A technique for accessing a subject multi-dimensional database stored on a data store connected to the computer. An index is created for the subject multi-dimensional database, wherein the index includes another multi-dimensional database having dimensions of the subject multi-dimensional database and an additional ranking dimension. Then, the subject multi-dimensional database is accessed using the index.

Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for incrementally maintaining pre-computed aggregate views. In general, the technique includes: receiving a pre-computed aggregate view derived from one or more base tables. The pre-computed aggregate view including a pre-computed aggregate table and a view definition. The view definition including aggregation functions that can be any combination of sum, sum distinct, count(*), count distinct, min, and max. The view definition further including exp...

The invention provides an improved digital data processing system, e.g., storage area network (SAN), of the type having a first digital data processor, e.g., a SAN server, and a second digital data processor, e.g., a SAN client, coupled to one another and to one or more storage units, e.g., disk drives. A volume is stored on one or more of the storage devices, with at least two of its blocks residing at locations that are not contiguous with one another. The improvement is characterized, accordi...

A method, apparatus and program storage device for enabling SQL statement access to remote system specific data and functions is provided. A method is developed to utilize wrapper stored procedures and the table formatted output of native commands in order to access the output via direct SQL statements. The output of native commands is generated by wrapper stored procedures and then directed to a temporary file by the method. The client may then access the contents of the file with direct SQL qu...

Disclosed is a system, method, and program for data backup. A backup copy of source data is created. A backup dataset inventory is created when the backup copy is created. The backup dataset inventory includes a backup dataset identifier and an originating source volume identifier for cach dataset of the source data. The backup copy is copied to a storage medium. A storage media inventory is created when copying the backup copy to the storage medium. The storage media inventory includes the orig...

The invention provides a storage area network (SAN) of type having one or more digital data processors coupled to one or more storage devices. At least a selected one of the hosts includes a file system that effects access by the host to assigned storage devices. This can be, for example, a conventional AIX or other host platform file system that oversees file and other data accesses between the host and those assigned devices. That host can be associated, according to these aspects of the inven...

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for reducing an mount of data transferred. Indicators of sub-blocks modified for a block of data since the block of data was last sent to remote storage are maintained until the block of data is demoted. The maintained indicators are used to identify sub-blocks on the block of data for transfer to the remote storage.Disclosed is a method, system, and program for managing metadata in cache. A first policy is used to determine when to remove data from a p...

Disclosed is a technique for reducing an amount of data transferred. A first indicator is maintained for each source block of data to indicate whether the source block of data has been updated in source storage since the source block of data was last transferred to target storage. A second indicator is maintained for each target block of data in target storage to indicate whether the target block of data has been updated in target storage since the target block of data was overwritten by a corre...

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for using storage slots efficiently. A move command is received to move a portable data storage medium from a source address to a destination address. An empty storage slot that has no association with the destination address is located. The portable data storage medium is moved from the source address to the located empty storage slot. An association is stored between the located empty storage slot and the destination address.

Disclosed is a system, method, and article of manufacture for maintaining data integrity. A frequency for creating consistent transactions sets is negotiated. A consistent transactions set creation duration is negotiated. At an interval determined by the frequency, during the consistent transactions set creation duration, processing of a first consistent transactions set is completed, while processing of a second consistent transactions set is delayed until the end of the consistent transactions...