International Business Machines Corporation

Thomas J Dewkett

Casper A Scalzi

Glen A Brent

Steven A Bade

Helmut H Weber

Nia Letise Kelley

Siegfried Sutter

Charles W Gainey, Jr

Luis Alfonso Lastras-Montano

Kevin Charles Gower

Timothy Jay Dell

Tamas Visegrady

Richard Louis Arndt

James A O'Connor

Richard Victor Kisley

Todd Weston Arnold

Vincenzo Condorelli

Michael D Hocker

Thomas Edward Cook

Michael James Kelly

Elizabeth A Dames

Carsten D Frehr

Eric David Rossman

Eric B Smith

Kenneth B Kerr

William J Clarke

Harry M Yudenfriend

Patrick James Meaney

Naresh Nayar

Robert H Bell, Jr

David Bruce Lindquist

Phil C Yeh

Michael Jay Shapiro

Craig Raymond Walters

Louis Bennie Capps, Jr

William Todd Boyd

Glenn David Gilda

David D Cadigan

Joseph C Elliott

Bernadette Ann Pierson

Luiz Carlos Alves

Camil Fayad

Ronald Edward Newhart

John K Li

Francis E Johnson

Joseph A Williams

Siegfried K H Sutter

James J Antognini

Luis C Alves

Christine R Panner

Kenneth R Veraska

Luiz Alves

James O`CONNOR

A processor implemented method for spreading data traffic across memory controllers with respect to conditions is provided. The processor implemented method includes determining whether the memory controllers are balanced. The processor implemented method includes executing a conditional spreading with respect to the conditions when the memory controllers are determined as unbalanced. The processor implemented method includes executing an equal spreading when the memory controllers are determined as balanced.

Conditional memory spreading for heterogeneous memory sizes

According to one embodiment, a method for implementing computer security is provided. The method includes creating a token and populating a payload section of the token with key material and selecting a wrapping method that specifies how the key material is securely bound to key control information, wherein a structure of the key control information in the token is independent of the wrapping method. The method also includes wrapping the key material and binding key control information to the key material in the token, wherein the key control information includes information relating to usage and management of the key material.

Secure key management

A system for implementing computer security is provided. The system includes a computer processor and an application configured to execute on the computer processor, the application implementing a method that includes creating a token and populating a payload section of the token with key material and selecting a wrapping method that specifies how the key material is securely bound to key control information. A structure of the key control information in the token is independent of the wrapping method. Implementing computer security also includes wrapping the key material and binding key control information to the key material in the token. The key control information includes information relating to usage and management of the key material.

A system and method for error correction and detection in a memory system. The system includes a memory controller, a plurality of memory modules and a mechanism. The memory modules are in communication with the memory controller and with a plurality of memory devices. The mechanism detects that one of the memory modules has failed possibly coincident with a memory device failure on an other of the memory modules. The mechanism allows the memory system to continue to run unimpaired in the presence of the memory module failure and the memory device failure.

System and method for error correction and detection in a memory system

A system and method for providing a high fault tolerant memory system. The system includes a memory system having a memory controller, a plurality of memory modules and a mechanism. The plurality of memory modules are in communication with the memory controller and with a plurality of memory devices. The plurality of memory devices include at least one spare memory device for providing memory device sparing capability. The mechanism is for detecting that one of the memory modules has failed possibly coincident with a memory device failure on an other of the memory modules. The mechanism allows the memory system to continue to run unimpaired in the presence of the memory module failure and the possible memory device failure.

System and method for providing a high fault tolerant memory system

A multiprocessor system which includes automatic workload distribution. As threads execute in the multiprocessor system, an operating system or hypervisor continuously learns the execution characteristics of the threads and saves the information in thread-specific control blocks. The execution characteristics are used to generate thread performance data. As the thread executes, the operating system continuously uses the performance data to steer the thread to a core that will execute the workload most efficiently.

Method for autonomic workload distribution on a multicore processor

Multiple logical partitions are provided in a data processing system. A unique context is generated for each one of the logical partitions. When one of the logical partitions requires access to the hardware TPM, that partition's context is required to be stored in the hardware TPM. The hardware TPM includes a finite number of storage locations, called context slots, for storing contexts. Each context slot can store one partition's context. Each one of the partitions is associated with one of the limited number of context storage slots in the hardware TPM. At least one of the context slots is simultaneously associated with more than one of the logical partitions. Contexts are swapped into and out of the hardware TPM during runtime of the data processing system so that when ones of the partitions require access to the hardware TPM, their required contexts are currently stored in the hardware TPM.

Product for providing a scalable trusted platform module in a hypervisor environment

In a communications channel coupled to multiple duplicated subsystems, a method, interposer and program product are provided for verifying integrity of subsystem responses. Within the communications channel, a first checksum is calculated with receipt of a first response from a first subsystem responsive to a common request, and a second checksum is calculated for a second response of a second subsystem received responsive to the common request. The first checksum and the second checksum are compared, and if matching, only one of the first response and the second response is forwarded from the communications channel as the response to the common request, with the other of the first response and the second response being discarded by the communications channel.

Communications channel interposer, method and program product for verifying integrity of untrusted subsystem responses to a request

In an array of groups of cryptographic processors, the processors in each group operate together but are securely connected through an external shared memory. The processors in each group include cryptographic engines capable of operating in a pipelined fashion. Instructions in the form of request blocks are supplied to the array in a balanced fashion to assure that the processors are occupied processing instructions.

Load balancing for a system of cryptographic processors

A computer implemented method for recovering a partition context in the event of a system or hardware device failure. Upon receiving a command from a partition to modify context data in a trusted platform module (TPM) hardware device, a trusted platform module input/output host partition (TMPIOP) provides an encrypted copy of the context data and the command to the TPM hardware device, which processes the command and updates the context data. If the TPM hardware device successfully processes the command, the TMPIOP receives the updated context data from the TPM hardware device and stores the updated context data received in encrypted form in a context data cache or a non-volatile storage off-board the TPM hardware device. If the TPM hardware device fails to successfully process the command, the TMPIOP uses a last valid copy of the context data to retry processing of the command on a different TPM hardware device.

Protocol for trusted platform module recovery through context checkpointing

Communications channel method for verifying integrity of untrusted subsystem responses to a request

A method is described for implementing a trusted computing environment within a data processing system where the data processing system includes a single hardware trusted platform module (TPM). Multiple logical partitions are provided in the data processing system. A unique context is generated for each one of the logical partitions. When one of the logical partitions requires access to the hardware TPM, that partition's context is required to be stored in the hardware TPM. The hardware TPM includes a finite number of storage locations, called context slots, for storing contexts. Each context slot can store one partition's context. Each one of the partitions is associated with one of the limited number of context storage slots in the hardware TPM. At least one of the context slots is simultaneously associated with more than one of the logical partitions. Contexts are swapped into and out of the hardware TPM during runtime of the data processing system so that when ones of the partitions require access to the hardware TPM, their required contexts are currently stored in the hardware TPM.

Method for providing a scalable trusted platform module in a hypervisor environment

Connects a host computer system (such as a mainframe or host server system) to a large multimedia (MM) distribution network having wide scalability without being limited by bandwidth constraints in the host system or in any multimedia controller for controlling 'on demand' viewing of movies at a large number of set-top-boxes (STBs) with TV sets. Connected to the host system is a network distribution arrangement comprised of a plurality of multimedia (MM) adapters, each MM adapter containing a plurality of MM controllers, each MM controller being connected to a multiplicity of MM pairs, each MM pair being connected to the network for controlling a direct distribution of movies to a large number of STBs. Each MM pair includes a disk adapter and a network adapter connected by a common MM pair bus for transmitting disk data blocks directly to the STBs. The disk adapter controls and receives data from one or more disk devices. The network adapter sends the disk data to the network. In each MM pair, a pair bus connects the network adapter to transmit data from the disk adapter to the network. Data files (movies) are stored on the disks, and any file can be selected by an STB for transmission to the STB. Data blocks are read directly from the disk to the pair bus and then directly through the network to the requesting STB. Any STB may issue interactive commands to control a data file while it is being received.

Scalable interactive multimedia server system for providing on demand

A control process which enables a non-supervisory 'using program' (e.g. application programs) to directly interface one or more shared asynchronous hardware facilities in a computer system. Any using program may request the operating system (OS) to set up a 'special environment' with an AHF during which the using program can directly issue requests to the AHF for its services. The OS sets up a session for the using program having the 'special environment', which specifies restrictions on storage accesses by the AHF for accesses made on behalf of the using program--to insure system data integrity. These restrictions are not changeable by the using program. The 'special environment' exists until the session is ended by the using program or by a terminating condition. The 'special environment' is tailored to be different among the different using program concurrently using the same AHF, so that the 'special environment' of one using program cannot interfere with the 'special environment' of another using program. During a session, work requests for any using program are communicated directly to the AHF from the using program, and completion of any work request is communicated directly by the AHF to the using program without any interruption of the using program or OS involvement.

Interface control process between using programs and shared hardware

Provides load balancing, recovery and reconfiguration control for a data move subsystem comprised of a plurality of interconnected and cooperating data move processors (DMPs). Each DMP processor has an associated queue for receiving queue elements (QEs) from central processing units of a data processing system which specify data move requirements of the data processing system. QEs can be transferred between queues of other DMPs or a common queue to achieve load balancing, recovery and reconfiguration control.

Load balancing, error recovery, and reconfiguration control in a data

Growing community of inventors

Staatsburg, NY, United States of America

Thomas J Dewkett