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US5671405A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus and method for adaptive logical partitioning of workfile disks for multiple concurrent mergesorts

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-07-19
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Granted: 1997-09-23
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Expires: 2015-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract System and method for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations in an information handling system, which includes one or more logical processors each operating under control of an image of an operating system program, a database storage system for storing data in a predetermined data structure, one or more workfile storage devices for storing workfiles during mergesort operations, means for sorting the data structure into one or more ordered runs, means for determining a logical partition size for the workfile storage devices, means for selecting a least loaded partition, means for writing the ordered runs in the selected partition in the workfile storage devices, and means for merging the ordered runs into a single sorted run.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kun-Lung Wu
  • 👤 Philip Shi-lung Yu

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 08:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F7/00; G06F7/22; G06F7/36

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 168 words
An information handling system for improving response time of multiple, concurrent mergesort operations, comprising: a plurality of logical processors each operating under control of an image of an operating system program; a database storage system for storing data in a predetermined data structure; one or more workfile storage devices for storing workfiles during mergesort operations; means for sharing one or more of said workfile storage devices by one or more of said logical processors; and means for executing a plurality of mergesort operations, wherein each mergesort operation is executed on a separate logical processor and wherein said means for executing each mergesort operation comprises: means for sorting said data structure into one or more ordered runs; means for determining a logical partition size for said workfile storage devices; means for selecting a least loaded partition; means for writing said one or more ordered runs into said workfile storage devices in said selected partition; and means for merging said one or more ordered runs into a single sorted run.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 168 words
An information handling system for improving response time of multiple, concurrent mergesort operations, comprising: a plurality of logical processors each operating under control of an image of an operating system program; a database storage system for storing data in a predetermined data structure; one or more workfile storage devices for storing workfiles during mergesort operations; means for sharing one or more of said workfile storage devices by one or more of said logical processors; and means for executing a plurality of mergesort operations, wherein each mergesort operation is executed on a separate logical processor and wherein said means for executing each mergesort operation comprises: means for sorting said data structure into one or more ordered runs; means for determining a logical partition size for said workfile storage devices; means for selecting a least loaded partition; means for writing said one or more ordered runs into said workfile storage devices in said selected partition; and means for merging said one or more ordered runs into a single sorted run.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
An information handling system for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 1, further comprising: means for partitioning said workfile storage devices into one or more groups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
An information handling system for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining a logical partition size further comprises: means for dynamically modifying said logical partition size based on system workload characteristics.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
An information handling system for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 3, wherein said system workload characteristics comprise an indicator of average utilization of said workfile storage devices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
An information handling system for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 1, further comprising: means for managing a plurality of concurrent mergesort requests.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for improving response time of multiple, concurrent mergesort operations, in an information handling system having a database storage system with a predetermined data structure, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of logical processors each operating under control of an image of an operating system program; providing one or more workfile storage devices for storing workfiles during mergesort operations; sharing one or more of said workfile storage devices by one or more of said logical processors; and executing a plurality of mergesort operations, wherein each mergesort operation is executed on a separate logical processor and wherein, for each mergesort operation, said executing comprises the steps of: sorting said data structure into one or more ordered runs; determining a logical partition size for said workfile storage devices; selecting a least loaded partition; writing said one or more ordered runs into said workfile storage devices in said selected partition; and merging said one or more ordered runs into a single sorted run.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 162 words
A method for improving response time of multiple, concurrent mergesort operations, in an information handling system having a database storage system with a predetermined data structure, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of logical processors each operating under control of an image of an operating system program; providing one or more workfile storage devices for storing workfiles during mergesort operations; sharing one or more of said workfile storage devices by one or more of said logical processors; and executing a plurality of mergesort operations, wherein each mergesort operation is executed on a separate logical processor and wherein, for each mergesort operation, said executing comprises the steps of: sorting said data structure into one or more ordered runs; determining a logical partition size for said workfile storage devices; selecting a least loaded partition; writing said one or more ordered runs into said workfile storage devices in said selected partition; and merging said one or more ordered runs into a single sorted run.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 6, further comprising the step of: partitioning said workfile storage devices into one or more groups.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 6, further comprising the step of: dynamically modifying said logical partition size based on system workload characteristics.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 8, wherein said system workload characteristics comprise an indicator of average utilization of said workfile storage devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method for improving response time of concurrent mergesort operations, according to claim 6, further comprising the step of: managing a plurality of concurrent mergesort requests.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4925311A Cited
US5179699A Cited
US5357623A Cited
US5237514A Cited
US5421007A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-09-22 2001-03-24 2001-09-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-09-22 2005-03-24 2005-09-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-09-22 2009-03-24 2009-09-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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