1. A method for efficiently providing maintenance activity on a relational database that is utilized within a processing system, the relational database including a pool of threads and a plurality of resources, the pool of threads receiving requests from a plurality of clients and for controlling the plurality of resources, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining that a maintenance activity is required; (b) providing a first command if the maintenance activity is required that initiates a first process which terminates all threads in the pool of threads; and (c) providing a second command which initiates a second process after the maintenance activity has completed which causes the threads to be created.