Modular caching method and system for enabling offline functionality of server-client systems

• US 20070300243A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Tammam, Ariel, Alfandary, Shai, Levy, Eliezer, Gross, Ran, Shalev, Guy, Kampf, Eran, Brutman, David
• Application Number:
  US11/472,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20070300243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0813 with a network or matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0862 with prefetch
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management

Abstract

A method of managing a cache in a server-client system, defining potential cacheable service-calls and associating them with validity condition, storing all cacheable service-call responses in the cache and providing service-call responses to service-calls that have a valid matching service-call response stored in the cache, further loading the cache according to prediction directives.

Claims

1. In a server-client environment a method for controlling a cache, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a list of cacheable service-call requests;

associating each of said cacheable service-calls requests with validity conditions;

selectively storing in said cache indicative information entries corresponding to said listed cacheable service-call requests together with their corresponding service-call responses;

intercepting by said cache each service-call request; and

providing a service-call response to service-call requests with matching indicative information to the entries in said cache, provided that the associated validity conditions are met.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the server-client environment is a 2-tier system.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the server-client environment is a 3-tier system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cache is positioned at the server.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cache is positioned at the client.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is performed by said server.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is performed by said client.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is performed by software.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is based on previous service-call requests.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is based on user selections.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said defining is based on system administrator selections.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said validity conditions include temporal considerations.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively storing in the cache indicative information entries together with their corresponding service-call responses includes a prediction mechanism which defines a prediction-list of service-calls and autonomously stores in said cache indicative information corresponding to at least some of said service-calls that are listed in said prediction-list of service-calls together with their corresponding service-call responses.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said prediction mechanism defines said prediction-list of service-calls according to at least one of the following considerations:

client role definition, the specific service call usage statistics, an administrative provided list and user requests.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said prediction mechanism defines said prediction-list of service-calls according to programmable considerations.

16. A caching system to be used in a server-client environment, comprising:

a cache unit including a programmable list of cacheable service-calls together with corresponding validity conditions, said cache unit is adapted to intercept service-call responses sent by the server and store the service-call responses which have a matching entry in the list of cacheable service-calls, said caching unit is further adapted to intercept service-calls sent by the client and provide the client with a service-call response for service-calls that have a matching service-call response stored in the cache unit, provided that said corresponding validity condition is met.

17. A caching system according to claim 16 wherein, the definition of said list of cacheable service-calls is configurable by the server, the client or both.

18. A caching system according to claim 16 wherein, said selectively storing in the cache indicative information entries together with their corresponding service-call responses includes a prediction mechanism which defines a prediction-list of service-calls and autonomously stores in said cache indicative information corresponding to at least some of the service-calls that are listed in the prediction-list of service-calls together with their corresponding service-call responses.

19. A caching system according to claim 16 wherein the configuration of said list of cacheable service-calls is conducted by software.