Method for releasing a savepoint

A method for releasing a nested savepoint on a remote node of a database management system. The to-be-released savepoint is one of a series of savepoints represented by control blocks arranged in a linked list in the creation order of the savepoints they represent. Releasing of the to-be-released savepoint begins with receiving of a request to release the to-be-released savepoint. A control block is selected such that it represents the to-be-released savepoint or the next more recently created savepoint after the to-be-released savepoint. The selected control block is merged with all other control blocks that represent savepoints that are more recently created than the savepoint represented by the selected control block. The resulting merged control block represents all of the savepoints from the most recently created to the savepoint previously represented by the selected control block.