Causing a transaction to fail at a predetermined transaction state

• US 20040044926A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: He, Xiaoqiu
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for causing a transaction to fail at a predetermined transaction state. A transaction coordinator is instructed to process a transaction until the transaction has reached a predetermined transaction state. The transaction coordinator is caused to fail while the transaction is in the predetermined transaction state. Failure of the transaction at the predetermined transaction state is thereby effectuated.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for causing a transaction to fail at a predetermined transaction state, comprising:

instructing a transaction coordinator to process a first transaction until said first transaction has reached a first predetermined transaction state; and

causing the transaction coordinator to fail while said first transaction is in said first predetermined transaction state, thereby, effectuating failure of said first transaction at said first predetermined transaction state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing comprises:

passing a first parameter to the transaction coordinator indicating that said first transaction is to be processed until said first transaction reaches said first predetermined transaction state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transaction coordinator processes said first transaction until said first transaction reaches said first predetermined state, and wherein the transaction coordinator does not process said first transaction beyond said first predetermined transaction state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein causing comprises:

waiting a sufficient amount of time to enable the transaction coordinator to process said first transaction to said first predetermined transaction state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein causing further comprises:

invoking a failure inducing-functionality of the transaction coordinator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein processing of said first transaction is carried out using a first thread, and wherein execution of the failure-inducing functionality is carried out using a second thread, wherein said first and second threads are different threads.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the failure-inducing functionality of the transaction coordinator causes the transaction coordinator to terminate operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restarting the transaction coordinator;

instructing the transaction coordinator to process a second transaction until said second transaction has reached a second predetermined transaction state; and

causing the transaction coordinator to fail while said second transaction is in said second predetermined transaction state, thereby, effectuating failure of said second transaction at said second predetermined transaction state;

wherein said first transaction and said second transaction may be the same or different transactions; and

wherein said first predetermined transaction state and said second predetermined transaction state are different transaction states.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a transaction failure recovery process, implemented in response to failure of said first transaction, achieves a proper transaction recovery result.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to cause a transaction to fail at a predetermined transaction state, said computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for instructing a transaction coordinator to process a first transaction until said first transaction has reached a first predetermined transaction state; and

instructions for causing the transaction coordinator to fail while said first transaction is in said first predetermined transaction state, thereby, effectuating failure of said first transaction at said first predetermined transaction state.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein instructing comprises:

passing a first parameter to the transaction coordinator indicating that said first transaction is to be processed until said first transaction reaches said first predetermined transaction state.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the transaction coordinator processes said first transaction until said first transaction reaches said first predetermined state, and wherein the transaction coordinator does not process said first transaction beyond said first predetermined transaction state.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein causing comprises:

waiting a sufficient amount of time to enable the transaction coordinator to process said first transaction to said first predetermined transaction state.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein causing further comprises:

invoking a failure-inducing functionality of the transaction coordinator.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein processing of said first transaction is carried out using a first thread, and wherein execution of the failure-inducing functionality is carried out using a second thread, wherein said first and second threads are different threads.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the failure-inducing functionality of the transaction coordinator causes the transaction coordinator to terminate operation.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions for restarting the transaction coordinator;

instructions for instructing the transaction coordinator to process a second transaction until said second transaction has reached a second predetermined transaction state; and

instructions for causing the transaction coordinator to fail while said second transaction is in said second predetermined transaction state, thereby, effectuating failure of said second transaction at said second predetermined transaction state;

wherein said first transaction and said second transaction may be the same or different transactions; and

wherein said first predetermined transaction state and said second predetermined transaction state are different transaction states.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions for determining whether a transaction failure recovery process, implemented in response to failure of said first transaction, achieves a proper transaction recovery result.