Database Search Thread Computational Effort Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional database systems are vulnerable to misuse through inefficient or malicious queries, which can lead to significant computational overhead and system instability, potentially causing shutdowns or severe performance issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a mechanism where a thread in the application process tracks the computational effort of searching for an input character string that matches a regular expression and compares it to a threshold value, exiting the operation if the effort exceeds the threshold to prevent excessive resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional database systems process user queries without computational effort tracking, then search accuracy and completeness are maintained, but system reliability deteriorates due to potential shutdowns or severe performance issues from malicious or inefficient queries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by tracking computational effort throughout the database search process before completion. A thread monitors the computational effort required to search for an input character string matching a regular expression, and compares it to a threshold value. When the threshold is exceeded, the system exits the operation prematurely, preventing resource exhaustion before it can cause system failure. This proactive monitoring and early termination mechanism improves reliability without fundamentally redesigning the database system architecture.
2Measurement precision
If the system allows complete processing of all search queries to ensure accurate results, then search accuracy is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to excessive resource consumption from malicious queries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by performing computational effort tracking and comparison during the search process, and by performing an internal exit when the threshold is exceeded. This allows the system to process queries partially rather than completely, terminating operations that exceed acceptable resource consumption thresholds. The threshold-based approach ensures that legitimate queries are fully processed for accurate results, while malicious or excessively complex queries are curtailed, maintaining overall system productivity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If computational effort tracking is implemented to prevent misuse, then system stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional monitoring overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by implementing automated computational effort tracking and threshold comparison within the database system itself. The thread automatically monitors resource consumption during search operations and autonomously terminates operations that exceed thresholds, without requiring external intervention or complex operational procedures. This self-managing approach maintains system stability while minimizing the operational burden on users and administrators.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for preventing misuse of searches of a database system are provided. This prevention of misuse of database searches can enable reliable operation of the database system, as an improper query using a regular expression will not shut down or severely affect an application process that provides access to the database system. A thread of the application process determines whether an input character characters string matches the regular expression. To prevent misuse, a computational effort of the search is tracked, and compared to a threshold value. When the threshold is exceeded, an operation of the thread is exited or stopped.