Data Synchronisation Across Multiple Data Storages When Processing Transactions Received on a Network

• US 20060179081A1
• Filed: 02/06/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Vedula, Venkata Naga Ravikiran
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1675 Temporal synchronisation or re-synchronisation of redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• 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 2201/80 Database-specific techniques

Abstract

A synchronization unit examines the packets on a network to determine the changes being caused to a database server, and propagates the same changes to corresponding backup server(s). As the synchronization is implemented in a separate unit, the throughput performance of database servers may not be impeded due to the synchronization requirement.

Claims

1. An environment comprising:

a primary storage connected to a network;

a backup storage designed to store the same data as said primary storage;

a client system sending a transaction request to said primary storage on said network, wherein said transaction request causes a change to the data stored by said primary storage; and

a synchronization unit monitoring said network to determine the presence of said transaction request on said network, said synchronization unit propagating the change to said backup storage.

2. The environment of claim 1, wherein said synchronization unit is provided as a separate unit from said primary storage such that the throughput performance of said primary storage is not impeded due to the synchronization requirement of said backup storage with said primary storage.

3. The environment of claim 1, wherein said client system sends said transaction request in the form of a SQL (Structured query language) query in a packet according to a pre-specified format, said synchronization unit parses said packet and propagates said SQL query to said backup storage.

4. The environment of claim 3, wherein said synchronization unit monitors said network to determine a database connection setup by said client system to said primary storage, wherein said transaction request is then received on said database connection.

5. The environment of claim 4, wherein said synchronization unit receives data indicating that a request for setting up said database connection would be received on a specified port of said primary storage, wherein said synchronization unit monitors said network for packets destined to said specified port of said primary storage.

6. The environment of claim 4, wherein said synchronization unit is configured to indicate that said backup storage is to be synchronized with said primary storage.

7. The environment of claim 4, wherein said primary storage and said backup storage respectively comprise a primary server and a backup server.

8. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for causing a synchronization unit to synchronize a backup storage with a primary storage, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said synchronization unit causes said one or more processors to perform the actions of:

monitoring a network to determine a transaction request which would cause a change in said primary storage; and

propagating said change to said backup storage.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said monitoring examines packets on said network to determine a database connection being setup to said primary storage, wherein said transaction request is received on said database connection.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said monitoring examines said packets to determine the presence of said transaction request causing said change.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said transaction request is in the form of a SQL query, and wherein said propagating comprises sending said SQL query to said backup storage to cause said change on said backup storage.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said primary storage and said backup storage respectively comprise a primary server and a backup server.

13. A method of synchronizing a backup storage with a primary storage, said method comprising:

monitoring a network to determine a transaction request which would cause a change in said primary storage; and

propagating said change to said backup storage.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said monitoring examines packets on said network to determine a database connection being setup to said primary storage, wherein said transaction request is received on said database connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said monitoring examines said packets to determine the presence of said transaction request causing said change.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said transaction request is in the form of a SQL query, and wherein said propagating comprises sending said SQL query to said backup storage to cause said change on said backup storage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said primary storage and said backup storage respectively comprise primary server and backup server.