Mechanism for invocation of user-defined routines in a multi-threaded database environment

A method for the execution of a set of invokable user-defined routines in a database management system, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) an application defining a user-defined routine to be threadsafe or not threadsafe, comprising the further steps of
• (1) setting a threadsafe flag for the user-defined routine based on an express definition of the user-defined routine and
• (2) where there is no express threadsafe definition for the user-defined routine, setting the threadsafe flag based on default values relating to the routine language for the user-defined routine,
• (b) the database system receiving a request from the application to invoke the user-defined routine, the request providing the database management system with information relating to whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe, and the routine language,
• (c) in the case that the threadsafe flag for the user-defined routine corresponds to the value “not threadsafe”, the database management system where an process is available to the database system for execution of non-threadsafe routines of the routine language, and there are no threads in the existing process, the database system executing the user-defined routine in a sole thread in the existing process, and
• where there is no such existing process, the database system spawning a new, single-threaded, fenced-mode process for threadsafe routines of the routine language and executing the user-defined routine in a sole thread in the said new process.
• (d) in the case that the threadsafe flag for user-defined routine is corresponds to the value “threadsafe”,
• where an existing process is available to the database system for execution of threadsafe routines of the routine language, the database system executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the existing process, and
• where there is no such existing process, the database system spawning a new, multithreaded, fenced-mode process for threadsafe routines of the routine language and executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the said new process.

A method for the execution of a set of invokable user-defined routines in a database management system, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) receiving a request from an application to invoke a user-defined routine in the set of user-defined routines,
• (b) determining whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe,
• (c) in the case that the user-defined routine is determined not to be threadsafe, spawning a fenced-mode process to execute the user-defined routine,
• (d) in the case that the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe,
• where an existing process is available to the database system for execution of threadsafe routines, executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the existing process, and
• where there is no such existing process, spawning a new, multi-threaded, fenced-mode process and executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the said new process.

A database management system comprising means for the execution of a set of invokable user-defined routines, comprising,

• means for receiving a request from an application to invoke a user-defined routine in the set of user-defined routines,
• means for determining whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe, and for determining the routine language of the user-defined routine,
• means for spawning a fenced-mode process to execute the user-defined routine, in the case that the user-defined routine is determined not to be threadsafe
• means for executing the user-defined routine in a thread in an existing process, where the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe, and the existing process is available to the database system for execution of threadsafe routines of the routine language, and
• means for spawning a new, multi-threaded, fenced-mode process for threadsafe routines of the routine language and executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the said new process where there is no such existing process and where the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe.

A database management system comprising means for the execution of a set invokable user-defined routines, comprising,

• means for receiving a request from an application to invoke a user-defined routine in the set of user-defined routines,
• means for determining whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe,
• means for spawning a fenced-mode process to execute the user-defined routine, in the case that the user-defined routine is determined not to be threadsafe,
• means for executing the user-defined routine in a thread in an existing process, where the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe, and the existing process is available to the database system, and
• means for spawning a new, multi-threaded, fenced-mode process for threadsafe and means for executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the said new process where there is no such existing process and where the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe.

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for the execution of a set of invokable user-defined routines in a database management system, the program instructions for:

• (a) receiving a request from an application to invoke a user-defined routine in the set of user-defined routines,
• (b) determining whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe, and determining the routine language of the user-defined routine,
• (c) providing a single threaded fenced mode process for execution of the user defined routine if the user defined routine is determined not to be threadsafe;
• and
• (d) providing a multithreaded fence mode process for execution of the user-defined routine if the user defined routine is determined to be threadsafe.

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for the execution of a set of invokable user-defined routines in a database management system, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) receiving a request from an application to invoke a user-defined routine in the set of user-defined routines,
• (b) determining whether the user-defined routine is threadsafe,
• (c) in the case that the user-defined routine is determined not to be threadsafe, spawning a fenced-mode process to execute the user-defined routine,
• (d) in the case that the user-defined routine is determined to be threadsafe,
• where an existing process is available to the database system for execution of threadsafe routines, executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the existing process, and
• where there is no such existing process, spawning a new, multi-threaded, fenced-mode process and executing the user-defined routine in a thread in the said new process.