Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for efficient adaptive parallel data clustering for loading data into a table by generating a hint-key for each of one or more records in the input data stream, ordering the one or more records in a first-level clustering agent to generate one or more record lists ordered by hint-key. The apparatus, system, and method simultaneously processes one or more record lists in a second-level clustering agent, outputs the one or more records of the one or more record lists clustered by the hint-key of the one or more records, stores, in a partial block cache, a plurality of partial blocks that are output by the second-level clustering agent, and stores, in a partial page cache, a plurality of last partial pages of the partial blocks that have been victimized from the partial block cache.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for efficient adaptive parallel data clustering for loading data into a table by generating a hint-key for each of one or more records in the input data stream, ordering the one or more records in a first-level clustering agent to generate one or more record lists ordered by hint-key. The apparatus, system, and method simultaneously processes one or more record lists in a second-level clustering agent, outputs the one or more records of the one or more record lists clustered by the hint-key of the one or more records, stores, in a partial block cache, a plurality of partial blocks that are output by the second-level clustering agent, and stores, in a partial page cache, a plurality of last partial pages of the partial blocks that have been victimized from the partial block cache.

Abstract: The use of a centralized version table allows for efficient object switching. Rather than synchronizing all database agents to recognize a newly created file as containing the most recent version of a given object, database agents requiring access to the given object need only consult the centralized version table to learn file identity information. That is, the database agents consult the centralized version table to determine which of the files associated with a given object contain the most recent version of the given object. Mechanisms associated with the use of the centralized version table also provide for efficient recovery from a failure that has occurred during an object switching transaction.

Abstract: A system and associated method load an input data stream into a multi-dimensional clustering (MDC) table or other structure containing data clustered along one or more dimensions, by assembling blocks of data in a partial block cache in which each partial block is associated with a distinct logical cell. A minimum threshold number of partial blocks may be maintained. Partial blocks may be spilled from the partial block cache to make room for new logical cells. Last partial pages of spilled partial blocks may be stored in a partial page cache to limit I/O if the cell associated with a spilled block is encountered later in the input data stream. Buffers may be reassigned from the partial block cache to the partial page cache if the latter is filled. Parallelism may be employed for efficiency during sorting of input data subsets and during storage of blocks to secondary storage.

Abstract: New routing techniques over a packet switching network so that the protocol processing at inter-node line cards is drastically simplified or even eliminated altogether. These techniques utilize an ingress node of the packet switching network for translating the routing information into a fixed route encoded as a sequence of in-band control signals, fragmenting the packet into cells of a fixed length, and affixing the sequence of in-band control signals in front of each of the cells, deploying the in-band control signals in a sequence in nodes on the route to guide each of the cells through the sequence of nodes and then consuming the in-band control signals, and at an egress node reassembling the cells into the packet.

Abstract: A coffee-making machine includes: a nozzle from which an airborne stream of liquid containing coffee extract is ejected under pressure, a funnel downstream of the nozzle for receiving the ejected coffee extract and draining it substantially without retention, and a frothing member positioned in or upstream of the funnel and against which the airborne stream of liquid from the nozzle impinges directly and by which air is entrained in the liquid.

Abstract: The use of a centralized version table allows for efficient object switching. Rather than synchronizing all database agents to recognize a newly created file as containing the most recent version of a given object, database agents requiring access to the given object need only consult the centralized version table to learn file identity information. That is, the database agents consult the centralized version table to determine which of the files associated with a given object contain the most recent version of the given object. Mechanisms associated with the use of the centralized version table also provide for efficient recovery from a failure that has occurred during an object switching transaction.

Abstract: A system and associated method load an input data stream into a multi-dimensional clustering (MDC) table or other structure containing data clustered along one or more dimensions, by assembling blocks of data in a partial block cache in which each partial block is associated with a distinct logical cell. A minimum threshold number of partial blocks may be maintained. Partial blocks may be spilled from the partial block cache to make room for new logical cells. Last partial pages of spilled partial blocks may be stored in a partial page cache to limit I/O if the cell associated with a spilled block is encountered later in the input data stream. Buffers may be reassigned from the partial block cache to the partial page cache if the latter is filled. Parallelism may be employed for efficiency during sorting of input data subsets and during storage of blocks to secondary storage.

Abstract: New routing techniques over a packet switching network so that the protocol processing at inter-node line cards is drastically simplified or even eliminated altogether. These techniques utilize an ingress node of the packet switching network for translating the routing information into a fixed route encoded as a sequence of in-band control signals, fragmenting the packet into cells of a fixed length, and affixing the sequence of in-band control signals in front of each of the cells, deploying the in-band control signals in a sequence in nodes on the route to guide each of the cells through the sequence of nodes and then consuming the in-band control signals, and at an egress node reassembling the cells into the packet.

Abstract: A computer system for transferring data from an object relational database to another such database. The data in the source database having a table type hierarchy of data tables. The system transforming data from the source database to a flat file format data transfer file using a defined tree traversal order. The columns and subcolumns of the data transfer file corresponding to types and attributes from the source database type hierarchy; The data transfer file having a type identifier column corresponding to a type in the table type hierarchy. The system permitting the inputting of the data from the data transfer file to a target database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database.

Abstract: A computer system for transferring data from an object relational database to another such database. The data in the source database having a table type hierarchy of data tables. The system transforming data from the source database to a flat file format data transfer file using a defined tree traversal order. The columns and subcolumns of the data transfer file corresponding to types and attributes from the source database type hierarchy; The data transfer file having a type identifier column corresponding to a type in the table type hierarchy. The system permitting the inputting of the data from the data transfer file to a target database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database.

Abstract: A computer system for transferring data from an object relational database to another such database. The data in the source database having a table type hierarchy of data tables. The system transforming data from the source database to a flat file format data transfer file using a defined tree traversal order. The columns and subcolumns of the data transfer file corresponding to types and attributes from the source database type hierarchy. The data transfer file having a type identifier column corresponding to a type in the table type hierarchy. The system permitting the inputting of the data from the data transfer file to a target database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database.