Abstract: A method and system for graphically representing a plan for a query in a relational database management system is disclosed. The method includes receiving and processing an input query to form a plurality of plans, selecting at least one plan of the plurality of plans, and transforming the selected plan into a self-describing formatted file which is platform independent. The method further includes generating a graph representing the selected plan from the self-describing formatted file.

Abstract: A system and method for using schema attributes as meta-data is disclosed. A directory service is provided for use with a computer system or network to aid in storing and managing data or other information related to the system. A group of attributes having special names or meaning are provided and may be included in a class schema. If the meaning or use of a class changes after its creation, additional attributes may be added into the class schema. The directory service may also be configured to define or determine relationships between various object classes in a directory system via specially named relationship classes, wherein the relationships are defined or determined before any instances of the classes exist in the directory.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for managing data across an enterprise. A request for information is received from a user. Data relating to the user request is searched for in at least two geographically separated information repositories. The results of the search are presented to the user. The user is allowed to browse through additional data of the information repositories. Links between data items and other data entries in the information repositories are created according to relationships the data items have to the other data entries.

Abstract: A client terminal sends a request signal representing contents of a questionnaire to an agent server, in accordance with operations of a client. The agent server sets target people to be provided with the questionnaire, in accordance with the contents of the questionnaire represented by the request signal sent from the client terminal through a network. The agent server creates a plurality of questions in accordance with the contents of the questionnaire which are represented by the request signal. The agent server sends the created questions to the set target people through a network. After this, the agent server sums up completed questionnaires sent back from the target people through a network. The agent server sends the summed result to the client terminal through a network, thereby to provide the summed result to the client.

Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining profiles in a device store. The method comprises: setting a profile type; selecting profile parameters such as destinations and processes; adding the profile to a device store; and, in response to creating the profile, limiting the lifetime of the profile in the device store. Time aging profiles, single-use profiles, renewable profiles, and permanent profiles can be selected. When a time aging profile is chosen, a time-to-live (TTL) variable, referenced to the creation of the profile, is also selected. Then, the profile is purged from the store when the TTL variable expires. When a single-use profile is chosen, the profile is purged from the store after the profile is used a first time. When a renewable profile is chosen, a TTL variable is selected that is reset in response to using the profile. The profile is purged from the store if the TTL variable expires.

Abstract: A standard format is provided for a text string called an enterprise identifier, which acts as a handle to access resources from disparate sources and technologies. Enterprise identifiers use extensible markup language format to allow a resource identifier to be created manually without accessing the resource. The identifier may be passed between enterprises via business-to-business connection, e-mail, telephone, or facsimile.

Abstract: Methods for minimizing conflicts in an optimistic concurrency database access scheme are described. The method provides users or software processes with cache copies of database records and tracks which data items in the cache copy were modified and whether they were read, or read before ever being modified. A decision is then made using this information as to whether the current transaction can be committed to the database. The inventive scheme engrafts intelligence to the commitment decision process and accommodates many transactions which prior art schemes consider as conflicting. Consequently, the inventive method increases throughput in such systems.

Abstract: A method for comparing two delimited strings, each of which has a plurality of substrings, includes pairing each substring in one of the delimited string with a corresponding substring in the other one of the delimited strings. The method further includes computing a proximity value for each pair of substrings, and computing a set of decaying weights corresponding to the pairs of substrings, multiplying the proximity value for each pair of substrings by the corresponding weight, and summing the weighted proximity values to obtain a strength of match between the delimited strings.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for managing a data set stored on a host computer that is in communication with a data storage assembly. A data manager on a host computer copies the data set to a synchronous copy of the data set stored on the data storage assembly and establishes a synchronous relationship between the data set and the synchronous copy. The data manager of the host computer can split the synchronous copy from the data set and generate a duplicate copy of the synchronous copy. Then the data manager can reestablish the synchronous relationship between the data set stored on the host computer and the synchronous copy stored on the data storage assembly.

Abstract: A search engine for databases, data streams, and other data sources allows user preferences as to the relative importance of search criteria to be used to rank the output of the search engine. A weighted preference generator generates weighted preference information including at least a plurality of weights corresponding to a plurality of search criteria. A weighted preference data search engines uses the weighted preference information to search a data source and to provide an ordered result list based upon the weighted preference information. A method for weighted preference data searching includes determining weighted preference information including a plurality of search criteria and a corresponding plurality of weights signifying the relative importance of the search criteria, and querying a data source and ranking the results based upon the weighted preference information.

Abstract: A system and method for including export information in the file system extended attribute data area is provided. File export information is determined by a system administrator or automated process. The determined export information is stored in an extended attribute data area corresponding with the file. When a computer system issues mount commands for the file systems to be mounted, the file system provides export information included in the extended attributes to the kernel whereupon the kernel exports the file system. Maintenance of file export information is thereby reduced. Backup, replications, and restorations of file systems is simplified by maintaining the export information along with the files being backed, replicated, or restored. For example, when the system administrator backs up a file, the export information in the extended attributes is backed-up as well. When the file system is retrieved, the export information is also retrieved within the extended attributes.

Abstract: A method and a system for making a production plan are proposed, for allowing a request from a client to be analyzed in real time, and the production plan to be constructed in response to manufactured or semi-manufactured products at a production line, so as to implement production according to the production plan and allow a production condition to be effectively controlled and managed. Moreover, the method and system for making a production plan allow a production cycle and human resources to be effectively controlled and adjusted respectively, so that sale, purchase and manufacture departments can realize the latest production and export conditions according to the production plan. In addition, in the use of the method and system for making a production plan, the manufactured products can be effectively controlled in stock and exportation.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing distributed transactions using configuration data that is available to all applications which may wish to access the data. Added to the configuration data is at least one status indicator to allow applications to ascertain the status of updates without performing a database-specific distributed transaction. An application which is preparing to write/update stored information must first change the at least one status indicator associated with the underlying storage. Thereafter, any other application which has a need to read or write the stored information will readily ascertain the status of the stored information from the configuration data. The other application which has need of the data may choose to read the old and/or partially updated data or may wait until the update has been completed and the at least one status indicator has been changed to indicate completion of the update.

Abstract: A computer implemented process accesses data stored on one or more computers, the data on each computer having a data storage schema. A program is generated to access the data using terms and constructs of a semantic programming interface. The semantic programming interface provides an abstract, object-oriented representation of the data that is independent of the data storage schemas of the data. Mappings of the representation of the data in the semantic programming interface to each of the data storage schemas of the data stored on the one or more computers are created. The data mappings are used to translate the interface-based program into one or more executable programs. The executable programs are run to access the data stored on the one or more computers. System security and data security are maintained on the one or more computers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for parallel searching through a data stream. Using a register bank and comparators, the device performs a brute force search through a data stream to quickly find one or more patterns therein. The invention sacrifices physical space for speed by using multiple comparators on the same register bank. The output of the comparators is fed into a decoding circuit which determines the locations of matches and mismatches. Matches are compared against a database/table to determine their significance.

Abstract: A unified policy management system for an organization including a central policy server and remotely situated policy enforcers. The central policy server includes a central database storing configuration information for the remotely situated policy enforcers. Each policy enforcer includes a policy enforcer database storing a portion of the configuration information associated with the policy enforcer. Changes in the policy settings made at the central policy server are stored in a log for later processing and sending to the appropriate policy enforcers. Upon receipt of the change information, each receiving policy enforcer updates the portion of its policy enforcer database affected by the change.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing composite data by a server computer with a distributed communication controller interface involves deforming a template creating a mapping relationship between co-registered data and subject data, filtering the co-registered data, and mapping this filtered co-registered data according to the mapping data. A client computer with a distributed communication controller interface requests the composite data from the server computer and transmits the subject data to the server computer. The client presents the received composite data to an operator and monitors the operators use of the composite data.

Abstract: A technique for organizing data information in a network having a plurality of network stations is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by having a first processing device store a representation of data at an address of a first of the plurality of network stations. A second processing device then stores the address at a second of the plurality of network stations in association with an identifier of the data. A third processing device then stores the data identifier at a third of the plurality of network stations in association with an annotation of the data.

Abstract: Workflow management system and method with personal subflows. A workflow system includes a workflow definition including an activity to be performed by a personal subflow. The personal subflow is defined by personal subflow activities and branch expressions associated with the subflow activities. A server interprets the workflow definition and facilitates the scheduling and routing of work items in the system. A client receives work items from the server and displays information therefrom to a participant. The client also receives data and control commands from the participant. A decision agent cooperates with the server in the scheduling of work items by considering participant-provided data and a branch expression associated with a current personal subflow activity.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and system for creation of a valid search warrant.