Abstract: The present invention proposes a system for resending a process to a backup server farm from a client without waiting for the failure-detection, if no reply is received for a certain time. The transaction processing mechanism of the present invention has a transaction start processing mechanism in which an exclusive control using a processing authority Token and data consistency are combined, and a commit processing mechanism in which determination on whether a commit is available or not based on a distributed agreement and replication of updated data. With the mechanisms, a system for shortening a service halt time when a failure occurs to a time as such it appears to a client that the service does not stop is provided.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed to a system and method for submitting a series of complementary queries to a selected database in order to retrieve data associated with such queries. The method begins by receiving parameter data representing at least one parameter, which defines a plurality of entries in an associated database. Query data is then generated from the parameter data. The query data is comprised of a series of complementary queries structured to aggregate so as to correspond to all possible entries associated with the parameter data. The query data is then communicated to an associated search engine coupled to query the associated database. Result data is then received from the associated search engine. The result data is comprised of a series of responses corresponding to each of the series of complementary queries. The result data is then communicated to an associated user.

Abstract: Embodiments of keyword-driven assistance are presented herein. Keyword assistance techniques are described which may be utilized to assist a user in finding particular electronically-stored items of instance. For example. one such technique may be utilized to perform searches of items based on a common meaning of the items as indicated by keywords of the items. The searches may be performed automatically such that a user interface which includes a display of a message may search for items which have similar meaning to the displayed message. In another example, a user interface may include a notes portion such that portions of the messages of particular interest to a user may be saved and organized based on closeness of keywords contained in the portions. A variety of other assistive techniques are also described.