International Business Machines Corporation

Erik Edward Voldal

Steven Jay Munroe

Steven Lester Halter

Scott N Gerard

Michael Dennis McKeehan

John Clarence Endicott

Richard D Dettinger

Xin Xu

Andre Tost

Richard Joseph Stevens

Daniel Paul Kolz

Frederick Allyn Kulack

Kathryn Ann Bohrer

Wilson D Lee

Tracy Kim Burroughs

Cynthia Ann Rogers

Michael P Koranda

Randy Dee Baxter

Laura Jane Zaborowski

Mark Alan Pasch

Tim Graser

Steven John Gansemer

Abolfazi Sirjani

Embodiments of the invention store log event records in a secure database log by encrypting information in a query, or in query results, that would otherwise be subject to unwanted disclosure (either from within or without a given organization). For example, an organization (e.g., a research institution) may allow a database administrator to review log event records to diagnose and correct system performance issues, without being forced to trust the administrator with sensitive medical data (e.g., medical records related to participants in a research study). Thus, the security of sensitive information may be maintained, while at the same time, the database administrator may still access the information needed to maintain a working system.

Abstraction based audit and security log model for increased role and security enforcement

The present invention provides for methods directed to dynamically generating input to an analysis environment. Varying input data is linked with analysis routines by provision of a well defined but general purpose input structure for selected data, which is used as input to analysis routines. Metadata is used to describe the multiple analysis routines and their capabilities, and a framework both automatically formats the input data and customizes the analysis routine to accept the specific dynamic fields available in the input. In this manner, data (e.g., a query) containing new input fields is dynamically made available to multiple existing analysis techniques.

Framework for dynamic analysis of varying structured data using multiple analysis techniques

A method, system and program product for providing domain level business object keys in Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) applications. An instance of an EntityBean object is provided with both a primary key and a domain key class. The primary key class is associated with a home selected for the EntityBean object, and the domain key class is associated with a particular business application within which the EntityBean object is being utilized. The EntityBean and associated home is utilized across different business applications, while ensuring uniqueness across the different applications. Also, a common interface for the primary key is introduced that has methods, which (1) provide an initialized instance of associated domain key classes from a concrete primary key subclass, wherein a concrete primary key subclass knows its associated domain key and is able to initialize the domain key from a subset of attributes of the primary key, and (2) creates an initialized instance of a primary key subclass from a given domain key and a context object.

Support for domain level business object keys in EJB

The present invention utilizes a hardware Window Storage Protection Controller (WSPC) and an Object Encapsulation Enforcement Manager (OEEM) to limit access to object data to only those methods which are encapsulated by the object All of the objects of the computer system which require protection are stored in protected storage by a base storage protection mechanism so that only the mechanisms of the present invention can deny or permit access to the data encapsulated by the objects.

Object encapsulation protection apparatus

An access mechanism and method for accessing objects in a distributed object system manages object accesses and causes all accesses within one transaction to be to either the home object or the local copy, whichever is accessed first. When an object is accessed for the first time in a given transaction, the requested access is granted. For example, if home access is requested to an object in a different process, a proxy is created to access the object in its home location. When the object is subsequently accessed within the same transaction, the access mechanism ensures that the same access is used to assure that changes are not being made to a home object and a local copy or to more than one local copy simultaneously. In an alternative embodiment an exception may be generated if the requested access cannot be provided.

Object-oriented apparatus and method for controlling accesses to objects in a distributed object environment

According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for creating new objects &ldquo;near&rdquo; existing objects is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a desirable location for the new object is determined by making a series of observations and system level decisions. By examining the system parameters and creating new objects in physical locations where other, related objects currently reside, system performance in object-oriented systems can be greatly increased.

Object-oriented apparatus and method for determining new object location relative to an existing object

The present invention provides an object-oriented disabling mechanism which selectively disables object methods. The object-oriented disabling mechanism prevents the selected methods from being called on an object by other programs or processes via various alternative embodiments. A first preferred embodiment of the object-oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a plurality of method tables to restrict method calls on an object. An alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a read flag and a write flag to define which methods can be called on an object. Another alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism uses software &ldquo;locks&rdquo; and a lock conflict matrix associated with the object to determine which methods can be called on an object. A final alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism uses a transactional mechanism to commit or rollback changes made to an object as a result of method calls.

Apparatus and method for disabling methods called on an object

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for versioning persistent objects which updates the version of a persistent object by splitting the persistent object up into two sections, a header section and a data section. The header section has a data pointer to the data section. The header section determines the object identity of the persistent object and always remains in place. Since the header section of the object always remains intact, the object identity of the persistent object never changes. When updating the version of the persistent object, the persistent object versioning mechanism simply updates the pointer in the header section of the object to reference a newly created data section. Once the persistent object versioning mechanism updates the data pointer to reference the new data section, existing objects can reference the new version of the persistent object using the original object identity of the persistent object.

Apparatus and method for versioning persistent objects

A method and computer program product are provided for implementing pushdown queries in a distributed object management system. A pushdown query to a system datastore is performed for a query type returning a single object. Responsive to the system datastore finding the match, checking whether the match refers to an object changed in the current transaction is performed. Responsive to the match not referring to a changed object, the object is returned. Responsive to the match referring to the changed object and the changed object matching the pushdown query, the changed object is returned. Responsive to the system datastore not finding the match, a list of changed objects in a current transaction is obtained. Each of the changed objects are in a current transactional state. An object query is performed on the changed objects in the list of changed objects. A multiple object pushdown query to the system datastore is performed for a query type returning multiple objects. Then the list of changed objects in the current transaction is obtained and the object query is performed on the changed objects. Results of the multiple object pushdown query and object query are merged and returned.

Method and computer program product for implementing pushdown query in a distributed object management system

According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for providing access to multiple object versions allows the system administrators to control which version of a given object is referenced by existing related objects. By providing an option for the system user to select and access different object versions, object upgrade policies can be flexible and accommodate the various needs of different object-oriented systems. The object versioning mechanism of the present invention provides several different options when modifying an existing object to create a new version. The various embodiments of the present invention provide a versioning mechanism to manage version updates for objects in an object-oriented system. The versioning mechanism disclosed herein implements the methods of the present invention by making a copy of an existing object whenever a new version of the existing object is to be introduced into an object-oriented system. After the copy of the existing object has been made, the existing object or the copy of the existing object can be modified to reflect the desired changes and to provide an updated version of the object. Whether the existing object or the copy of the existing object is modified depends on the specific system policy or objectives to be achieved. In addition, according to the desired system policy, the unmodified version of the object can be removed from the system, if desired. Alternatively, if both objects remain in the system, access to one or both of the objects may be further restricted by disabling all or at least some of the methods on the objects.

Apparatus and method for providing access to multiple object versions

The method maintenance mechanism of the present invention is comprised of two submechanisms, a method update mechanism and a method call manager. The method update mechanism is used to make changes to existing methods. The method call manger manages calls to methods in a way that allows active programs to continue to use old versions of methods while at the same time providing access to new method versions when programs are reactivated or activated for the first time.

Object-oriented method maintenance mechanism that does not require

A second object is created which is an instance of a first class. The data from the first object is copied into the second object. The method table pointer of the first object is then changed to the method table of the second class. The data section of the first object is then reallocated according to the data requirements of the second class. The data in the second object is then converted to data in the first object. The resultant first object has both methods and data updated to the second class without passivating the object.

Apparatus and method for updating an object without affecting the unique

An apparatus and method for updating objects sets up morphing on affected classes, and the actual morph of each object is performed the first time the object is touched, i.e., the first time a method on the object is invoked after the morph is set up. Morphing objects on first touch allows an application that requires a new object configuration to be loaded and executed immediately, because new methods and/or data will become available when an instance is first touched. The apparatus and method of the invention set up morphing on first touch by overriding methods on the old class with morph and retry methods that first perform the morph of the object, then route the method call to the newly morphed object. The first touch of an object to be updated thus updates (or morphs) the object, and each subsequent access will be to the updated object.

Apparatus and method for morphing an object on first touch

In an object-oriented or object-based computer system, object methods are routed to users (e.g., client programs) after automatically performing supervisory functions. Examples of suitable supervisory functions include authorization checking and locking. One suitable way to automatically perform the supervisory functions is to provide a call method instruction in the operating system that automatically performs these supervisory functions when a user invokes the object method using the instruction. In this manner, the operating system can assure that the user calling the object method has sufficient authority and lock to access the object method. In addition, the method routing mechanism has the ability to forego authorization checking and locking for objects that are unprotected, and may perform abbreviated authorization checking and locking if the operating system determines from local knowledge that a user is currently authorized to and locked on the called object.

Object-oriented method routing mechanism for automatically performing

An object identity swapper dynamically updates the configuration of an object by taking a first object, instantiating a new second object, swapping the identities of the first and second objects, and reading and converting the state data of the old object (now the second object) into the new object (now the first object). The result is that the first object identity doesn't change, but its configuration is updated without passivating the object.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MN, United States of America

Erik Edward Voldal