Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for efficiently pooling network client-server connections. The apparatus is implemented within an interface unit connecting a plurality of servers to the Internet, which is in turn connected to a plurality of clients. The method includes the steps of opening a connection between a first client and the interface unit; determining whether a connection between the interface unit and a server is finished being utilized by the first client; opening a connection between a second client and the interface unit; if no free connection is open between the interface unit and the server, then allowing the second client to access information on the server via the same connection utilized by the first client without waiting for the first client to initiate closing the connection; and delinking the connections between the first and second clients and the interface unit while keeping open the connection between the interface unit and the server.

Abstract: In response to a file request from a host 3a, a server 7 retrieves the file from a content provider 2. A group comprising the host 3a is defined and the file sent to the group as a sequence of data packets A-G. Any further hosts 3b, 3c in the same locational area as host 3a that submit a request for the same file during the transmission of the data packet sequence are added to the group and receive the remaining packets in the sequence. At the end of the sequence, the server 7 re-transmits the data packet sequence to hosts 3b, 3c so that they receive the data packets dropped or missed in the original transmission. A host 3b that moves to another location during the transmission submits a NACK message, which is treated by a server 7? associated with the second locational area as a file request.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optimising routing to a first user equipment (T1, T2) roaming in a visited network (OP B, OP C) in a communications system comprising at least a home network (OP A), a visited network (OP B, OP C) and a relaying network (IPX, IPX1, IPX2, IPX3, IPX4).

Abstract: A method and system for providing a network protocol for utility services are disclosed are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a constant powered meter sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered, wherein the constant powered meter sends hello messages periodically. The constant powered meter is registered with the utility network. Further, the battery powered meter finds and associates itself with a constant powered meter. The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility network. The constant powered meter sends a node registration message to the gateway of the utility network. The constant powered meter can sense outage problems with the gateway and the neighbors of its network, and search and migrate to an alternate network.

Abstract: In a method and arrangement for preparation of data for loading from a first data processing device into a second data processing device via a first data connection, a number of transmission-ready transmission data packets are generated in at least one packetizing step from the data to be loaded into the second data processing device; and at least one load parameter influencing the total load time until a complete loading of the data into the second data processing device is determined in a determination step preceding the packetizing step. The generation of the transmission data packets ensues in the at least one packetizing step dependent on the first load parameter.

Abstract: Variable length switch fabric for switching variable length data packets between input and output transmission paths in a communication network. In one embodiment of the invention, apparatus is provided for switching variable length data packets between input and output transmission paths in a communication network. The apparatus includes a plurality of input ports coupled to receive the plurality of variable length data packets from the input transmission paths and a plurality of output ports coupled to transmit the plurality of variable length data packets on the output transmission paths. The apparatus also includes a variable length switch fabric coupled to the plurality of input ports and the plurality of output ports, the variable length switch fabric operates to switch the plurality of variable length data packets from selected input ports to selected output ports in an unsegmented form.

Abstract: A system and method for servicing user accounts are disclosed. The system includes one or more blades for servicing the user accounts, where each blade includes software components and hardware components, and each blade serves a group of user accounts, a blade manager for managing states of the one or more blades, logic for detecting a failed blade among the one or more blades, and logic for recovering the failed blade using the states of the one or more blades managed by the blade manager.

Abstract: A network mobility server, which includes a target device inventory module, a data collection module, a data management module and a distribution module. The data management module, includes at least one data storage module, in which at least a portion of the data stored therein are identical data items stored in different selected formats suitable for use on mobile computing and telecommunication devices. The network also includes network agents, resident on numbers of the network members.

Abstract: Method, system and program product are provided for reducing size of memory required for a switching node's forwarding table by employing forwarding tables of different types to map received data packets addressed to downstream nodes and upstream nodes to appropriate output ports of the switching node. The method includes receiving a data packet at a data transfer node of a network and selecting a forwarding table from multiple types of forwarding tables accessible by the node based on an attribute associated with the received data packet, and mapping the data packet to an output port of the node utilizing the forwarding table selected from the multiple types of forwarding tables based on the attribute associated with the packet.

Abstract: A valid destination address is determined. An availability request is sent to each destination address from a set of destination addresses. The destination addresses are correlated with a destination party. At least one response to the sent availability requests is received. Each received response is uniquely associated with its own destination address from the destination addresses. Each received response indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address. For each received response, a value associated with the destination address that is associated with that received response is recorded. The value indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address based on the received response associated with that destination address.

Abstract: A valid destination address is determined. An availability request is sent to each destination address from a set of destination addresses. The destination addresses are correlated with a destination party. At least one response to the sent availability requests is received. Each received response is uniquely associated with its own destination address from the destination addresses. Each received response indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address. For each received response, a value associated with the destination address that is associated with that received response is recorded. The value indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address based on the received response associated with that destination address.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for remotely collecting data stored by a user in one or more network storage areas residing on a network. For example, embodiments of the method involve utilizing a mapping tool to identify at least one network storage area associated with the user, utilizing a collection tool to access at least one network storage area via a network, copying the data stored on the at least one network storage area, and transmitting the data from the at least one network storage area to a collection server.

Abstract: Proposed are a storage system, a path management method and a path management device capable of ensuring the processing performance demanded by a user while seeking to improve the access performance from a host system to a storage apparatus. Path switching control for dynamically switching the path to be used by the host system according to the loaded condition of the respective paths between the host system and the storage apparatus is executed; and a path is selected as needed according to a policy containing path switching rules created by a user, and path switching control for excluding the selected path from the target and dynamically switching the path to be used by the host system is executed.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a utility device (for example, a constant powered meter) sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered and the device listens for advertised routes for one or more networks from the neighbors. The device is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Also illustrated in this invention disclosure is how each device of a class of devices (for example, battery powered meter) finds and associates itself with another device (for example, constant powered meter). The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility networks. The constant powered meter registers itself with the access points and the upstream nodes in the path out of each network.

Abstract: A secure gateway is disclosed which facilitates communication between a first network and a second network through an intermediate network. The secure gateway, when operated in conjunction with at least one other secure gateway, supports secure peer to peer connectivity with integral security features such as mutual authentication, authorization specific access, and end to end auditing. An authorized service can be served securely through this gateway, across the open network, to a known requester, without fear of compromising the security or privacy of the server's or requesters networks.

Abstract: In the present invention, a service network includes, when user terminals are divided by area, subscriber accommodation nodes that accommodate the user terminals present in the respective areas and relay nodes that perform relay of information among the subscriber accommodation nodes. The congestion control system further includes an edge router that routes a processing request for a communication service received from each of the user terminals to each of the subscriber accommodation nodes on the service network side as a control message and a congestion control server that controls congestion states of the subscriber accommodation nodes and the relay nodes. The subscriber accommodation node detects, when congestion occurs or it is likely that congestion occurs in the subscriber accommodation node because of a large number of control messages from the edge router, the occurrence of the congestion or the likelihood of occurrence of congestion and notifies the congestion control server to that effect.

Abstract: Techniques described herein are directed toward side-by-side handling of providers on a 64-bit system. The request for loading a particular version of the provider may include a provider architecture flag that specifies a 32-bit or 64-bit version of a provider for managing the requested service. The request may also include a required architecture flag specifying that the given instantiation of the provider is required and to be forced. The platform manager loads a particular provider instantiation as a function of the provider architecture flag and the required architecture flag.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for creating portfolios of requests so as to reduce or minimize the variance in the workloads generated by those requests. The invention also takes into account the throughput of the servers that are servicing the requests. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of establishing a set of system parameters; using said parameters to generate a model, said model including a defined optimization problem; and solving said optimization problem to output a set of mixing weights. The set of parameters and said mixing weights are used to generate a task; and the service requests are distributed to different service teams according to the generated task. Also, for example, the distributing may be done by distributing requests of type i to team j with weight proportional to wij.

Abstract: A local network is interfaced with one or more external network elements via a gateway that implements an address substitution mechanism for ensuring that communications between devices attached to the local network are not routed through an external network as a result of, e.g., disparity in their remotely-assigned Internet protocol (IP) addresses. In accordance with the invention, the gateway is configured to intercept communications from devices on the local network in order to determine remotely-assigned IP address information for those devices. After such information is determined for a given device, the gateway creates a set of address substitution information that includes sub-network compatible addresses for use by other devices on the local network when communicating with the given device.

Abstract: Contexts are propagated between a first and second system. The contexts provide information about the environment within which work in the first and second systems is to be performed. The contexts have a hierarchical structure in which the bottom most context in the hierarchy is identified as a leaf context. A request is received at the first system to perform work. Context information is created in the first system pertaining to the environment within which the work is to be performed. The context information forms a context hierarchy having a root context and one or more descendant contexts. Information is propagated from the first system to the second system enabling re-creation at the second system of context information pertaining to the leaf context only.

Abstract: A method and system for triggering multiple client requests, including: providing directions for obtaining multibeacon instructions, in response to a content request from the client device, providing the multibeacon instructions in response to a request from the client device, with the request for multibeacon instructions submitted by the client device based on the directions, receiving an initial image request at the multibeacon management server from the client device wherein the initial image request is submitted by the client device upon execution of the multibeacon instructions, and, composing and sending a beacon from the multibeacon management system to the client device in response to the initial image request causing the configuration of a storage device at the client device for storing the beacon, wherein the properties of the beacon are configured to trigger the multibeacon instructions to instruct the client device to submit additional image requests to the multibeacon management system.

Abstract: A method of assigning names to components of a networked computer system is provided. The networked computer system includes at least one modular computer system having at least one service processor module and a plurality of information processing modules removably received in a modular computer system housing. The method comprises: receiving at the service processor module a naming command message including a naming format from a management entity of the networked computer system. The method also comprises assigning at the service processor module a name to the service processor module and to the information processing modules received in the housing in accordance with the naming format; and transmitting a message from the service processor module to a domain name server of the networked computer system, the message including an IP address of each module and the name assigned to each respective module.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for nominating rules or policies for promotion through a policy hierarchy. An administrator at any level in a policy hierarchy may create a rule or policy. The administrator may then nominate the rule or policy for inclusion in a next higher level in the policy hierarchy. The rule or policy is evaluated at the next higher level. Responsive to an approval of the next higher level to include the rule or policy in the jurisdiction of the next higher level, the rule of policy is provided to all users under the jurisdiction. The nominating, evaluating, and providing steps may then be repeated for each higher level in the policy hierarchy.

Abstract: A method and system for aggregating configuration information from friend devices is provided. The aggregation system attempts to foil attacks on the privacy of data contributed to a request by aggregating data from a cluster of friend devices in such a way that it is difficult for a device in the cluster and an attacking device outside the cluster to determine the contribution of an individual device to the data. The aggregation system of an initiator device may also determine the cardinality of a parameter so that the corresponding parameter vector can have a size large enough to support the number of possible values. The aggregation system determines the cardinality by counting nonzero hash values of the actual values that are provided by the devices.

Abstract: A system and method that provides dynamic network policy management. The system enables a network administrator to regulate usage of network services upon initiation of and throughout network sessions. The system employs a method of identifying selectable characteristics of attached functions to establish static and dynamic policies, which policies may be amended before, during and after any session throughout the network based on the monitored detection of any of a number of specified triggering events or activities. Particular policies associated with a particular identified attached function in prior sessions may be cached or saved and employed in subsequent sessions to provide network usage permissions more rapidly in such subsequent sessions. The cached or saved policy information may also be used to identify network usage, control, and security. The system and method of the present invention provides static and dynamic policy allocation for network usage provisioning.

Abstract: Origination and incoming are regulated for each service in user units. An origination filter table stores contract service information indicating whether or not each service can be used and the maximum number of sessions that can be activated by the originator corresponding to each originator identifier (for example, SIP-URI). An incoming filter table stores incoming enable/refusal information and an originator identifier from which incoming is enabled or refused corresponding to each receiver identifier. A communication control section references the contract service information and the maximum number of sessions in the origination filter table based on the originator identifier in the message received from a communication terminal, determines whether or not the service indicated by service type information in the message can be used, and determines whether or not a new session can be established.

Abstract: Various methods and processing systems are disclosed which include sending and receiving components communicating over a bus having first and second channels. The sending component may broadcast on the first channel a plurality of read and write address locations, a plurality of transfer qualifiers, and write data. The receiving component may store the write data broadcast on the first channel at the receiving component based on the write address locations and a first portion of the transfer qualifiers. The receiving component may also retrieve read data from the receiving component based on the read address locations and a second portion of the transfer qualifiers, and broadcast the retrieved read data on the second channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for intelligently redirecting and/or processing traffic. In one embodiment, a method of facilitating redirection of traffic sent from a first processing device (e.g., a client) to a second processing device (e.g., a server) is disclosed. At a third processing device (e.g., a router) associated with a plurality of traffic handling systems (e.g., cache systems), traffic information is received from at least a portion of the associated traffic handling systems. The traffic information specifies which data should be redirected to the portion of associated traffic handling systems. It is determined how to redirect data received by the third processing device to a selected traffic handling system based on the received traffic information received from at least one of the associated traffic handling systems.

Abstract: An approach is provided for communicating in a meshed network including a first terminal and a second terminal. A request from the first terminal for obtaining address information of the second terminal is submitted to a hub. The hub generates a response including the address information and the context information that specifies capabilities of the second terminal. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network (e.g., Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network) that provides data communication services.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system to provide a communication system which requires no special application for a correspondent node and has a service handoff function enabling a transfer destination terminal device to be freely used, and its configuration equipment. In order to realize this, the communication system includes a correspondent node delivering communication data which can be executed by a predetermined application, a proxy server device which receives the communication data from the node to execute the application, and transfers the service to a transfer destination terminal device, the transfer destination terminal device outputting the service, and a user terminal device, wherein the user terminal device transmits control information to the proxy server device, and thereby the proxy server device switches the transfer destination terminal device to perform service handoff.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for communicating traffic comprises a plurality of global namespace (GNS) devices and a network switch. The GNS devices aggregate mount points of file systems as an aggregated mount point. The network switch has a host-side interface, a storage-side interface, and a load balancer. The host-side interface has one or more host-side ports that communicate with a computing host. The storage-side interface has a plurality of storage-side ports that communicate with the GNS devices. The load balancer presents a virtual address to the computing host, and distributes traffic from the computing host to the GNS devices through the storage-side ports.

Abstract: A network communication node includes a request distribution manager that combines a plurality of permutations of sequences for routing requests to a plurality of servers. The request distribution managers also generates instructions for routing the requests to the plurality of servers, based on the combination of the plurality of permutations. The network communication node also includes a router that routes the requests to the plurality of servers based on the instructions.

Abstract: A network system is provided allowing easy communications with another apparatus via NAPT, as well as a communication method, an information processing apparatus and method, and a program. A local communication apparatus acquires a service providing packet from an apparatus service providing apparatus via a port of a relay apparatus, acquires a service providing packet from another apparatus service providing apparatus via another port of the relay apparatus, calculates a difference value between two pieces of global address information contained in the service providing packets, and predicts that a third port is the port to be used for the next communication. The system, apparatus and methods described can be applied to an instant message service system.

Abstract: An intermediate device which can be introduced and removed in seamless way is disclosed. The state information acquiring means acquires state information required to maintain the state of a session established between the first information processing device and the second information processing device for the information processing service, from the first information processing device or the second information processing device. The intermediate service managing means generates, based on the state information, transfer rules for applying the intermediate service to data of the information processing service, and transferring the data to which the intermediate service is applied. The transfer control means maintains the state of the existing session between itself and the second information processing device, establishes a new session between itself and the first information processing device, and transfers the data using the existing session and the new session, according to the transfer rules.

Abstract: A network architecture or framework that supports hosting and content distribution on a truly global scale allows a Content Provider to replicate and serve its most popular content at an unlimited number of points throughout the world. The inventive framework comprises a set of servers operating in a distributed manner. The actual content to be served is preferably supported on a set of hosting servers (sometimes referred to as ghost servers). This content comprises HTML page objects that, conventionally, are served from a Content Provider site. A base HTML document portion of a Web page is served from the Content Provider's site while one or more embedded objects for the page are served from the hosting servers, preferably, those hosting servers near the client machine. By serving the base HTML document from the Content Provider's site, the Content Provider maintains control over the content.

Abstract: In a load balancer preserving a function of server consistency maintenance during communications even if a terminal is a mobile terminal, identifying information specific to a mobile IP terminal is extracted from an arrival packet, and a destination server to be connected is determined based on the identifying information. Also, a home agent or a terminal is requested to notify a change of the care-of address when the care-of address of the terminal has changed, and a destination server to be connected is determined by regarding the notified care-of address as identifying information.

Abstract: An isolation switch blade Fibre Channel switch presents F_ports to form a first Fibre Channel fabric and N_ports to a second Fibre Channel fabric to appear as node devices. The isolation switch blade may be used to connect a plurality of blade servers to a Fibre Channel fabric. Fabric events engendered by the insertion or removal of hot-pluggable devices are handled by the isolation switch blade and “event storms” on the Fibre Channel fabric are avoided. The isolation switch blade presents the blade servers to the FC fabric as a virtualized N_port.

Abstract: Described is a link-state routing protocol used in a mobile ad hoc network or in an Internet for disseminating topology and link-state information throughout the network. Reverse-path forwarding is used to broadcast each update along the minimum-hop-path tree rooted at the source of the update. Each path tree has the source node as a root node, a parent node, and zero or more children nodes. Updates are received from the parent node in the path tree for the source node that originates the update. Each update includes information related to a link in the network. A determination is made whether to forward the update message to children nodes, if any, in the path tree maintained for the source node originating the update in response to information in the received update. This information itself can indicate whether the update is to be forwarded to other nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating workload units in a computer system whereby each workload unit is assigned an impact number representing the number of days that the expiration date of a computer system would be changed if the workload unit were to be added or removed from the system with all other workload units remaining the same. Each workload unit may be assigned a different number for each system in the environment. The inventive system and method simplify the task of combining multidimensional workload measures and incorporate the interaction with other workload units in the system by assessing the impact on both a donor and a recipient computer systems' expiration dates. Thus, the invention provides a more robust way to measure the effect of moving workload units between systems to result in a better allocation of work amongst computer systems in a processing environment.

Abstract: A computer system configured to provide real time data collection and distribution is described herein. The computer system optionally includes a web proxy system, including a load balancer, and a cache cluster. An interface is configured to receive a user search query. a data store is configured to store information related to resource requests for dynamically valued resources received from remote terminals, including a resource selection, a resource quantity, and a resource value indication. The system is configured to determine and automatically transmit to a remote computer system in substantially real a communication that includes information related to how many resource requests have been received, a resource request rate, which resources have been requested; resource value indications, and after the transmission of the communication, receive and store in computer readable memory an indication as to which distribution channels additional resources are to be allocated.

Abstract: A plurality of separate DNS zones are combined to form a composite DNS zone. The composite DNS zone is viewed as a single DNS zone by other elements on the network. Each of the separate DNS zones becomes a component DNS zone within the composite DNS zone but can still be separately owned and managed using standard DNS protocols. As such, the composite DNS zone provides a transparent method of combining DNS data owned by separate parties into a single location that can be searched using a DNS request of the prior art. DNS requests directed to the composite DNS zone may result in a plurality of answer candidates. Some embodiments include algorithms for searching the composite DNS zone and assembling a DNS answer from the plurality of answer candidates. The composite DNS zone may include telephonic DNS data according to the ENUM standard.

Abstract: With respect to a communication operation between networks having no connection permission, a connection control apparatus calculates a communicatable detour communication path from a connection policy database, and in such a case that a communication operation can be carried out between these networks having no connection permission, the connection control apparatus permits the communication operation via a detour communication path after authentication.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for use on a computer for the automated generation of commands or other data to populate tables of a database. The automated generation process of the present invention entails separating business logic from device specific logic, defining the organization of incoming data, identifying and setting default data parameters, defining the format for the output data, and implementing the command generating object oriented classes in program source code, to generate device specific commands.

Abstract: A distributed server system may include a primary manager, one or more backup managers communicatively coupled to the primary manager, and one or more workers communicatively coupled to the one or more backup managers. The one or more backup managers may receive a command to backup the state of the distributed server system. The backup managers may forward work tasks to the one or more communicatively coupled workers. The backup managers may further aggregate responses received from the one or more communicatively coupled workers and send the aggregated response to the primary manager.

Abstract: A system is taught in which a module having processing elements can access network and storage interfaces that are external to the module of the processing elements as though those interfaces were located internal to the module of the processing elements. The system may be operated as one or more provisioned servers, each of the provisioned servers including capabilities as identified by a corresponding set of specifications and attributes, according to various embodiments. Typically the specifications (or constraints) and attributes are specified with a Server Configuration File. An Enterprise Server system may be provisioned into any combination and number of servers according to needed processing and I/O capabilities. Each of these servers may include distinct compute, storage, and networking performance. Provisioned servers may be managed similar to conventional servers, including operations such as boot and shutting down.

Abstract: A method for locating a free resource involves maintaining an address space containing a plurality of regions, wherein each of the plurality of regions is mapped with a server to obtain a mapping, transmitting a request for the free resource from a client to a request address that belongs to one of the plurality of regions, determining a selected server using the mapping, and directing the request for the free resource to the selected server.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a quantitative measure of qualitative usability of related Web pages. Web pages are accepted that each include at least one hyperlink referencing and proximal cues relating to distal content included in another Web page. An information goal identifying a target Web page is specified. An activation network is formed. A directed graph including nodes corresponding to the Web pages and arcs corresponding to the hyperlinks is built. A weight is assigned to each arc to represent a probability of traversal of the corresponding hyperlink based on a relatedness of keywords in the information goal to the proximal cues included in the referenced Web page. A traversal through the activation network to the node corresponding to the target Web page is evaluated as a quantitative measure of usability.

Abstract: A channel merging method for a VOD system, said method comprises the steps of: in response to requests from a plurality of clients for a video program, establishing a root channel (S1) and at least one sub-channel (S11), said root channel (S1) being established according to a request from a client that makes the earliest request, each of said sub-channels (S11) being established in response to a request from a client that makes a later request; and monitoring variation of the number of the clients that are using each of said established channels, and maintaining the channel if the number of the clients using the monitored channel is not zero, and closing the channel if the number of the clients using the monitored channel becomes zero.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for implementing data-driven protocols are provided. In one embodiment, improved implementations of multicast routing protocols are provided. Separation between multicast forwarding and control elements are provided by use of a powerful yet simple application program interface (API) for inter-module communication. The API is multicast-routing-protocol-independent and can be used to express the forwarding state of any existing multicast protocol. Efficient platform-specific implementations are facilitated.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling a processing system. The apparatus to control a processing system is provided with a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of controlling a processing system. These modules in the described embodiments include a data acquisition module that acquires performance data for a processing system, a data analysis module that calculates the slope between adjacent data points, a data normalization module that normalizes the data and computes a second order difference between the calculated slopes, a performance analysis module that determines the performance value that corresponds to the maximum calculated slope, a performance comparison module that sets a preferred performance threshold, and a performance control module that controls the processing system to achieve the preferred performance threshold.