Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that retrieves metadata from a memory within a server, so that the server does not have to access a database in order to retrieve the metadata. The system operates by receiving a request from a client, which causes an operation to be performed on data within the database. In response to the request, the system retrieves the metadata through a metadata object, which retrieves the metadata from a random access memory in the server. Note that this metadata specifies how the data is stored within the database. The system then performs the operation on the data within the database by using the metadata to determine how the data is stored within the database. Note that this metadata object can be used to service requests from a plurality of clients. Hence, client sessions can share the same metadata, which can greatly reduce the amount of memory used by client sessions.

Abstract: A computer program product for assisting a service person in managing an enterprise network is described, wherein a browser-based help desk window may be invoked by the service person at any user computer on the enterprise network that is equipped with a web browser. The browser-based help desk window is customizable to each service person, allowing the service person to embed a network visibility link on an application launch toolbar contained in the browser-based help desk window. The service person may then subsequently log into a help desk server from any user computer equipped with a browser, and then launch a browser-based network visibility session upon activation of the embedded network visibility link. The user is permitted to embed the network visibility link onto the application toolbar, and to perform other browser-based help desk window customization tasks, using simple menu selection and drag-and-drop commands.