Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates, to a method of operating a payment transaction system maintained by a first party who receives an instruction for a first transaction. The instructed first transaction is directed from a second party to a third party, and includes a transaction date on which the payment transaction system is to give effect to the first transaction. The first party stores the transaction instruction into a database, and permits the third party to access those transaction instructions stored in the database that are directed to the third party. The first party then receives a request from the third party to bring forward at least in part the instructed first transaction. In response to the request, the first party re-directs the first transaction at least in part from the third party to the first party. In addition, the first party creates a new instruction for a second transaction in the system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a disk-to-tape storage system including a front-end portion and a hack-end portion. The front-end portion ha, a first interface for receiving storage commands and data over a network from an application performing a backup or archive operation. The received storage commands conform to a standardised command format. The back-end portion has a second interface for transmitting storage commands and the received data for storage in a tape library. The disk-to-tape storage system is operable to transform the received storage commands from the standardised command format into an appropriate format for the transmitted storage commands so as to maintain direct accessibility by the application of the received data as stored in the tape library.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of operating a payment transaction system maintained by a first party who receives an instruction for a first transaction. The instructed first transaction is directed from a second party to a third party, and includes a transaction date on which the payment transaction system is to give effect to the first transaction. The first party stores the transaction instruction into a database, and permits the third party to access those transaction instructions stored in the database that are directed to the third party. The first party then receives a request from the third party to bring forward at least in part the instructed first transaction. In response to the request, the first party re-directs the first transaction at least in part from the third party to the first party. In addition, the first party creates a new instruction for a second transaction in the system.