A network QoS management architecture for virtualization environments

Network quality of service (QoS) and its management are concerned with providing, guaranteeing and reporting properties of data flows within computer networks. For the past two decades, virtualization has been becoming a very popular tool in data centres, yet, without network QoS management capabilities. With virtualization, the management focus shifts from physical components and topologies, towards virtual infrastructures (VI) and their purposes. VIs are designed and managed as independent isolated entities. Without network QoS management capabilities, VIs cannot offer the same services and service levels as physical infrastructures can, leaving VIs at a disadvantage with respect to applicability and efficiency. This thesis closes this gap and develops a management architecture, enabling network QoS management in virtulization environments. First, requirements are dervied, based on real world scenarios, yielding a validation reference for the proposed architecture. After that, a life cycle for VIs and a taxonomy for network links and virtual components are introduced, to arrange the network QoS management task with the general management of virtualization environments and enabling the creation of technology specific adaptors for integrating the technologies and sub-services used in virtualization environments. The core aspect, shaping the proposed management architecture, is a management loop and its corresponding strategy for identifying and ordering sub-tasks. Finally, a prototypical implementation showcases that the presented management approach is suited for network QoS management and enforcement in virtualization environments. The architecture fulfils its purpose, fulfilling all identified requirements. Ultimately, network QoS management is one amongst many aspects to management in virtualization environments and the herin presented architecture shows interfaces to other management areas, where integration is left as future work.Verwaltungsaufgaben für Netzdienstgüte umfassen das Bereitstellen, Sichern und Berichten von Flusseigenschaften in Rechnernetzen. Während der letzen zwei Jahrzehnte entwickelte sich Virtualisierung zu einer Schlüsseltechnologie für Rechenzentren, bisher ohne Möglichkeiten zum Verwalten der Netzdienstgüte. Der Einsatz von Virtualisierung verschiebt den Fokus beim Betrieb von Rechenzentren weg von physischen Komponenten und Netzen, hin zu virtuellen Infrastrukturen (VI) und ihren Einsatzzwecken. VIs werden als unabhängige, voneinander isolierte Einheiten entwickelt und verwaltet. Ohne Netzdienstgüte, sind VIs nicht so vielseitig und effizient einsetzbar wie physische Aufbauten. Diese Arbeit schließt diese Lücke mit der Entwicklung einer Managementarchitektur zur Verwaltung der Netzdienstgüte in Virtualisierungsumgebungen. Zunächst werden Anforderungen aus realen Szenarios abgeleitet, mit denen Architekturen bewertet werden können. Zur Abgrenzung der speziellen Aufgabe Netzdienstgüteverwaltung innerhalb des allgemeinen Managementproblems, wird anschließend ein Lebenszyklusmodell für VIs vorgestellt. Die Entwicklung einer Taxonomie für Kopplungen und Komponenten ermöglicht technologiespezifische Adaptoren zur Integration von in Virtualisierungsumgebungen eingesetzten Technologien. Kerngedanke hinter der entwickelten Architektur ist eine Rückkopplungsschleife und ihre einhergehende Methode zur Strukturierung und Anordnung von Teilproblemen. Abschließend zeigt eine prototypische Implementierung, dass dieser Ansatz für Verwaltung und Durchsetzung von Netzdienstgüte in Virtualisierungsumgebungen geeignet ist. Die Architektur kann ihren Zweck sowie die gestellten Anforderungen erfüllen. Schlussendlich ist Netzdienstgüte ein Bereich von vielen beim Betrieb von Virtualisierungsumgebungen. Die Architektur zeigt Schnittstellen zu anderen Bereichen auf, deren Integration zukünftigen Arbeiten überlassen bleibt

Using Determination as a Contextual Drive for the Actions of ISIS and Their Enslaved Yazidi Women

This paper addresses the 2014 Yazidi Genocide and focuses on the religious and psychological manifestations of the beliefs and circumstances upheld by ISIS captors and their captive Yazidi women, conversely. In 2014, ISIS slaughtered and enslaved a religious minority in Iraq, the Yazidi people. While the Yazidi men were slaughtered throughout various locations of the Sinjar region, their women, especially beautiful youths retaining virgin status, were shipped to slave markets, and sold. In captivity, each woman’s experiences highlighted stark truths about their captor’s religious fervor and sexual desires amidst their own willpower to escape. This paper argues that, though divergent in worldviews and religion, ISIS personnel shared a state of determination with their captured, Yazidi women. This topic showcases the brutality of the 2014 Yazidi Genocide and explores how ISIS personnel drew on subjective religious beliefs of virginity and marriage during their interactions with Yazidi women, determined to uphold such values and wants. Conversely, this paper also contends that the Yazidi women’s air of determination was illuminated through their circumstances, translating into escape attempts, suicide, purposeful physical deformity, secret documentation of their torture, and military involvement after escape. The author’s main research question is as follows: How did the various groups involved in the Yazidi Genocide, ISIS male fighter, ISIS women, and Yazidi women, exhibit an air of determination in their actions? The author’s main research method centered on locating, interpreting, and understanding both primary and secondary sources, with a heavy focus on grasping the religious background of ISIS, coupled with decerning the Yazidi women’s experiences in captivity. Examined sources include numerous enlightening testimonials from survivors, as well as the Quran, news articles, academic journals, and pertinent websites

CSR activities in the Czech SME segment

The aim of the study is to find out the perception of the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by the segment of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic. In connection with the objectives of the study, a questionnaire survey was carried out on a sample of 419 respondents – business owners and managers. The data were collected from September 2019 to January 2020. χ2 and Z-score were used to assess the hypotheses. It was found that there were statistical differences in the perception of some aspects of the positive impact of the introduction of the CSR concept in case of monitoring responses based on the geographic scope of the business. The results showed that although the manager should take into account the ethical and moral implications of his decisions, less than half of the respondents are familiar with the concept of CSR and enforce it in their management practice and ultimately managers cannot identify positive benefits from CSR implementation – it declares positive answers whose values oscillate around 30%. The findings show that there are no statistically significant differences in the answers of managers depending on the size of the company - this proves that micro, small and medium enterprises, respectively their managers do not differ in their attitudes to the topic of CSR. The final effect of the paper is to show the perception of the concept of CSR of entrepreneurs - respondents in the Czech Republic

Climate & Chemistry- An Introductory Course for First Year Students

Students will be able to: • explain multiple approaches that respond to problems in chemistry • implement effective search strategies and evaluate sources of chemical information for relevance and authority. • explain and analyze scientific evidence. • form logical conclusions from the chemical information presented. • understand the chemical properties of atoms, molecules, ions and gases. • understand the chemical principles of stoichiometry, reactions in solutions, thermochemistry, atomic structure, periodicity and bonding. • construct strategies to solve problems with integrated concepts and evaluate solution

Building Transformative Leaders in STEM Education

Representatives from Georgia College will use their experiences as members of the Innovative Course-building Group, a structured collaboration across departments and disciplines, to stimulate a discussion with attendees about building strong faculty leaders capable of making the important structural changes needed to address curriculum issues in the STEM fields. Our goal is that you will leave this roundtable with an action plan for engaging STEM faculty at your institution

A SHORT-TERM LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF ENERGY FIELDS IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN

The purpose of this longitudinal observacional study of infant's and children's energy fields was ro explore the nature and development of the human energy field (HEF) during infancy and early childhood. Previous studies of the liEF have focused primarily on adults, with only inferences on the field during early development. Only one study has actually measured liEF during childhood. Therefore, the intention of this study was ro develop an approach ro observation with quantitative and qualitative analysis using repeated observations of subjects over a twOyear period. Initially, the sample (N ~ 19) consisted of three age groups of approximately 6, 30, and 54-month-old children. During the third wave of data, seven more infants were added to the sample ro increase confidence in findings across ages. In the first explorarory study, coding was devised to help extrapolate information, which might lead to a different understanding of developing human energy fields in children. Literature was reviewed of the liEF of adults combined with traditional observational methods used for studying children ro develop this research. Observations were conducted of liEF using three independent coders, a systematic coding form, and video documentation. The observations were conducted approximately one year apart. The first observation primarily was conducted live, and the second and third observations were taken from videotape of the children. For each observation, three observers independently completed the coding form, with the same observers completing forms for the second and third wave of data. These results are based in all three waves where there was agreement between at least two of the three observers. Using all three waves, the coding was entered inro the computer to conduct some basic quantitative comparisons in addition ro the qualitative analysis. Consistently, density of [he field and width of the field were inversely related ro the amount of light or translucency in the field. In addition, it was found that density was strongly correlated to the amount of energy in the field and the velocity, as was the width of the field. Shapes also were correlated wi th other shapes observed in the field, but only the ring and overall quality of the field were correlated with age. These findings are discussed in terms of other work on children and future work needed in this area

INCORPORATING HUMAN ENERGY FIELDS INTO FAMILY RESEARCH AND THERAPY

The study of family interactions has a long tradition from different disciplines and methodologies, but one area ignored is the investigation of human energy fields (HEFs). While the concept has been around for centuries, only recently has it been utilized in Western contemporary practice. Combining emotional expression, family processes, and HEF perspectives, this study was developed to investigate the relationship between emotional expression and HEF interactions in relation to reported closeness between parents and adolescents. The methodology was designed to analyze self-report and observational data on 56 dyads and triads within two-parent families with a high school adolescent. The data were analyzed in terms of simple correlations and a step-wise regression. The findings are discussed along with implications for further research and therapy with adolescents and families

Fallabschluss in der Sozialhilfe : nachhaltige Gestaltung eines Fallabschlusses in der Sozialhilfe aufgrund beruflicher Integration

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, wie Sozialdienste Fallabschlussprozesse gestalten können, damit betroffene Personen in der Lage sind, ihren Lebensunterhalt langfristig finanziell selbständig zu bestreiten. Die Fragestellung wird anhand eines qualitativen Forschungsvorgehens bearbeitet. Es wird eine Dokumentenanalyse durchgeführt mit bereits vorhandenen Dokumenten aus verschiedenen Sozialdiensten zum Thema Fallabschluss. Weitere Daten zur Bearbeitung der Fragestellung werden mittels Expert*innen-Interviews erhoben. Als Interviewpartner*innen fungieren Sozialarbeitende, welche Fallabschlüsse durchführen sowie Personen, welche sich von der Sozialhilfe ablösen konnten. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden zudem relevante Bezüge aus Studien und der Literatur vorgestellt. Dabei werden die Themen Fallabschluss in der Sozialhilfe und berufliche Integration beleuchtet. Eine Ablösung von der Sozialhilfe in die finanzielle Selbständigkeit stellt für die betroffenen Personen einen Übergang dar. Der Forschungsstand wird deshalb mit der Theorie zu Transitionen sowie einem dazugehörigen Modell ergänzt. Aus den Ergebnissen lässt sich schliessen, dass ein Fallabschluss ein aufwendiger Prozess ist, der für alle Beteiligten vielschichtig und komplex ist. Zentrale Erkenntnisse sind, dass der Fallabschluss auf Ebene der Klient*innen in methodischer Hinsicht Verbesserungspotential aufweist. Das Transitionsmodell bietet eine geeignete Struktur, um den Fallabschluss auf Ebene der Klient*innen methodisch zu gestalten