Patent ID: 8200636

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a set of computing devices for managing a database instance by performing a method comprising: receiving a decommissioning request for the database instance; and managing a decommissioning process for the database instance in response to the decommissioning request, wherein the decommissioning process results in processing of data stored in the database instance being deactivated while maintaining read only access to the data stored in the database instance, and wherein the decommissioning process managing includes: generating a series of decommissioning steps required for the decommissioning process, the series of decommissioning steps including an agent deactivation step and an access limitation step; providing a decommissioning graphical user interface for use by an instance manager overseeing the decommissioning process, wherein the decommissioning graphical user interface includes data identifying each of the series of decommissioning steps and a completion status for each of the series of decommissioning steps; providing an agent deactivation graphical user interface for use by the instance manager, wherein the agent deactivation graphical user interface provides the instance manager with data corresponding to a set of agents corresponding to the database instance and enables the instance manager to request deactivation of an agent in the set of agents, wherein each agent in the set of agents is set up to perform automatic processing of data stored in the database instance, and wherein completion of the agent deactivation step occurs when each agent in the set of agents is deactivated; and providing an access limitation graphical user interface for use by the instance manager, wherein the access limitation graphical user interface provides the instance manager with data corresponding to a set of access privileges and enables the instance manager to request a change to an access privilege in the set of access privileges, and wherein completion of the access limitation step occurs when all access privileges are set to read only.