Patent ID: 7849221

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing multiple instances of a database program executing in a plurality of computers connected by a network, the method comprising: a computer receiving a selection of a first instance of said database program to be deleted from among the multiple instances of said database program; if the first instance of said database program is local to the computer, displaying a message indicating that the first instance should not be deleted; if the first instance of said database program is a remote instance: shutting down the first instance of the database program, wherein said first instance comprises at least one database process to perform data processing; deleting connectivity between the first instance of the database program and the network, wherein said connectivity is used by the first instance of the database program prior to said shutting down; and deleting a database object of the first instance, said database object comprising database information specific to said first instance; wherein said deleting connectivity comprises deleting an entry for the first instance of said database program from at least one file.