Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing and querying a graph. The method includes the steps of: receiving a graph; partitioning the graph into homogeneous blocks; compressing the homogeneous blocks; and storing the compressed homogeneous blocks in files where at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of deep cloning (a.k.a. deep copying) objects using a binary format. A deep clone of a designated object includes references to other objects (and potentially copies of the other objects) included in the designated object. A binary representation of each object in an object graph is generated to provide a binary clone of the object graph. Objects created by a dynamic language engine are called dynamic language objects. Objects created by a host (e.g., that hosts the dynamic language engine) are called host objects. Each host object is associated with an intermediate representation thereof via a property bag that describes properties of that host object. Each intermediate representation is understandable by the dynamic language engine. A binary representation of each dynamic language object and each host object may be generated in accordance with the binary format to provide the binary clone.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for on-demand entitlement monitoring. One exemplary method involves an on-demand application server obtaining, from a database, usage information for a resource associated with an entitlement offered by a resource provider to a user of a client device and generating a graphical representation of usage of the resource by the user based at least in part on the usage information obtained from the database. In exemplary embodiments, the on-demand application server provides the graphical representation to the resource provider for integration into a graphical user interface display associated with a virtual application provided to the client device over a network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing for display a map that graphically represents the association among documents are disclosed. A method for providing for display a map that graphically represents the association between a first document and a second document that analyzes the first document includes receiving, at a computer, a request to generate the map. The method further includes retrieving, from a database, analysis information related to the way in which the second document analyzed the first document, in response to the received request. The method further includes providing for display the map. The map includes a first node, a second node, and a connector. The first node corresponds to the first document. The second node corresponds to the second document. The connector graphically links the first node and the second node. The second node includes a graphical representation of the analysis information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for interactive visualization of temporal event data and correlated outcomes. The temporal event data comprises a plurality of entities undergoing one or more events. The temporal event data is aggregated and a flow graph is generated to represent the aggregated temporal event data. The flow graph comprises a directed acyclic graph having a plurality of nodes connected by edges, wherein each of the nodes represents a group of entities in a given state. A view of the flow graph is generated and then a visualization of the flow graph view can be rendered to a user. The user can interact with the flow graph view and the visualization and/or the flow graph view can be updated based on the user interactions. The flow graph is sliced into layers, wherein a given layer i contains all nodes with i events.

Abstract: This technology concerns, in one aspect, using a person's social network graph data as a virtual visual cortex—taking image input from a smartphone or the like, and processing it with the graph data to yield a personalized form of processing based on the imagery. The user's network graph data is typically updated by such processing—providing a form of virtual image memory that can influence future social network behavior. In another aspect, the technology concerns identifying content (e.g., audio) by both fingerprint-based and watermark-based techniques, and arrangements employing such identification data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A dependency graph includes nodes representing states of infrastructure elements in a managed system, and impacts and events among the infrastructure elements in a managed system that are related to delivery of a service by the managed system. Events are received that cause change among the states in the dependency graph. An event occurs in relation to one of the infrastructure elements of the dependency graph. Each individual node that was affected by the event is analyzed and ranked based on (i) states of the nodes which impact the individual node, and (ii) the states of the nodes which are impacted by the individual node, to provide a score for event(s) which is associated with the individual node. Plural events are ranked based on the scores. The root cause of the events with respect to the service is provided based on the events which were ranked.

Abstract: A search apparatus includes a graph memory, a root node specification receiving unit, and a search unit. The graph memory stores data of a graph having nodes representing data elements and a link representing a relationship between the data elements. The root node specification receiving unit receives a root node specified from among the nodes in the graph. The search unit searches for an adjacent node which is connected to a target node via a link and which satisfies a search condition that at least one of the target node and the adjacent node has a predetermined attribute. The search unit searches for an adjacent node using the root node as the target node. The search unit iteratively performs a process of searching for an adjacent node using a previously determined adjacent node as the target node for a subsequent iteration to obtain a concatenation of adjacent nodes.

Abstract: A nonlinear revision control system for images is designed with the common digital editing and sketching workflows in mind. DAG (directed acyclic graph) is used as the core structure and DAG nodes represent editing operations, and DAG edges indicate the corresponding spatial, temporal and semantic relationships. DAG is visualized in RevG (revision graph), which provides not only a meaningful display of the revision history, but also an intuitive interface for common revision control operations such as review, replay, diff, addition, branching, merging, and conflict resolving. Beyond revision control, the system also facilitates artistic creation processes in common image editing and digital painting workflows. A prototype system has been built upon GIMP, an open source image editor, and demonstrates its effectiveness through a formative user study and comparisons with alternative revision control systems.

Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for integrating user actions on objects outside of the social networking system in the social graph. External system operators include widgets that, when executed by user devices, record user interactions that correspond to a defined structure of actions and objects. Information about the actions and the objects is gathered from external systems as users of the social networking system interact with the external systems. Content items are ranked according to the information about the actions and the objects as well as preferences of the viewing users.

Abstract: A system, a method and a computer program product for storing data, which include receiving a data stream having a plurality of transactions that include at least one portion of data, determining whether at least one portion of data within at least one transaction is substantially similar to at least another portion of data within at least one transaction, clustering together at least one portion of data and at least another portion of data within at least one transaction, selecting one of at least one portion of data and at least another portion of data as a representative of at least one portion of data and at least another portion of data in the received data stream, and storing each representative of a portion of data from each transaction in the plurality of transactions, wherein a plurality of representatives is configured to form a chain representing the received data stream.

Abstract: To provide large amounts of operations and quality related data to business owners, managers and operators, a system and method are provided to easily produce and present control charts having many different selectable perspectives. To provide this ability, and automated process is followed which calculates and indexes virtually all control chart parameters and stores the information in an OLAP cube structure. Using different types of presentation methodologies, the control charts can be easily generated and altered depending on the desires of the particular user. Since virtually all variations are stored and indexed, when the parameters used to generate the control charts are altered, the system can simply retrieve all necessary information from the indexed OLAP cube structure and quickly generate a visual display of the desired control chart.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating travel sheds which show the area reachable in a given amount of time by different modes of transport. A travel shed may consist of a series of polygons or other geometric shapes showing areas reachable from a given address or location within a specified travel time utilizing a specified mode of transport (e.g. driving, biking, walking, public transportation, etc.). Techniques are disclosed for enabling rapid calculations of travel times. In one embodiment, rapid generation of travel times and associated travel sheds may be enabled by performing pre-processing steps (e.g. downsampling, progressive road type removal, etc.) on road graph data. The pre-processing steps reduce the road graph while still preserving enough to generate accurate travel sheds. One example use of travel sheds is to enable searching for points of interest (e.g. homes, apartments, hotels, restaurants, schools, parks, etc.) according to specified travel times.

Abstract: A method and system for analyzing impact of an event on resources of a network. A directed graph is generated and includes nodes and edges. Each node represents a resource. Each edge connects, and is directed from, a predecessor node to a successor node. The event impacts the resource at an event node. A propagation time (PT) is determined for each edge. The PT is a time interval for an impact of the event to travel along each edge from the predecessor node to the successor node. An initial estimated impact time (EIT) is set for each node. The EIT for each node is an estimated time at which the event impacts each node. The EIT of each node that is directly or indirectly connected to the event node by one or more edges is updated. A list of the updated nodes is sent to an output device.

Abstract: Presentation of social graph data is described, including techniques for displaying connection information comprising receiving a login identifying a member, retrieving from a database an item to which the member is connected, and displaying the item and a connection between the item and the member. Embodiments of the invention include obtaining social data from a social networking service, and using the social data to update social graphs.

Abstract: Method and device for data storage are provided. The data storage method includes: generating a custom data structure which includes at least a first node, each node includes a first module for storing type identifiers and values of data, and a second module for storing a mapping list that stores mapping relationship between identifiers of child nodes of the each node and the child nodes; when receiving data every time, determining a storage location and a type of the received data if the received data is stored in the first node of the custom data structure, storing the type and a value of the received data in a first module of the first node; and if the received data is stored in a second node of the custom data structure, storing the type and the value of the received data in a first module of the second node.

Abstract: A method for managing object-oriented queues by reusing queue entry objects instead of creating and destroying each queue entry object inserted into and removed from the queue. Inserting a queue entry object into the queue involves changing the status of the queue entry object from available to in-use, adding the queue entry object to a queue list, returning a reusable queue entry object to the queue user, receiving an insertion notification that the queue entry object data is valid, and marking the insertion of the queue entry object into the queue as complete. Removing a queue entry object from the queue involves un-marking the queue entry object in the queue as complete, removing the queue entry object from the queue list, returning the valid queue entry object to the queue user, receiving a removal notification that valid data has been extracted from the queue entry object, and changing the status of the reusable queue entry object removed from the queue list from in-use to available.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a density-based clustering algorithm that decomposes and reformulates the DBSCAN algorithm to facilitate its performance on the Map-Reduce model. The DBSCAN algorithm is reformulated into connectivity problem using a density filter method and a partial connectivity detector. The density-based clustering algorithm uses message passing and edge adding to increase the speed of result merging, it also uses message mining techniques to further decrease the number of iterations to process the input graph. The algorithm is scalable, and can be accelerated by using more machines in a distributed computer network implementing the Map-Reduce program.

Abstract: A method is provided for constructing an ancestral recombination graph. A value K is received representing K extant units. M non-mixing segments are also received. K vertices V are generated. K lineages for each of M trees are associated with each of the K vertices. An ancestral recombination graph is constructed. To construct the ancestral recombination graph, there is repeated, until only one lineage survives for each of the M trees, a process that includes the following. A tree is randomly selected tree. A first vertex v1 and a second vertex v2 are randomly selected. Two adjoining segments in the M non-mixing segments of the first and second vertices are combined together into a single vertex. A separate vertex is generated for at least one remaining segment in each of the M non-mixing segments of the first and second vertices. The vertices V are updated to be vertices that are non-interior vertices.

Abstract: A table update component may perform updates on a dynamic linear hash table, the updates requested by clients based on request item values. A table capacity status component may determine first capacity indicators associated with the dynamic linear hash table, based on results of the update requests. A table maintenance component may initiate lock-free merges and lock-free splits of hash table buckets associated with the dynamic linear hash table, based on initiating lock-free merges and lock-free splits of linked lists included in hash table buckets associated with the dynamic linear hash table, based on the determined first capacity indicators, the linked lists including hashed items stored in the dynamic linear hash table.

Abstract: A system and method for storing an input data network, in the form of graph is provided. The system includes a master node and a plurality of slave nodes. The master node is operable to receive the data network in the form of a graph, the graph including a plurality of vertices connected by edges; calculate a probability of co-retrieval for each of the plurality of vertices; and assign each of the plurality of vertices to one of the plurality of compute nodes based on the calculated probability of co-retrieval. Another method and system are provided for converting a dataset into a graph based index and storing the index on disk. Respective systems and methods of querying such data networks are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a database using distributed memory and set operations, and for evaluating graphs stored in the database. Any system may be represented as a graph structure having nodes and edges. The graph structure is stored in a distributed memory system using a key/value schema wherein each node is stored as a key and a set of neighbor nodes is stored as the corresponding value. A short path from one node to another may be determined by traversing the graph in stages, moving outward from each node in stages until common midpoint nodes are found indicating connections between the nodes. When the midpoint nodes are found, the paths connecting the nodes may be reconstructed.

Abstract: A method and system for managing the lifetime of semantically-identified data is provided. A graph data structure is maintained in storage of a computing device. The graph data structure has data items and relationships therebetween that are semantically identified. Lifetime information is stored in the storage. The lifetime information describes the period during which at least one of the data items in the graph data structure is valid.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reslicing data in a representation of a relational database are disclosed. In one embodiment, the database includes a representation including a first slice. The database system creates a plurality of new slice and to create a plurality of write queues. The database system copies units of data in the first slice to the new slices according to a distribution function. The distribution function determines, for each unit of data in the first slice, one of the new slices into which to copy the unit of data. The database system asynchronously writes one or more actions of a set of one or more asynchronous database transactions to the first slice when copying the data in the first slice to the new slices. The database asynchronously enqueues the one or more actions of the set of asynchronous database transactions in the write queues according to the distribution function.

Abstract: To provide a method, program, and system for converting graph data to a data structure that enables manipulations in various applications to be reflected in the original graph data. The method uses at least one graph matching pattern to convert at least a part of graph data including nodes and edges to a data structure as an image of a homomorphism thereof. A pattern is provided which includes one representative node variable having a first constraint that at most one node in the graph data matches the representative node variable; the node is prohibited from matching a node variable in another pattern. The method includes the step of performing matching between the graph data and the pattern to obtain a matching result that does not violate constraints including the first constraint, and the step of generating a data structure corresponding to the matching result that does not violate the constraints.

Abstract: To provide a method, program, and system for converting graph data to a data structure that enables manipulations in various applications to be reflected in the original graph data. The method uses at least one graph matching pattern to convert at least a part of graph data including nodes and edges to a data structure as an image of a homomorphism thereof. A pattern is provided which includes one representative node variable having a first constraint that at most one node in the graph data matches the representative node variable; the node is prohibited from matching a node variable in another pattern. The method includes the step of performing matching between the graph data and the pattern to obtain a matching result that does not violate constraints including the first constraint, and the step of generating a data structure corresponding to the matching result that does not violate the constraints.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a document structure instance that includes structure components. A selected structure component is chosen from the structure components. The method includes generating, with a processor, a hierarchical graph based on the selected structure component. The hierarchical graph includes classes, a class definition relationship, and an instance identifier that identifies the selected structure component. The hierarchical graph is output.

Abstract: A computer system maintains a biological data structure having molecular feature data. The system receives data elements indicating biological molecular features and knowledge elements that represent biological concepts. The system individually associates unique identifiers with the elements. For individual elements, the system maintains an internal element set of the other unique identifiers for the other elements that are directly associated with that one individual element. For the individual elements, the system maintains an external element set of the other unique identifiers for the other elements that have that one individual element in their own internal element sets. Although not required, the computer system may process a query indicating a search scope and a molecular feature for an individual biological entity, and responsively process the molecular feature and the elements based on the search scope to induce a knowledge sub-graph for the individual biological entity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an approach for creating, evolving and using a weighted semantic graph to manage and potentially identify certain information assets within an enterprise. The semantic graph may be generated by monitoring users navigating through search results which provide a set of information assets responsive to a search query. By recording the navigation path taken by many users, relationships between information assets may be identified. Further, once generated, the semantic graph may be used to present users with in indication of related information assets as part of the search results. Further still, the semantic graph may also be used to identify information assert “hubs” as well as information assets that may provide low utility to individuals within the enterprise.

Abstract: A method and system for creating a linked list and a method and system for searching data are disclosed. The method for creating the linked list includes obtaining a first linked list from a first storage area, in which the first linked list has at least one node, and each node at least includes first data; obtaining the first data of each node from the linked list; storing the first data into a preset second storage area and forming a second linked list. The method stores the node identifiers and the node pointers of the linked list preferentially using the continuous storage area, such that the times of cache updating which is triggered by the traverse operation are reduced, and the access speed of the accessed data is increased.

Abstract: A system and method for keeping, organizing and managing electronic records, comprising generating a first instance of data objects comprising data elements during a first encounter, the elements comprising a first instance identifier and temporal identifiers; linking a data object to a summarization reference with a pointer; creating an additional instance of data objects also comprising data elements comprising an additional instance identifier and temporal identifiers during a later encounter; and providing continuity for the first instance data objects over time. Continuity may be provided by tracking a relationship between the first instance data object and an additional instance data object and repointing the pointer to point between the summarization reference and the additional instance data object. The additional instance data object may be a revision of the first instance data object, and tracking may occur by back-linking the revision to the first instance data object.

Abstract: Community ratings are determined for users of an electronic marketplace. In a typical configuration, the community rating of an individual reflect the individual's reputation in the electronic community (e.g. feedback rating) as well as the reputations of the users the individual sponsors and the reputations of each user they sponsor, and so on. Various methodologies are provided for determining a community rating, such as aggregating feedback ratings, or weighting or thresholding these feedback ratings.

Abstract: An automatic approach is described for the semantic analysis and conversion of video annotation metadata (e.g., Video Event Markup Language or “VEML” metadata) to propositional graphs suitable for analysis by an analogical reasoning system (ARS). Also as described herein, a system architecture implements this conversion while maintaining semantic consistency from annotation through results reporting. Further, the techniques herein leverage the same ontology to populate options for an annotation tool, provide the rules for the metadata-to-propositional graph mapping, and provide the basis for comparison in an analogical reasoning algorithm.

Abstract: One embodiment of the disclosure can represent within a K-partite graph, weighting factors between a set of identifier elements and a set of data elements. The K-partite graph can also represent weighting factors between the set of identifier elements and a set of metadata elements. In the K-partite graph, the set of identifier elements, the set of data elements, and the set of metadata elements are independent and disjoint sets such that no two vertices within a same set are adjacent. A score vector can be calculated that ranks each data element in a set of data elements. The score vector can be calculated from the weighting factors. At least one data element from the set of data elements can be selected using the score vector and a predetermined selection criterion.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include systems, methods, software, and data structures to generate and render visualizations of configuration items (CIs) represented in a Configuration Management Database (CMDB). One embodiment includes receiving a request for a CI graph from a client including a focus CI identifier represented in a CMDB. The focus CI may be used to retrieve data of related CIs, the data including CI identifiers. A process is then executed for each retrieved CI identifier to retrieve CI data as a function of the received CI identifier and to build a node XML and an edge XML representation of relations between the CIs. This method also includes aggregating the node and edge XML representations into a single XML document and then translating the document into a markup language document capable of being rendered in a graphical user interface. The markup language document is then transmitted to the requestor.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for monitoring an object-oriented application is disclosed. A transaction-representative-digraph is built based upon a real-time running of the application, and the digraph contains nodes of a plurality of replaceable classes. A key node is selected based upon invocation relationships between the nodes. A monitor program is instrumented at the selected key node.

Abstract: In a computer environment, a system and method is described that generally provides for creation of a distributed graph database, creation and deployment of nodes in a distributed graph database system, and integration of nodes into a set of distributed graph databases that include data nodes and edges that are: entities built using forms, relations, and relationships; immutable but evolvable through the addition of new data nodes or new edges joining the evolving data node to another data node; shareable and mergeable.

Abstract: A logic diagram search device of the present invention includes a movement amount estimation section, a computation element/signal line correspondence calculation section, and a similarity degree calculation section. The movement amount estimation section estimates a diagram movement amount between a criterion diagram and a comparative diagram based on a coordinates variation amount. The computation element/signal line correspondence calculation section generates correspondence between a signal line in the criterion diagram connecting the computation elements that have been objects of a correspondence generation operation and a signal line in the comparative diagram connecting the computation elements that have been objects of the correspondence generation operation. The similarity degree calculation section calculates the degree of similarity between the criterion diagram and the comparative diagram based on the computation elements and the signal lines for which the correspondence is generated.

Abstract: A system and method determines an object's lifetime. An object lifecycle engine may work with an object oriented environment. As objects are created, an object graph may be constructed having one or more roots. A root record graph may be constructed, and edges of the root record graph may point in an opposite direction than the edges of the object graph. As objects, entities, and references are added, removed, or deleted from within the environment, the object graph and the root record graph may be updated. A root finder may search the root record graph to determine whether a given root record is no longer rooted. If a root record is no longer rooted, then the object associated with that root record may be determined to be unreachable and at the end of its lifetime. If the root finder search is performed when references are removed, then objects may be destroyed in a deterministic manner.

Abstract: A method for finding sequential patterns of attributes in a directed graph includes constructing a directed graph comprising multiple nodes and edges between the nodes. Each of the nodes may be assigned one or more attributes. Similarly, each of the edges may be assigned a weight value which may indicate the probably the edge will be traversed during traversal of the directed graph. The method may further include finding sequences of attributes in the directed graph that have some minimum amount of frequency and/or time support. In performing this step, the frequency support of each individual instance of a sequence of attributes may be calculated by multiplying the weight values along the edge or edges of the instance. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: The non-negative single-source shortest path (NSSP) problem is solved on a graph by using a preprocessing phase and then, in a query phase, computing the distances from a given source in the graph with a linear sweep over all the vertices. Contraction hierarchies may be used in the preprocessing phase and in the query phase. Optimizations may include reordering the vertices in advance to exploit locality, performing multiple NSSP computations simultaneously, marking vertices during initialization, and using parallelism. Techniques may be performed on a graphics processing unit (GPU). This makes applications based on all-pairs shortest-paths practical for continental-sized road networks. The applications include, for example, computing graph diameter, exact arc flags, and centrality measures such as exact reaches or betweenness.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product to generate selected tabular data from an object relational data model using a faceted interaction interface may include providing a faceted interaction interface to specify a faceted query to provide the selected tabular data from the object relational data model. The faceted query may include at least one facet and at least one facet condition. The method may also include constructing an object relational graph from a plurality of input object tables of the object relational data model. The method may also include selecting each object in the object relational graph which contains at least one facet and identifying each object in the object relational graph on which at least one facet condition applies. The method may additionally include generating at least one object group from the object relational graph.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for flow analysis. In one aspect, a method includes modifying a dataflow graph, the dataflow graph including a plurality of paths connecting at least one entry point and at least one exit point, including adding components to the dataflow graph that add flow units to data records and remove flow units from data records, each flow unit identifying a segment of a path traversed by the data record. The method also includes identifying execution paths based on flow units obtained by processing a plurality of data records using the modified dataflow graph. The method also includes determining a subset of the plurality of data records, wherein a selected set of execution paths are represented by the subset.

Abstract: Described are techniques to facilitate temporal features in a semantic data store. Information about lifetimes of facts in a semantic store is maintained. Even when a fact is logically deleted, a physical record is kept available. The record of a logically deleted or invalid fact has associated lifetime information. For example, valid-from and valid-to time values. The record of a fact not yet deleted may have a valid-from time value indicating when it was created, became valid, etc. Queries against the semantic store may specify a timeslice (a point in time or a time range). The lifetime information can be used to satisfy such time-specific queries. Because records are maintained after they are logically deleted, it is also possible to accurately query a past state of the semantic store. Even if such a query is run at different times, same results may be obtained.

Abstract: Relationship management systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention are configured to provide systematic ways for a user to measure, and manage relationships in the user's social network. One embodiment of the invention includes a relationship management server system, and a database. In addition, the relationship management server system is configured to store a user account associated with a user in the database, store information concerning contacts associated with the user in the database, store event information associated with the user and at least one of the stored contacts in the database, store at least one objective in the database, score at least one relationship between the user and a contact based upon stored event information associated with the user and the contact to create a scored relationship graph, and generate a recommendation concerning an action based upon the stored objective and the scored relationship graph.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for analyzing nodes of a Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA), an accessibility ranking, based on a DFA graph geometrical configuration, may be determined in order to determine cacheable portions of the DFA graph in order to reduce the number of external memory accesses. A walker process may be configured to walk the graph in a graph cache as well as main memory. The graph may be generated in a manner allowing each arc to include information if the node it is pointing to is stored in the graph cache or in main memory. The walker may use this information to determine whether or not to access the next arc in the graph cache or in main memory.

Abstract: A table may be stored in a data structure and accessed by two scripts from different platforms. For example, a table of inputs from a web form may be stored with a first script for execution on a first platform. The table may be accessible to the first script when executing on the first platform and accessible to a second script when executing on a second platform. According to one embodiment, the first script may be a business information server (BIS) script and the second script may be a JavaScript. The dual compatibility table allows the web form inputs to be accessed by multiple scripts having different requirements.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing updates for a node in a graph is described. An update relating to a node is received. The update is written to a graph database file system. A node update message is broadcast to at least one graph server when the update includes a change to a characteristic of the node.

Abstract: Systems and associated methods for automated and semi-automated building of domain models for documents are described. Embodiments provide an approach to discover an information model by mining documentation about a particular domain captured in the documents. Embodiments classify the documents into one or more types corresponding to concepts using indicative words, identify candidate model elements (concepts) for document types, identify relationships both within and across document types, and consolidate and learn a global model for the domain.

Abstract: An online social network is managed using one server for database management tasks and another server, preferably in a distributed configuration, for CPU-intensive computational tasks, such as finding a shortest path between two members or a degree of separation between two members. The additional server has a memory device containing relationship information between members of the online social network and carries out the CPU-intensive computational tasks using this memory device. With this configuration, the number of database lookups is decreased and processing speed is thereby increased.