Abstract: A method and apparatus allows clients to share ports on a server. The server can maintain more sessions than server ports. When a client sends a command directed to the server, a resource manager inserted between the clients and the server intercepts the command and directs the server to select the session associated with a client prior to or at the same time that the resource manager forwards the intercepted command to the server. Responses from the server are forwarded by the resource manager to the client that sent the command to which the response relates. The resource manager may be coupled to multiple clients, and one or more ports of one or more servers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus accepts a proposed order for products and/or services directed toward a vendor and identifies one or more additional orders that can be combined with the proposed order to obtain a higher volume discount than would be obtained submitting the proposed order by itself. One or more additional orders may contain a quantity of one product available from the vendor that, when combined with the proposed order, will qualify for the next discount higher than would be obtained by the proposed order alone and costs lower than cost of achieving the same discount using another product available from the vendor. One or more additional order may contain a quantity of one product in the proposed order that, when combined with the proposed order, will qualify for the next discount higher than would be obtained by the proposed order alone and costs lower than the cost of achieving the same discount using another product in the proposed order.

Abstract: A method and apparatus identifies backup files that will restore a file in a transactional system. A reset stamp and filename is used to identify all backup files of the file having the filename since the file was last restored. A smaller number of files necessary to restore the file are selected from these backup files by sorting the list of files and selecting certain files in sort order. If necessary, earlier reset stamps are identified and more files are identified and selected, until a file is selected that contains a full backup or datafile copy of the file. For the backup files selected, information such as the location of the file is stored in the order in which the backup files are selected. The information, such as the location of each file selected, is provided in an order that is the reverse of the order in which the files were selected so that the oldest file is listed first. The files may be restored in the order provided.

Abstract: A method and system periodically copies information from a computer file to a database to preserve non-current information from the file. As information from the file is overwritten by new information, the old information is preserved in the database, allowing non-current information to be used without reprogramming the computer programs or portions of the computer program that read or write the file. If the file is arranged into one or more sections, and new information stored in a section of the file is assigned an identifier higher than the other information in the section, the amount of time required to locate new information in the file can be reduced. Comparing the highest identifier in the section with the highest identifier in the database for that section can identify sections of the file that have received no new information since the last update made to the database.

Abstract: A method and apparatus modifies one or more weights or other numbers used to rank or score objects in order of predicted similarity to a target object. If the object most similar or identical to the target object is not ranked first, the weight or other number used to rank or score the objects is adjusted based on the objects ranked or scored higher than the most similar object, the object ranked or scored most similar to the target object, and the number of changes in direction, either positive or negative, of the current and prior adjustments to the weight or other number.

Abstract: A system and method backs up computer files to backup drives connected to multiple computer systems. Each file in a backup set is allocated to one or more backup subsets for each of the multiple computer systems. The files can be allocated in an even number across each subset, allocated to evenly spread the number of bytes to each subset, or, using the capacity of each of the multiple computer systems, allocated so that each computer system can complete backing up the files allocated to it in approximately the same amount of time. The system can restrict the number of bytes continuously required from a single disk by one of the backup machines from exceeding a threshold limit. Each of the multiple computer systems is then directed to, and the computer systems do, back up files in one or more subsets, which may be allocated to that computer system.

Abstract: A make-up air handler controls temperature, humidity and/or cleanliness of air. The make-up air handler includes a direct expansion chiller system. The direct expansion chiller may be integral to the make-up air handler or remote. A clean room facility uses the make-up air handler to supply air to a clean room. The make-up air handler includes a primary cooling coil and a direct expansion chiller system, and may include a humidifier and a filter. The direct expansion chiller system includes an air stream cooling coil and an air stream heating coil. The heating and cooling coils use a refrigeration fluid which is compressed and circulated by a compressor. Humidity is controlled by removing moisture which is condensed from the air stream by a primary cooling coil and the air stream cooling coil of the direct expansion chiller system. The energy removed by the air stream cooling coil is reintroduced to the air stream by the air stream heating coil. The process of removing moisture directly removes contamination.

Abstract: A method and system allows a part of a database to be restored using a subset of the backup files stored for a database. A working copy of the data dictionary of the database, which stores data definitions, is restored using the latest backup file stored not later than the point in time specified and the names of tablespaces related to the table names specified are identified using the data dictionary. The files storing the database tablespaces specified and those identified as related are identified for restoration along with the point in time specified, so that the backup files may be used to restore the files to the latest time prior to the point in time specified. The database data files are [restored, they] are rolled forward from the point in time of the backup files to the point in time specified, using transaction logs restored with the database data files and the restored working data dictionary is updated as described by the transaction logs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus simulates the performance of a system from a user-specified description of the components in the system and the interconnections between the components. The user may specify the descriptions using a consistent syntax. Conservation relations are automatically generated using the description of the components, the interconnections between the components in the system, or both. The description provided by the user and the conservation requirements generated may be translated into models for use by a conventional simulator to complete the simulation. Alternately the description and the conservation relation may be formulated into a set of relations and solved using conventional methods, such as Modified Nodal or Sparce Tableau. System performance simulation information is then generated as desired by a user.