Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and article of manufacture for managing workloads in a computer system, comprising monitoring system conditions and operating environment events that impact on the operation of the computer system, using an n-dimensional state matrix to identify at least one state resulting from the monitored system conditions and operating environment events, and initiating an action in response to the identified state.

Abstract: A system for managing a plurality of systems, includes a domain comprised of a plurality of systems, wherein the systems are managed by one or more closed-loop system management (CLSM) regulators. A virtual regulator manages operational characteristics of the domain and the plurality of systems, by communicating with the CLSM regulators to monitor the systems' states, events and conditions within the domain and to adjust the systems' operational characteristics in response to the systems' states, events and conditions.

Abstract: A system and method for managing one or more database systems, wherein the database systems perform database queries to retrieve data stored by the database systems. One or more regulators are used for managing the database systems, wherein the regulators monitor workload priority influenced data temperature in order to allocate resources for the systems. The data temperature is a measure of physical accesses to logical data, and the workload priority is used to further define data temperature, in order to optimize data storage placement and data access decisions.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a domain comprised of a plurality of database systems, wherein each of the database systems performs database queries to retrieve data stored by the database systems. There are one or more virtual regulators for managing the domain and one or more closed-loop system management (CLSM) regulators for managing each of the database systems in the domain. Both the virtual regulators and CLSM regulators perform parallel virtual optimization of the database queries performed by the database systems.

Abstract: A system and method for managing database systems, wherein the database systems perform database queries to retrieve data stored by the database systems. One or more regulators are used for managing the database systems, wherein a database tuning agent function of the regulator uses statistics on physical and logical data access in order to perform automated block size management for database objects.

Abstract: In a method, computer program and process for administering the workload of a database system as it executes one or more requests the one or more requests are sorted into one or more workload groups. Each workload group has an associated level of service desired from the database system. The one or more requests are executed in an order intended to achieve the levels of service associated with each of the workload groups. The system resources are assigned to the one or more workload groups as necessary to provide the level of service associated with each workload group. The execution of requests is monitored on a short-term basis to detect a deviation from the level of service greater than a short-term threshold. If such a deviation is detected, the assignment of system resources to workload groups is adjusted to reduce the deviation. Monitoring is also performed on a long-term basis to detect deviations from the expected level of service greater than a long-term threshold.

Abstract: An optimization technique is provided that optimizes data access by mapping each table, or row and/or column in a table, to a particular query, depending on whether the data in said table, row or column is ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ data. In one aspect, the invention features a method for optimizing the access time of an SQL query to a database including data. The method includes receiving, for each query type, a data frequency access measure and associating each query type with a processing rule set, according to the received data frequency access measure.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and system are disclosed for validating query plans for an upgrade. Environment information corresponding to a target system is received. A query used on the target system is received. A target query plan generated by the target system is received. The query and the environmental information are imported into a test system. The test system corresponds to an upgrade of the target system. A test query plan is generated for the query using the test system. The target query plan is compared with the test query plan.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and system are disclosed for executing a utility on a database system having a plurality of database system nodes. Each database system node has an existing load. An increased load on the database system required to execute the utility is determined. The existing load on each of the database system nodes is determined. The increased load is distributed in such a way as to balance the load among the database system nodes.

Abstract: A system emulation tool and method provides a user interface having various options that are selectable by a user for exporting environment information from one or more target database systems. The user interface in one arrangement includes multiple screens that are invoked in response to user action. Exported data from the one or more target database systems is stored in corresponding files. The user interface of the system emulation tool also provides options to enable a user to import the environment information to a test system. In the test system, the environment information is used to create an environment that emulates the environment of the target database system.

Abstract: An execution plan of a query for a parallel database system is determined. In one arrangement, the parallel database system is a relational database management system. The execution plan of the query is determined by an optimizer program. Execution plans are inserted into one or more explain tables that are accessible by a visual explain and compare module to display the steps of the execution plan in a graphical user interface. Parallel execution of steps of the execution plan can be depicted in the graphical user interface. Further, plural execution plans for a given query under different conditions may be compared.

Abstract: An execution plan of a query for a parallel database system is determined. In one arrangement, the parallel database system is a relational database management system. The execution plan of the query is determined by an optimizer program. Execution plans are inserted into one or more explain tables that are accessible by a visual explain and compare module to display the steps of the execution plan in a graphical user interface. Parallel execution of steps of the execution plan can be depicted in the graphical user interface. Further, plural execution plans for a given query under different conditions may be displayed for comparison.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provides for the extraction of environment information from a target database system. The environment information includes at least one of cost-related information and random sample statistics. The cost-related information and/or random sample statistics are imported to a test system, where the cost-related information and/or random sample statistics are used in query plan analysis by an optimizer.

Abstract: A method for logging database queries includes receiving a request to log a plurality of database queries. Each database query is associated with an execution time. The method also includes summarizing at least some of the database queries in a log based at least partially on the execution time associated with each of the database queries.

Abstract: A method and computer system for structure subset generation for multiple databases is disclosed. The method retrieves a database view object structure. The method includes inputting definition language specifying a database view identifier and with at least one directly or indirectly referenced database object unqualified with a containing database identifier. The method further includes inputting a show statement that identifies the database view identifier and outputting the definition language with each directly or indirectly referenced database object qualified with its containing database identifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of analyzing a target system comprises receiving information relating to an environment of the target system and storing cost data based on the environment information. The plan and its estimated performance for a query may be determined based on the cost data. The environment information may pertain to the environment of a parallel system (e.g., a multi-node parallel system, a single-node parallel system having plural central processing units or a system running plural virtual processors) that is running a parallel database. The cost data may identify a number of nodes in the target system, a number of central processing units in each node of the target system, and other types of system information. The cost data may be stored in a relational table having a plurality of rows. Each row of the relational table may correspond to a different target system.

Abstract: Statistics regarding at least one attribute (or column) of a table in a database system are collected using an enhanced mechanism for faster collection. The statistics collection is based on scanning a sample of rows of a given table, with the sample being less than all the rows of the table. The percentage of rows to be read is specified in a statement submitted to the database system. The database system then uses the specified percentage to read the sample rows from the table for collecting statistics on the at least one attribute.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of analyzing a target system comprises receiving information relating to an environment of the target system and storing cost data based on the environment information. The plan and its estimated performance for a query may be determined based on the cost data. The environment information may pertain to the environment of a parallel system (e.g., a multi-node parallel system, a single-node parallel system having plural central processing units or a system running plural virtual processors) that is running a parallel database. The cost data may identify a number of nodes in the target system, a number of central processing units in each node of the target system, and other types of system information. The cost data may be stored in a relational table having a plurality of rows. Each row of the relational table may correspond to a different target system.

Abstract: An index selection mechanism allows for efficient generation of index recommendations for a given workload of a database system. The workload includes a set of queries that are used to access tables in a database system. The index recommendations are validated to verify improved performance, followed by application of the indexes. Graphical user interface screens are provided to receive user input as well as to present reports to the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting and presenting demographics information in a database system is provided. Examples of the demographics information include disk space utilization, row count and average row size of the table, statistics information of a column in the table, and blocks distribution of a table across multiple access modules of the database system. Graphical user interfaces are also provided to display demographics information in one of several different formats, including graph format, text format, and so forth.