Incremental data query performance feedback model

• US 7,107,262 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Stevens, Richard J., Will, Eric W., Kulack, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US10/370,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Methods, systems and articles of manufacture are provided for query evaluation. The query is evaluated upon inputting each incremental query element (or combination of element). Generally, for each incremental query element added, a query performance analysis is performed with respect to one or more runtime metrics such as total execution time and runtime resource consumption. The results of the analysis are provided as feedback to the user constructing the query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing one or more query runtime metrics to a user, comprising:

receiving incremental inputs for the construction of a query;

automatically determining whether a query runtime threshold has been exceeded upon receiving each incremental input and prior to receiving a request to execute the query;

if the query runtime threshold has been exceeded, notifying the user; and

further comprising visually indicating at least one query runtime metric to the user upon receiving each input, wherein the at least one query runtime metric comprises at least one of an amount of time required to run the query and resources required to run the query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the query runtime threshold has been exceeded comprises invoking a query governor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving inputs comprises receiving query conditions.

4. A computer-implemented method of providing real time query analysis feedback to a user, comprising:

incrementally receiving inputs for the construction of a query;

upon receiving each incremental input, and prior to receiving a request to execute the query;

automatically performing a query runtime analysis with respect to one or more runtime metrics, wherein performing the query runtime analysis comprises determining whether a runtime threshold has been exceeded; and

providing feedback of the query runtime analysis to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing feedback comprises indicating an estimated cost of executing the query.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein providing feedback comprises indicating at feast one of a total execution time for the query and a resource consumption indication for the query.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein providing feedback comprises displaying the feedback in a graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the query runtime threshold has been exceeded comprises invoking a query governor.

9. A tangible computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an automatic operation,-comprising:

upon receiving each incremental input for the construction of a query and prior to receiving a request to execute the query;

performing a query runtime analysis with respect to one or more runtime metrics, wherein performing the query runtime analysis comprises determining whether a runtime threshold has been exceeded; and

providing feedback of the query runtime analysis to the user;

wherein the feedback indicates the runtime effect of the input.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the feedback comprises at least one of a total execution time for the query and a resource consumption indication for the query.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the feedback comprises an estimated cost of executing the query.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein providing feedback comprises displaying the feedback in a graphical user interface.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein determining whether the query runtime threshold has been exceeded comprises invoking a query governor.

14. A computer comprising a processing unit, an input device, and an output device, the computer further comprising:

a memory and a processor;

a user interface for inputting query elements for the construction of a query;

wherein the query elements are received from a user via the input device and the user interface is rendered on the output device;

a query evaluator for iteratively performing a runtime analysis upon receiving each query element and providing feedback to the user via the output device after each interactive performance of the runtime analysis, wherein the feedback comprises one or more metrics calculated by the runtime analysis; and

a database management system including a governor configured to prevent execution of queries having estimated runtimes in excess of a specified threshold, and wherein the evaluator uses the governor to perform the runtime analysis.

15. The computer of claim 14, wherein the one or more metrics are query execution cost metrics.

16. The computer of claim 14, wherein the one or metrics comprise at least one of a total query execution time and a query execution resource consumption indication.

17. The computer of claim 14, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.