allocations for the first thread and evaluating stride-1 allocations for potential strided accesses on the second thread.

Abstract: A coarse-grained reconfigurable array includes a processing element array, instruction memory circuitry, data memory circuitry, and an instruction fetch unit. The processing element array includes a number of processing elements. The instruction memory circuitry is coupled to the processing element array and configured to store a set of instructions. During each one of a number of processing cycles, the instruction memory circuitry provides instructions from the set of instructions to the processing elements. The instruction fetch unit is coupled to the processing element array and the instruction memory circuitry and configured to receive a result of a conditional instruction evaluated by one of the processing elements and provide the instruction fetch signals based at least in part on the result of the conditional instruction such that only instructions associated with a correct branch of the conditional instruction are provided to the plurality of processing elements.

Abstract: Circuitry comprises a prediction register having one or more entries each storing prediction data; prediction circuitry configured to map a value of the stored prediction data to a prediction of whether or not a branch represented by a given branch instruction is predicted to be taken, according to a data mapping; and control circuitry configured to selectively vary the data mapping between the prediction and the value of the stored prediction data.

Abstract: Circuitry comprises a prediction register storing a plurality of entries each having respective data values for association with one or more branch instructions; prediction circuitry to detect, using prediction data derived by a mapping function from the stored data values associated with a given branch instruction, whether or not a branch represented by the given branch instruction is predicted to be taken; update circuitry to modify the stored data values associated with the given branch instruction in dependence upon a resolution of whether the branch represented by the given branch instruction is taken or not; and control circuitry configured to selectively alter one or more of the data values other than data values associated with the given branch instruction.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus comprising instruction execution circuitry and fetch circuitry to fetch, from memory, instructions for execution by the instruction execution circuitry. The fetch circuitry comprises a plurality of prediction components, each prediction component being configured to predict instructions in anticipation of the predicted instructions being required for execution by the instruction execution circuitry. The fetch circuitry is configured to fetch instructions in dependence on the predicting. The apparatus further comprises prediction tracking circuitry to maintain, for each of a plurality of execution regions, a prediction performance metric for each prediction component. The fetch circuitry is configured, based on at least one of the prediction performance metrics for a given execution region, to implement a prediction adjustment action in respect of at least one of the prediction components.

Abstract: A method for parallelization of a numeric optimizer includes detecting an initialization of a numeric optimization process of a given function. The method computes a vector-distance between an input vector and a first neighbor vector of a set of neighbor vectors. The method predicts, using the computed vector-distance, a subset of the set of neighbor vectors. The method pre-computes, in a parallel processing system, a set of evaluation values in parallel, each evaluation value corresponding to one of the subset of the set of neighbor vectors. The method detects a computation request from the numeric optimization process, the computation request involving at least one of the set of evaluation values. The method supplies, in response to receiving the computation request, and without performing a computation of the computation request, a parallelly pre-computed evaluation value from the set of evaluation values to the numeric optimization process.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus to facilitate data exchange via pointers. For example, in a computing system having a first processor and a second processor that is separate and independent from the first processor, the first processor can run a program configured to use a pointer identifying a virtual memory address having an ID of an object and an offset within the object. The first processor can use the virtual memory address to store data at a memory location in the computing system and/or identify a routine at the memory location for execution by the second processor. After the pointer is communicated from the first processor to the second processor, the second processor can access the same memory location identified by the virtual memory address. The second processor may operate on the data stored at the memory location or load the routine from the memory location for execution.

Abstract: Examples of techniques for branch prediction for indirect branch instructions are described herein. An aspect includes detecting a first register setting instruction in an instruction pipeline of a processor, wherein the first register setting instruction stores a target instruction address in a first register of the processor. Another aspect includes looking up the first register setting instruction in a first table. Another aspect includes, based on there being a hit for the first register setting instruction in the first table, determining instruction address data corresponding to a first indirect branch instruction that is associated with the first register setting instruction in a first entry in the first table. Another aspect includes updating a branch prediction for the first indirect branch instruction in a branch prediction logic of the processor based on the target instruction address.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses relating to mitigations for speculative execution side channels are described. Speculative execution hardware and environments that utilize the mitigations are also described. For example, three indirect branch control mechanisms and their associated hardware are discussed herein: (i) indirect branch restricted speculation (IBRS) to restrict speculation of indirect branches, (ii) single thread indirect branch predictors (STIBP) to prevent indirect branch predictions from being controlled by a sibling thread, and (iii) indirect branch predictor barrier (IBPB) to prevent indirect branch predictions after the barrier from being controlled by software executed before the barrier.

Abstract: In a pipeline configured for out-of-order issuing, handling translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses includes: storing translations in a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), and updating at least one entry in the TLB based at least in part on an external instruction received from outside a first processor core. Managing external instructions includes: updating issue status information for each of multiple instructions stored in an instruction queue, processing the issue status information in response to receiving a first external instruction to identify at least two instructions in the instruction queue, including a first queued instruction and a second queued instruction. An instruction for performing an operation associated with the first external instruction is inserted into a stage of the pipeline so that the operation associated with the first external instruction is committed before the first queued instruction is committed and after the second queued instruction is committed.

Abstract: An information handling system (IHS), baseboard management controller (BMC) and method provide for coordinating the BMC and the host processor subsystem to avoid conflicts between power operations by BMC and maintenance activities by the host processor subsystem. In response to determining that a power operation is requested for the host processor subsystem, a service processor of the BMC determining whether a planned power operation (PPO) software sensor contains information indicating that the host processor subsystem is executing a critical operation utility. In response to determining that the host processor subsystem is not executing the critical operation utility, service processor updates/modifies information contained in the PPO software sensor to indicate that a power operation is scheduled. The modified information prevents the host processor subsystem from subsequently initiating execution of the critical operation utility.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for reconfiguration of a computer from a gaming/graphics mode to cryptocurrency mining/compute mode, and cryptocurrency mining/compute to gaming/graphics mode automatically, including performance optimization in both modes. The system switches operating parameters of one or more Graphics Processing Units (GPU's) between compute and graphics modes automatically with mode performance optimization. The invention solves the problem of switching back and forth between graphics and compute mode automatically (without the need for extensive programming) and ensures that the PC/GPU's with run safely (without overheating) and profitably within both modes. The system may also include a dashboard that can be used to see the operational efficiency of the user's GPU's in compute/mining mode.

Abstract: Technologies for fast boot-up of a compute device with error-correcting code (ECC) memory are disclosed. A basic input/output system (BIOS) of a compute device may assign memory addresses of the ECC memory to different processors on the compute device. The processors may then initialize the ECC memory in parallel by writing to the ECC memory. The processors may write to the ECC memory with direct-store operations that are immediately written to the ECC memory instead of being cached. The BIOS may continue to operation on one processor while the rest of the processors initialize the ECC memory.

Abstract: A novel automated system develops a uniform rating of screening practices of organizations/industry entities (IEs) in a given industry. The uniform rating is based upon objective employee screening practices during pre-employment screening. The system allows IEs to view employee screening parameters of their own records stored on the system, add information and update the values of these employee screening parameters. These records are also made available to all users. The system creates weighting factors based upon the relative importance of each employee screening parameters then creates the rating based upon a combination of the weighted employee screening practices used by an IE. This rating reflects an estimate of the completeness, or thoroughness of the employment screening practices of each IE which has a direct effect upon the quality of the employees hired and ultimately upon the quality of the products produced by these employees or the services rendered.

Abstract: A system and method for combining the inputs of various sensors used in platforms, primarily those having a military use, having or making use of a number of inputs capable of determining information about an environment in which they are operating. Each input is configured to output a standardized set of information regarding its capabilities and the environment in which it is operating. A correlator is configured to adaptably process the information based on rules contained in at least one changeable correlation matrix and information contained in at least one changeable configuration file. The information, or simply an alert, is provided to at least one output that provides the information to a human operator.

Abstract: Example approaches for remote deployment of an operating system (OS) in an electronic device are described. In an example, a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) of the electronic device is set as a first bootable component in an order of initialization of hardware components of the electronic device during a boot operation. The BMC is initialized during the boot operation. A remote server information indicative of a network address of a remote server and a path directed to boot files of the OS stored in the remote server is received. The boot files are for deployment of the OS in the electronic device. The boot files from the remote server are downloaded over a dedicated communication channel associated with the BMC, based on the remote server information. The boot files are executed to deploy the OS in the electronic device.

Abstract: Systems, method, and computer programmable products are described herein for generating application extension frameworks for operating systems. A host application receives data encapsulating a modification to an extension configuration file that defines one or more extensions for use by the host application. The host application includes a plurality of binary files. The host application provides the modified extension configuration file to an extension framework for instantiation of a first extension of the one or more extensions. The extension framework generates an interface for the first extension for communication with the extension framework. A new application encompassing the extension framework, the first extension, and the host application is generated without modification to the plurality of binary files of the host application. The first extension communicates with the extension framework via the interface.

Abstract: Herein are computerized techniques for generation, costing/scoring, optimal selection, and reporting of intermediate configurations for a datacenter change plan. In an embodiment, a computer receives a current configuration of a datacenter and a target configuration. New configurations are generated based on the current configuration. A cost function is applied to calculate a cost of each new configuration based on measuring a logical difference between the new configuration and the target configuration. A particular new configuration is selected that has a least cost. When the particular configuration satisfies the target configuration, the datacenter is reconfigured based on the particular configuration. Otherwise, this process is (e.g. iteratively) repeated with the particular configuration instead used as the current configuration. In embodiments, new configurations are randomly, greedily, and/or manually generated.

Abstract: A cloud based network includes a plurality of nodes, each of which include at least one containerized microservice that enables intent-driven operation of the cloud based network. One or more resource controllers, each designated to manage a custom resource, communicate with a master controller of the node to manage operational and configuration states of the node and any microservices containerized within the node. The master enables a user to monitor and automate the management of microservices and the cloud based network as a whole. The containerized microservice architecture allows user customizable rendering of microservices, reconciliation of old and new versions of microservices, and facilitated management of a plurality of nodes.

Abstract: Embodiments provide bidirectional signature protection for packaged apps by verifying an authored app as executable and downloadable from a trusted marketplace service in response to determining that a (first) unique signature embedded within binary code defining the authored app matches an original trusted marketplace service signature acquired from the trusted marketplace service. Embodiments store another (second) signature acquired from the binary code defining the authored app into a storage item of the trusted marketplace service, wherein the second signature is unique to the authored app and different from the first signature; and offer the verified, authored app for download from the trusted marketplace service, wherein the first signature and the second signature are embedded in binary code defining the authored app.

Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for modifying content interfaces based upon levels of activity are provided. For example, a content interface may be displayed using a device. First activity performed using the first content interface may be detected. An activity profile associated with the device may be generated based upon the first activity. The first activity profile may be indicative of a first level of activity associated with the device. Second activity performed using the first content interface may be detected. It may be determined that a difference between the first level of activity and the second level of activity is greater than a threshold difference. Responsive to determining that the difference is greater than the threshold difference, the content interface may be modified to a modified version of the content interface associated with an exhaustion management mode.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to automatically generating user interfaces. In some embodiments, input data to be displayed is grouped into components (e.g., based on depth within hierarchical code, coordinates in a display space, etc.). These components may be based on template information that defines a set of known component types. In some embodiments, the system formats the selected components according to display parameters and causes display of a user interface that displays the components based on the formatting. In various embodiments, the disclosed techniques may allow automatic creation of effective user interfaces without information specifying layout and formatting for input data. This may provide flexible, quality interfaces without requiring design or coding expertise. Further, disclosed techniques may allow the automatic interface generator to generate interfaces similar to other existing interfaces.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to predicting events based on automation parameters and initiating a procedure to request user input. In some embodiments, the system automatically selects one or more component types to display an interface to request the user input, e.g., based on user interface elements associated with the procedure. These component-based techniques may be used to imitate another interface while automatically formatting the input data without a known template.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to streaming individual application windows and/or other desktop elements of a remote desktop. Data used to represent irrelevant desktop areas may be replaced with lower entropy data that may be highly compressed in a video stream and/or with data representative of other visual content. The video stream may also include desktop metadata (e.g., locations for desktop visuals, etc.) used to render the desktop elements on the local desktop. The desktop visuals of an application window may be rendered in a proxy window on the local desktop.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the transfer of visuals (e.g., window visuals) over virtual frames that may be stored in any number of video frames of one or more video streams. The visuals may be split into two-dimensional (2D) pages of a virtual frame, with each of the 2D pages being a fraction of the size of video frames of the video stream(s). The virtual frame may be encoded to the video frames of the video stream(s) and later reconstructed in accordance with a page table.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the transfer of per-pixel transparency information using video codecs that do not provide an alpha channel (alternatively referred to as “transparency-agnostic video codecs”). For example, alpha information of visual elements may be transcoded into the supported channels of a video stream to generate additional samples of a supported color space, which are representative of the alpha information. After being encoded by a “transparency-agnostic video codec” and transmitted, the received alpha information may then be extracted from the supported channels of the video stream to render the received visuals with corresponding per-pixel transparency.

Abstract: A collaborative command line interface is disclosed. In some embodiments, a robot (bot) representing a prescribed service employed by an entity is added as a user in a collaboration service channel associated with the entity. The bot facilitates in making the collaboration service channel a command line interface that interfaces with the prescribed service. A command associated with the command line interface that is received on the collaboration service channel is responded to with a response from the prescribed service. The prescribed service is at least in part integrated in the collaboration service channel via the bot and associated command line interface.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for providing a dedicated physical user input device to trigger collection and curation of real-time data and submission to a technical resource. Computer usage data and system diagnostic data from a computing device is monitored and collected during use by an end user. Upon detecting the press of a dedicated physical button connected to the computing device, additional information regarding the issue is collected from the end user while additional system diagnostic data about the computing device at a time of occurrence of the issue is collected. The collected information and data is then curated by the computing device in regard to the issue and transmitted to a remote server for access by a technical resource.

Abstract: Various systems, methods, and processes for optimizing access to production data in application development and testing environments are disclosed. If an input/output (I/O) operation is a read operation, a storage location on a virtual storage unit at which the read operation is to be performed is determined. Also determined is whether an earlier write operation was performed at the storage location. If an earlier write operation was performed at the storage location, the read operation is performed on one or more virtual data files. However, if the earlier write operation was not performed at the storage location, the read operation is performed on allocated storage space.

Abstract: Life cycle management techniques are provided for cloud-based application executors with key-based access to other devices. An exemplary method comprises determining that a retention time for a first cloud-based application executor (e.g., a virtual machine or a container) has elapsed, wherein the first cloud-based application executor has key-based access to at least one other device using a first key; in response to the determining, performing the following steps: creating a second cloud-based application executor; and determining a second key for the second cloud-based application executor that is different than the first key, wherein the second cloud-based application executor uses the first key to add the second key to one or more trusted keys of the at least one other device and deactivates the first key from the one or more trusted keys.

Abstract: A system may include multiple computing nodes, each including a hypervisor, a controller virtual machine and multiple virtual machines. The hypervisor may include a host agent configured to start a service and determine whether a performance of the service has met a criteria. If the performance of the service has met the criteria, the hypervisor may further determine whether the service has any pending critical operations, and if no critical operations are pending, stop the service. In some examples, each service may create a process configured to monitor the performance of the service. Examples of the performance of the service may include memory utilization and the service response time.

Abstract: An example system including a plurality of computing resources, distributed across a plurality of hosts, to execute virtual workloads; and a computing device, communicatively coupled to the plurality of hosts, comprising a processing resource and a memory resource. The memory resource may store instructions executable by the processing resource to monitor utilization data of the plurality of computing resources executing assigned respective virtual workloads; predict a destination host from the plurality of hosts with available computing resources in an amount to accommodate a predicted resource utilization of a particular virtual workload based on the monitored utilization data of the plurality of computing resources; and migrate the particular virtual workload assigned to a source host of the plurality of hosts to the destination host to be executed.

Abstract: A memory block is provided that is shared between two endpoints. This first endpoint is either a host for a virtual machine or the virtual machine. The second endpoint is either the host or another virtual machine. The shared memory block includes a buffer, a post counter, and an acknowledgment counter. The block is employed for communicating data from the first endpoint to the second endpoint. Sending data to the second endpoint includes identifying the buffer as being currently owned by the first endpoint and storing data in the buffer. It is then detected that the acknowledgment counter is equal to the post counter. The post counter is then incremented to signal that data has been stored for receipt by the second endpoint. Receiving the data by the second endpoint includes detecting that the post counter has changed and then incrementing the acknowledgment counter to acknowledge receipt of the data.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a hypervisor running on a host computer system, a request pertaining to a microcode update from a guest operating system of a virtual machine running on the host computer system. The method also includes identifying, by a hypervisor, a central processing unit (CPU) model including one or more features associated with the microcode update. The method also includes emulating, by the hypervisor, the CPU model on a virtual central processing unit (vCPU) of the virtual machine to provide access to the one or more features of the CPU model to the guest operating system of the virtual machine.

Abstract: Techniques for testing a physical hardware system by executing hardware system application software on a corresponding emulated proxy physical hardware system in a proxy virtual machine are presented.

Abstract: Systems and methods for workload migration control. Migration control operations commence upon identifying a workload comprising two or more virtual machines to be migrated from a source computing environment to a target computing environment. A migration process initiates migration of the two or more virtual machines to the target computing environment. After the migration process has begun, a user identifies a prioritized virtual machine from among the two or more virtual machines that are in the process of being migrated. In response to receiving the user input, a migration manager suspends progression of selected virtual machines while accelerating progression of the migration of the prioritized virtual machine that is not suspended. The migration of the re-prioritized virtual machine preferentially receives computing resources.

Abstract: An apparatus referred to as a profiling server monitor receives data corresponding to the operation of physical hardware in a virtual computing environment. An example is power consumption data. The profiling server monitor analyzes the data received and determines an operation to perform or a business rule to follow in order to, as one example, reduce power consumption of the virtual computing environment.

Abstract: A method for managing virtualized network function (VNF) instantiation, including a first device receiving, from a requester device, a request for instantiating the NS, wherein the request carries instance information of a VNF that is in a network service (NS) and to be instantiated using a second device. After receiving the request, the first device records an instance identifier (ID) of the VNF. In a VNF instantiation phase, the first device authorizes instantiation of the VNF based on the instance ID of the VNF that is recorded during instantiation of the NS. The instance ID of the VNF to be instantiated by the second device is carried in the request, such that the first device can obtain a relationship between the VNF to be instantiated by the second device and the NS, and therefore can control instantiation of the VNF based on the relationship.

Abstract: Virtual machine storage and runtime provisioning comprises accessing a base generalized reusable virtual machine image and configuring memory according to an instantiated copy of the base virtual machine image. Project specific content is accessed from a central content store configured to store content separately from the base machine image. The instantiated machine image and project specific content are linked at launch time to form a project specific functioning virtual machine. After completion of the project specific function, the project specific content is stored separately and the project specific functioning virtual machine is removed from memory. This minimizes use of virtual machine instances to only when needed and makes content available to other users.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for managing use of capabilities. The apparatus has processing circuitry to execute instructions, and a plurality of capability storage elements accessible to the processing circuitry and arranged to store capabilities used to constrain operations performed by the processing circuitry when executing instructions. The processing circuitry is operable at a plurality of exception levels, each exception level having different software execution privilege. Further, capability configuration storage is provided to identify capability configuration information for each of the plurality of exception levels. For each exception level, the capability configuration information identifies at least whether the operations performed by the processing circuitry when executing instructions at that exception level are constrained by capabilities.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to software development and more particularly to methods and systems for automated configuration and execution of context-optimized software development workflow processes for software. A method can perform a pre-configuration of a software development workflow process in advance of execution of the workflow process based upon one or more sources of configuration data. The method can subsequently create an optimized workflow process configuration wherein evaluation of workflow process triggering event context data results in event-optimized workflow process configuration and execution.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and a computer system are provided. The computer system includes an initialization component of a host. The initialization component obtains a process file for dynamically creating a processing component on a management platform on a BMC of the host, the process file defining a logic to be implemented by the processing component, the initialization component operating to load an operating system of the host. The initialization component sends the process file to the BMC. The initialization component further sends a message to the BMC, the message including data to be processed by the processing component.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for stack overflow processing are provided. The method includes using a memory management device to detect whether any stack overflow occurs on a specified stack; and triggering a memory access interrupt by the memory management device when a stack overflow is detected on the specified stack. By using the memory management device to detect a stack overflow, the timeliness of stack overflow detection can be effectively improved, and occasional problems such as a stack overflow can be discovered timely, thus shortening the time of troubleshooting the problem of the stack overflow.

Abstract: A tracking method, an apparatus, a device, and a machine-readable medium are provided. The method specifically includes: writing a tracking result of an activity of an operating system and/or a running activity of a program into a buffer when an interrupt is disabled; and reading and sending the tracking result from the buffer when the interrupt is enabled. The embodiments of the present disclosure can effectively shorten the maximum time during which interrupts are disabled for an operating system, and thereby can effectively improve the performance of the operating system and/or a program.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling the performance of remote operations on computing devices within a video processing environment are described. One embodiment determines to perform a remote operation on a remote device in a media processing environment and determines a signal chain within the media processing environment that includes the remote device. An operational status of the signal chain is determined, based on a media processing schedule for the signal chain. Upon determining that the operational status indicates that the remote device is available for performance of the remote operation, embodiments initiate the performance of the remote operation on the remote device.

Abstract: An example operation may include one or more of storing chaincode comprising executable steps of a multi-party process generated from a state diagram in which a blockchain is an intermediary between a plurality of off-chain systems, receiving a request to execute the multi-party process, processing a step of the multi-party process based on the request via execution of the stored chaincode including the executable steps of the multi-party process to generate a processed result for the step, and storing an identification of the processed step and the generated processed result via a data block among a hash-linked chain of data blocks of the blockchain.

Abstract: Contextual awareness associated with resources can be employed to facilitate controlling access to resources of a system, including function blocks. A resource manager component (RMC) can pre-load a defined number of respective versions of configuration parameter data associated with respective applications in each resource. With regard to each application, the RMC can associate a context value, unique for each application, with the respective versions of configuration parameter data associated with that application. When a current application is being changed to a next application, the RMC can write the context value associated with the next application to a context select component (CSC). Each resource can read the context value in the CSC, identify and retrieve the version of configuration parameter data associated with the next application based on the context value, and configure the function block based on the version of configuration parameter data.