Abstract: A journal mechanism for a database allows simultaneous deposits on multiple journal arms. According to a first embodiment, a journaling system maintains the time-order of interdependent deposits on the journal, but does not necessarily maintain the time-order of deposits that are independent of each other, thereby providing multiple simultaneous deposit points on the journal. The first embodiment provides excellent scaling of journal functions as processors are added to a database computer system. According to a second embodiment, a journaling system maintains the time-order of deposits on the journal, but allows a group of deposits known as a “bundle” to span multiple journal arms, thereby providing multiple simultaneous deposit points on the journal. The second embodiment provides good scaling while providing compatibility with known database systems. The present invention thus relieves contention for the journal that exists as the number of processors increases in a database system.

Abstract: A method for processing timer requests efficiently by reducing overhead and by increasing scalability within a computer system is disclosed. A timer request having a wake-up time of moderate length and a high tolerance level such that the wake-up time does not have to be very precise, is placed in a drop-off queue which is made up of an unsorted double-linked list. The timer request is then periodically hashed from the drop-off queue into an appropriate element of a timer request array, according to the time duration of the timer request. The timer request array is then processed in order to migrate the timer request towards the ?0,0! element of the timer request array. Finally, the timer request is awakened when the time request reaches the ?0,0! element or a ?0,n! element of the timer request array with no time remaining.