Abstract: A method and system for determining a plurality of coefficients of an objective function of a mathematical programming model. Attributes of the model are identified. A first set of coefficient values determining a first solution and initially representing the plurality of coefficients is determined by employing a specified ranking of the attributes. A prevailing solution is initialized to the first solution. Additional sets of coefficient values are generated, each set determining a corresponding additional solution of the model. The additional solutions are evaluated (e.g., by the Analytic Hierarchy Process) to provide a ranking of the solutions, where the ranking is dependent upon the attributes. The ranking of the additional solutions is used to select a second solution. The prevailing solution is set to the second solution if the second solution exceeds a sum of the prevailing solution and a specified tolerance.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a system providing application-layer functionality between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes an application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The application resides at the first network location. The application receives and processes query-language statements extracted at the decoders.