Abstract: A user request is received for a workflow guide that pertains to a workflow involving tasks of multiple applications that cooperate with database management software. In response to receiving the indication, the workflow guide is presented for display, where the workflow guide provides information regarding tasks associated with the multiple applications involved in the workflow. Interactive selections made by a user in the displayed workflow guide are received to cause further information to be retrieved.

Abstract: A system and method for migrating data, in parallel, from a source database system into a target database system includes storing data in groups (e.g., clusters) in the source database system. The groups of data are transferred, in parallel, to respective temporary staging tables in the target database system. The data in the temporary staging tables are then inserted, in parallel, into a target table in the target database system to complete the migration.

Abstract: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system includes a CRM Client, CRM Engine, and Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The CRM Client, CRM Engine, and RDBMS integrate a suite of services that allow users to plan, manage, and execute promotional or marketing campaigns, build customer segments, score customers, and analyze customer behavior, product purchases, and response to promotional campaigns. The services include an automated Analytic Data Set Creation service, which simplifies and automates the process of creating analytic data sets useful for modeling and analysis out of operational data stored in the relational database, and a Response Modeling service, which automatically creates promotion response models to score individual customers based on that model in order to predict which customers are most likely to respond to a future promotional campaign.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium for optimizing execution of a join operation in a parallel processing system are provided. A plurality of processing nodes that have at least one row of one or more tables involved in a join operation are identified. For each of the processing nodes, respective counts of rows that would be redistributed to each of the processing nodes based on join attributes of the rows are determined. A redistribution matrix is calculated from the counts of rows of each of the processing nodes. An optimized redistribution matrix is generated from the redistribution matrix, wherein the optimized redistribution matrix provides a minimization of rows to be redistributed among the nodes to execute the join operation.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive user-specified input data from a user input device as a segment query that includes a plurality of criteria, and to store individual counts and at least one additional count in a storage medium. The individual counts are derived from processing the segment query as a corresponding plurality of queries associated with each of the criteria, and the at least one additional count comprises an intersection of at least two of the criteria, regardless of whether the user-specified input data includes an intersection operation. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing data in a computer system. One or more user-defined functions (UDFs) implementing a desired compression or decompression algorithm are created, wherein the UDFs are associated with one or more columns of a table when the table is created or altered, in order to perform compression or decompression of data stored in the associated columns, such that the data is compressed by the UDF implementing the desired compression algorithm when the data is inserted or updated in the table, and the data is decompressed by the UDF implementing the desired decompression algorithm when the data is retrieved from the table.

Abstract: A system and method for managing SQL queries in a database system. The system and method allocates database sessions to database queries and manages the database sessions and queries to provide improved, near real-time access to a database system.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and database system are disclosed for processing a database query that includes one or more expressions. The method includes resolving columns in one or more of the expressions. Expression optimization is performed on one or more of the expressions. Afterward, further query optimization is performed.

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating unnecessary statistics collections for query optimization in a database stored on a computer. Statistics are unnecessary when a re-generated query execution plan that does not use the statistics is equivalent to an original query execution plan that uses the statistics. To determine this, an original query execution plan is created for each query in a specified workload using the statistics in the database. A search is performed of the statistics in order to enumerate one or more candidate sets of statistics to be eliminated. One or more of the candidate sets of statistics are removed from consideration prior to creating the re-generated query execution plan for each query in the specified workload.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium that facilitate in-database supervised discretisation mechanisms which improve data classification are provided. The disclosed mechanisms provide an efficient, automatic, and repeatable way to perform data discretisation without human intervention. Efficient processing of large and complex unknown data is provided that advantageously does not require the data being analyzed to be processed outside the database. The disclosed mechanisms may use an External Stored Procedure to avoid multiple joins of large tables and minimize the number of full table scans and, consequently, provide better performance than contemporary mechanisms. The disclosed system produces intermediate results in tables which may be conveyed to a visualization subsystem thereby providing users a better understanding of the data distribution in each category.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, apparatus and article of manufacture for optimizing execution of database queries in a computer system. In one embodiment, the steps and functions include: generating first and second query execution plans for first and second requests, wherein the first and second query execution plans are each comprised of one or more steps that scan a specified table in a database stored on the computer system in order to retrieve data from the table; and executing the first and second query execution plans, wherein intelligent query dispatching is performed on the steps of the first and second query execution plans to ensure that the steps share the data retrieved from the table and cached in memory.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of and system for capturing, storing and organizing quality feedback information associated with products sold by a retail enterprise. The quality feedback information is stored and organized within a relational database in accordance with a logical data model comprising a plurality of entities and relationships defining the manner in which quality feedback information is stored and organized within the relational database. The relational database, populated with quality feedback information, provides the retail enterprise with the means to analyze and improve retail operations, to better manage store inventory, and more efficiently manage product sales and returns.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a hardware accelerator that assists a host database system in processing its queries. The hardware accelerator comprises special purpose processing elements that are capable of receiving database query/operation tasks in the form of machine code database instructions, execute them in hardware without software, and return the query/operation result back to the host system.

Abstract: A method of systematically applying parameter evaluation techniques to large numbers of complex segmented models used for managing and analyzing a segmented manufacturing or supply chain process. These models include a plurality of segment models, each segment model representing a process segment within the segmented manufacturing or supply chain process and comprising a mathematical expression including at least one parameter. The method compares predicted values generated by a segment model with actual observed values to determining a score representative of the performance of the segment model. New parameters for the mathematical equation associated with the segment model are determined through statistical techniques when the model score indicates an unacceptable performance of the segment model. The segment models may be evaluated and updated in parallel and without manual intervention.

Abstract: A database system receives a transaction that selects values of a column of a first table based on one or more conditions, the column in the first table being according to a first data type. The database system transforms the first data type to a second, different data type. The selected values of the column according to the second data type are stored in the second table.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium for optimizing the performance of outer joins in a parallel processing system are provided. Predicates involving only attributes of a left table of a left outer join are pushed down to the outer relation for left outer joins having join predicates involving left table attributes and/or predicates involving attributes of both the right and left table. In such an instance, the rows of the left table may be partitioned into two sub-relations according to the predicate involving only attributes of the left table. Rows of the left table are allocated to a first sub-relation if the rows satisfy the predicate involving only attributes of the left table and rows of the left table are allocated to a second sub-relation if the rows fail to satisfy the predicate involving only attributes of the left table. Accordingly, only rows of the first sub-relation are required to be left outer joined with the right table.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a hardware accelerator that assists a host database system in processing its queries. The hardware accelerator comprises special purpose processing elements that are capable of receiving database query/operation tasks in the form of machine code database instructions, execute them in hardware without software, and return the query/operation result back to the host system.

Abstract: Techniques for integrating disparate data access mechanisms are provided. A user attempts data access against an infocube and its data access mechanism. Transparently, that access attempt is translated into a format recognized and processed by a relational database access mechanism to produce results. The results are then translated from a relational database format back to an infocube format and presented to the user within the infocube's data access mechanism.

Abstract: Optimizing the execution of a query in a multi-database system includes identifying a region within a table, the table being referenced in the query. The region is stored on a data-storage device on a first of the system databases in the multi-database system. The region is stored on a data-storage device on a second of the system databases in the multi-database system, the second system database being a different system database than the first system database. A first access plan for the query is developed, the first access plan comprising accessing the version of the region stored on the first system database. A second access plan for the query is developed, the second access plan comprising accessing the version of the region stored on the second system database. A selection is made between the first access plan and the second access plan to execute the query. The query is executed using the selected access plan to produce a result. The result is stored.

Abstract: A method of estimating the average response time and average I/O size that can be used as an alternative for or addition to existing response time and I/O estimation techniques. One method involves initializing values for an average response time and an average I/O size, and initializing an angle. Measurements of the I/O size and response times are received. The technique involves adjusting the average I/O size using the current value of the average I/O size and the received I/O size measurement. The average response time is adjusted using the current value for the average response time and the received response time measurement. The angle value is adjusted using the adjusted average I/O size, the current angle value and the I/O size and time measurements. The slope and y-intercept of a line, formed by plotting the average I/O size verses response time, can then be reported.