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Systems, methods, and media for communication with database client usersRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Processing Systems: Multicomputer Data Transferring, Computer Conferencing, Demand Based MessagingSystems, methods, and media for communication with database client users description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070174395, Systems, methods, and media for communication with database client users. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] The present invention is in the field of data processing systems and, in particular, to systems, methods and media for communication with database client users, such as from a database server. BACKGROUND [0002] Computer systems such as personal computers (PCs), servers, workstations, and mainframes are well known in the art. Computer systems have attained widespread use for providing computing power to many segments of today's modem society. One important function for computer systems is to access, modify, and share information. To accomplish this, information is often stored in a database so that it may be shared among many computer systems. Databases typically have a database manager to facilitate access, manipulation, or storage of the information in the database by other computer systems. The database manager may typically execute on a database server while computer systems using the database may serve as database clients in a client-server relationship. Example database managers include International Business Machine Corporation's (IBM.RTM.'s) DB2.RTM. database management system, Microsoft Corporation's Microsoft.RTM. SQL Server system, Oracle Corporation's Oracle.RTM. database management system, or Sybase, Inc.'s.RTM. database management system. Database servers and their clients may run on various operating system platforms and database clients (and their applications) communicate with the database server in order to obtain data from the server. [0003] A database administrator (DBA) may be responsible for managing the environmental aspects of a database such as recoverability, resource management, integrity, security, availability, performance, and development and testing support. Database server support commonly offers the ability for the database server to notify the DBA of events (such as table locks) for which the DBA has requested notification as well as sending return codes (such as error, warning or informational codes) to a connected application. Often, a DBA wishes to inform database client users of particular events, such as when the database needs to be taken down or recycled for maintenance, when the database has performance problems, or other occurrences. By informing database client users of the problem (as well as estimated timelines for completion or workarounds), the DBA may provide better service to database clients and reduce the frustration some database client users feel when the database becomes unavailable for reasons unknown to them. [0004] One solution to this problem is to use instant messaging (IM) systems to send messages from the DBA to database client users. This solution, however, suffers from a significant problem in that the DBA must know the IM identity of the database client users who are connected to the database in order to send them an IM message. In a typical large database, the DBA will not know which particular database client users are connected at any given time and therefore cannot effectively send them IM messages. Moreover, DBAs and database client users often change (such as for different shifts) and are often remote, increasing the difficulty of knowing which database client users are presently using the database. Such a solution may also rely on the availability of an IM server to forward the message, as well as both sender and receiver being logged on, further limiting the usefulness of IM. There is, therefore, a need for an efficient and effective mechanism for communication with database client users. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The problems identified above are in large part addressed by systems, methods and media for communication with database client users. Embodiments may include a method for communicating with the user of a database client. Embodiments may include receiving a message request to send to one or more database clients, the message request including message content and an indication of the one or more database clients to which a message will be sent. Embodiments may also include determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with each of the one or more database clients based on the message request and transmitting a message to each of the determined IP addresses, where the message includes the message content. Embodiments may also include, at a database client associated with one of the IP addresses, receiving the transmitted message, generating a display window for the message, and displaying the message in the display window. An administrator using the disclosed methodology may accordingly transmit anonymous point-to-point messages to database clients for display to its database client users without having to know the identity, IM address, or other information about the database client users. [0006] Another embodiment provides a machine-accessible medium containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause the system to perform a series of operations for communicating with a user of a database client. The series of operations generally includes receiving a message request to send to one or more database clients, the message request including message content and an indication of the one or more database clients to which a message will be sent. Embodiments may also include a series of operations for determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with each of the one or more database clients based on the message request and transmitting a message to each of the determined IP addresses, where the message includes the message content. Embodiments may also include, at a database client associated with one of the IP addresses, a series of operations for receiving the transmitted message, generating a display window for the message, and displaying the message in the display window. [0007] A further embodiment provides a database messaging system. The database messaging system may generally include a database server having a database messaging module. The database messaging module may include a database administrator (DBA) interface module to receive a message request, where the message request includes message content and an indication of one or more database clients to which a message will be sent. The database messaging module may also include an address module to determine an IP address associated with each of the one or more database clients to which a message will be sent and a database messaging transmitter to transmit a message to each determined IP address, where the message may include the message content. Further embodiments may include one or more database clients in communication with the database server via a network, where each database client included a database application and a client listener for receiving the message from the database server and displaying it on the database client's monitor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] Advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which, like references may indicate similar elements: [0009] FIG. 1 depicts an environment for a database messaging system with a database server and one or more database clients according to one embodiment; [0010] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system suitable for use as a component of the database messaging system; [0011] FIG. 3 depicts a conceptual illustration of software components of a database server with a database messaging module according to one embodiment; [0012] FIG. 4 depicts an example of a flow chart for receiving a message request and transmitting a message to one or more database clients according to one embodiment; and [0013] FIG. 5 depicts an example of a flow chart for receiving a message from a database server and displaying the message to a database client user according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0014] The following is a detailed description of example embodiments of the invention depicted in the accompanying drawings. The example embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the invention. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The descriptions below are designed to make such embodiments obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. [0015] Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for communicating with a database client user are disclosed. Embodiments may include a database messaging system having a database server and one or more database clients. The database server may include a database messaging module, which may include a database administrator (DBA) interface module to receive a message request, where the message request includes message content and an indication of one or more database clients to which a message will be sent. The database messaging module may also include an address module to determine an IP address associated with each of the one or more database clients to which a message will be sent and a database messaging transmitter to transmit a message to each determined IP address, where the message may include the message content. The database clients may include a client listener for receiving the message from the database server and displaying it on the database client's monitor. [0016] The system and methodology of the disclosed embodiments provides for an effective and efficient way of communicating with a database user. By determining the IP address for the database clients to which a DBA desires to send a message, the DBA may advantageously send messages to users of those database clients without knowing the identity of those database client users. The DBA may accordingly warn database client users of upcoming database interruptions or provide other information just to the database client users who are impacted by the information. In contrast to using an Instant Messaging (IM) system, a DBA using the disclosed methodology need not know the name, e-mail address, IM address, or other information about a database client user and instead the disclosed system may rely on the network address of the database client user's computer (the database client) to provide communication. The disclosed system also advantageously does not rely on IM or e-mail servers or other external computer systems to perform its task, increasing the robustness of the solution. [0017] While specific embodiments will be described below with reference to particular configurations of hardware and/or software, those of skill in the art will realize that embodiments of the present invention may advantageously be implemented with other substantially equivalent hardware and/or software systems. Aspects of the invention described herein may be stored or distributed on computer-readable media, including magnetic and optically readable and removable computer disks, as well as distributed electronically over the Internet or over other networks, including wireless networks. Data structures and transmission of data (including wireless transmission) particular to aspects of the invention are also encompassed within the scope of the invention. [0018] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts an environment for a database messaging system with a database server and one or more database clients according to one embodiment. In the depicted embodiment, the database messaging system 100 includes a plurality of database clients 102 in communication with a database server 106 via a network 104 and a database 110 in communication with the database server 106. An optional database administrator (DBA) computer system 108 may also be in communication with the database server 106 via a network 104. Each database client 102 may include a database application 112 to access the database 110 through the database server 106 and a client listener 114 to receive messages from the database server 106. The database server 106 may manage communications to and operations with database 110 and may also, as described in more detail subsequently, facilitate communications from a DBA to users of the database clients 102. [0019] In the database messaging system 100, any of the database clients 102, the database server 106, the DBA computer system 108, and the database 110 may be located at the same location, such as in the same building or computer lab, or could be remote. While the term "remote" is used with reference to the distance between the components of the database messaging system 100, the term is used in the sense of indicating separation of some sort, rather than in the sense of indicating a large physical distance between the systems. For example, any of the components of the database messaging system 100 may be physically adjacent or located as part of the same computer system in some network arrangements, such as when the database server 106 and DBA computer system 108 are part of the same computer system. Continue reading about Systems, methods, and media for communication with database client users... 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