Replica update vectors

• US 20030093440A1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark C., Natkovich, Olga, Good, Gordon, Merrells, John, Shah, Pinaki
• Application Number:
  US09/993,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A directory server including a supplier server, a consumer server in communication with the supplier server, a plurality of pluggable services that manage replication of data contained within the directory server from the supplier server to the consumer server; and a replica update vector used to determine a minimal set of updates necessary to synchronize the consumer server with respect to the supplier server. Replication of data is managed using the replica update vector.

Claims

1. A directory server comprising:

a supplier server;

a consumer server in communication with the supplier server;

a plurality of pluggable services that manage replication of data contained within the directory server from the supplier server to the consumer server; and

a replica update vector used to determine a minimal set of updates necessary to synchronize the consumer server with respect to the supplier server;

wherein replication of data is managed using the replica update vector.

2. The directory server of claim 1, wherein the replica update vector is persistently stored in a directory information tree.

3. The directory server of claim 1, wherein a memory representation of the replica update vector comprises a change sequence number pending list.

4. The directory server of claim 1, wherein the replica update vector comprises a change sequence number for each known replica and a description of a latest update received from a corresponding replica.

5. The directory server of claim 1, wherein the replica update vector is accessed through an application programming interface.

6. A method of updating a replica update vector, comprising:

requesting a replica update vector from a consumer server;

sending the replica update vector from the consumer server to a supplier server;

comparing the replicate update vector of the consumer server with the replica update vector of the supplier server; and

sending discrepancies of a comparison from the supplier server as an update to the replica update vector of the consumer server, if a discrepancy exists.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, exchanging the replica update vector at the beginning of a replication session.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the replica update vector is persistently stored in a directory information tree.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a memory representation of the replica update vector comprises a change sequence number pending list.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the replica update vector comprises a change sequence number for each known replica and a description of a latest update received from a corresponding replica.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the replica update vector is accessed through an application programming interface.

12. A method of updating a replica update vector, comprising:

requesting a replica update vector from a consumer server;

sending the replica update vector from the consumer server to a supplier server;

comparing the replica update vector of the consumer server with the replica update vector of the supplier server;

sending discrepancies of a comparison from the supplier server as an update to the replica update vector of the consumer server, if a discrepancy exists; and

exchanging the replica update vector at the beginning of a replication session.

13. An apparatus for updating a replica update vector, comprising:

means for requesting a replica update vector from a consumer server;

means for sending the replica update vector from the consumer server to a supplier server;

means for comparing the replica update vector of the consumer server with the replica update vector of the supplier server; and

means for sending discrepancies of a comparison from the supplier server as an update to the replica update vector of the consumer server, if a discrepancy exists.