Handling processor-intensive operations in a data processing system

A method for allocating data processing resources between users of a data retrieval system, the method including:

• inputting data retrieval requests to a scheduler within the data retrieval system;
• identifying requested data retrieval operations requiring performance of a first predetermined processor-intensive task;
• retrieving requested data objects from a repository;
• separating the identified processor-intensive data retrieval operations from other data retrieval operations by inputting into a first circularly-linked-list the data retrieval operations requiring performance of said predetermined task, the operations being indexed according to their end user requesters;
• processing data retrieval operations which do not require performance of said predetermined task separately from data retrieval operations in the first pocessing queue;
• and
• processing data retrieval operations in said first circularly-linked-list, including performing said predetermined task, in a circular sequence such that a predefined unit of processing is performed for each end user requester in turn.

A method of retrieving requested data objects via a data retrieval system, wherein the system is responsive to received requests identifying a required data object container to

• retrieve from a data repository the contents of the data object container;
• determine which of the data objects within the container require performance of a processor-intensive post-retrieval processing task prior to delivery to the requester;
• initiate performance of said required processor-intensive post-retrieval processing task for the data objects within the container;
• and
• transfer to a system cache the processed data objects resulting from said post-retrieval processing;
• and wherein the system is responsive to subsequent requests identifying a required one or more of said container's data objects to access the cache to obtain said one or more data objects.

A data retrieval system for retrieving stored data objects from a repository, the system including:

• means for receiving data retrieval requests;
• means for establishing a connection to said repository for retrieval of one or more stored data objects;
• a resource manager adapted to identify from said requests data retrieval operations requiring a first predetermined processor-intensive task to be performed and adapted to enqueue, subsequent to retrieval of said one or more data objects from the repository, said identified data retrieval operations requiring performance of said first predetermined processor-intensive task for processing separately from other data retrieval operations;
• a process for performing said first predetermined processor-intensive task on the operations in said queue;
• and
• means for delivering to the requester the processed retrieved data objects.

An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for retrieving data using a data retrieval system, in response to data retrieval requests, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect:

• being responsive to receipt of data retrieval requests by the data retrieval system, identifying requested data retrieval operations requiring a first predetermined task to be performed;
• inputting into a first processing queue only the data retrieval operations requiring said first predetermined task to be performed;
• handling data retrieval operations which do not require said first predetermined task to be performed without performing said first predetermined task;
• processing the data retrieval operations in the first processing queue including performing said first processing task;
• and
• delivering the processed data to the requester.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for allocating data processing resources between users of a data retrieval system, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect:

• inputting data retrieval requests to a scheduler within the data retrieval system;
• identifying requested data retrieval operations requiring performance of a first predetermined processor-intensive task;
• retrieving requested data objects from a repository;
• inputting into a first circularly-linked-list the data retrieval operations requiring performance of said predetermined task, the operations being indexed according to their end user requesters;
• handling data retrieval operations which do not require performance of said predetermined task without performing said predetermined task;
• and
• processing data retrieval operations in said first circularly-linked-list, including performing said predetermined task, in a circular sequence such that a predefined unit of processing is performed for each end user requester in turn.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for retrieving requested data objects via a data retrieval system, wherein the system is responsive to received requests identifying a required data object container to:

• retrieve from a data repository the contents of the data object container;
• determine which of the data objects within the container require post-retrieval processing prior to delivery to the requester;
• initiate performance of said required post-retrieval processing for the data objects within the container;
• and
• transfer to a system cache the processed data objects resulting from said post-retrieval processing;
• and wherein the system is responsive to subsequent requests identifying a required one or more of said container's data objects to access the cache to obtain said one or more data objects.