Abstract: A technique for executing a segmented virtual machine (VM) is disclosed. A plurality of core VM's is implemented in a plurality of core spaces. Each core VM is associated with one of a plurality of shell VM's. Resources of the core spaces are allocated among the core VM's.

Abstract: A program circuit activates a pass signal when a first program unit is programmed. The first program unit is programmed when a test of an internal circuit is passed. A mode setting circuit switches an operation mode to a normal operation mode or a test mode by external control. A state machine allows a partial circuit of the internal circuit to perform an unusual operation different from a normal operation when the pass signal is inactivated during the normal operation mode. By recognizing the unusual operation during the normal operation mode, it can be easily recognized that a semiconductor integrated circuit is bad. Since a failure can be recognized without shifting to the test mode, for example, a user who purchases the semiconductor integrated circuit can also easily recognize the failure.

Abstract: A method for determining a probabilistic loss of function of a system includes the steps of determining a plurality of failure mode probabilities, ranking a plurality of functions pertaining to the failure mode probabilities, and identifying a likely function at least substantially lost by the system based at least in part on the plurality of failure mode probabilities and the ranking.

Abstract: A system includes: at least one managed resource having an agent for collecting and transmitting performance information; an integrated management server for receiving the information and managing it in an integrated manner; a statistical information generating module for extracting previously set performance items and automatically generating statistical information for each performance item; and a fault management server for receiving the information from the integrated management server in real time, performing statistical analysis on current performance information, comparing the analysis results with the information generated by the statistical information generating module to determine whether a fault is likely to occur, generating a fault event according to the determination result, and transmitting the fault event to the integrated management server.

Abstract: A deterministic technique is used for assigning locations to object replicas in a data center, while taking the various constraints into account that guarantee high availability and fast recovery. Example constraints include not putting the replicas on the same machine and not on the same rack, in case the rack or the network switch goes down. Also, because power distribution units (PDUs) can fail, the two replicas are not put on the same PDU. A solution is guaranteed to be found, if one exists.

Abstract: A system may comprise a first processor core, a second processor core and a processor core assignor. The first processor core may include a first circuit to generate a first data and a second processor core may include a second circuit to generate a second data. The processor core assignor may assign a first thread to the first processor core or to the second processor core based on the first data, the second data, and an application reliability requirement.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may provide a plurality of data services by employing splittable, mergable and transferable redundant chains of data containers. The chains and containers may be automatically split and/or merged in response to changes in storage node network configurations and may be stored in erasure coded fragments distributed across different storage nodes. Data services provided in a distributed secondary storage system utilizing redundant chains of containers may include global deduplication, dynamic scalability, support for multiple redundancy classes, data location, fast reading and writing of data and rebuilding of data due to node or disk failures.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided by which a computer system, and in particular, a lockstep fault-tolerant computer system, may be split into a plurality of independently operational subsystems. Each subsystem may be examined, managed or upgraded by an administrator while the overall computer system continues to service end-users. Finally, the separate subsystems may be merged in an efficient fashion and fault-tolerant operation will resume upon the combined system.

Abstract: A high availability VoIP system interfacing with a PSTN or other TDM network to provide higher availability and better failure recovery wherein the high availability VoIP system includes a plurality of gateways coupled to at least one hub and a proxy table and a call restoration table configured in each of the plurality gateways.

Abstract: A multithreaded computer application provides more robust mutually exclusive accesses as instantiations (threads) of a single program, such that deadlock situations are avoided. The application method uses the system primitives to implement system services that provide a ‘gate’ functionality (S1, S4, S6, S21, S24, S30) to the functional code for which exclusive access is to be granted. Critical sections still exist, but they are only used for the management of state variables and decisional branching of this ‘gate’ mechanism. Also, time limit provisions (S 15) are implemented to avoid blocking of the not granted threads. The method includes executing the ‘exclusive functional code section’ outside the critical sections, which avoids a cascading of blocking effects due to a never ending or non-terminating critical section as in the prior art design model.

Abstract: A process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant I/O device and a secondary redundant I/O device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant I/O device is programmed to detect a primary redundant I/O device fault. The secondary redundant I/O device, upon detecting the primary redundant I/O device fault, publishes a primary redundant I/O device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant I/O device and activate the secondary redundant I/O device responsive to the primary redundant I/O device fault message.

Abstract: A network storage appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a chassis enclosing a backplane, and a server enclosed in the chassis and coupled to the backplane. The appliance also includes storage controllers enclosed in the chassis, each coupled to the backplane, which control transfer of data between the server and storage devices coupled to the storage controllers. The storage controllers also control transfer of data between the storage devices and computers networked to the appliance and external to the appliance. The storage controllers and the server comprise a plurality of hot-replaceable blades. Any one of the plurality of blades may be replaced during operation of the appliance without loss of access to the storage devices by the computers. In one embodiment, the server executes storage application software, such as backup software for backing up data on the storage devices, such as to a tape device networked to the server.

Abstract: Local drive presence is provided for local and remote drives by maintaining a plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections between a plurality of I/O controllers and a plurality of device interfaces through which peripheral bus commands are transmitted. Preferably, the I/O controllers are each housed in a separate server blade and provide each blade with access to the local and remote drives. At each of the device interfaces, rather than attaching an actual storage device, peripheral bus commands received at the device interfaces are serialized and conditionally passed or suppressed to and from the shared drive which is shared amongst the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections. Preferably, the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections is maintained such that the shared drives can be simultaneously shared. In one embodiment, the local drives are provided in a media tray which is shared amongst a plurality blades.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides industrial automation systems and/or methods that configure available redundancy. An interface component can obtain input data. Additionally, an optimization component can generate a voting configuration that allocates available redundancy to provide an optimized combination of safety and availability based at least in part on the input data.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and system configured to establish a reliability characteristic associated with a part type. The method includes the step of establishing a use associated with a part, the part being of the part type, establishing an amount of usage associated with the part, establishing a service characteristic associated with said part, and establishing the reliability characteristic associated with the part type in response to said part use the part usage, and the part service characteristic.

Abstract: A technique for generating a crash consistent set of persistent consistency point image set associated with a storage space is provided. A client side agent obtains a first set of read/write statistics before causing storage systems to generate persistent consistency point images of volumes storing logical unit numbers comprising the storage space. Once the persistent consistency point images have been generated, the agent obtains a second set of read/write statistics. The first and second set of statistics are compared to determining if they are equal, thereby signifying that the set of persistent consistency point images is crash consistent.

Abstract: Local drive presence is provided for local and remote drives by maintaining a plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections between a plurality of I/O controllers and a plurality of device interfaces through which peripheral bus commands are transmitted. Preferably, the I/O controllers are each housed in a separate server blade and provide each blade with access to the local and remote drives. At each of the device interfaces, rather than attaching an actual storage device, peripheral bus commands received at the device interfaces are serialized and conditionally passed or suppressed to and from the shared drive which is shared amongst the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections. Preferably, the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections is maintained such that the shared drives can be simultaneously shared. In one embodiment, the local drives are provided in a media tray which is shared amongst a plurality blades.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of designing a storage system begins with a step of assigning decision variables to a range of candidate storage systems. Each of the decision variables identifies a single candidate storage system. The method concludes with a step of employing the decision variables in a mathematical program to determine which of the candidate storage systems meets availability and reliability criteria and incurs a near minimal projected cost.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the performance of Universal Serial Bus mass storage devices is provided wherein a local extender located adjacent to a host computer is used in combination with a remote extender located adjacent to a peripheral device. The local extender and remote extender units jointly implement a protocol that enables bulk data to be transferred efficiently between the units even when the transmission delay between the units exceeds 1 microsecond. No alterations to the host computer or the USB mass storage device are required to achieve the improved performance. An improved method for connecting USB mass storage devices to a host controller is provided.

Abstract: A method that includes activating and deactivating two counts between an active state and not an active state such that no more than one count at a time is in an active state. The method also includes receiving a request packet of information that requires a reply and incrementing the count that is in an active state, and setting a flag in the request packet of information that requires a reply, the flag being set to correspond to the count that is in the active state. The method further includes receiving a reply packet of information corresponding to a previously received request packet of information, the reply packet of information having a flag setting corresponding to the previously received request packet of information, and decrementing the count that corresponds to the flag setting of the reply packet of information. A network is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking memory usage by software agents operating in a computer system is disclosed. A memory resource tracking application is executed in the system. When an operating software agent is detected, a determination is made about the memory consumed by the running agent. Measurements are made at periodic intervals to determine if the agent has ended. When the agent has ended, all memory allocations associated with the agent are added together to arrive at a peak memory usage for the agent.

Abstract: A system for planning and verifying off-site disaster recovery plans as well as implementing alternate fall back operations in the event of a disaster. The system includes at least one primary mainframe computer having an inboard catalog component, a primary emulated device controller connected to the primary computer, and a primary virtual tape system connected to the primary computer. A primary virtual tape system catalog is connected to the primary virtual tape system. A disaster recovery administrator using remote management tools maintains user and resource profiles and controls configuration of the primary emulated device controller and the primary virtual tape system.

Abstract: A system and method for modeling complex dynamic systems whose properties are non-uniform in the time domain is disclosed. Aging tokens (tokens with memory) are used to tracking the age of a system as a whole, as well as its individual constituents, in the context of stochastic Petri nets.

Abstract: A method for testing inkjets for defects in an inkjet device includes determining, based on the likelihood that one or more inkjets are defective, whether to perform an inkjet defect test, The method may also include, identifying, if it is determined to perform an inkjet defect test, which inkjets to test based on properties of the inkjets, the number of identified inkjets being less than a total number of inkjets in the inkjet device; and testing the identified inkjets for defects using an image sensor.

Abstract: A technique for executing a segmented virtual machine (VM) is disclosed. A plurality of core VM's is implemented in a plurality of core spaces. Each core VM is associated with one of a plurality of shell VM's. Resources of the core spaces are allocated among the core VM's.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement fault tolerant data processing services based on active replication and, in particular, systems and methods for implementing actively replicated, fault tolerant database systems in which database servers and data storage servers are run as isolated processes co-located within the same replicated fault tolerant context to provide increased database performance.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for verifying data copies and reverifying the copies over the life span of media according to a verification policy. Characteristics of media and use of media are tracked to provide metrics which may be used to dynamically reevaluate and reassign verification policies to optimize media usage. Copies that fail verification operations may be repaired by repeating a storage operation for recent copies or by substituting a close temporal copy of the failed copy.

Abstract: A method and system of supporting a computer network resource pool. In one embodiment of the invention, a resource pool sparing-plan and a resource pool support-plan are selected; for the selected resource sparing-plan and resource support-plan, the probability that all resources in the resource pool are operating properly is determined. The method is repeated to generate results from which an acceptable support-plan and a sparing-plan is chosen for implementation.

Abstract: A circuit for preventing failure in an integrated circuit. The circuit including: an original circuit; one or more redundant circuits; and a repair processor, including a clock cycle counter configured to count pulses of a pulsed signal, the repair processor configured to (a) replace the original circuit with a first redundant circuit or (b) configured to select another redundant circuit, the selection in sequence from a second redundant circuit to a last redundant circuit, and to replace a previously selected redundant circuit with the selected redundant circuit each time the cycle counter reaches a predetermined count of a set of pre-determined cycle counts.

Abstract: A fault tolerant/fault resilient computer system includes a first coserver and a second coserver. The first coserver includes a first application environment (AE) processor and a first I/O subsystem processor on a first common motherboard. The second coserver includes a second AE processor and a second I/O subsystem processor on a second common motherboard.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic encoded in one or more tangible media for enhancing transmission reliability of monitored data. The logic is operable to receive a plurality of segments for transmission over a TCP connection to a network node, where the TCP connection is associated with a transmit queue and a retransmit queue. The logic is also operable to detect a transmission anomaly on the TCP connection to the network node, and in response to detecting the transmission anomaly, is operable to perform any one of: store segments into a persistent buffer prior to transferring the segments into the transmit queue; copy segments from the retransmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have been transmitted but not yet acknowledged by the network node; and copy segments from the transmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have not yet been transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer products provide for capturing and restoring application settings states and associated user data during unexpected application shutdowns and subsequent restarts. Data representing in-use application settings state and in-use user data are stored on a periodic basis, or upon notification of an impending application shutdown. Upon restart, any application deployed prior to shutdown is re-deployed according to the stored application settings state for each application and any in-use documents or other data are re-deployed according to the stored user data.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a primary control unit sends a selected time to a plurality of secondary control units. Clocks are periodically synchronized at the primary control unit and the secondary control units with a time server. The primary control unit and the plurality of secondary control units consistently update secondary storage subsystems coupled to the plurality of secondary control units at the selected time.

Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for use in testing and evaluating aspects of a high speed communications network. In particular, a portable traffic checker for field use is provided that includes multiple sets of different types of communication links and is compatible with multiple protocols. One such traffic checker includes “test” and “monitor” modules having access to a data signal received by the traffic checker. The “test” module tests aspects of the communications network with a BER methodology, while the “monitor” module checks and reports on aspects of the data signal such as frame sizes, data rates, and data signal errors. Information obtained by the modules can be timestamped and stored in a log, and may also be uploaded through a communications port. Some information may also be displayed. Additionally, the traffic checker is switchable between the “test” and “monitor” modes and enables a user to select a data rate.

Abstract: A memory including an input register, an input pointer circuit, and an output pointer circuit. The input register is configured to receive and latch-in valid and invalid data via an input pointer and to output the valid data via an output pointer. The input pointer circuit is configured to provide the input pointer based on a continuously running write data strobe clock signal. The output pointer circuit is configured to provide the output pointer based on an external clock signal and to update the output pointer to point to the valid data in the input register based on a write signal.

Abstract: Connections from a client to respective ones of a plurality of application instances that receive data from a shared communication protocol stack are assigned by defining an affinity between the client and a corresponding one of the plurality of application instances. Connection requests received from the client at the shared communication protocol stack are assigned to the corresponding one of the plurality of application instances if an affinity is defined between the client and the corresponding one of the plurality of application instances. Connection requests received from the client at the shared communication protocol stack are distributed to selected ones of the plurality of application instances if an affinity is not defined between the client and the corresponding one of the plurality of application instances.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include encrypting, based least in part upon at least one key, one or more respective portions of input data to generate one or more respective portions of output data to be stored in one or more locations in storage. The method of this embodiment also may include generating, based at least in part upon the one or more respective portions of the output data, check data to be stored in the storage, and/or selecting the one or more locations in the storage so as to permit the one or more respective portions of the output data to be distributed among two or more storage devices comprised in the storage. Many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Abstract: A backup storage system includes a server having a restore operation that is independent from browse, mark and submit operations. A restore engine process is created as part of a restore session initiated by a client for retrieving a list of restorable objects to be displayed to a user via a graphical user interface. The user can browse the list of restorable objects, mark or select objects for restoration and submit the list of mark objects. Multiple restore submissions can be made prior to the user commanding the restore engine process, via a remote procedure call, to execute the submitted restore requests. To support new backup techniques and storage devices, a corresponding library can be added for processing with minimal impact to the overall restore system.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods for processing Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS) events in a computer system. Embodiments comprise processing critical events in a first portion of a Management Interrupt (MI) period. The MI period is chosen to be not greater than a maximum tolerable Operating System (OS) latency period. If time remains in a current MI period after processing critical events, the system then processes non-critical events during the time remaining in the current MI period. If at the end of the current MI period, some non-critical events remain to be processed, a subsequent MI period is scheduled to process the remaining non-critical events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for diagnosing database performance problems using a plurality of wait classes is provided. A set of statistical data that describes current activity within a database system is periodically retrieved. The set of statistical data may include information about the current activity of each user session connected to the database system. Thereafter, a set of cumulative statistical data that describes activity in the database system over a period of time is updated to reflect the retrieved set of statistical data. The set of cumulative statistical data includes statistics associated with each of a plurality of wait classes. A graphical user interface that displays the set of cumulative statistical data may be presented to a user. The graphical user interface allows the user to quickly ascertain the nature of the database performance problems by providing a view of the set of cumulative statistical data.

Abstract: Techniques for generating a system model for use by and availability management framework (AMF) are described. Inputs are received, processed and mapped into outputs which are further processed into a configuration file in an Information Model Management (IMM) Service external Markup Language (XML) format which can be used as a system model by an AMF.

Abstract: A method of protecting a microcomputer system against manipulation of data stored in a memory arrangement of the microcomputer system, in particular a control program stored there. Checking mechanisms are executed at preselectable points in times to check for manipulation of the data. To permit effective blocking of manipulated data stored in the memory arrangement, new data is stored at least partially in a volatile memory, in particular in a random access memory, in reprogramming or new programming of the memory arrangement, the checking mechanisms are executed and the portion of the new data stored in the volatile memory is copied to the memory arrangement if no manipulation of the new data has been detected.

Abstract: Provided is an availability prediction method for a high availability. The method includes calculating a basic survival probability that the other node survives until a failure on one node of two nodes constituting a cluster is fixed, and determining an optimal number of nodes meeting a preset reference availability probability by calculating an availability probability for a predetermined range of the number of nodes on the basis of the basic survival probability. The method determines the number of nodes in the high availability cluster so as to match a reference availability probability, and is able to accomplish an optimal configuration of a cluster by calculating the availability probabilities for combinations between active node and passive nodes and between head nodes and switches.

Abstract: Formulating an integrated disaster recovery (DR) plan based upon a plurality of DR requirements for an application by receiving a first set of inputs identifying one or more entity types for which the plan is to be formulated, such as an enterprise, one or more sites of the enterprise, the application, or a particular data type for the application. At least one data container representing a subset of data for an application is identified. A second set of inputs is received identifying at least one disaster type for which the plan is to be formulated. A third set of inputs is received identifying a DR requirement for the application as a category of DR Quality of Service (QoS) class to be applied to the disaster type. A composition model is generated specifying one or more respective DR QoS parameters as a function of a corresponding set of one or more QoS parameters representative of a replication technology solution. The replication technology solution encompasses a plurality of storage stack levels.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: storage means containing component information on the components constituting a system having a predetermined function; and processing means for calculating a combination of components necessary for constituting a system required for a service according to the component information, calculating risk information as information on the risk that a physical failure affects the service request for the combination of the components and/or fragment information as information on the deflection degree of the use condition of the components, and ranking the selected component combinations according to a predetermined policy, calculated list information and/or the fragment information.

Abstract: A method for capturing the state of a running computer system for the purpose of performing debugging or some other analysis involves registering a user-customized filter function with the computer system's kernel, passing internal objects in the computer system through the filter-function, and capturing only internal objects satisfying the filter function. The filter function filters one or more categories of internal objects in a single serialized pass and is installed into a kernel extension, the kernel extension comprises a module capable of being loaded onto and unloaded from a running computer system, and the kernel is programmed to capture internal objects in the computer system.

Abstract: A method for managing node-specific quorum roles in a cluster of nodes. The method comprises assigning a configuration change of node role attributes to a node in the cluster, with each attribute being represented by a bit of a binary value. The binary value corresponding to the specified node role attributes is converted to an integer value and the integer value is stored in a node record associated with the node. The node record is accessed to isolate each bit of the integer value associated with the node and the node role attributes assigned to the node are identified from each of the isolated bits of the integer value associated with the node. A determination of whether the configuration change can be safely supported by a configuration quorum of nodes required to represent the cluster's configuration accurately is made based on the identified node role attributes.

Abstract: A method for controlling a network device includes a receiving step of receiving a data packet complying with a predetermined protocol via a network, a setting step of setting recovery conditions corresponding to the protocol of the received data packet, and a recovering step of recovering the network device from a power saving condition according to the recovery conditions set in the setting step.

Abstract: When a subject of access of a transaction from an IO device is not any resource allocated to a logical partition to which the device having issued the transaction belongs, a report as an error is sent to a CPU, while the transaction is finished on the IO bus. To prevent a transaction between IO devices from gaining access to any resource in another logical partition, one access permission bit is provided for each combination of all the IO devices, and the access is permitted only when the bit has a predetermined value. A reset signal is provided by IO slot so that only an IO slot allocated to a specific logical partition can be reset without affecting any other logical partition. A transaction issued from an IO device in one logical partition is prevented from gaining access to a resource in another logical partition, while proper error handling can be performed.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which, in one aspect, one or more wholes and parts of wholes are searched in a database, presented to a user, sold and/or distributed.