Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficiently performing a query sort on a data set with duplicate key values is disclosed. The method includes identifying unique key values for a key in a data set after determining that a number of duplicate key values for the key exceed a predefined threshold. The method also includes recording an association of each unique key value with a record in the data set and sorting unique key values. The method further includes storing the unique key values in a sorted order, wherein each unique key value is associated with an appropriate record in the data set.

Abstract: Techniques for sorting a sequence of one or more input objects are provided. The techniques include identifying a property that is exhibited by a sequence of one or more input objects, determining whether each input object from the sequence of one or more input objects exhibits the property, storing each of the one or more input objects into a buffer, wherein an input object is stored in a first buffer if it exhibits the property and an input object is stored in a second buffer if it does not exhibit the property, sorting each of the one or more input objects in each buffer, and merging the one or more input objects in each buffer into a sequence of one or more input objects.

Abstract: Techniques for partitioning a query are provided. The techniques include establishing one or more criterion for partitioning a query, wherein the query comprises one or more tables, materializing a first of the one or more tables, partitioning the first of the one or more tables until the one or more criterion have been satisfied, and partitioning and joining a remainder of the one or more tables of the query.

Abstract: A system and method for managing computer operations according to stored user preferences is disclosed. The system includes a calendar module for scheduling an event and centrally storing the user preferences regarding the computer operations during the event, and a controller module for retrieving the user preferences centrally stored in the calendar module and centrally controlling the computer operations according to the user preferences during the event.

Abstract: A database query is partitioned into an initial partition including a plurality of parallel groups, and is executed, via an execution plan, based on the initial partition. A sampling subset of data is identified from the plurality of parallel groups. Substantially in parallel with the executing of the query, the execution plan is executed on the sampling subset of data as a sampling thread. The execution plan is modified based on feedback from the execution of the execution plan on the sampling subset of data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing network bandwidth requirements associated with presentations transmitted over a network is disclosed. The method includes receiving information associated with a presentation at a remote site, and connecting to an on-line conference and accessing the presentation. The method also includes during the presentation, receiving control commands at the remote site, converting the control commands into navigation commands for controlling screen displays of the presentation at the remote site, and executing the navigation commands in a presentation software tool at the remote location to view information associated with the presentation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cache replacement monitoring (CRM) are provided. The system includes a monitored cache comprising a monitored cache line set, the monitored cache line set comprising at least one cache line capable of holding data of a monitored address; and a CRM mechanism operatively associated with the monitored cache. The CRM mechanism collects CRM information for the monitored address. The method includes the steps of collecting CRM information for a monitored address in a monitored cache; and recording the CRM information for the monitored address, when at least one of (1) the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, (2) the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache, (3) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, and (4) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cache replacement monitoring (CRM) are provided. The system includes a monitored cache comprising a monitored cache line set, the monitored cache line set comprising at least one cache line capable of holding data of a monitored address; and a CRM mechanism operatively associated with the monitored cache. The CRM mechanism collects CRM information for the monitored address. The method includes the steps of collecting CRM information for a monitored address in a monitored cache; and recording the CRM information for the monitored address, when at least one of (1) the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, (2) the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache, (3) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, and (4) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache.

Abstract: A computer system and method for compiling a program, where the program executes pointer assignments from a source object to a destination object, each source object being addressable through a first pointer and each destination object being addressable through a second pointer. The system and method eliminate write barrier code from association with compiled program code when the first pointer points to a source object whose type is prolific, eliminate write barrier code from association with compiled program code when the second pointer points to a destination object whose type is non-prolific, and associate write barrier code with compiled program code when the source object is non-prolific and the destination object is prolific. Additionally, the system and method can determine not to associate write barrier code with a compiled program code if the second pointer points to a destination object whose type is non-prolific and if the first pointer points to a source object whose type is prolific.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cache replacement monitoring (CRM) are provided. The system includes a monitored cache comprising a monitored cache line set, the monitored cache line set comprising at least one cache line capable of holding data of a monitored address; and a CRM mechanism operatively associated with the monitored cache. The CRM mechanism collects CRM information for the monitored address. The method includes the steps of collecting CRM information for a monitored address in a monitored cache; and recording the CRM information for the monitored address, when at least one of (1) the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, (2) the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache, (3) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is cached in the monitored cache, and (4) any cache line in a cache line set corresponding to the monitored address is replaced in the monitored cache.

Abstract: A computing apparatus and method classify data objects into at least a first type and alternatively a second type, and allocate a first portion of computer memory to objects of the first type and a second portion of computer memory to objects of the second type. Then the method performs garbage collection of data objects within at least one portion of computer memory while retaining surviving objects within the computer memory. Objects of the first type occur in a computer memory with a frequency that exceeds a selected threshold, and are designated “prolific.” Objects of the second type occur in the computer memory with a frequency that does not exceed the selected threshold, and are designated “non-prolific”.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus that improves virtual memory management. The proposed method and apparatus provides an application with an efficient channel for communicating information about future behavior of an application with respect to the use of memory and other resources to the OS, a paging daemon, and other system software. The state of hint bits, which are integrated into page table entries and TLB entries and are used for communicating information to the OS, can be changed explicitly with a special instruction or implicitly as a result of referencing the associated page. The latter is useful for canceling hints. The method and apparatus enables memory allocators, garbage collectors, and compilers (such as those used by the Java platform) to use a page-aligned heap and a page-aligned stack to assist the OS in effective management of memory resources. This mechanism can also be used in other system software.

Abstract: The invention teaches how to reduce the traffic associated with handling cache lines containing useless data (i.e. cache lines corresponding to pages that have been invalidated). The invention makes it possible to evict such cache lines earlier, to avoid write backs of useless data from such cache lines to main memory, and to avoid transmitting useless data from such cache lines to the requesting remote coherence controller in a multiprocessor system. The present invention describes a mechanism for invalidating cache lines containing useless data transparently and without programmer's involvement. For efficiency, the content of a cache line containing useless data is invalidated only when the line is referenced or is about to be allocated for some new data.

Abstract: A computer system and method for compiling a program, where the program executes pointer assignments from a source object to a destination object, each source object being addressable through a first pointer and each destination object being addressable through a second pointer. The system and method eliminate write barrier code from association with compiled program code when the first pointer points to a source object whose type is prolific, eliminate write barrier code from association with compiled program code when the second pointer points to a destination object whose type is non-prolific, and associate write barrier code with compiled program code when the source object is non-prolific and the destination object is prolific. Additionally, the system and method can determine not to associate write barrier code with a compiled program code if the second pointer points to a destination object whose type is non-prolific and if the first pointer points to a source object whose type is prolific.

Abstract: A computing apparatus and method classify data objects into at least a first type and alternatively a second type, and allocate a first portion of computer memory to objects of the first type and a second portion of computer memory to objects of the second type. Then the method performs garbage collection of data objects within at least one portion of computer memory while retaining surviving objects within the computer memory. Objects of the first type occur in a computer memory with a frequency that exceeds a selected threshold, and are designated “prolific.” Objects of the second type occur in the computer memory with a frequency that does not exceed the selected threshold, and are designated “non-prolific”.