Abstract: A system and method for enabling a cache system, operating on behalf of a data server (e.g., web server, application server, database server), to serve one set of data in response to multiple requests that differ in content or form. In particular, the requests may include different session identifiers for identifying different users, clients or sessions, but they target the same basic set of data (e.g., a web page). When a set of data is cached in response to a request having one session identifier, it can also be served in response to another request having a second session identifier because the session identifiers are deleted, masked, replaced or otherwise ignored when searching the cache system for data responsive to the second request. Also, the cache system may include a requestor's session identifier as part of a data identifier (e.g., URI, hyperlink) within data served to the requester.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the invalidation of cached data, in which the data to be invalidated are identified using information other than a primary key. The primary key for a cached data object, such as a web page, may be a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Instead of using an object's URL to identify to a cache the data to be invalidated, a secondary key is used, such as the object's data source or a template from which the object was created. An application communicates the secondary key to a cache, and the cache identifies cached objects that match the secondary key. Those data objects are then invalidated without having to issue multiple invalidation messages from the application.

Abstract: A pair of gardening shears include a blade assembly including two blades, and a handle assembly pivotally mounted on the blade assembly and including a first handle and a second handle. Thus, the gardening shears have two blades each having two cutting portions having different shapes to perform different cutting functions, so that the gardening shears provide two different pruning actions so as to satisfy the user's practical requirements, thereby enhancing the versatility of the gardening shears.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the invalidation of cached data, in which the data to be invalidated are identified using information other than a primary key. The primary key for a cached data object, such as a web page, may be a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Instead of using an object's URL to identify to a cache the data to be invalidated, a secondary key is used, such as the object's data source or a template from which the object was created. An application communicates the secondary key to a cache, and the cache identifies cached objects that match the secondary key. Those data objects are then invalidated without having to issue multiple invalidation messages from the application.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for caching data in a manner that substantially maintains a desired level of system performance. A cache server receives data requests on behalf of a data server. When new data on the data server is generated or stored that replaces or changes data cached on the cache server, the corresponding data on the cache server is invalidated. A subsequent request for the new data may be forwarded to the data server or may be served with the invalid data on the cache server. Determining how to serve the request may depend on a possible impact on system performance and/or one or more characteristics or parameters associated with the requested data. The impact on system performance may be determined by examining actual and/or desired operating conditions (e.g., rate or number of requests, load on the data server, response time to requests, number of open connections, throughput).

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for enabling a cache system, operating on behalf of a data server (e.g., web server, application server, database server), to cache and customize one set of data (e.g., a web page) in different ways for different requests (e.g., to include a client's name, account information, a special logo). An application that generates or produces the data on the data server embeds or includes special tags or markers in customizable data, to identify where custom data should be inserted or substituted. The custom data may be included in client requests or retrieved from the cache system, data server or elsewhere. When the cache system receives a new request for cached data that is customizable, the data is retrieved from cache, the custom data is retrieved and inserted at the corresponding tags and the customized data is served.

Abstract: A system and method for caching multiple versions of a data item (e.g., web page, portion of a web page, data table, data object) and determining which of the multiple versions is most responsive to a particular request. A request is received and an initial cache lookup is done with a data identifier (e.g., URL, URI) extracted from the request. If the lookup is unsuccessful (i.e., nothing is returned), the request is passed to an origin server (e.g., web server, data server). If the lookup is successful, it may provide or identify the desired data item (if one version of the data item is served for all requests) or a policy to be applied to determine which version to serve. The cache applies the policy, which identifies the additional parameters, cookies or other information to be considered, and a second lookup is done with the additional information.

Abstract: A session-aware system and method for caching and serving data. A session-aware cache system stores data that may be designated or restricted for service to registered sessions or data requests that include session identifiers. A request for a restricted set of cached data that omits a session identifier is passed to an origin server (e.g., web server, data server) so that a session may be established and a session identifier assigned. The session-aware cache system may determine whether a session identifier of a data request is near expiration. If so, the request may be passed to the origin server so that the session lifetime may be extended.

Abstract: The invention relates to an IC chip-planning system and method to provide automatic creation and optimisation of chip-level design plan alternatives that can meet user-specific target chip area/design density, chip shape/aspect ratio, delay/timing closure, and/or congestion/routability objectives at each level of the design—architectural, RTL, gate, structural and physical levels. By combining global searching and local searching, a multi-objective optimisation process and a single-objective optimisation process, the invention can greatly reduce searching and optimisation time. Flexible system structure allows for generation of the optimised chip-planning solutions via an open optimisation train, a small optimisation loop, and/or a large optimisation loop.