Showing papers on "Shared resource published in 2008"

Network service for the detection, analysis and quarantine of malicious and unwanted files

Abstract: A system is provided for detecting, analyzing and quarantining unwanted files in a network environment. A host agent residing on a computing device in the network environment detects a new file introduced to the computing device and sends the new file to a network service for analysis. The network service is accessible to computing devices in the network environment. An architecture for the network service may include: a request dispatcher configured to receive a candidate file for inspection from a given computing device in the network environment and distribute the candidate file to one or more of a plurality of detection engines, where the detection engines operate in parallel to analyze the candidate file and output a report regarding the candidate file; and a result aggregator configured to receive reports from each of the detection engines regarding the candidate file and aggregates the reports in accordance with an aggregation algorithm.

Automatic virtual machine configuration for database workloads

Abstract: Virtual machine monitors are becoming popular tools for the deployment of database management systems and other enterprise software. In this article, we consider a common resource consolidation scenario in which several database management system instances, each running in a separate virtual machine, are sharing a common pool of physical computing resources. We address the problem of optimizing the performance of these database management systems by controlling the configurations of the virtual machines in which they run. These virtual machine configurations determine how the shared physical resources will be allocated to the different database system instances. We introduce a virtualization design advisor that uses information about the anticipated workloads of each of the database systems to recommend workload-specific configurations offline. Furthermore, runtime information collected after the deployment of the recommended configurations can be used to refine the recommendation and to handle changes in the workload. To estimate the effect of a particular resource allocation on workload performance, we use the query optimizer in a new what-if mode. We have implemented our approach using both PostgreSQL and DB2, and we have experimentally evaluated its effectiveness using DSS and OLTP workloads.

Speech recognition system for electronic switches in a non-wireline communications network

Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system. The speaker-independent recognition subsystem allows the user to interact with the system employing non-user specific functions. User specific functions are controlled with the speaker-dependent recognition subsystem. User specific attributes collected by the recognition subsystems are stored in the data storage subsystem.

Relay server and relay communication system

Abstract: A relay communication system includes a relay server R that can communicate with a relay server R in another LAN through an external server S in a WAN. The relay server R stores account information of terminals T in the LAN, relay group information 100 on a group of relay servers R, and shared resource information 120 including a resource and accounts of the terminals T sharing the resource. The relay group information 100 and the shared resource information 120 include status information 107 and 127 indicating a status of the relay server R. The relay server R periodically performs an operation check to automatically update the status information 107 and 127.

Toward a Usage-Based Security Framework for Collaborative Computing Systems

Abstract: Collaborative systems such as Grids provide efficient and scalable access to distributed computing capabilities and enable seamless resource sharing between users and platforms. This heterogeneous distribution of resources and the various modes of collaborations that exist between users, virtual organizations, and resource providers require scalable, flexible, and fine-grained access control to protect both individual and shared computing resources. In this article we propose a usage control (UCON) based security framework for collaborative applications, by following a layered approach with policy, enforcement, and implementation models, called the PEI framework. In the policy model layer, UCON policies are specified with predicates on subject and object attributes, along with system attributes as conditional constraints and user actions as obligations. General attributes include not only persistent attributes such as role and group memberships but also mutable usage attributes of subjects and objects. Conditions in UCON can be used to support context-based authorizations in ad hoc collaborations. In the enforcement model layer, our novel framework uses a hybrid approach for subject attribute acquisition with both push and pull modes. By leveraging attribute propagations between a centralized attribute repository and distributed policy decision points, our architecture supports decision continuity and attribute mutability of the UCON policy model, as well as obligation evaluations during policy enforcement. As a proof-of-concept, we implement a prototype system based on our proposed architecture and conduct experimental studies to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of our approach.

Resource sharing via close-proximity wireless communication

Abstract: A system for sharing information between users and/or devices via close-proximity wireless communication. Devices located in close-proximity may be configured to transmit/receive wireless messages including information used to configure at least one of the devices. The configuration information may include, for example, information needed to add another user and/or device to a network group residing on the device receiving the configuration information. The configuration information may also serve other purposes, for example, to grant access to a resource located remotely to the device receiving the configuration information so that this wireless-enabled apparatus may remotely access and/or control the remote resource.

Peer-to-peer host station

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for allowing the sharing of one or more system resources between multiple devices. In one embodiment, a requesting device transmits a resource access request to a target device using a near-field communication (NFC) protocol. The target device responds by using the NFC connection to return a listing of resources available for sharing to the requesting device. The requesting device may select one or more of the available resources and establish an appropriate connection to access the selected resource or resources. In one embodiment, the requesting device may lack external network connectivity capabilities while the target device includes wi-fi connectivity as a shared resource. Accordingly, the requesting device may access external network of the target device via the target as a conduit.

The MILS component integration approach to secure information sharing

Abstract: To achieve the vision of information superiority, secure and timely sharing of information is needed between geographically separated platforms and users. However, often the producers and consumers of the information, as well as the information itself are separated in different security domains. A COTS marketplace of composable, high assurance components would not only make the vision of cross-domain information sharing achievable, but could also help to make it much more affordable than is currently possible. As part of the Multiple Independent Levels of Security/Safety initiative, AFRL's multi-year High Assurance Middleware for Embedded Systems (HAMES) program is conducting research in integrating trusted components in such a way that the security properties of the system can be predicted. MILS is characterized by a two-level approach to secure system design. At the policy level, a decomposition to a virtual architecture is performed while identifying the trusted components, the local policies and the communications channels. This is done in a way that minimizes complexity of trusted components and their policies. At the resource sharing level, implementation of components is considered, which includes the allocation of components to shared physical resources. MILS provides an implementation technology that enables virtual components of various types, and their intercommunication channels, to share physical resources without compromising the integrity of the policy level. Security is seldom identified with a single, simple policy; the two-level approach of MILS was introduced as a rational way to organize the multiple cooperating components and sub-policies that realize a complete secure system. A MILS system needs to provide assurance that this design and implementation strategy and, in particular, the separate sub-policies of its components and the resource-sharing properties of its physical subsystems, compose to guarantee the security policy required of the overall system. This paper will describe the progress made so far in our research and some of the remaining challenges.

Constraint-based domain name system

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing dynamic DNS host services in regard to resolving a text-descriptive resource names of a network request into network addresses is presented. A network request corresponding to a network resource on the computer network is obtained. The network request comprises a text-descriptive resource name corresponding to the network resource. Resource criteria are also obtained. The resource criteria direct how to resolve the resource name of the network resource to a network address. A network address corresponding to the resource name is then selected according to the obtained resource criteria. Thereafter, the selected network address is returned in response to the network request.

Dynamic resource sharing among multiple wireless devices

Abstract: A system and method that enables two or more hosts so that they can share a resource, such as a display. Client allocates a portion of the resource to each of the eligible hosts. This allocated size is negotiable among host(s) and the client. Client may request the hosts to scale down/up resource utilization based on the allocated portion of the resource being shared. This helps keep the client implementation simple. In this case, client maintains the allocation vector for each host. This allocation vector is used to keep track of the resource sharing. While this is a preferred approach, it is possible that “intelligent” client may actually modify resource utilization for a given host based on the negotiated allocation.

MyNet: A Platform for Secure P2P Personal and Social Networking Services

Abstract: Recent advances in peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies will enable users to establish ubiquitous connectivity among their personal networked devices and those of others. Building on top of such technologies, we propose a platform of middleware and user interaction tools, called MyNet, that allows everyday users to easily and securely access and share with others their devices, services, and content, without requiring expertise or centralized service support. MyNet offers a more immediate and responsive alternative to the current Web-based paradigm of personal and social networking, because it allows users' distributed services and content to be accessed and shared in real-time as they are produced, directly from their personal devices. In this paper, we describe the MyNet system architecture, including secure resource discovery, service management, security framework, and the user interaction tools for building personal and social networks and sharing resources over them. We also present our proof-of-concept implementation, including mobile devices and our tests with real users.

Digital globe antetype system

Abstract: The invention relates to the technical field of digital earth, in particular to a digital earth prototype system comprising a data receiving and fast processing sub-system, a metadata service sub-system, a model base sub-system, a space information database sub-system, a mesh calculation sub-system, a map application service sub-system and a virtual reality sub-system. With the adoption of the invention, it is able to construct a data resource sharing platform, a knowledge sharing platform, a computation resource sharing platform and a coordinated operation platform of the digital earth prototype system. Besides, with the establishment of the prototype system, the invention resolves relevant key technologies for the construction of a technology service platform for the application of space data and forms a service system for the application of space information in earth technology.

Cooperative resource allocation games in shared networks: symmetric and asymmetric fair bargaining models

Abstract: The high cost associated with the rollout of 3G services encourages operators to share network infrastructure. Network sharing poses a new challenge in devising fair and Pareto optimal resource allocation strategies to distribute system resources among users and operators in the network. Cooperative game theory provides a framework for formulating such strategies. In this paper, we propose two models (i.e. symmetric and asymmetric) for cooperative resource bargaining among the users and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) of each operator in shared networks based on the concept of preference functions. The bargaining solutions proposed vary according to a parameter beta that considers the tradeoff between one's gain and the losses of others. The well-known Nash and Raiffa- Kalai-Smorodinsky solutions are special instances of the solutions proposed. The symmetric model assumes that all players have equal bargaining powers while in the asymmetric case, players are allowed to submit bids to the network operator to influence the final bargaining outcome. Due to the diversity of demand patterns, temporary resource exchange among operators can provide benefits in terms of better communication quality to their users. To avoid selfish behaviour of the operators, we propose a resource sharing model that allocates extra resources based on the past allocations and contributions of each operator.

Availability Modeling and Cost Optimization for the Grid Resource Management System

Abstract: Grid computing is a recently developed technique for complex systems with large-scale resource sharing, wide-area communication, and multi-institutional collaboration. Although the development tools and techniques for the grid have been extensively investigated, the availability of the grid resource management system (RMS) has not been comprehensively studied. In order to contribute to this lacking but important field, this paper first models the grid RMS availability by considering both the failures of resource management (RM) servers and the length limitation of request queues. A hierarchical Markov reward model is implemented to evaluate the grid RMS availability. Based on the availability model, an optimization problem for designing the grid RMS is studied in order to minimize the cost by determining the best number of RM servers. Then, the sensitivity analysis is conducted, and a dynamic switching scheduling method is further presented based on the sensitivity analysis.

Multithreaded Processor with Lock Indicator

Abstract: Systems and methods including a multithreaded processor with a lock indicator are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system includes means for indicating a lock status of a shared resource in a multithreaded processor. The system includes means for automatically locking the shared resource before processing exception handling instructions associated with the shared resource. The system further includes means for unlocking the shared resource.

Supporting Distributed Application Workflows in Heterogeneous Computing Environments

Abstract: Next-generation computation-intensive applications in various fields of science and engineering feature large-scale computing workflows with complex structures that are often modeled as directed acyclic graphs. Supporting such task graphs and optimizing their end-to-end network performances in heterogeneous computing environments are critical to the success of these distributed applications that require fast response. We construct analytical models for computing modules, network nodes, and communication links to estimate data processing and transport overhead, and formulate the task graph mapping with node reuse and resource sharing for minimum end-to-end delay as an NP-complete optimization problem. We propose a heuristic approach to this problem that recursively computes and maps the critical path to the network using a dynamic programming-based procedure. The performance superiority of the proposed approach is justified by an extensive set of experiments on simulated data sets in comparison with existing methods.

Self-organizing peer-to-peer social networks

Abstract: Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems provide a new solution to distributed information and resource sharing because of its outstanding properties in decentralization, dynamics, flexibility, autonomy, and cooperation, summarized as DDFAC in this paper. After a detailed analysis of the current P2P literature, this paper suggests to better exploit peer social relationships and peer autonomy to achieve efficient P2P structure design. Accordingly, this paper proposes Self-organizing peer-to-peer social networks (SoPPSoNs) to self-organize distributed peers in a decentralized way, in which neuron-like agents following extended Hebbian rules found in the brain activity represent peers to discover useful peer connections. The self-organized networks capture social associations of peers in resource sharing, and hence are called P2P social networks. SoPPSoNs have improved search speed and success rate as peer social networks are correctly formed. This has been verified through tests on real data collected from the Gnutella system. Analysis on the Gnutella data has verified that social associations of peers in reality are directed, asymmetric and weighted, validating the design of SoPPSoN. The tests presented in this paper have also evaluated the scalability of SoPPSoN, its performance under varied initial network connectivity and the effects of different learning rules.

Centralized versus Distributed Schedulers for Bag-of-Tasks Applications

Abstract: Multiple applications that execute concurrently on heterogeneous platforms compete for CPU and network resources. In this paper, we consider the problem of scheduling applications to ensure fair and efficient execution on a distributed network of processors. We limit our study to the case where communication is restricted to a tree embedded in the network, and the applications consist of a large number of independent tasks (Bags of Tasks) that originate at the tree's root. The tasks of a given application all have the same computation and communication requirements, but these requirements can vary for different applications. The goal of scheduling is to maximize the throughput of each application while ensuring a fair sharing of resources between applications. We can find the optimal asymptotic rates by solving a linear programming problem that expresses all necessary problem constraints, and we show how to construct a periodic schedule from any linear program solution. For single-level trees, the solution is characterized by processing tasks with larger communication-to-computation ratios at children with larger bandwidths. For multilevel trees, this approach requires global knowledge of all application and platform parameters. For large-scale platforms, such global coordination by a centralized scheduler may be unrealistic. Thus, we also investigate decentralized schedulers that use only local information at each participating resource. We assess their performance via simulation and compare to an optimal centralized solution obtained via linear programming. The best of our decentralized heuristics achieves the same performance on about 2/3 of our test cases but is far worse in a few cases. Although our results are based on simple assumptions and do not explore all parameters (such as the maximum number of tasks that can be held on a node), they provide insight into the important question of fairly and optimally scheduling heterogeneous applications on heterogeneous grids.

Symbiotic Networks: Towards a New Level of Cooperation Between Wireless Networks

Abstract: In the future, many wireless networks, serving diverse applications, will co-exist in the same environment. Today, wireless networks are mostly optimized in a rather opportunistic and/or selfish way: optimizations methods only use a local view of the network and environment, as they try to achieve the best performance within its own network. The optimizations are very often limited to a single layer and cooperation between networks is only happening through the use of gateways. In this paper, we suggest an alternative paradigm for supporting cooperation between otherwise independent networks, called `symbiotic networking'. This new paradigm can take many forms, such as sharing of network resources, sharing of nodes for communal routing purposes and sharing of (networking) services. Instead of optimizing network parameters within the individual networks, symbiotic networking solutions operate across network boundaries. Parameters are optimized between the networks and communal protocols are developed, leading to a more global optimization of the scarce network resources. In this paper, we describe several scenarios which can profit from symbiotic networking and illustrate a strategy for supporting networking protocols which can operate across network boundaries. Ultimately, through the disappearance of network boundaries and the introduction of cross-layer/cross-node/cross-network cooperation, symbiotic networks takes the notion of cooperation to a new level, paving the way for a true network symbiosis.

System and method for shared resource owner based access control

Abstract: Method and system for controlling application access to a shared resource in a runtime environment. The shared resource is owned by a remote resource owner. An access control ticket including a permission for the shared resource, a cryptographically verifiable remote resource owner identifier and a cryptographically verifiable application owner identifier are generated. The access control ticket is approved and signed by the remote resource owner, and transmitted to the runtime environment. The application, when executed in the runtime environment, accesses the resource based on the permission.

Modeling Resource Sharing Dynamics of VoIP Users over a WLAN Using a Game-Theoretic Approach

Abstract: We consider a scenario in which users share an access point and are mainly interested in VoIP applications. Each user is allowed to adapt to varying network conditions by choosing the transmission rate at which VoIP traffic is received. We denote this adaptation process by end-user congestion control, our object of study. The two questions that we ask are: (1) what are the performance consequences of letting the users to freely choose their rates? and (2) how to explain the adaptation process of the users? We set a controlled lab experiment having students as subject to answer the first question, and we extend an evolutionary game-theoretic model to address the second. Our partial answers are the following: (1) free users with local information can reach an equilibrium which is close to optimal from the system perspective. However, the equilibrium can be unfair; (2) the adaptation of the users can be explained using a game theoretic model. We propose a methodology to parameterize the latter, which involves active network measurements, simulations and an artificial neural network to estimate the QoS perceived by the users in each of the states of the model.

On Localized Application-Driven Topology Control for Energy-Efficient Wireless Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

Abstract: Wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing is widely envisioned as one of the major applications of ad hoc networks in the near future. This trend is largely motivated by the recent advances in high-speed wireless communication technologies and high traffic demand for P2P file sharing applications. To achieve the ambitious goal of realizing a practical wireless P2P network, we need a scalable topology control protocol to solve the neighbor discovery problem and network organization problem. Indeed, we believe that the topology control mechanism should be application driven in that we should try to achieve an efficient connectivity among mobile devices in order to better serve the file sharing application. We propose a new protocol, which consists of two components, namely, adjacency set construction (ASC) and community-based asynchronous wakeup (CAW). Our proposed protocol is shown to be able to enhance the fairness and provide an incentive mechanism in wireless P2P file sharing applications. It is also capable of increasing the energy efficiency.

Data backup for a mobile computing device

Abstract: A system and method of backing up a data file from a mobile computing device is disclosed. The method can include receiving a data file from the mobile computing device at a server computer and storing the data file on a storage device. The method can include receiving data indicative of changes made to the data file on the mobile computing device. The method can further include changing the data file stored on the storage device based on the data indicative of changes made to the data file on the mobile computing device.

Adaptive rate control in a communications system

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a bit-rate of a session in a packet-switched communications system where multiple sessions are set-up via a shared resource. A current bit-rate of the session is compared to a bit-rate range valid for the session to determine a distance from the position of the current bit-rate to one of the end-points of the bit-rate range. The current bit-rate is then adapted differently depending on the distance to the selected end-point. By controlling the bit-rate of each session that is set-up via the shared resource for applications that provide delay-sensitive services to users in this way the method and corresponding system and sender- receiver arrangements have the effect that rate adaptations can be distributed among the applications so that users share responsibility for rate adaptations.

Shared-Resource Time Partitioning in a Multi-Core System

Abstract: An improvement to computing systems is introduced that allows a hardware controller to be configured to time partition a shared system resource among multiple processing elements, according to one embodiment. For example, a memory controller may partition shared memory and may include processor-accessible registers for configuring and storing a rate of resource budget replenishment (e.g. size of a repeating arbitration window), a time budget allocated among each entity that shares the resource, and a selection of a hard or soft partitioning policy (i.e. whether to utilize slack bandwidth). An additional feature that may be incorporated in a main-memory-access time-partitioning application is an accounting policy to ensure that cache write-backs prompted by snoop transactions are charged to the data requester rather than to the responder. Additionally, an arbiter may prioritize requests from particular requesting entities.