Adjusting a number of database replicas based on a defined threshold value

• US 20050154697A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Altaf, Faheem, Reynolds, Michael J., Ravi, Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/756,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for adjusting a number of database replicas of a database based on a defined threshold value. The method comprises monitoring at least one operating condition associated with a database and accessing a prestored threshold value. The method further comprises comparing a value representative of the monitored operating condition with the prestored threshold value and adjusting a number of copies of at least a portion of the database based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring at least one operating condition associated with a database;

accessing a prestored threshold value associated with the at least one operating condition;

comparing a value representative of the monitored operating condition with the prestored threshold value; and

adjusting a number of copies of at least a portion of the database based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring a number of users accessing the database over a selected time period, and wherein the act of accessing comprises accessing the threshold value that is indicative of a number of users that can access the database over the selected time period before an adjustment is made to the number of copies of the database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is associated with a processor-based device that is communicatively coupled to a network, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring at least one of resources associated with the processor-based device, process load associated with the processor-based device, traffic flow associated with the network, and frequency of failovers associated with the database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of adjusting comprises increasing the number of database copies of the database in response to determining that the prestored threshold value exceeds the representative value of the monitored operating condition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein increasing the number of copies of the database comprises making a copy of the database, and further comprising identifying at least one of a plurality of devices on which the copy of the database is to be stored and storing the database replica on the identified device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of identifying comprises identifying the device based on at least one of an amount of available resource associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of adjusting comprises reducing the number of copies of the database in response to determining that the representative value of the monitored operating condition is less than the prestored threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of copies of databases exists on one or more devices, further comprising identifying at least one copy of the database from the plurality of database copies to delete based on at least one of an amount of available resources associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

9. An article comprising one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions that when executed enable a processor to:

determine at least one operating condition associated with a database;

access a prestored threshold value;

compare a value representative of the determined operating condition with the prestored threshold value; and

adjust a number of database replicas based on the comparison.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to make at least one replica of the database in response to determining that the prestored threshold value exceeds the representative value.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to identify at least one of a plurality of devices on which the replica of the database is to be stored and to store the database replica on the identified device.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to identify the device based on at least one of an amount of available resource associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

13. The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to reduce the number of replicas of the database in response to determining that the representative value is less than the prestored threshold value.

14. The article of claim 10, wherein a plurality of database replicas exists on one or more devices, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to identify at least one replica of the database from the plurality of database replicas to delete based on at least one of an amount of available resources associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

15. The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions when executed enable the processor to determine a number of users accessing the database over a selected time period and to access the threshold value that is indicative of a number of users that can access the database over the selected time period before an adjustment is made to the number of replicas of the database.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit having stored therein a database; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the storage unit, the control unit adapted to;

determine at least one operating condition associated with the database;

access a prestored threshold value;

compare a value representative of the determined operating condition with the prestored threshold value; and

adjust a number replicas of the database based on the comparison.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control unit is adapted to make at least one replica of the database in response to determining that the prestored threshold value exceeds the representative value of the operating condition.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control unit is adapted to identify at least one of a plurality of devices on which the replica of the database is to be stored and to store the database replica on the identified device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to identify the device based on at least one of an amount of available resource associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control unit is adapted to reduce the number of replicas of the database in response to determining that the representative value is less than the prestored threshold value.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a plurality of database replicas exists on one or more devices, wherein the control unit is adapted to identify at least one replica of the database from the plurality of database replicas to delete based on at least one of an amount of available resources associated with the device, a network connection rate associated with the device, and a processing capability associated with the device.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine a number of users accessing the database over a selected time period and to access the threshold value that is indicative of a number of users that can access the database over the selected time period before an adjustment is made to the number of replicas of the database.

23. A system, comprising:

a first server; and

a second server communicatively coupled to the first server, the second server adapted to;

determine at least one operating condition associated with a database;

access a prestored threshold value;

compare a value representative of the determined operating condition with the prestored threshold value; and

cause a replica of the database to be created on the first server based on the comparison.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first server and the second server are associated with a cluster.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the second server is further adapted to cause the database replica to be removed based on comparing a value representative of the determined operating condition with a second prestored threshold value.

26. A method, comprising:

monitoring at least one of a user load level and network traffic level associated with accessing of a database;

accessing a preselected threshold value;

comparing at least one of the user load level and network traffic level with the preselected threshold value; and

automatically adjusting a number of copies of at least a portion of the database based on the comparison.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising dynamically adjusting the preselected threshold value based on one or more surrounding operating conditions.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein adjusting the number of copies comprises creating at least one replica of the database based on the comparison.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein adjusting the number of copies comprises deleting at least one copy of the database based on the comparison.