Method and apparatus for converting data between two dissimilar systems

• US 20050002399A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atitania Limited
• Original Assignee: Atitania Limited
• Inventors: Peterson, Diane L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/70 Routing based on monitoring results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Method and apparatus for converting data between two dissimilar systems. A method for transferring information between first and second systems with dissimilar first and second database structures, respectively, is provided. The method includes the step of first extracting data from the first system and then routing the extracted data from the first system to a first conversion server. At the first conversion server, the data is converted from a format compatible with the first database structure to an intermediate format. The data in the intermediate format is then routed to a second conversion server. At the second conversion server, the data is converted from the intermediate format to a format compatible with the second database structure. The data converted at the second conversion server is then stored in the second system.

Claims

1. A method for transferring information between first and second systems with dissimilar first and second database structures, respectively, comprising the steps of:

extracting data from the first system;

routing the extracted data from the first system to a first conversion server;

at the first conversion server, converting the data from a format compatible with the first database structure to an intermediate format;

routing the data in the intermediate format to a second conversion server;

at the second conversion server, converting the data from the intermediate format to a format compatible with the second database structure; and

storing the data converted at the second conversion server in the second system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting is initiated in response to an external request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting is performed in response to a trigger operation at the first system which initiates the step of extracting and routing to the first conversion server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second conversion servers are disposed on a network and communicate with the first and second systems and with each other through the network and/or in the step of routing data comprises routing data over the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is comprised of a plurality of records, with each record including at least one index and the step of converting in the first conversion server operable to convert the index compatible with the first database structure [AB] to an intermediate index that is relationally associated with the index in the first database structure;

and the step of converting from the intermediate format to the format compatible with the second database structure comprises converting the intermediate index to an index compatible with the second database structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the intermediate index has a finite length, such that all data transactions in between the first and second conversion servers are operable to transmit finite length index values.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising an intermediate processing step wherein at least a portion of the converted data that is transmitted from the first conversion server to the second conversion server is processed in the intermediate format.