The server device according to the invention includes: a storage unit that associates and stores multiple first characteristic data sets for each user and associates and stores second characteristic data for each group to which the multiple first characteristic data sets belong; a different-user-selecting unit that selects a different user when a predetermined event occurs while a game is being played; a group formation-assessing unit that determines whether or not all of the first characteristic data sets belonging to a group are included in the first characteristic data sets associated with the user and the different user; and an action-executing unit that executes predetermined actions using, in addition to the first characteristic data sets associated with the user and the different user, the second characteristic data associated with the group for which it has been determined that all of the pertinent first characteristic data sets are included.

A system can a divide database into a group of shards distributed among a group of data centers, wherein the group of shards comprises respective leader replicas. The system can determine respective correlation values between pairs of shards of the group of shards. The system can examine the pairs of shards in a descending order of respective correlation values, comprising, in response to determining that a respective pair of shards of the pairs of shards has a first correlation value greater than a predetermined threshold value, and that at least one shard of the respective pair of shards is unlocked, reassigning leader replicas of the respective pair of shards to be stored in a same data center of the group of data centers, and locking the leader replicas of the respective pair of shards from being reassigned to another data center of the group of data centers during the examining.

Various systems and methods are provided for implementing a software defined industrial system. In an example, self-descriptive control applications and software modules are provided in the context of orchestratable distributed systems. The self-descriptive control applications may be executed by an orchestrator or like control device, configured to: identify available software modules adapted to perform functional operations in a control system environment; identify operational characteristics that identify characteristics of execution of the available software modules that are available to implement a control system application; select a software module for execution based on the operational configuration and the operational characteristics identified in the manifest; and cause the execution of the selected software module in the control system environment based on an application specification for the control system application.

The concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to a network-assisted Raft consensus protocol, referred to herein as “NetRaft.” According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a system can include a plurality of servers operating in a server cluster, and a plurality of P4 switches corresponding to the plurality of servers. Each server of the plurality of servers can include a back-end that executes a complete Raft algorithm to perform leader election, log replication, and log commitment of a Raft consensus algorithm. Each P4 switch of the plurality of P4 switches can include a front-end that executes a partial Raft algorithm to perform the log replication and the log commitment of the Raft consensus algorithm. The back-end can maintain a complete state for responding to requests that cannot be fulfilled by the front-end. The requests can include read requests and/or write requests.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor to execute the machine-readable instructions to at least establish a direct media network as a Group Owner after performance of a negotiation process with a streaming client device. The at least one processor is to add a client device to the direct media network based on a beacon response from the streaming client device and, after metadata is extracted from first media at the apparatus, cause transmission of the first media to a media presentation device via the direct media network, the metadata representative of an identification of the media, and cause transmission of a message including the identification of the media to a server via a network to credit the media as having been accessed based on the identification.

Managing containerized workloads, such as by Kubernetes, provides a robust and expandable platform. Kubernetes high-availability (HA) mode provides additional safeguards against failure that allows services to be maintained without interruption in the event of a partial system or network failure. However, Kubernetes requires an odd number of master nodes (e.g., three) in order to be able have a quorum and maintain certain operations (e.g., election of a leader). In the event a master node loses functionality, the remaining master nodes are unable to have a quorum. System and methods are provided to convert a worker-only node into a master node in order to reestablish a quorum. Once functionality is restored, the converted master is reverted back to a worker-only node and the restored master, and remaining masters, maintain the quorum.

A medical imaging apparatus with a medical scanner unit and at least one display is described, as well as a method for actuating at least one display of a medical imaging apparatus. The techniques disclosed are based on a medical imaging apparatus with a medical scanner unit, a computing unit which is connected to a master unit, and at least one display. The at least one display may include a slave unit, and the master unit may be connected to the slave unit by means of a data connection.

Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting data. An example method includes creating an outer cluster on one or more host machines coupled to a network. The outer cluster includes a plurality of outer nodes. The method also includes creating an enclave cluster on the outer cluster. The enclave cluster includes a plurality of inner nodes, and each inner node of the plurality of inner nodes executes within an enclave of the one or more host machines. The method further includes exposing an application programming interface (API) to the outer cluster, where invocation of the API causes at least one inner node of the enclave cluster to perform an operation on data. The method also includes performing, by an inner node of the enclave cluster, the operation on the data in response to invocation of the API by an outer node of the outer cluster.

The present disclosure describes a system and method for efficient, coordinated, distributed execution. Processes are registered into a process registry which includes a table or list of processes. Processes which are determined to be no longer running are removed from the registry. Each process is configured to send a broadcast when it starts or stops. Each process periodically reads the registry, sorts the list, and uses it to determine the current master process based on an algorithm.

The server device includes: a storage unit that associates and stores multiple first characteristic data sets for each user and associates and stores second characteristic data for each group to which the multiple first characteristic data sets belong; a different-user-selecting unit that selects a different user when a predetermined event occurs while a game is being played; a group formation-assessing unit that determines whether or not all of the first characteristic data sets belonging to a group are included in the first characteristic data sets associated with the user and the different user; and an action-executing unit that executes predetermined actions using, in addition to the first characteristic data sets associated with the user and the different user, the second characteristic data associated with the group for which it has been determined that all of the pertinent first characteristic data sets are included.