Transfering database workload among multiple database systems

• US 20070094238A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Mark, Fastner, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,990 B2
• 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: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system includes at least two database systems that both store a common portion of a relational database and that are configured to share in execution of a database workload against that relational database. The system also includes a system-management component configured to receive indication that a first one of the database systems is ceasing operation and, in response, take a second one of the database systems to an operational state in which at least a portion of the database workload that is scheduled to be carried out by the first database system is transferred to the second database system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) at least two database systems that both store a common portion of a relational database and that are configured to share a database workload against that relational database; and

(b) a system-management component configured to receive indication that a first one of the database systems is ceasing operation and, in response, take a second one of the database systems to an operational state in which at least a portion of the database workload that is scheduled to be carried out by the first database system is transferred to the second database system.

2. The system of claim 1, where the system-management component is subsequently configured to take the second database system to a second operational state in which it carries out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion of its own portion of the database workload.

3. The system of claim 2, where the system-management component is subsequently configured to receive indication that the first database system is resuming operation and, in response, take the second database system to a third operational state in which at least a portion of the transferred workload is transferred back to the first database system.

4. The system of claim 2, where the system-management component is subsequently configured to take the second database system to an operational state in which the first and second database systems again share the database workload.

5. The system of claim 1, where the system-management component, in receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation, is configured to receive indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of a planned shutdown.

6. The system of claim 1, where the system-management component, in receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation, is configured to receive indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown.

7. The system of claim 6, where the system-management component, in receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown, is configured to receive indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of a system failure.

8. The system of claim 6, where, in response to the indication that the first database system is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown, the system-management component is configured to:

take the second database system to a second operational state in which it carries out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion of its own portion of the database workload and treats the first database system as though it ceased operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown; and

then

take the second database system to a third operational state in which it continues to carry out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion of its own portion of the database workload and treats the first database system as though it ceased operation as a result of a planned shutdown.

9. The system of claim 8, where the system-management component is subsequently configured to receive indication that the first database system is resuming operation and, in response, take the second database system to a fourth operational state in which at least a portion of the transferred workload is transferred back to the first database system.

10. The system of claim 9, where the system-management component is subsequently configured to take the second database system to an operational state in which the first and second database systems again share the database workload.

11. A method for use in managing operation of at least two database systems that both store a common portion of a relational database and that are configured to share a database workload against that relational database, the method comprising:

receiving indication that a first one of the database systems is ceasing operation; and

, in response

taking a second one of the database systems to an operational state in which at least a portion of the database workload that is scheduled to be carried out by the first database system is transferred to the second database system.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising taking the second database system to a second operational state in which it carries out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion of its own portion of the database workload.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving indication that the first database system is resuming operation; and

, in response

taking the second database system to a third operational state in which at least a portion of the transferred workload is transferred back to the first database system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising taking the second database system to an operational state in which the first and second database systems again share the database workload.

15. The method of claim 11, where receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation includes receiving indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of a planned shutdown.

16. The method of claim 11, where receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation includes receiving indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown.

17. The method of claim 16, where receiving indication that the first database system is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown includes receiving indication that the first database is ceasing operation as a result of a system failure.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising, in response to the indication that the first database system is ceasing operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown:

taking the second database system to a second operational state in which it carries out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion its own portion of the database workload and treats the first database system as though it ceased operation as a result of an unplanned shutdown; and

then

taking the second database system to a third operational state in which it continues to carry out the portion of the database workload transferred to it in addition to at least some portion its own portion of the database workload and treats the first database system as though it ceased operation as a result of a planned shutdown.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving indication that the first database system is resuming operation; and

, in response

taking the second database system to a fourth operational state in which at least a portion of the transferred workload is transferred back to the first database system.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising taking the second database system to an operational state in which the first and second database systems again share the database workload.