A framework is presented for analysis of time-critical scheduling algorithms. The main assumptions are analyzed behind real-time scheduling and concurrency control algorithms, and a unified approach is proposed. Two main classes of schedulers are identified according to the availability of information about resource requirements and execution times: conflict-resolving schedulers resolve conflicts at run-time, and hence can only produce a sequence of operations satisfying task priorities and resource constraints; and conflict-avoiding schedulers determine resource requirements and expected execution times through offline transaction-class preanalysis and produce a complete time-critical schedule satisfying both timing and resource constraints. For the latter case, the resolution of overload is essential. Examples are given to illustrate the framework and the main classes of scheduling algorithms.>

The HiPAC project is investigating active, time-constrained database management. An active DBMS is one which automatically executes specified actions when specified conditions arise. HiPAC has proposed Event-Condition-Action (ECA) rules as a formalism for active database capabilities. We have also developed an execution model that specifies how these rules are processed in the context of database transactions. The additional functionality provided by ECA rules makes new demands on the design of an active DBMS. In this paper we propose an architecture for an active DBMS that supports ECA rules. This architecture provides new forms of interaction, in support of ECA rules, between application programs and the DBMS. This leads to a new paradigm for constructing database applications.