Abstract: A computer-implemented method of managing hierarchically related and heterogeneous data structures includes the steps of separating the data structures from hierarchical information interrelating the data structures and representing and storing the hierarchical information as a nodal tree structure. The nodal tree structure includes a first node and a plurality of second nodes, each node being in a parent-child relationship with at least one other node. The data structures are stored separately from the nodal tree structure and each of the first node and the plurality of second nodes references one of the data structures. Each of the second nodes is a child node, and each child node has a respective parent node selected from among the first node and the plurality of second nodes. Each of the second nodes includes a dependency attribute indicative of a dependency relationship of the child node with its respective parent node.

Abstract: Mass deployment of snapshots is fostered by allowing collections of snapshots, called refresh groups, to be defined by a template. The template allows for a parameterized snapshot definition query or other DDL text to be defined, so that user-specific or site-specific values can be substituted into parameters to create different objects. Furthermore, off-line instantiation of snapshots is provided, so that the data for an entire suite of front office applications can be stored. on a floppy disk, magnetic disk, CD ROM, or other transportable computer-readable medium.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing data is described, in which an application programming interface (API) is provided to permit an online analytical processing (OLAP) application to manipulate data and queries in model close to the business model the OLAP application was designed to support. A data server is provided to translated between the object-oriented representation and the native database query format. In one embodiment, a multidimensional virtual cursor is implementation to further simplify the logic of the OLAP application.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for preserving data wherein one or more nodes in a distributed computing system experiences an error. In one embodiment, when an error occurs, an error event is identified. Based on this error event, a set of identified execution units is suspended and a set of identified data is collected. All suspended execution units are then released, i.e., allowed to continue execution at the point where the units were suspended. The data collected during suspension is then used to diagnose the cause of the error.

Abstract: A method for aggregating sparse data in a multidimensional array by using a composite join hierarchy created by segmenting the data so that each segment of the hierarchy processed is smaller and more likely to fit in memory. The method employs a recursive sub-cubing mechanism wherein an n-dimensional cube is broken into a number of (n−1)-dimensional cubes and each of those cubes are solved as (n−2)-dimensional cubes etc. Within each division, the processing is segmented by hierarchy level so a dimension with three hierarchy levels (for example, month-quarter-year) would form three separate subcubes with one less dimension. This algorithm produces one ‘worklist’ for every combination of hierarchy levels in the cube. Each of these worklists is represented as a bitmap of the cells contained within it and may be used as a basis of generating more aggregate worklists.

Abstract: A system allows exchange of information by converting it to/from proprietary formats from/to XML. An XML import tool may be used to import data from an XML file into a target repository by receiving user input for selecting data structures within the target repository, for selecting set of fields that belong to the selected set of data structures, and for mapping fields in the selected set of fields to tags associated with data within the XML file. A set of commands is generated based on the user inputs for populating the one or more fields that are mapped to tags with the data in the XML file. The set of commands cause the one or more fields that are mapped to tags to be populated with the data in the XML file.

Abstract: A shareable application program interface (API) infrastructure which is used in combination with a relational database to provide data storage and processing functions for location-aware objects, including particularly mobile objects whose current position is periodically updated by a position determining system. Client and service tables in the relational database are used to store the current point location, and other data, representing virtual objects, including mobile objects. A region table stores that describing the geometry and characteristics of geographical regions having defined boundaries within which the client and service objects reside. For each client, the set of services used by that client is recorded in a client profile database table. The services available on the system which are position-dependent have a geographical location associated with them. The API makes available an assortment of location dependent processing functions which may be used by location aware applications.

Abstract: A Web agent software interface between a relational database and Web-based application programs employs stored SQL procedures to store, update and retrieve multimedia objects. Web based applications manipulate the data in the relational database table by using URLs consisting of an alphanumeric designation of the host computer and port, the Web agent program associated with the database, the database agent configuration information associated with the database, specific stored SQL procedure for performing the desired data manipulation, and additional parameter data needed to specify and manipulate a particular multimedia object.