STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL OF VARIABLE DATA

• US 20090210434A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Justin Harding, Pominville, Patrice
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/8358 Query translation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for managing data items. A data store includes at least two copies of each data item. Each copy of a data item is used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item. An application programming interface receives a request from a consumer to perform an operation on a data item in the data store. The application programming interface selects, based on the received request, which copy of the data item is to be used when performing the operation.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of data items, comprising:

a data store, the data store including at least two copies of each data item, wherein each copy of a data item is operable to be used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item; and

an application programming interface operable to;

receive a request from a consumer to perform an operation on a data item in the data store; and

select, based on the received request, which copy of the at least two copies of the data item is to be used when performing the operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface is further operable to perform the received operation on the selected copy of the data item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two copies of each data item include:

a first copy of the data item in a binary format, and a second copy of the data item in an extensible markup language format.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the binary format is used for operations including one or more of:

reading, writing and general runtime processing of individual data items.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the extensible markup language format is used for operations including one or more of:

retrieving, searching and creating views of sets of data items.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a binary-to-XML transformer that is operable to:

detect whether a change is made to a copy of a data item; and

in response to detecting that a change has been made to a copy of a data item, update at least one other copy of the data item to reflect the change.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the request from the consumer is received from one of:

a client program application and a web service.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a product information management system and the plurality of data items represent information about individual products.

10. A computer-implemented method for performing an operation on a data item in a data store, the method comprising:

storing at least two copies of the data item in the data store, wherein each copy of the data item is operable to be used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item;

receiving a request from a consumer to perform an operation on the data item; and

selecting, based on the received request, one of the at least two copies of the data item to use when performing the operation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing the received operation on the selected copy of the data item.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least two copies of each data item include:

a first copy of the data item in a binary format, and a second copy of the data item in an extensible markup language format.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein selecting one of the at least two copies includes:

selecting the binary format of the data item for operations including one or more of;

reading, writing, and general runtime processing of the data item.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein selecting one of the at least two copies includes:

selecting the extensible markup language format of the data item for operations including one or more of;

retrieving, searching and creating views of sets of data items.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting whether a change is made to a copy of the data item; and

in response to detecting that a change has been made to a copy of the data item, updating at least one other copy of the data item to reflect the change.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving a request includes receiving a request from one of:

a client program application a web service.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the data item represents information about a product in a product information management system.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

store at least two copies of the data item in the data store, wherein each copy of the data item is operable to be used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item;

receive a request from a consumer to perform an operation on the data item; and

select, based on the received request, one of the at least two copies of the data item to use when performing the operation.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to

perform the received operation on the selected copy of the data item.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the at least two copies of each data item include:

a first copy of the data item in a binary format, and a second copy of the data item in an extensible markup language format.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein selecting one of the at least two copies includes:

selecting the binary format of the data item for operations including one or more of;

reading, writing, and general runtime processing of the data item.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein selecting one of the at least two copies includes:

selecting the extensible markup language format of the data item for operations including one or more of;

retrieving, searching and creating views of sets of data items.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect whether a change is made to a copy of the data item; and

in response to detecting that a change has been made to a copy of the data item, update at least one other copy of the data item to reflect the change.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein receiving a request includes receiving a request from one of:

a client program application a web service.

25. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the data item represents information about a product in a product information management system.