Version-controlled cached data store

• US 20060271606A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dassault Systemes Enovia Corporation (Dassault Systemes SA)
• Original Assignee: Dassault Systemes Enovia Corporation (Dassault Systemes SA)
• Inventors: Tewksbary, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1774 Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for a version-controlled cached data store. A first node is associated with a first identifier and a first version. A control file is received, where the control file includes information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version. The first version is compared with the second version when the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.

Claims

1. A method for a version-controlled cached data store comprising:

associating a first node with a first identifier and a first version;

receiving a control file, the control file comprising information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version; and

comparing the first version with the second version when the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the first node if the first version and the second version are different and the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a set of cached nodes including the first node.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving the second node if the first node has been removed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving the second node comprises receiving the second node from a server.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing a first process from modifying the control file.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising generating the first node by a second process.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating a list including new nodes generated by the second process.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising modifying, by the second process, the information of the control file associating the second node with the second version and the second identifier.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein modifying the information of the control file comprises replacing the second version with the first version when the first identifier is identical to the second identifier, the first version representing a version subsequent to the second version.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein preventing comprises preventing the first process from modifying the control file until after the second process has completed modifying the control file.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein generating, by the second process, the first node comprises copying the first node and modifying the copy.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the second process associating the copy of the first node with the first identifier and a third version.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising modifying, by the second process, the control file, replacing the second version with the third version where the first identifier is identical to the second identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing the first node and leaving the modified copy of the first node.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the control file is received from a server.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising

preventing a first process from modifying the control file on the server;

modifying, by a second process, the second node associated with the second identifier and a second version; and

modifying, by the second process, the received control file such that the first version is set to the second version if the first identifier equals the second identifier.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting the modified control file to the server.

19. A method for a version-controlled cached data store comprising:

transmitting a first node with a first identifier and a first version;

transmitting a control file, the control file comprising information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version and being used by a receiving component for comparing the first version with the second version when the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.

20. A system for a version-controlled cached data store comprising:

a first node associated with a first identifier and a first version;

a control file comprising information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version; and

a comparison module configured to compare the first version with the second version.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising

a local store comprising the first node and the comparison module;

and

a remote store comprising the control file and the second node,

wherein the comparison module is further configured to retrieve the control file from the remote store.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a locking module for preventing changes to the control file.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a first writing module configured to direct the locking module to prevent modifications to the control file by a second writing module.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the locking module comprises a lock file.

25. The system of claim 20 further comprising a reading module configured to read the first node if the comparison module determines that the first version and the second version are identical.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the first node further comprises a maximum number of data elements.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the maximum number of data elements is based on a size of an Input/Output read operation.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the maximum number of data elements is equivalent to a maximum number of elements for a single Input/Output read operation.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the maximum number of data elements is 128 elements.

30. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier for use in a version-controlled cached data store, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

associate a first node with a first identifier and a first version;

receive a control file, the control file comprising information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version; and

compare the first version with the second version when the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.

31. A means for a version-controlled cached data store comprising:

means for associating a first node with a first identifier and a first version;

means for receiving a control file, the control file comprising information associating a second node with a second identifier and a second version; and

means for comparing the first version with the second version when the first identifier and the second identifier are identical.