Transparent Caching of Configuration Data

• US 20120150796A1
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Martick, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing transparent caching of configuration data in distributed landscapes. One process includes operations for receiving a read request of original configuration data stored at a second system. A first timestamp associated with local configuration data stored locally at a first system is identified. A second timestamp associated with the original configuration data is identified, and the second timestamp is determined to be later in time than the first timestamp. A copy of the original configuration data from the second system is retrieved for storage locally in place of the local configuration data at the first system based on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp. The first timestamp is updated with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed by one or more processors at a first system for providing transparent caching of configuration data in distributed landscapes, the method comprising:

receiving a read request of original configuration data stored at a second system;

identifying a first timestamp associated with local configuration data, the local configuration data stored locally at the first system, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determining a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determining that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieving a copy of the original configuration data from the second system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp; and

updating the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first system and the second system are communicably coupled with identical persistence software.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the copy of the original configuration data includes retrieving only portions of the original configuration data that are different from the local configuration data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second system is designated as a controller system configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems and the first system is designated as a non-controller system.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to designate the first system as a controller system;

retrieving the original configuration data from the second system;

storing the original configuration data locally; and

activating a flag indicating that the first system is the controller system.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

identifying a change to the original configuration data;

performing a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

storing cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a request from the second system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second system, the second system designated as a non-controller system; and

allowing the second system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first system includes a cache management layer for maintaining persistence of configuration data stored at the first system.

9. A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory, tangible storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a read request at a first system, the read request comprising a request for original configuration data stored at a second system;

identifying a first timestamp associated with local configuration data, the local configuration data stored locally at the first system, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determining a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determining that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieving a copy of the original configuration data from the second system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp; and

updating the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein retrieving the copy of the original configuration data includes retrieving only portions of the original configuration data that are different from the local configuration data.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the second system is designated as a controller system configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems and the first system is designated as a non-controller system.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request to designate the first system as a controller system;

retrieving the original configuration data from the second system;

storing the original configuration data locally; and

activating a flag indicating that the first system is the controller system.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

identifying a change to the original configuration data;

performing a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

storing cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request from the second system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second system, the second system designated as a non-controller system; and

allowing the second system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first system.

15. A distributed computing environment, comprising:

a first computing system comprising;

memory operable to store local configuration data and at least a portion of a persistence module; and

one or more processors operable execute the persistence module, the persistence module operable when executed to;

receive a read request of original configuration data stored at a second computing system communicably coupled to the first computing system;

identify a first timestamp associated with the local configuration data, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determine a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determine that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieve a copy of the original configuration data from the second computing system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp; and

update the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second computing system.

16. The distributed computing environment of claim 15, wherein the first computing system and the second computing system are communicably coupled with identical persistence software.

17. The distributed computing environment of claim 15, the one or more processors further operable to:

receive a request to designate the first computing system as a controller system;

retrieve the original configuration data from the second computing system;

store the original configuration data locally; and

activate a flag indicating that the first computing system is the controller system.

18. The distributed computing environment of claim 17, the one or more processors further operable to:

identify a change to the original configuration data;

perform a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

store cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

19. The distributed computing environment of claim 17, the one or more processors further operable to:

receive a request from the second computing system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second computing system, the second computing system designated as a non-controller system; and

allow the second computing system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first computing system.

20. The distributed computing environment of claim 15, wherein the second computing system is designated as a controller system configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems and the first computing system is designated as a non-controller system.