Abstract: In a partitioned database system that includes multiple logical partitions, query performance is estimated with a current allocation of resources. A determination is made whether additional resources are available or whether resources could be reallocated from one logical partition to a different logical partition. Query performance is then estimated again with a proposed reallocation of resources. This process continues iteratively until an allocation of resources is determined that will enhance the performance of the query. A resource allocation mechanism then initiates the reallocation of resources. In this manner, resources in logical partitions may be dynamically and autonomically reallocated to improve the performance of a query to a partitioned database.

Abstract: A web server computer system includes a virus checker and mechanisms for checking e-mails and their attachments, downloaded files, and web sites for possible viruses. The virus checker allows a web server to perform virus checking of different types of information real-time as the information is requested by a web client. In addition, a web client may also request that the server perform virus checking on a particular drive on the web client. If this case, the web server may receive information from the web client drive, scan the information for viruses, and inform the web client whether any viruses were found. In the alternative, the web server may download a client virus checker to the web client and cause the client virus checker to be run on the web client. The preferred embodiments thus eliminate the need for virus checking software to be installed on each web client.

Abstract: An apparatus and method utilize MQTs in a more efficient manner in a high availability computer database to improve database performance and utility. In preferred embodiments, an MQT control file indicates whether journal entries for specific tables are to be propagated to replicated databases residing on other computer servers. In other embodiments, the MQT control file includes metrics that are used to control when the propagation is turned on and off.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to utilize MQTs in a more efficient manner a computer database to improve database performance and utility. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer determines if a valid but non-refreshed MQT exists and rewrites a query to operate over the MQT and over the base tables and then joins the results. In preferred embodiments, the query is rewritten to operate over base table results that are stored in a staging table prior to being used to refresh the MQT. In other embodiments, the query is rewritten to operate over the base tables on data records added since the last refresh.

Abstract: A performance monitor reports SAN performance so that issues within the SAN are not masked from the client. Accesses to the SAN may be grouped into the categories of SAN logical or SAN physical. In one specific embodiment, the ranges of service times for accesses to the SAN are determined by monitoring service times of accesses to the SAN from the client perspective. In another specific embodiment, the ranges of service times for the SAN are determined by the SAN returning data with each request that indicates the service time from the SAN perspective. This allows reporting not only SAN logical and SAN physical accesses, but also allows reporting SAN service time. By specifying SAN service time, the client is able to better determine network delays. In yet another embodiment, information is returned by the SAN to indicate whether the access is SAN logical or SAN physical.

Abstract: A database optimizer collects statistics regarding applications accessing a database, and makes one or more changes to the database schema to optimize performance according to the collected statistics. In a first embodiment, the optimizer detects when a certain type of application accesses the database a percentage of time that exceeds a predefined threshold level, and if the data in the database is stored in a less-than-optimal format for the application, the data type of one or more columns in the database is changed to a more optimal format for the application. In a second embodiment, the optimizer detects when one type of application accesses a column a percentage of time that exceeds a first predefined threshold level and is less than a second predefined threshold level, and creates a new column in the database so the data is present in both formats.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for debugging the source code of a computer program are provided. A debugging system typically provides step into and step over commands that allow for the stepwise execution of a computer program. Embodiments of the invention allow users to specify lines of source code at which to override a step over command and instead perform a step into command. Further, a debugging system configured according to the present invention may analyze user activity or the program being debugged to identify locations in the source code where a programmer may prefer to step into a function call, rather than perform a step over operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method autonomically refreshes an MQT in a computer database to improve database performance and utility. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer autonomically initiates a refresh of MQT depending on an estimated time for the query to access the base tables. In other preferred embodiments, the query optimizer estimates the time for the query to access the base tables and compares it to the estimated time to refresh the MQT to determine whether to refresh the MQT and run the query over the MQT rather than the base tables.

Abstract: Scheduling garbage collection by gathering garbage collection information about two or more garbage collection processes, and determining when at least one of the two or more garbage collection processes should execute in dependence upon the garbage collection information is disclosed. Garbage collection information may be gathered through inter-process communication between two or more garbage collection processes, or by gathering garbage collection information from a computer on which at least one garbage collection processes is running. Determining when at least one of garbage collection processes should execute in dependence upon the garbage collection information may include determining a time to execute at least one garbage collection process so as to reduce the likelihood that execution of two or more of the garbage collection processes will overlap. A master garbage collection scheduler may be provided to schedule garbage collection.

Abstract: A database journal mechanism stores both row operations and database queries in a database journal. The database queries in the journal provide significant additional information that may be used in a number of different ways. For example, a database replication send mechanism in accordance with the preferred embodiments could read a database query in the journal and determine that the query affects several rows. The database replication send mechanism could then transmit the database query to the computer system that hosts the replicated database. A database replication receive mechanism in accordance with the preferred embodiments receives the database query, and executes the database query on the replicated database. As a result, the transmission of a single database query can replace the transmission of many row operations.

Abstract: The activity of a database is monitored, and index split options are dynamically determined from the monitored database activity. Appropriate action may then be taken based on the dynamically determined index split options. For example, the index may be automatically split using the dynamically determined index split options. A user command that specifies index split options may be compared to the dynamically determined index split options, and if the user command is not compatible with the dynamically determined index split options, the command may be inhibited, or the user may receive a warning message in response to the command. In addition, existing index use may be monitored, and if the monitored index use indicates the index is split poorly, the index may be re-generated using the dynamically determined index split options.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for synchronizing email content with IM content that include identifying email content having at least a threshold correlation with IM content, merging the email content and IM content, and sending the merged email content and IM content to a recipient.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize one or more usage statistics, which are reflective of what data is actually and/or likely to be used by a client when processing a database query, to reduce or eliminate the transfer of unnecessary data between a client and server in a client-server database management system. Information such as the columns that are or have been used and/or the number of rows that have been accessed, may be utilized to identify certain data that is likely to not be used during processing of the database query. Based upon the data that has been identified, a subset of the data that would otherwise be returned as a result of the database query may be identified and returned to a client, often substantially reducing the amount of data required to be retrieved by a client in connection with a database query.

Abstract: A load balancer detects a server failure, and sends a failure notification message to the remaining servers. In response, one or more of the remaining servers may autonomically adjust their configuration parameters, thereby allowing the remaining servers to better handle the increased load caused by the server failure. One or more of the servers may also include a performance measurement mechanism that measures performance before and after an autonomic adjustment of the configuration parameters to determine whether and how much the autonomic adjustments improved the system performance. In this manner server computer systems may autonomically compensate for the failure of another server computer system that was sharing the workload.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for reducing network traffic for database transactions between a requesting client and a database server are provided. For some embodiments, the client may access statistical information regarding the data, such as that commonly contained in indexes (e.g., encoded vector indexes), conventionally generated for use by a query optimizer. For some embodiments, based on the statistical information regarding the data, the client may request that the server send small byte-code representations of data from the database, rather than the actual data. The small byte-code representations may be significantly smaller than the actual represented data, thus reducing network traffic between the client and server. The client may then retrieve the actual represented data from a corresponding data representation record.

Abstract: A query processor includes a HAVING clause processing mechanism that processes the HAVING clause in a query when generating the intermediate results, instead of generating the intermediate results without regard to the HAVING clause, then applying the HAVING clause to the intermediate results. As a result, the size of the intermediate results may be significantly reduced, and effort is not wasted in placing data into the intermediate results in one step that would be removed were the HAVING clause processed separately.

Abstract: A handheld electronic book reader, program product, and method incorporate enhanced annotation and/or usage tracking capabilities. Support is provided for user creation of “contexts” for defined terms in an electronic document. Moreover, annotation data such as contexts, comments and highlighting may be associated with various users, and displayed in connection with the display of an electronic document so as to indicate that different annotation data has been originated by different users. In addition, from the standpoint of usage tracking, usage statistics for an electronic document displayed in a handheld electronic reader may be generated on a page-by-page basis, and/or in association with term definitions. Moreover, usage statistics for multiple users may be combined and analyzed.

Abstract: A handheld electronic book reader, program product, and method incorporate enhanced annotation and/or usage tracking capabilities. Support is provided for user creation of “contexts” for defined terms in an electronic document. Moreover, annotation data such as contexts, comments and highlighting may be associated with various users, and displayed in connection with the display of an electronic document so as to indicate that different annotation data has been originated by different users. In addition, from the standpoint of usage tracking, usage statistics for an electronic document displayed in a handheld electronic reader may be generated on a page-by-page basis, and/or in association with term definitions. Moreover, usage statistics for multiple users may be combined and analyzed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method use ontological relationships in a query language and a computer database to improve database performance and utility. A set of ontological relationships are stored in the database and new query clauses are used to query the data in advantageous ways. Ontological relationships are preferably stored in a tree structure. This tree structure then can be used to reflect the ontological relationships of data stored in the columns of a database.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to optimize a query access plan in a computer database system. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer determines the query can be optimized and generates for the query an optimized access plan that eliminates records defined by a Where clause and one or more ordering criteria prior to ordering the records (sorting or grouping) and then returning a first n rows.