System and method for providing multiple virtual database connections in a relational database system

• US 20030204505A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cotner, Curt L., Bird, Paul M., Vincent, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method for providing database connections in a network includes: (a) mapping a first plurality of logical connections for a transaction at the application server to a physical connection between the application server and the database server; (b) sending a request of the transaction to the database server utilizing one of the first plurality of logical connections, where the request is sent utilizing the physical connection; and (c) processing the request by a logical agent on the database server, where the logical agent is associated with the transaction, where the request is maintained in one of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent. In this manner, connections are logically separated from one another with minimal storage implications. Conflicts and unpredictable behavior can also be avoided.

Claims

1. A method for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the steps of:

(a) mapping a first plurality of logical connections for a transaction at the application server to a physical connection between the application server and the database server;

(b) sending a request of the transaction to the database server utilizing one of the first plurality of logical connections, wherein the request is sent utilizing the physical connection; and

(c) processing the request by a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction, wherein the request is maintained in one of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping step (a) comprises:

(a1) issuing the request;

(a2) requesting a database connection for the request;

(a3) obtaining the physical connection, if the database connection request is a first database connection request for the transaction; and

(a4) creating a first logical connection of the first plurality of logical connections within the physical connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sending step (b) comprises:

(b1) issuing a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement for the request;

(b2) appending a logical connection identifier to the SQL statement, wherein the logical connection identifier identifies the first logical connection; and

(b3) sending the SQL statement appended with the logical connection identifier to the database server utilizing the first logical connection, wherein the SQL statement is sent utilizing the physical connection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the processing step (c) comprises:

(c1) determining that the SQL statement is part of the transaction;

(c2) sending the SQL statement to the logical agent; and

(c3) servicing the SQL statement by the logical agent, wherein the SQL statement is maintained in a second logical connection of the second plurality of logical connections, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

5. A method for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the steps of:

(a) issuing a request for a transaction;

(b) mapping a first logical connection of a first plurality of logical connections for the transaction at the application server to a physical connection between the application server and the database server;

(c) appending a logical connection identifier to the request, wherein the logical connection identifier identifies the first logical connection;

(d) sending the request appended with the logical connection identifier to the database server utilizing the first logical connection, wherein the SQL statement is sent utilizing the physical connection;

(e) sending the request to a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction; and

(f) servicing the request by the logical agent, wherein the SQL statement is maintained in a second logical connection of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

6. A method for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the steps of:

(a) requesting a database connection for a transaction request;

(b) obtaining a physical connection for the transaction, if the database connection request is a first database connection request for the transaction;

(c) creating a first logical connection of a first plurality of logical connections within the physical connection;

(d) issuing a query for the request having an appended logical connection identifier identifying the first logical connection;

(e) sending the query over the first logical connection to a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction; and

(f) servicing the query by the logical agent, wherein the query is maintained in a second logical connection of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

7. A computer readable medium with program instruction for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the instructions for:

(a) mapping a first plurality of logical connections for a transaction at the application server to a physical connection between the application server and the database server;

(b) sending a request of the transaction to the database server utilizing one of the first plurality of logical connections, wherein the request is sent utilizing the physical connection; and

(c) processing the request by a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction, wherein the request is maintained in one of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the mapping instruction (a) comprises:

(a1) issuing the request;

(a2) requesting a database connection for the request;

(a3) obtaining the physical connection, if the database connection request is a first database connection request for the transaction; and

(a4) creating a first logical connection of the first plurality of logical connections within the physical connection.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the sending instruction (b) comprises:

(b1) issuing a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement for the request;

(b2) appending a logical connection identifier to the SQL statement, wherein the logical connection identifier identifies the first logical connection; and

(b3) sending the SQL statement appended with the logical connection identifier to the database server utilizing the first logical connection, wherein the SQL statement is sent utilizing the physical connection.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the processing instruction (c) comprises:

(c1) determining that the SQL statement is part of the transaction;

(c2) sending the SQL statement to the logical agent; and

(c3) servicing the SQL statement by the logical agent, wherein the SQL statement is maintained in a second logical connection of the second plurality of logical connections, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

11. A computer readable medium with program instructions for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the instructions for:

(a) issuing a request for a transaction;

(b) mapping a first logical connection of a first plurality of logical connections for the transaction at the application server to a physical connection between the application server and the database server;

(c) appending a logical connection identifier to the request, wherein the logical connection identifier identifies the first logical connection;

(d) sending the request appended with the logical connection identifier to the database server utilizing the first logical connection, wherein the SQL statement is sent utilizing the physical connection;

(e) sending the request to a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction; and

(f) servicing the request by the logical agent, wherein the SQL statement is maintained in a second logical connection of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

12. A computer readable medium with program instructions for providing database connections in a network, the network including an application server and a database server, comprising the instructions for:

(a) requesting a database connection for a transaction request;

(b) obtaining a physical connection for the transaction, if the database connection request is a first database connection request for the transaction;

(c) creating a first logical connection of a first plurality of logical connections within the physical connection;

(d) issuing a query for the request having an appended logical connection identifier identifying the first logical connection;

(e) sending the query over the first logical connection to a logical agent on the database server, wherein the logical agent is associated with the transaction; and

(f) servicing the query by the logical agent, wherein the query is maintained in a second logical connection of a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent, wherein the second logical connection corresponds to the first logical connection.

13. A database server, comprising:

a logical agent associated with a transaction, wherein the logical agent receives a plurality of requests for the transaction from a first plurality of logical connections at an application server, wherein the plurality of requests are sent to the logical agent utilizing a physical connection for the transaction; and

a second plurality of logical connections within the logical agent, wherein the second plurality of logical connections correspond to the first plurality of logical agents, wherein the plurality of requests from the first plurality of logical connections are maintained within the corresponding second plurality of logical connections.

14. A system, comprising:

an application server comprising a database driver and a first plurality of logical connections for a transaction,

wherein the database driver maps the first plurality of logical connections to a physical connection between the application server and a database server,

wherein the database driver sends a request of the transaction to the database server utilizing one of the first plurality of logical connections,

wherein the request is sent utilizing the physical connection; and

the database server, wherein the database server comprises a logical agent associated with the global transaction, wherein the logical agent comprises a second plurality of logical connections, wherein the request is maintained in one of the second plurality of logical connections.