Method, system, and program for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment for processing transaction requests

• US 20030177122A1
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shackelford, David Michael, McBride, Gregory Edward, Makansi, Tarek
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Provider are a method, system, and program for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment. Data is stored at a primary storage site. A data structure is processed indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies. In response to processing the data structure, a determination is made of one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and a determination is made of at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency. The determined data set is transmitted to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment, comprising:

storing data at a primary storage site;

processing a data structure indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies;

in response to processing the data structure, determining one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and determining at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency; and

transmitting the determined data set to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure includes entries, wherein each entry indicates at least one data set to be transmitted to at least one secondary site at one update frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein different data sets are transmitted from the primary storage site to different secondary storage sites at different update frequencies.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary storage sites are at different geographical locations, and wherein the different data sets transmitted to the different secondary storage sites include location specific data for the location of the secondary storage site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the update frequency comprises a high frequency update setting, wherein transmitting the determined data set to the determined secondary storage site associated with the high frequency update setting comprises transmitting one update to the determined data set to the secondary storage site when the update is applied to the primary storage site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data sets in the primary storage site transmitted to at least one of the secondary storage sites comprises product information used in an electronic commerce web site, further comprising:

receiving client requests for product information from the primary storage site;

redirecting the client request for product information to one of the secondary storage sites; and

returning product information from the secondary storage site to which the client request is redirected to a client originating the client request.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining one available secondary site closest in proximity to the client, wherein the client request is redirected to the determined secondary site.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the update frequency indicates at least one of:

a time interval during which data is transmitted to the secondary storage sites, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after expiration of the time interval indicated in the data structure;

a threshold percentage of modified data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the percentage of data in the data set that is modified reaches the threshold percentage; and

a number of modifications threshold indicating a number of modifications made to the data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the number of modifications to the data set reaches the threshold number.

9. A method for processing a transaction, comprising:

transmitting transaction data from one primary storage site to a plurality of secondary storage sites;

receiving a transaction request at one secondary storage site;

processing the transaction request at the secondary storage site to include transaction data from the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site;

transmitting the processed transaction request including transaction data from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site to approve the transaction; and

approving the transaction request at the primary storage site if the transaction data included in the received transaction request is consistent with the transaction data maintained at the primary storage site.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the transaction request at the primary storage site;

determining one secondary storage site from the plurality of secondary storage sites; and

redirecting the transaction request to the determined secondary storage site, wherein the redirected transaction request comprises the transaction request received at the secondary storage site.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining one secondary storage site from the plurality of secondary storage sites comprises determining one available secondary storage site in closest proximity to a client originating the transaction request.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction request received at the secondary storage site comprises a request to access resources, further comprising:

determining from the transaction data at the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site whether a client originating the transaction request is registered, wherein the transaction request is only processed if the client is registered.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction request received at the secondary storage site comprises a request to access resources, further comprising:

determining from the transaction data at the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site whether the requested resource is available; and

returning a message indicating that the requested resource is not available if the transaction data at the secondary storage site indicates that the requested resource is not available.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction request received at the secondary storage site comprises a request to purchase a product, further comprising:

determining from the transaction data at the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site pricing information for the requested product;

generating at the secondary storage site a response to return to a client originating the transaction request indicating the pricing information for the requested product; and

transmitting the generated response to the client.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client in response to the transmitted response, wherein the processed transaction request including the transaction data is transmitted from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site after receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

processing a payment method for the client after receiving the acceptance of the transaction to obtain approval of payment of the requested product, wherein the transaction request is transmitted to the primary storage after approving the payment.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein approving the transaction request at the primary storage site further comprises:

processing a payment method for the client after receiving the transaction request from the secondary storage site.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein if the transaction request is not approved at the primary site, further comprising:

transmitting from the primary storage site to the secondary storage site transaction data that is not consistent with the corresponding transaction data in the secondary storage site;

generating at the secondary storage site a revised transaction request including data transmitted from the primary storage site that was not consistent in the secondary storage site; and

transmitting the revised transaction request to the client originating the transaction request for approval.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein data transmitted to each secondary storage site is specific to a geographical location including the secondary storage site, such that the secondary storage sites receive different data from the primary storage site.

20. A distributed computing system for maintaining data, comprising:

a primary storage site storing data;

a plurality of secondary storage sites;

means for processing a data structure indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies;

means for determining one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and determining at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency in response to processing the data structure; and

means for transmitting the determined data set to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the data structure includes entries, wherein each entry indicates at least one data set to be transmitted to at least one secondary site at one update frequency.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein different data sets are transmitted from the primary storage site to different secondary storage sites at different update frequencies.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the secondary storage sites are at different geographical locations, and wherein the different data sets transmitted to the different secondary storage sites include location specific data for the location of the secondary storage site.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the data sets in the primary storage site transmitted to at least one of the secondary storage sites comprises product information used in an electronic commerce web site, further comprising:

means for receiving client requests for product information from the primary storage site;

means for redirecting the client request for product information to one of the secondary storage sites; and

means for returning product information from the secondary storage site to which the client request is redirected to a client originating the client request.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the update frequency indicates at least one of:

a time interval during which data is transmitted to the secondary storage sites, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after expiration of the time interval indicated in the data structure;

a threshold percentage of modified data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the percentage of data in the data set that is modified reaches the threshold percentage; and

a number of modifications threshold indicating a number of modifications made to the data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the number of modifications to the data set reaches the threshold number.

26. A system for processing a transaction, comprising:

means for transmitting transaction data from one primary storage site to a plurality of secondary storage sites;

means for receiving a transaction request at one secondary storage site;

means for processing the transaction request at the secondary storage site to include transaction data from the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site;

means for transmitting the processed transaction request including transaction data from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site to approve the transaction; and

means for approving the transaction request at the primary storage site if the transaction data included in the received transaction request is consistent with the transaction data maintained at the primary storage site.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for receiving the transaction request at the primary storage site;

means for determining one secondary storage site from the plurality of secondary storage sites; and

means for redirecting the transaction request to the determined secondary storage site, wherein the redirected transaction request comprises the transaction request received at the secondary storage site.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the transaction request received at the secondary storage site comprises a request to purchase a product, further comprising:

means for determining from the transaction data at the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site pricing information for the requested product;

means for generating at the secondary storage site a response to return to a client originating the transaction request indicating the pricing information for the requested product; and

means for transmitting the generated response to the client.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client in response to the transmitted response, wherein the processed transaction request including the transaction data is transmitted from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site after receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for performing if the transaction request is not approved at the primary site the steps of:

transmitting from the primary storage site to the secondary storage site transaction data that is not consistent with the corresponding transaction data in the secondary storage site;

generating at the secondary storage site a revised transaction request including data transmitted from the primary storage site that was not consistent in the secondary storage site; and

transmitting the revised transaction request to the client originating the transaction request for approval.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein data transmitted to each secondary storage site is specific to a geographical location including the secondary storage site, such that the secondary storage sites receive different data from the primary storage site.

32. An article of manufacture including code for maintaining data in a distributed computing environment, wherein the code causes operations comprising:

storing data at a primary storage site;

processing a data structure indicating an association of data sets in the stored data, secondary storage sites, and update frequencies;

in response to processing the data structure, determining one of a plurality of secondary storage sites and determining at least one data set to transmit to the determined secondary storage site at an update frequency; and

transmitting the determined data set to the determined secondary storage site according to the update frequency.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the data structure includes entries, wherein each entry indicates at least one data set to be transmitted to at least one secondary site at one update frequency.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein different data sets are transmitted from the primary storage site to different secondary storage sites at different update frequencies.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the secondary storage sites are at different geographical locations, and wherein the different data sets transmitted to the different secondary storage sites include location specific data for the location of the secondary storage site.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein when the update frequency comprises a high frequency update setting, wherein transmitting the determined data set to the determined secondary storage site associated with the high frequency update setting comprises transmitting one update to the determined data set to the secondary storage site when the update is applied to the primary storage site.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the data sets in the primary storage site transmitted to at least one of the secondary storage sites comprises product information used in an electronic commerce web site, further comprising:

receiving client requests for product information from the primary storage site;

redirecting the client request for product information to one of the secondary storage sites; and

returning product information from the secondary storage site to which the client request is redirected to a client originating the client request.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the update frequency indicates at least one of:

a time interval during which data is transmitted to the secondary storage sites, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after expiration of the time interval indicated in the data structure;

a threshold percentage of modified data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the percentage of data in the data set that is modified reaches the threshold percentage; and

a number of modifications threshold indicating a number of modifications made to the data sets at the primary storage site, wherein the data set indicated in the data structure is transmitted to the secondary storage site after the number of modifications to the data set reaches the threshold number.

39. An article of manufacture including code at a primary storage site and secondary storage sites for processing a transaction, wherein the code causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

transmitting transaction data from one primary storage site to a plurality of secondary storage sites;

receiving a transaction request at one secondary storage site;

processing the transaction request at the secondary storage site to include transaction data from the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site;

transmitting the processed transaction request including transaction data from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site to approve the transaction; and

approving the transaction request at the primary storage site if the transaction data included in the received transaction request is consistent with the transaction data maintained at the primary storage site.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving the transaction request at the primary storage site;

determining one secondary storage site from the plurality of secondary storage sites; and

redirecting the transaction request to the determined secondary storage site, wherein the redirected transaction request comprises the transaction request received at the secondary storage site.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 40, wherein determining one secondary storage site from the plurality of secondary storage sites comprises determining one available secondary storage site in closest proximity to a client originating the transaction request.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 39, wherein the transaction request received at the secondary storage site comprises a request to purchase a product, further comprising:

determining from the transaction data at the secondary storage site that was transmitted from the primary storage site pricing information for the requested product;

generating at the secondary storage site a response to return to a client originating the transaction request indicating the pricing information for the requested product; and

transmitting the generated response to the client.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client in response to the transmitted response, wherein the processed transaction request including the transaction data is transmitted from the secondary storage site to the primary storage site after receiving acceptance of the transaction from the client.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 39, wherein if the transaction request is not approved at the primary site, further comprising:

transmitting from the primary storage site to the secondary storage site transaction data that is not consistent with the corresponding transaction data in the secondary storage site;

generating at the secondary storage site a revised transaction request including data transmitted from the primary storage site that was not consistent in the secondary storage site; and

transmitting the revised transaction request to the client originating the transaction request for approval.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 39, wherein data transmitted to each secondary storage site is specific to a geographical location including the secondary storage site, such that the secondary storage sites receive different data from the primary storage site.