Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing general integrity checks using rules in an application running on a data processing system. A point is identified at which a unit of work is to complete. The unit of work includes a plurality of participants. Responsive to determining that the unit of work is to complete, rules associated with each participant in the unit of work are obtained. Responsive to obtaining the rules, the rules obtained for each of the participants are run. Responsive to running the rules, the general integrity of the application state with respect to the unit of work is determined. Responsive to determining the general integrity of the application state, the unit of work is completed by committing it or aborting it.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a data structure of an external data storage facility shared by a plurality of data processing systems, the data structure being allocated by a first allocation command which includes first allocation parameters based on an amount of storage space in the external data storage facility assigned for creation of the data structure and a composition of the data structure, includes a device for determining values of the first allocation parameters, to thereby determine a first composition of the data structure, a device for determining an actual usage of the data structure, to thereby determine a second composition of the data structure, a device for comparing the first composition of the data structure with the second composition of the data structure, and a device for issuing, based on an output from the comparing device, a second allocation command having second allocation parameters, to the data structure for reallocation thereof.