Abstract: A system and method for creating a snapshot with a differential file maintained on the base volume that can grow as needed. When a snapshot is captured, free space is allocated on the base volume to receive the differential file. Writes to the base volume are allowed except to the free space allocated to the differential file. Then the snapshot is captured. After the snapshot process is complete, data that was originally present at the time the snapshot was captured may be copied to the differential file before it is modified. To grow the differential file out of its allocated space, new free space is selected from the free space currently on the base volume in conjunction with the free space at the time the snapshot was captured. The free space bitmap file of the snapshot volume may be used to identify the free space at the time the snapshot was captured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of regulating the load in a distributed database (A), where the information within the database is distributed between several different nodes (1, 2, 3, . . . , k) belonging to the database. A request (4a) from a user (4) is served either by the node to which the user connects, here designated the receiving node (1), or by some other node after the receiving node (1) has forwarded the request to a node that can meet the request, this node being called the serving node (2). Respective nodes are given one or several key-numbers which limit the number of requests that respective nodes may accept in their role as a receiving node (1). The key-numbers are related to the executing capacity of the database (A).

Abstract: A method and mechanism are provided for creating, maintaining, and using a hierarchical index to efficiently access information in a relational system based on a pathnames, thus emulating a hierarchically organized system. Each item that has any children in the emulated hierarchical system has an index entry in the index. The index entries in the index are linked together in a way that reflects the hierarchical relationship between the items associated with the index entries. Pathname resolution is performed by following direct links between the index entries associated with the items in a pathname, according to the sequence of the filenames within the pathname. By using an index whose index entries are linked in this manner, the process of accessing the items based on their pathnames is significantly accelerated, and the number of disk accesses performed during that process is significantly reduced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that enhance the performance of computer file systems, and in particular the performance of read-only operations in such file systems. The invention can be implemented in a suite of computer program modules that together make up a performance enhancement product. The invention can transparently exist in an operating system after an initial setup is completed. The initial setup involves identifying what directories or files are to be monitored in order to intercept access requests for those files and to respond to those requests with enhanced performance. A system administrator can specify what directories or files are to be monitored. A high-performance index of monitored directories or files is maintained. When a monitored file is opened, a file identifier used, thereby bypassing the access of any directory meta data information. In one embodiment, access to monitored files is enhanced by pinning files in the data cache maintained by the file system cache manager.

Abstract: The invention is an integration software program that enables a user to use the logic and data accessible in a job standards development program to develop a job plan which is then transferred to a job planning software program where it is finalized and used to produce work orders. Integrating these two programs results in producing job plans rapidly and assures optimum utilization of labor, materials and tools.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for ensuring that file updates scheduled in a Wininit.ini file are applied with regard to previously existing versions and multiple instances of such updates are described. In one aspect, a computer program is installed on a computer system and executed after all file update entries have been made to a Wininit.ini file, but before the computer system is rebooted. If duplicate entries exist in the Wininit.ini file for a single destination file, the computer program determines which entry contains the newest source file based first on the version of the source file, if any, and then on the date/time stamp for the source file. The Wininit.ini entries referring to older source files, as well as the files themselves, are then marked for deletion and/or deleted before the computer system is rebooted.

Abstract: A method of using a binary tree data structure to represent a time-varying variable, and to solve queries about the variable. The tree is especially useful for solving “find” type queries, such as “What is the earliest/latest time when a minimum of y units are on hand?” This type of query can be solved with a efficiency of O(log n), where n is the number of nodes of the tree.

Abstract: A document management system A is employed to provide arbitrary properties to documents 40, such that the hierarchical constraints of previous file systems are avoided. An interface 10 is provided for visualizing document properties and a location of the documents within an organized arrangement. A repository C holds documents and the attached properties. A first containment structure 26 is designed to portray representations of documents in the repository having a first property type. A second containment structure 24 is provided to portray representations of documents in the repository having a second property type. Within the first containment structure 26 is a first document 40 having a first property type. A movement mechanism 43 is designed to move the representation of the first document 40, stored in the first containment structure 26 to a location in the second containment structure 24.

Abstract: A virtual world environment (VWE) employing a client-server architecture to organize data defining the VWE and objects contained therein in a system of distributed databases. An object in the VWE is one of four basic types including: an artifact, an avatar, a portal, and a room. A world database is maintained by a server computer and is the central storehouse for data defining the entire VWE. Each user has a client computer that is coupled in communication with the server computer. The client computer administers a local database defining at least a portion of the VWE. Each object that is affected by a change in another object is said to be in a bystander region of the other object. The local database maintained by the user's client computer is only updated by the server computer to include changes to the objects associated with the client computer (user) in the bystander region of the other object, i.e., changes evident to an object associated with the user.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method is provided that allows transparent and flexible partitioning of created objects in the context of schema mapping. The preferred schema mapper uses partition key values to facilitate partitioning of the created objects. The partition key value for an object determines what partition that object belongs in. To facilitate the most flexible schema mapping and partitioning, the partition key value for an object can be defined by the developer to be an attribute of an owning object, a primary key field of an owning object, or constant defined for its class. When new owned objects are created the partition key values are retrieved from their specified location in the owning object to determine the partition in which the new owned object belongs. In the preferred embodiment the developer also specifies a corresponding column of fields in the owned objects table to store the partitioning key values.

Abstract: A system and method are described for automating navigations in systems with measurement data that are structured as a multidimensional database (MDDB). The navigation includes an Automated Navigation Engine that uses external representations of a dimension selection function and a cube selection function to guide MDDB navigations. The method consists of the steps: (1) select the MDDB dimension that has the largest dimension selection score; (2) if this score is too small, terminate the method; (3) otherwise, select the cube with the largest cube selection score. These steps are performed repeatedly until (2) applies. Navigations can be performed for data mining, problem isolation, trending analysis, etc.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for computer-implemented use of object relational extensions for mining association rules. Data mining is performed by a computer to retrieve data from a data store stored on a data storage device coupled to the computer. A multi-column data store organized using a multi-column data model is received. One of the columns in the multi-column data store represents a transaction, and each of the remaining columns in the multi-column data store represents elements of that transaction. A combination operator is performed to obtain candidate itemsets of data from the multi-column data store, each itemset being a combination of a number of rows of the multi-column data store. Large itemsets of data are generated from the candidate itemsets, wherein each itemset has at least a minimum support. Association rules are generated from the large itemsets of data, wherein each association rule has at least a minimum confidence.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating information relating to a network resource. Upon detecting a hypertext document displayed on the screen a request identifying the document to a supplemental information server and retrieving information related to the hypertext document. The supplemental information is also displayed and the user may be provided opportunity to select further information or links. Guiding individuals to places of interest on a network where information is stored, and/or displaying or otherwise presenting useful information to the user.

Abstract: A dense data-set mining system and method is provided that directly exploits all user-specified constraints including minimum support, minimum confidence, and a new constraint, known as minimum gap, which prunes any rule having conditions that do not contribute to its predictive accuracy. The method maintains efficiency even at low supports on data that is dense in the sense that many items appear with high frequency (e.g. relational data).

Abstract: A data storage apparatus has a data processing unit and a data store with a variable data storage structure. The data processing unit preferably divides received data into parts of at least two different sizes, stores the parts in the data store, generates connection information indicating how the parts are connected, and reassembles the parts when read from the data store. The connection information may be stored together with the relevant parts of the data.

Abstract: Predictions are based primarily upon similarities in pairs of ratings, irrespective of the actual value of the ratings. A table is used to translate each pair of ratings into rankings that are used to make predictions of future ratings. Similar ratings are ranked higher than dissimilar ratings. The prediction is based upon the average () of the books linked to the book of interest, as rated by the user, plus the difference (&dgr;) between the average rating of the book of interest, as rated by all users, and the average ratings of the linked books, as rated by the user. The averages may be weighted by the rankings. Alternatively, the prediction is based upon the cumulative values applied to books linked to the books rated by the user, where the values are based upon the user's ratings of the rated books.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of handling the event recordings in a service database system. The database comprises measurement tables (MT) which include consecutive rows (Ri). So that the length of the recording interval can be changed at any time without interrupting the measurement, the system (a) maintains a time value which corresponds to the following expected changing moment of the recording interval and compares the current clock time value to the value of the expected changing moment to detect the changing moment of the recording interval, and (b) updates the time value of the expected changing moment and the length of the current recording interval according to the new time value of the changing moment as a response to the change in the length of the recording interval.