ASYNCHRONOUS METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING AN OPERATION ON METADATA

• US 20080288511A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Jasik, Benji, Fell, Simon, Viripaeff, Lexi
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for asynchronously performing an operation on metadata in the context of an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for asynchronously performing an operation on metadata can enable embodiments to allow a subscriber to perform other database service operations, while the aforementioned operation is being performed on the metadata. The ability of embodiments to provide such feature can enable the performance of a larger number of operations on metadata without necessarily interrupting the ability of the subscriber to perform other operations using the on-demand database service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at least one instruction indicating at least one operation to be performed on metadata associated with an environment of a subscriber of an on-demand database service; and

performing the at least one operation on the metadata associated with the environment of the subscriber asynchronously with respect to at least one other operation performed by the subscriber using the on-demand database service.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction is received utilizing an application program interface (API).

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation includes at least one of creating, adding, deleting, updating, and status checking.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the metadata includes at least one of a configuration, an object, a field, and a value associated with the environment.

5. A method of claim 1, and further comprising determining whether the at least one instruction is permissible.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein the at least one operation is conditionally performed based on the determination.

7. A method of claim 5, wherein an error message is conditionally sent to the subscriber based on the determination.

8. A method of claim 5, wherein the determination is based on a plurality of rules.

9. A method of claim 1, and further comprising updating values associated with the metadata.

10. A method of claim 1, and further comprising sending a confirmation message to the subscriber, in response to the receipt of the at least one instruction.

11. A method of claim 1, and further comprising receiving a status request from the subscriber.

12. A method of claim 11, and further comprising sending a status message to the subscriber, in response to the receipt of the status request.

13. A method of claim 12, wherein the status message is conditionally sent to the subscriber, based on a time period within which the status request is received.

14. A method of claim 1, and further comprising processing the at least one instruction.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein the processing includes determining whether the at least one instruction accompanies an asynchronous request.

16. A method of claim 15, and further comprising determining whether a processing capacity is available, if it is determined that the at least one instruction accompanies an asynchronous request.

17. A method of claim 16, wherein the at least one instruction is processed in real-time, if it is determined that the processing capacity is available.

18. A method of claim 16, and further comprising queuing the at least one instruction for processing, if it is determined that the processing capacity is unavailable.

19. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation is capable of being performed on the metadata substantially independent of the at least one other operation.

20. A method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes a multi-tenant database system.

21. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving at least one instruction indicating at least one operation to be performed on metadata associated with an environment of a subscriber of an on-demand database service; and

performing the at least one operation on the metadata associated with the environment of the subscriber asynchronously with respect to at least one other operation performed by the subscriber using the on-demand database service.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving at least one instruction indicating at least one operation to be performed on metadata associated with an environment of a subscriber of an on-demand database service; and

performing the at least one operation on the metadata associated with the environment of the subscriber asynchronously with respect to at least one other operation performed by the subscriber using the on-demand database service.

23. A method for transmitting code in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code to process at least one instruction indicating at least one operation to be performed on metadata associated with an environment of a subscriber of an on-demand database service; and

transmitting code to perform the at least one operation on the metadata associated with the environment of the subscriber asynchronously with respect to at least one other operation performed by the subscriber using the on-demand database service.