Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for measuring the performance of a subroutine in a software application executing upon a computer system. When characterized as a method, a monitoring application operating according to the present invention first intercepts a call to a subroutine. The monitoring application then examines a system clock. If the clock is in a particular configuration, the monitoring application collects a first set of performance data. Next, the monitoring application passes control to the subroutine. When the subroutine completes, control is returned to the monitoring application. The monitoring application then collects a second set of performance data. The first and second sets of data are then compared to determine the performance characteristics of the subroutine. If the clock in not in the particular configuration, the monitoring application passes control to the subroutine in such a way that processing continues as it would if the monitoring program had never been called.

Abstract: A system and method are used for visually representing performance and flow analysis of a communication network having devices connected by links. The system includes a first memory for storing a graphical representation of the communication network and showing the devices connected by links and a second memory storing data representing performance and flows in the communication network. A processing system is operatively connected to the first and the second memory and to a display. The processing system selectively maps the data on the graphical representation of the communication network by varying visual characteristics of the devices and the links for viewing on the display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring the performance of client-server transactions from the perspective of a client. In one embodiment, a JARTA (Java Application Response Time Analyzer) component (which may include JavaScript) is installed on an end user's browser to collect various response time measurements and certain client system information and transmit this information to a server. A JARTA utility on the web server can manage the actions (e.g., insert, modify, and delete) associated with web pages that are ear-marked for JARTA testing at the client browser. The JARTA component may include a Java™ applet that can be downloaded to a client computer along with a web page. In one embodiment, a certain percentage of web transactions to be monitored can be designated using, e.g., a sampling algorithm.

Abstract: A copy utility creates a copy of source database objects that is transactionally consistent to a consistent point-in-time, and a recovery utility apples log records to the consistent copy to make a resulting image that is updated as of an identified point-in-time (i.e., the current time or a point-in-time after the copy was made). To effectively recover and apply the logs so that no previously in-flight transactions are lost, the copy utility registers a starting point indicating a point-in-time for logs to be applied to the copy and also registers a smallest lock size used to block access to target data when the copy was made. The recovery utility bases its recovery operations using the registered starting point and the smallest lock size when applying log records to the copy so as not to lose any previously in-flight transactions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus identifies changes made to a computer system caused by the installation of software. The state of the computer system is recorded before the software is installed and, after the software is installed, the recorded state is compared against the state of the computer system. Changes are written into a manifest, which may be combined with any new or changed files and an installation program to produce a package which can be sent to another computer system for installation.

Abstract: A mechanism works in conjunction with a DB2® Log and an analysis tool, such as BMC's Log Master™, to handle logged data for Large Objects (LOBs) stored in tables of a DB2 database system. A plurality of controls track data logged for the LOBs. The mechanism reads log records from a DB2 Log and uses the controls to determine which of the tracked LOBs is associated with the log records and obtains data from those associated log records. The mechanism builds keys to index the data and stores the keys and the data in a Virtual Storage Access Method store having Key Sequenced Data Sets maintained separate from the log record store for the DB2 Log. When requested by the analysis tool, the data in the store can be reassembled using the keys and map records in the first store that map the logged data for the tracked LOBs.

Abstract: A reference instance for use in a configuration management system is a configuration item that may be associated with a number of assets, all of which share a common set of attributes. The use of reference instances permits a single configuration item to identify a potentially large number of assets. This may be particularly useful for identifying and tracking low-priority assets where the detail or amount of information needed to effectively track and manage the asset is relatively small. Use of reference instance configuration items allows an organization to identify and manage virtually all of their assets without the cost and effort of creating large numbers of substantially identical configuration items.

Abstract: A system and method updates a device by storing into nondisk nonvolatile storage such as flash memory, the files used to update the device, using data structures that are swapped, a portion at a time, into available RAM of the device.

Abstract: An improved method and system for complex and integrated application performance management which tracks end-to-end computer resource consumption of a first business application workflow in an enterprise system. The first business application workflow may include a plurality of components. The plurality of components may further include one or more component types. A second or subsequent business application workflow may be embedded or linked as a component of the first business application workflow. Resource usage information of the plurality of components (including resource usage information of underlying units of work of the plurality of components) may be correlated to determine cumulative resource usage information for the first business application workflow. The resource usage information may be displayed in a graphical user interface.

Abstract: An automated system obtains performance data of a computer system having partitioned servers. The performance data includes a performance rating and a current measured utilization of each server, actual workload (e.g. transaction arrival rate), and actual service levels (e.g. response time or transaction processing rate). From the data, automated system normalizes a utilization value for each server over time and generates a weighted average for each and expected service levels for various times and workloads. Automated system receives a service level objective (SLO) for each server and future time and automatically determines a policy based on the weighted average normalized utilization values, past performance information, and received SLOs. The policy can include rules for provisioning required servers to meet the SLOs, a throughput for each server, and a potential service level for each server. Based on the generated policy, the system automatically provisions operation of the servers across partitions.

Abstract: A system and method for automated database management are provided. Statistics relating to operation of a database may be collected, wherein the database comprises one or more database objects. Characteristics of the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, using the collected statistics, one or more policies, and/or one or more definitions. The policies and definitions may be defaults or may be customized by a user. Actions to be performed on the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, based on the characteristics of the database objects. A schedule for performing the actions on the database objects may be automatically determined. The actions may be performed on the database objects based on the schedule.

Abstract: An improved method and system for controlling free space distribution by key range within a database. In one embodiment, a data structure including key ranges of a plurality of database tables and indexes, and a plurality of key range free space parameters is created. The plurality of database tables and indexes may include a plurality of page sets, which may include rows of data and keys. Time values may be associated with the plurality of free space parameters. The key range free space parameters may have values assigned to them. The key range free space parameters may be user-defined or automatically generated using growth trend analysis, based on key range growth statistics. The rows of data and keys within the plurality of page sets may be redistributed by a reorganization process. The redistributing may reference the key ranges of the data structure and the key range free space parameters.

Abstract: A database federation mechanism permits one or more applications external to the database to be registered. Applications so registered may be automatically invoked in response to database queries—where such invocation utilizes data from specific database entries.

Abstract: Overlay datasets provide an efficient, flexible and scalable mechanism to represent the logical replication of one or more prior defined datasets. Only changes made to an entity in an overlay dataset's underlying dataset are replicated into the overlay dataset (such changes do not affect the underlying dataset). Read operations directed to the overlay dataset will find entities in the overlay dataset if they exist and in the underlying dataset(s) if no overlay-specific entity exists. Accordingly, overlay datasets provide an efficient mechanism for making changes to an existing dataset without suffering the high processing time and storage overhead associated with prior art copying and versioning techniques. Overlay datasets also provide a natural mechanism to keep two or more datasets in synchronization because changes to a base or underlying dataset's entities are “visible” in its associated overlay dataset (unless the entity has been modified in the overlay dataset).

Abstract: A system and method for automated database management are provided. Statistics relating to operation of a database may be collected, wherein the database comprises one or more database objects. Characteristics of the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, using the collected statistics, one or more policies, and/or one or more definitions. The policies and definitions may be defaults or may be customized by a user. Actions to be performed on the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, based on the characteristics of the database objects. A schedule for performing the actions on the database objects may be automatically determined. The actions may be performed on the database objects based on the schedule. The actions on the database objects may be confirmed. The results of the actions on the database objects may be analyzed or monitored. Policies and/or definitions may be reconfigured based on the results.

Abstract: An improved method and system for controlling free space distribution by key range within a database. In one embodiment, a data structure including key ranges of a plurality of database tables and indexes, and a plurality of key range free space parameters is created. The plurality of database tables and indexes may include a plurality of page sets, which may include rows of data and keys. Time values may be associated with the plurality of free space parameters. The key range free space parameters may have values assigned to them. The key range free space parameters may be user-defined or automatically generated using growth trend analysis, based on key range growth statistics. The rows of data and keys within the plurality of page sets may be redistributed by a reorganization process. The redistributing may reference the key ranges of the data structure and the key range free space parameters.

Abstract: In a content update method, a device sends information to a server about an initial index related to a directory of content stored in the device's nonvolatile non-disk memory (e.g., flash memory). Upon receiving a modification list from the server, the device builds an updated index in flash memory that matches the server's master index by using the device's RAM to sequentially modify the initial index with the listed modifications. The device also builds an updated content list in flash memory using the device's RAM to sequentially compare the initial and updated indexes. The device sends requests for updated content in the updated content list to the server. Upon receiving requested content, the device modifies the directory in flash memory by using the device's RAM to sequentially compare the initial and updated indexes so that the requested content can be installed into the modified directory.

Abstract: A system and method packages sets of information so that they may be used to install the set of information. The packaging is performed by one of several client computer systems using the set of information and metadata describing the set of information, requested from a server.

Abstract: A Web Services availability cache is part of a computer system, such as an enterprise system of a business or organization. The availability cache is populated with information from Web Services communicatively connected to the computer system by a network connection. In one embodiment, the availability cache is populated based on each request handled by a server process associated with the availability cache. A server receives a request from a client having an application dependent upon information from the Web Service. The server sends the request to the Web Service and stores returned information in the availability cache. Also, the server sends the returned information to the client, which initiated to request. Once the cache is populated, the server handles subsequent requests for information from the client by using the Web Service if it is available or by using the availability cache if the Web Service is not available.

Abstract: A system and method packages sets of information so that they may be used to install the set of information. The packaging is performed by one of several client computer systems using the set of information and metadata describing the set of information, requested from a server.