Systems and methods for partitioning data on multiple servers

• US 20040059757A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc. (Ancestry.com Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Myfamily.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Parkinson, Greg, Thayne, Daren, Wolfgramm, Mark, Redd, Brandt, Wolfgramm, Michael, Mansfield, Michael, Hardman, Todd, Ivie, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• 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: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Systems and methods for partitioning information across multiple storage devices in a web server environment. The system comprises a web server database which includes information related creating a web site. The information is divided into partitions within the database. One of the partitions includes user information and another of the partitions includes content for the web site. Portions of the content for the web site is replicated and maintained within the partition including the user information. Further, a portion of the user information is replicated and maintained in the partition where the content for the web site is maintained. The methods include dividing information into partitions, de-normalizing the received data and replicating the data portions into the various web site locations.

Claims

1. A system for partitioning information on multiple storage devices distributed within a web server environment, the system comprising:

a web server database comprising information related to creating a web site, wherein the database comprises at least a first and a second partition, and wherein the first partition comprises user information for users of the web site and the second partition comprises content for the web site; and

computer readable code to replicate a portion of the user information to the second partition, wherein the content for the web site is associated with the portion of user information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the user information comprises an identity of users having access to the web site.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second partition further comprises a pointer linking the web site and the identity of a user having access to the web site.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the portion of the user information comprises a name of a user having access to the web site.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the user information comprises an identity of a user providing content for the web site.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer readable code to replicate a portion of the content for the web site and to transfer it to the first partition, wherein the user information is associated with the portion of the content for the web site.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the portion of the content for the web site comprises a name of the web site.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first partition further comprises a pointer linking the user information for a particular user and the name of the web site, wherein the particular user is a member of the web site.

9. A method for dividing information for storage across multiple web server databases, the method comprising:

providing a first and a second data partition;

storing a user data block on the first partition, wherein the user data block comprises information about a member of a web site;

storing a replica of a portion of the user data block on the second partition; and

maintaining a pointer on the first partition to the replica of the portion of the user data block on the second partition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein storing the user data block and the replica of a portion of the user data block are done concurrently.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the portion of the user data block comprises the name of the user.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a site data block on the second partition, wherein the site data block comprises information for presenting a web site, and wherein the member has access to the web site.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein maintaining the pointer comprises associating a name of the web site with the portion of the user data block.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the pointer is a first pointer, the method further comprising:

maintaining a second pointer to the portion of the site data block on the second partition, wherein the second pointer identifies the location of user information associated with the web site.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein maintaining the first pointer comprises maintaining a table on the first partition with a cross-reference between a member name and a web site name.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein maintaining the second pointer comprises maintaining a table on the second partition with a cross-reference between a web site name and a member name.

17. A system for sharing data between multiple web servers, the system comprising:

a plurality of web servers;

a database accessible to the web servers, wherein the database comprises at least a first partition and a second partition;

a first data set stored on the first partition and a portion of the first data set stored on the second partition;

a second data set stored on the second partition and a portion of the second data set stored on the first partition;

a first pointer indicating the location of the portion of the first data set on the second partition; and

a second pointer indicating the location of the portion of the second data set on the first partition.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first data set comprises information about a member of a web site, and wherein the portion of the first data set comprises the name of the member.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second data set comprises content for the web site.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second data set further comprises the name of the web site, and wherein the portion of the second data set comprises the name of the web site.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of web servers supports a first Internet activity and another one of the plurality of web servers supports a second internet activity.

22. The system of claim 21, where the first Internet activity is an Internet business.