REMOTE STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT OF BINARY OBJECT DATA

• US 20090234880A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Madhavarapu, Pradeep Jnana, Warmington, Michael J., Raman, Balan Sethu, Kumar, Rohan, Farlee, Kevin G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

Embodiments described herein are directed to the accessing remotely stored binary object data in a binary object store. In one embodiment, a computer system receives a request for a portion of binary object data, sends a query to a database server requesting access to the binary object data, and receives a binary object reference. The binary object reference includes binary object identification data and use characteristics specific to the binary object store. The computer system sends a binary object data access request based on the binary object reference to the binary object store using a binary object store interface, and receives the binary object data corresponding to the binary object data access request. The binary object data comprises a portion of data files. The computer system also sends the received binary object data to the user.

Claims

1. At a computer system in a computer networking environment, a method for accessing remotely stored binary object data in a binary object store, the method comprising:

an act of receiving a request for a portion of binary object data;

an act of sending a query to a database server requesting access to the binary object data;

an act of receiving a binary object reference, the binary object reference including binary object identification data and zero or more use characteristics specific to the binary object store;

an act of sending a binary object data access request based on the binary object reference to the binary object store using a binary object store interface;

an act of receiving the binary object data corresponding to the binary object data access request, the binary object data comprising a portion of one or more data files; and

an act of sending the received binary object data to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing binary object data in at least one of a plurality of binary object stores, each binary object store comprising at least one of a plurality of binary object store types, each binary object being immutable.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the binary object identification data identifies which binary object store the binary object is located in.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

an act of sending a second request to the database server for a binary object store-specific binary object ID;

an act of receiving a binary object store-specific binary object ID from the database server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein binary object references are stored in application tables on the database server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a plurality of binary object references in the same request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving binary object locator information, the binary object locator information comprising location information that allows an application server in a multi application server environment to access and receive binary object data directly from the binary object store.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

an act of determining that a data file is to be stored on a database server, the data file including at least a portion of binary object data and a portion of associated metadata;

an act of separating the binary object data from the portion of associated metadata;

an act of storing the binary object data in the binary object store, the binary object data being linked to the associated metadata stored on the database server.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

an act of receiving authentication credentials corresponding to the user; and

an act of integrating both the received the binary object reference and the authentication credentials into a software object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the binary object data access request is based on the authentication credentials and identification data in the binary object reference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the binary object data is accessible by the database server using the authentication credentials and identification data.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein binary object store authentication is managed by at least one of an operating system, a software application and the data server.

13. At a computer system in a computer networking environment, a method for maintaining consistency among a database server and a binary object store, the method comprising:

an act of accessing a binary object pool comprising a plurality of binary object data portions stored in a binary object store;

an act of accessing a binary object reference table including binary object references associated with one or more binary object data portions stored in the binary object store, the binary object references being usable by one or more applications to access the binary object data portions referenced in the binary object reference table;

an act of determining that at least one of the binary object references in the binary object reference table has changed; and

based on the determination, an act of updating the binary object data portions corresponding to the changes in the binary object references.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising an act of dividing the binary object store into one or more binary object pools.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of determining that at least one of the binary object references in the binary object reference table has changed comprises performing asynchronous checks.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein multiple binary object pools are simultaneously updated.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising deleting the binary object data portion associated with the binary object reference when the time for restoring backups has expired.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising an act of associating a trigger with a binary object reference, such that when a binary object reference is changed, a notification is sent indicating that the binary object is to be removed from the binary object store.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

an act of storing a binary object identifier corresponding to the binary object data portion in an application table;

an act of maintaining data consistency in the binary object store using the binary object identifier stored in the application table.

20. At computer system in a computer networking environment including an application server, a database server, a client communication interface, a blob store interface and a blob store, a method for accessing remotely stored blob data in the blob store, the method comprising:

an act of receiving at an application server a request for a portion of blob data;

an act of sending a query to a database server requesting access to the blob data;

an act of receiving a blob reference, the blob reference including blob identification data and one or more use characteristics specific to the blob store;

an act of passing the received blob reference to a client communication interface configured to communicate with a blob store interface;

an act of passing the blob reference from the client communication interface to the blob store interface, the blob store interface being configured to interpret blob references and request blob data from the blob store according to the use characteristics of the blob store;

an act of sending a blob data access request based on the identification data in the blob reference using the blob store interface;

an act of receiving the blob data corresponding to the blob data access request at the blob store interface, the blob data comprising a portion of one or more data files;

an act of passing the received blob data from the blob store interface to the client communication interface;

an act of passing the received blob data to the application server; and

an act of sending the received blob data to the user.