International Business Machines Corporation

Stephen A Schlachter

Anil Kalavakolanu

Douglas J Griffith

Minh Q Pham

Loulwa F Salem

Thomas A Aaron

Isac Rodrigues Da Silva

Brian W Hart

Liang J Jiang

Angela Astrid Jaehde

Somasundaram Krishnasamy

Minh M Pham

Data in a database cache in memory of an operating database server is copied to memory of a standby database server, without requiring synchronization between the operating server and the standby server. If the operating server fails, the database is recovered to a consistent state in the standby server using a sequential database log and the copied data in the cache of the standby server. Preferably, recovery is performed by reading the log to determine a set of database actions to recover, verifying blocks of data in the standby server's cache, using verified blocks to recover at least some actions, and reading blocks from storage only when a corresponding verified block is not available in the cache.

Managing a redundant computerized database using a replicated database cache

Personal digital assistant devices are provided that query power subsystems to determine a level of battery power currently available for operating processes, and further determine a number of screen display changes that may be effected on a persistent display device at that determined level. If the determined number of screen display changes that may be effected at the determined level of available battery power fails to meet a specified minimum threshold number of images, the processing unit powers down subsystems of the personal digital assistant device and causes a highest listed image of a prioritized list of screen image instances to be displayed on the persistent display device, which persistently displays the image after a loss of power.

Persistent display of priority information on a portable electronic device

In a method for placing a telephone call, a telephone receives a request to call a contact. The telephone retrieves a user preference for obtaining an availability status of the contact. The telephone obtains the availability status of the contact from one of a plurality of sources based at least in part on an order of priority of the sources defined by the user preference. The sources include a social network program. The telephone displays the status of the contact. The telephone prompts for a decision whether to place the call to the contact.

Determining an availability status of a contact being called

Embodiments comprise a plurality of computing devices that dynamically intercept process application I/O errors. Various embodiments comprise two or more computing devices, such as two or more servers, each having access to a shared data storage system. An application may be executing on the first computing device and performing an I/O operation when an I/O error occurs. The first computing device may intercept the I/O error, rather than passing it back to the application, and prevent the error from affecting the application. The first computing device may complete the I/O operation, and any other pending I/O operations not written to disk, via an alternate path, perform a checkpoint operation to capture the state of the set of processes associated with the application, and transfer the checkpoint image to the second computing device. The second computing device may resume operation of the application from the checkpoint image.

Obviation of recovery of data store consistency for application I/O errors

In a method for placing a telephone call, a first telephone receives a request to call a second telephone. The first telephone retrieves a user preference for obtaining location information of the second telephone or of a user of the second telephone. The first telephone obtains the location information from one of a plurality of sources based at least in part on an order of priority of the sources defined by the user preference. The plurality of sources include a social network program. The first telephone determines a local time in a geographical location identified from the location information. The first telephone displays the local time. The first telephone prompts for a decision whether to place the call to the second telephone.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Stephen A Schlachter