Abstract: Described is a technology by which load balancing is accomplished by HTTP redirect responses. A web application (rather than a server) receives an HTTP request, such as identifying a database that is available on one or more servers. From among those servers having the database, the web application selects a server based upon server load information collected from each of the servers. Load balancing is accomplished by selecting a server based upon the load information and which servers have the most recent data, and returning an HTTP redirect response that identifies the selected server. Also described is using redirection to refresh a database on a server without affecting any other databases on that server, by removing that server from those available while the database is refreshing, whereby requests for that database will not be redirected to that server while being refreshed.

Abstract: A large OLAP cube includes data and dimensions not required for a particular query, or for a collection of queries. A response to a query is generated by using the large OLAP cube rather than using an OLAP cube tailored to the query, and rather than querying the relational database directly. The large OLAP cube may be created after identifying a set of frequently sought data and/or filters used in queries to the relational database. Data may be staged by creating a smaller OLAP cube with data extracted from the large OLAP cube. The cubes may then be queried, browsed, and used to prepare reports or generate flat files.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which load balancing is accomplished by HTTP redirect responses. A web application (rather than a server) receives an HTTP request, such as identifying a database that is available on one or more servers. From among those servers having the database, the web application selects a server based upon server load information collected from each of the servers. Load balancing is accomplished by selecting a server based upon the load information and which servers have the most recent data, and returning an HTTP redirect response that identifies the selected server. Also described is using redirection to refresh a database on a server without affecting any other databases on that server, by removing that server from those available while the database is refreshing, whereby requests for that database will not be redirected to that server while being refreshed.

Abstract: A large OLAP cube includes data and dimensions not required for a particular query, or for a collection of queries. A response to a query is generated by using the large OLAP cube rather than using an OLAP cube tailored to the query, and rather than querying the relational database directly. The large OLAP cube may be created after identifying a set of frequently sought data and/or filters used in queries to the relational database. Data may be staged by creating a smaller OLAP cube with data extracted from the large OLAP cube. The cubes may then be queried, browsed, and used to prepare reports or generate flat files.