Patent ID: 8250237

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for communicating with a user of a database client, the method comprising: receiving, by a database server having one or more processors, from a database administrator not accessing a particular database as a user a message request to send to all database clients currently active with the particular database, the received message request comprising message content, an indication of the particular database to whose database clients a broadcast message will be sent, and a plurality of additional IP addresses to which the broadcast message is to be sent; determining by the database server an Internet Protocol (IP) address pertaining to each database client currently active with the particular database by determining each IP address currently active with the particular database without utilizing identification of any database clients currently active with the particular database; and transmitting by the database server the broadcast message in one transmission to the IP addresses pertaining to the particular database and in another transmission to each IP address of the additional IP addresses, the broadcast message comprising the received message content.