Computer network system for building, synchronising and/or operating a second database from/with a first database, and procedures for it

• US 20060222161A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBS Business Solutions AG (UBS Ag)
• Original Assignee: UBS Ag
• Inventors: Loacker, Hansbeat, Bank, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/221.80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication

Abstract

Computer network system for building and/or synchronising a second database from/with a first database, accesses by work units being carried out at least on the first database from at least one application workstation, to generate, change or delete contents of the database, with at least one first server to guide and maintain the first database, said server being connected to at least one application workstation, at least one second server to guide and maintain the second database, at least one data connection which connects the two servers, the accesses by the work units to the first database taking place by means of an encapsulation module, which is set up and programmed so that the work units are passed to it, work units which it accepts are decomposed into one or more messages, the messages are entered in the first database and the messages are sent to the second database.

Claims

1. Computer network system for building and/or synchronising a second database (DB2) from/with a first database (DB1), accesses by work units (UOW) being carried out at least on the first database (DB1) from at least one application workstation, to generate, change or delete contents of the database (DB1), with at least one first server (S1) to guide and maintain the first database (DB1), said server being connected to at least one application workstation, at least one second server (S2) to guide and maintain the second database (DB2), at least one data connection which connects the two servers (S1, S2), a controller (HS) of the second database (DB2) being set up and programmed to read the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which are sent to it from an input wait queue (Qin), to test whether all the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) have arrived in the input wait queue (Qin), to carry out the appropriate changes in the second database (DB2) when all the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) have arrived in the input wait queue (Qin), and if required to distribute the corresponding changes or the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which contain them and belong to one work unit (UOW), depending on specified conditions, at least partly to other databases or application programs.

2. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein an encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed, depending on reaching a predefined parameter, to decompose work units (UOW) coming from a batch processing run into corresponding messages (M1 . . . Mn) and to write them to a transfer database (Q1), and a monitor software module, which is set up and programmed, after the predefined parameter is reached, to transmit the content of the transfer database (Q1) to the second database (DB2), is provided.

3. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the predefined parameter is a predefined time, a predefined quantity of data, or similar.

4. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the content of the transfer database (Q1) is transmitted as a closed batch transport file to the second database (DB2).

5. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the content of the transfer database (Q1) is transmitted to the controller (HS) of the second database (DB2).

6. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the controller (HS) of the second database (DB2), for every database or application program which receives data from the first database (DB1), feeds with data a coexistence element program module, which is set up and programmed to synchronise this data for the relevant database or application program specifically, and to carry out changes corresponding to the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) in the input wait queue (Qin) in the second database (DB2) or application program, or in the database which is associated with the relevant application program.

7. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the controller (HS) is set up and programmed to take from tables the information which indicates which of the coexistence element programs is to be supplied with which contents.

8. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein for the controller (HS), a first, two-dimensional table is held, and the controller (HS) is set up and programmed to read this table, in which for each coexistence element program module, there is a row, in which the associated database or application program is identified preferably by name, and for each change or message, there is a column, in which three different values can be entered, a first value indicating that the corresponding database or application program does not require or cannot process this attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, a second value indicating that the corresponding database or application program can process this attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, but is only supplied with it if its value has changed, and a third value indicating that the corresponding database or application program can process this attribute, and must be supplied with it in any case.

9. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein for the controller (HS), a second, three-dimensional table is held, and the controller (HS) is set up and programmed to read this table, in which the “

message type”

, the “

database or application program” and

the “

attribute of database”

are held, wherein for each message type, there is a two-dimensional sub-table, for each database or application program for which there is a coexistence element program module, a column is held in the two-dimensional sub-table, and the database or application program is identified by name in it, and for each attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, there is a row in the two-dimensional sub-table, and two different values can be entered in it, the first meaning that the database or application program is not affected by this attribute of the message, and the second meaning that the database or application program is affected by this attribute of the message.

10. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the controller (HS) of the second database (DB2) is set up and programmed to transmit the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) to the appropriate coexistence element program modules, by which these messages (M1 . . . Mn) are processed further, the appropriate coexistence element program modules being set up and programmed to set an OK flag in a table after successful further processing by an appropriate coexistence element program, and/or to enter a NOK flag together with the name of the appropriate coexistence element program in an error processing table, so that they are available for display and/or reprocessing or error correction.

11. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the reprocessing or error correction of messages (M1 . . . Mn) which have not been successfully further processed by coexistence element programs takes place by the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which have not been successfully further processed by coexistence element programs being sent again by the controller (HS) of the second database (DB2) to the appropriate coexistence element program for renewed further processing, redelivery of the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which have not been successfully further processed by coexistence element programs from the first database (DB1) to the appropriate coexistence element program for renewed further processing, or deletion of the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which have not been successfully further processed by coexistence element programs from the second database (DB2).

12. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the accesses by the work units (UOW) to the first database (DB1) take place by means of an encapsulation module (KM), which is set up and programmed so that the work units (UOW) are passed to it, work units (UOW) which it accepts are decomposed into one or more messages (M1 . . . Mn), the messages (M1 . . . Mn) are entered in the first database (DB1), and the messages (M1 . . . Mn) are sent to the second database (DB2).

13. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to carry out those accesses by application software programs and other programs which change the first database for them, these programs directing their change commands which are intended for the first database (DB1) to the encapsulation module program (KM), which carries out the actual accesses to the first database (DB1).

14. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to test whether it is more efficient, particularly regarding transmission duration and transmission quantity and/or processing cost in the context of the second database (DB2), either to send the changed entries resulting from the application of the work unit (UOW) to the first database (DB1) by means of individual functions (F1 . . . Fn) from the first database (DB2) to the second database (DB1), or to send the changed entries resulting from the application of the work unit (UOW) to the first database (DB1) by means of individual messages (M1 . . . Mn) from the first database (DB1) to the second database (DB2).

15. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to provide the messages (M1 . . . Mn) with a first identifier (B1) which identifies each message, before it is sent by the encapsulation module program (KM) to the second database (DB2).

16. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to fetch the first identifier (B1) from a preferably central unit, which forms the first identifier as a time stamp or serial number.

17. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein each message (M1 . . . Mn) contains the content, which is to be changed or generated, of the first database (DB1), and/or the changed or generated content of the first database (DB1), and is stored in the first and/or second database (DB2).

18. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein each message (M1 . . . Mn) contains a code for the action to be carried out (S, M, D), the content, which is to be changed or generated, of the first database (DB1), and/or the changed or generated content of the first database (DB1), depending on the action to be carried out (S, M, D).

19. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to store the number of messages (M1 . . . Mn) into which a work unit (UOW) is decomposed, and a first identifier (B1), in a termination message (ER), which the encapsulation module program (KM) then sends to the second database (DB2).

20. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to put the messages (M1 . . . Mn) to be sent and the termination message (ER) in an output wait queue (Qout), from which they can be sent to an input wait queue (Qin) of a controller (HS) of the second database (DB2).

21. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to control its functions (KM) by reference data.

22. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein the reference data controls the encapsulation module (KM) so that the first database (DB1) is changed, and/or one or more messages (M1 . . . Mn) are sent to the second database (DB2).

23. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein a software program component by which, in the case of a transaction which is initiated from one application workstation on the first database (DB1), a sister transaction can be called up on the second database (DB2) and vice versa—

in which case, from the point of view of the application workstation, the sister transaction on the side of the second database (DB2) behaves analogously to its counterpart on the side of the first database (DB1)—

is provided.

24. Computer network system according to claim 1, wherein in the case of data-base-entry-oriented synchronisation by a transaction of the first database (DB1), changed entries are transmitted by the encapsulation module to the main coexistence controller, wherein the main coexistence controller calls up coexistence utility programs of the coexistence element of the second database environment, to bring the entries and/or changes of the first database (DB1) into the second database environment, and wherein after a change of the second database entries, the main coexistence controller calls up the coexistence element(s) and/or the coexistence utility programs of the application software programs, which contain the adaptation rules from the first to the second database and/or to the application software programs in the second database environment.

25. Computer-supported method for building and/or synchronising a second database (DB2) from/with a first database (DB1), accesses by work units (UOW) being carried out at least on the first database (DB1) from at least one application workstation, to generate, change or delete contents of the database (DB1), with the steps guiding and maintaining the first database (DB1) with at least one first server (S1), which is connected to at least one application workstation, guiding and maintaining the second database (DB2) with at least one second server (S2), providing at least one data connection which connects the two servers (S1, S2), providing a controller (HS) of the second database (DB2), which is set up and programmed to read the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which are sent to it from an input wait queue (Qin), to test whether all the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) have arrived in the input wait queue (Qin), to carry out the appropriate changes in the second database (DB2) when all the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) have arrived in the input wait queue (Qin), and if required to distribute the corresponding changes or the messages (M1 . . . Mn) which contain them and belong to one work unit (UOW), depending on specified conditions, at least partly to other databases or application programs.

26. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein an encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed, depending on reaching a predefined parameter, to decompose work units (UOW) coming from a batch processing run into corresponding messages (M1 . . . Mn) and to write them to a transfer database (Q1), and a monitor software module, which is set up and programmed, after the predefined parameter is reached, to transmit the content of the transfer database (Q1) to the second database (DB2), is provided.

27. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein the controller (HS) of the second database (DB2), for every database or application program which receives data from the first database (DB1), feeds with data a coexistence element program module, which is set up and programmed to synchronise this data for the relevant database or application program specifically, and to carry out changes corresponding to the messages (M1 . . . Mn) belonging to one work unit (UOW) in the input wait queue (Qin) in the second database (DB2) or application program, or in the database which is associated with the relevant application program.

28. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein for the controller (HS), a first, two-dimensional table is held, and the controller (HS) is set up and programmed to read this table, in which for each coexistence element program module, there is a row, in which the associated database or application program is identified preferably by name, and for each change or message, there is a column, in which three different values can be entered, a first value indicating that the corresponding database or application program does not require or cannot process this attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, a second value indicating that the corresponding database or application program can process this attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, but is only supplied with it if its value has changed, and a third value indicating that the corresponding database or application program can process this attribute, and must be supplied with it in any case.

29. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein for the controller (HS), a second, three-dimensional table is held, and the controller (HS) is set up and programmed to read this table, in which the “

message type”

, the “

database or application program” and

the “

attribute of database”

are held, wherein for each message type, there is a two-dimensional sub-table, for each database or application program for which there is a coexistence element program module, a column is held in the two-dimensional sub-table, and the database or application program is identified by name in it, and for each attribute which is transmitted in the change or message, there is a row in the two-dimensional sub-table, and two different values can be entered in it, the first meaning that the database or application program is not affected by this attribute of the message, and the second meaning that the database or application program is affected by this attribute of the message.

30. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to carry out those accesses by application software programs and other programs which change the first database for them, these programs directing their change commands which are intended for the first database (DB1) to the encapsulation module program (KM), which carries out the actual accesses to the first database (DB1).

31. Computer-supported method according to claim 25, wherein the encapsulation module program (KM) is set up and programmed to test whether it is more efficient, particularly regarding transmission duration and transmission quantity and/or processing cost in the context of the second database (DB2), either to send the changed entries resulting from the application of the work unit (UOW) to the first database (DB1) by means of individual functions (F1 . . . Fn) from the first database (DB2) to the second database (DB1), or to send the changed entries resulting from the application of the work unit (UOW) to the first database (DB1) by means of individual messages (M1 . . . Mn) from the first database (DB1) to the second database (DB2).

32. Computer program carrying medium, with computer program code on it which, if it is executed in a computer, is set up to put into effect the computer-supported method according to claim 25.

33. Computer program product with computer-executable program code which, if it is executed in a computer, is set up to put into effect the computer-supported method according to claim 25.