Abstract: An improved management console integrates a plurality of disparate database utilities with a unified graphical user interface. A management console is implemented or otherwise provided in accordance with an industry standard such as the MICROSOFT Management Console (MMC) framework or a superset thereof. MMC provides a common environment for snap-ins that provide management or administrative functionality. The improved management console includes a primary snap-in and a plurality of extension snap-ins. The primary snap-in is preferably a database browser which permits the console user to “drill down” through a hierarchy of database-related objects such as tablespaces, tables, records, and meta-data. The database browser snap-in preferably supports a plurality of different database management systems. The extension snap-ins provide additional functionality by extending the primary snap-in to provide access to database utilities or tasks.

Abstract: A system and method for summarizing metric data with a plurality of levels of varying granularity. The system preferably comprises a distributed computing environment, i.e., an enterprise, which comprises a plurality of interconnected computer systems. At least one of the computer systems is an agent computer system which collects raw data relating to one or more metrics, i.e., measurements of system resources on the agent computer system. A Universal Data Repository (UDR) receives raw metric data from one or more agents. The UDR summarizes the raw data into a more compact yet meaningful form. The UDR can summarize both raw data and data that has previously been summarized one or more times, thus creating a plurality of levels of summarization. With each successive summarization, metric data become more compact, yet the data retain information and meaning.

Abstract: The invention is an improved system and method for browsing and editing data residing in database tables. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a graphical user interface in communication with a database, receiving user input to the graphical user interface, retrieving data from the database, displaying the retrieved data in the graphical user interface, and navigating to one or more referenced database tables or views by user request entered on the graphical user interface. The purpose of referential integrity is to prevent database users or applications from entering inconsistent data into a database. The goal of referential integrity navigation is to allow the user, having retrieved one or more rows of data, to navigate easily to the data in other tables that either refers to or is referred to by that data.

Abstract: A method and system for analyzing the physical characteristics of database records, such as in IMS databases. The information obtained during this analysis may then be used to perform a more efficient reorganization or restructuring of the database. In one embodiment, the method involves tracing the database retrieval process to collect physical location information for each segment of each database record in an IMS database. The database retrieval process for each database record may begin at the root segment of the database record and traverse the child segments of the database record, preferably in hierarchical order, e.g. top to bottom, left to right. The database retrieval process identifies the segment code causing the first reference to a block and the number of segments retrieved from the block before fetching a new block.

Abstract: Initially, a table in the database is baselined. The baselining function is usually built into the database system program which manages the database itself. This baselining procedure generates storage information like the number of rows in the table, the average length of a row, the number of chained/migrated rows, and the average free space per page in the table. This storage information is transferred to a monitoring routine via a transaction log. The monitoring routine accepts the storage information for the table. Next, the monitoring routine monitors the transaction log for entries which alter the storage information initially passed to it. At some point, an entity may wish to know the current storage information for the table. When this occurs, a message is passed to the monitoring routine, and the monitoring routine transfers the storage information to the requesting entity, without accessing the database.

Abstract: A method in accordance with the invention is implemented via a novel computer program referred to for convenience as NEWPROG. NEWPROG resides (executes) in one or more communication controllers on a SNA network “front end” processor for the NCP executing in that controller. NEWPROG makes it possible for the NCP memory management routines to dynamically increase the number of control blocks by scavenging available NCP memory. Those control blocks created by NEWPROG may also be deleted. Use of the method permits the NCP to improve its resource availability by generating user requested control block structures as needed (within total NCP load memory limitations).

Abstract: A method to dynamically alter the availability or characteristics of specified system resources (e.g. interprocess communications facilities or tuning variables that control operating efficiency) is described. The inventive method is unique in that it allows the modification of system resources without the need to rebuild and re-initialized (i.e., reboot) the operating system. If required by the specific alteration being performed, creation of new kernel control structures may require that one or more of a kernel's static-type data structures be converted to dynamic-type data structures.

Abstract: A computer program operating in accordance with the invention monitors WRITE requests issued by a data-writing program that accesses data sets, e.g., for updating the data sets, and READ requests issued by a data-reading program that accesses data sets, e.g., for copying the data. While a series of READ requests (e.g., a data set copying operation) is in progress, the computer program monitors all WRITE requests issued for the data set in question by the data-writing program. If the data-reading program has not yet read the data portion (e.g., a data page) that is to be updated, the computer program selectively creates a cached image of the data portion as it existed at the beginning of the series of READ requests and delivers the cached image to the data-reading program, thereby reducing the potential for internal inconsistencies in the copied data. The computer program advantageously permits such caching to be performed without the need for specialized caching hardware.

Abstract: A single phase CHECK DATA operation for DB2 entails creating a special SORT record for each prinary key and each foreign key, collating the special SORT records in a particular way to group together the SORT records for each primary key, and performing diagnostic operations on the sorted records.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for distributing, monitoring and managing information requests on a computer network including one or more client computer systems, a first server computer system, and one or more secondary server computer systems. Information requests from the client computer systems to the first server computer system are intercepted and examined by a request broker software system implemented on the first server computer system. The request broker software system examines information regarding the capabilities and resources available on the first server computer system and the secondary server computer systems to determine whether to process the information request locally on the first server computer system or to process the information request remotely on one of the secondary server computer systems.

Abstract: A change definition language (CDL) serves as an extension of (and in the general format of) the structured query language known as SQL. The change definition language allows all important alterations to be described, as changes to an existing definition, for example, and may be used by all phases of the development cycle. The CDL statements do not make the changes directly in the catalog, but instead work through SQL and another intermediate mechanism such as DB2 ALTER tailored to make changes using SQL. The changes expressed in CDL may be migrated to downstream phases and fed back to earlier phases by use of a batch of change statements expressed in CDL.

Abstract: An enterprise data movement (EDM) system and method for more intelligently recording changes made to an IMS database. According to the present invention, when an application issues SETS/SETU and ROLS calls during the application's unit of work, the EDM system operates to create sub-units of work for identifying changes which correspond to the SETS/SETU and ROLS calls. This allows the EDM system to individually record or monitor the status of these changes, and either discard and/or commit the individual changes within that total application's unit of work, depending on the SETS/SETU and ROLS calls received.

Abstract: An Enterprise Data Movement (EDM) system and method for performing data move operations in an enterprise computing system with improved efficiency. Data move operations preferably use operations of an existing database utility, for example, one or more of an unload or load operation, wherein the utility is already required to be performed. In other words, according to the invention, data move operations preferably use the utilities in an opportunistic or parasitic fashion, when they are already being performed for other reasons, thereby providing a dual purpose operation and increased efficiency.

Abstract: A system and method for providing consistency of replicated data in a distributed enterprise computing system by maintaining and using edition level values for data objects in both source and target database systems. When the EDM method captures changes made to a source database, the EDM method operates to obtain an edition level value of the source database. The EDM method then creates and stores a change record comprising the captured changed data in a log, wherein the change record includes the edition level value of the source database to which the changes are being made. When a data propagation operation is initiated to one or more target computer systems, the EDM method operates to obtain an edition level value of each of the target computer systems. For each target computer system, the method operates to compare the edition level value comprised in the change record with the edition level value of the target computer system.

Abstract: An Enterprise Data Movement (EDM) system and method for performing bulk data move operations and changed data propagation operations in an enterprise computing system with improved efficiency. The present invention provides synergy of operations between a bulk data move operation and a changed data propagation, wherein the load process of a bulk data move operation and the apply process of a changed data propagation operation operate to communicate with each other to ensure proper operation and also to ensure that each of the bulk move and propagation operations do not interfere with each other. Thus, the present invention provides an improved and automated procedure for performing bulk move and changed data propagation operations which reduces the amount of time required by database administrators to monitor and/or perform tasks.

Abstract: A single-instruction method of diverting or "hooking" the operation of software entails setting up a work area of code at an address within the range of a relative branching instruction type defined in the operating-system architecture. Hooking is accomplished by patching the software in question to insert a single relative-branch instruction. That instruction causes program execution to be diverted to the work area. In one embodiment, the work area is an area of memory that normally is used only for system initialization and thus would not otherwise be executed by the processor system after system initialization is complete.

Abstract: The present invention compresses data by initializing a compression tree and creating a plurality of first layer nodes therein. Then, digital data to be compressed is received. Child nodes which contain the digital data to be compressed are formed. A first portion of these child nodes is placed into the compression tree, with the child nodes in the first portion being referenced by child pointers. Next, a second portion of the child nodes is inserted into the compression tree in the form of a plurality of sibling groups, with each sibling group having a common parent node. The child nodes in each sibling group are arranged according to a predefined sorting criteria. Each of the child nodes in the sibling groups is referenced by a sibling pointer. As more data to compress is received, child nodes continue to be inserted into the sibling groups according to the predefined sorting criteria.

Abstract: A computerized method of retrieving data from a relational database stored in a computer memory, using SQL queries, which give rise to result sets derived from data objects in the database. The method includes the steps of capturing an SQL query and corresponding result set, and saving the SQL query and result set. In another feature of the invention, the method includes, before the step of capturing an SQL query and corresponding result set, the step of monitoring the SQL queries. In another feature of the invention, the method includes, before the step of saving the SQL result set, the steps of comparing the SQL query with prior saved SQL queries, determining if an identical prior SQL query already exists in cache, and if an identical prior SQL query does not already exists, saving the SQL query and result set.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of reorganizing certain units-of-work in a data entry database. First, a unit-of-work performance parameter is determined for each of a plurality of units-of-work. Next, if and only if the performance parameter of a unit-of-work meets a predetermined criteria, then the unit-of-work is reorganized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for managing a computer network. A manager software system is installed on a network management computer system within the network, and one agent software system is installed on each of the server computer systems in the network. A knowledge module in the form of a text fie is stored on the network manager computer system so that the manager software system can transmit knowledge to the various agent software systems throughout the network, for use by the agents in monitoring and managing the server on which they are installed. Interpretable script language programs are present on all computers in the network, expanding and customizing the functionality of the agent software systems. A method is disclosed for using the high level interpretable script language programs in connection with the agent software systems for discovering resources on the network, monitoring aspects of resources, and taking recovery actions automatically in the event of an alarm condition.