SYNC AS A SERVICE FOR CLOUD-BASED APPLICATIONS

• US 20150261782A1
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: McFerrin, Steven Dale, Pinto, Gustavo Teixeira, Wiebe, Philip John
• Granted Patent: US 10,614,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• 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: G06F 3/06 Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers , e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• 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 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A technique provides sync capability as an independent backend service, which developers can include, at their option, in their cloud-based applications. In accordance with the improved technique, a sync service runs in a backend system in connection with a set of data. The sync service syncs changes in the set of data among application instances that have access to the set of data. Sync services may be specified selectively for different sets of data, e.g., by specifying syncing for one set of data but not for another set of data.

Claims

1. A method of syncing data in a backend system that provides services for supporting cloud-based software applications, the method comprising:

storing, by a data storage service in the backend system, a set of data used by a cloud-based application, the data storage service storing the set of data in response to storage instructions received from the cloud-based application, the cloud-based application having a set of application instances running on respective computing machines operatively connected to the backend system over a network;

storing, by the backend system, a set of sync settings for the set of data, the set of sync settings indicating whether the backend system employs a sync service for syncing the set of data stored in the backend system by the data storage service; and

in response to (i) changes in the set of data and (ii) having stored sync settings indicating that the backend system employs the sync service for syncing the set of data, syncing the set of data among the backend system and the set of application instances.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein storing the set of sync settings for the set of data includes storing a first setting in the backend system that indicates that the sync service is to perform syncing for the set of data, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing, in the backend system, a second set of data by the data storage service; and

storing a second setting in the backend system that indicates that the sync service is not to perform syncing for the second set of data.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein storing the set of sync settings for the set of data includes receiving the set of sync settings via an application programming interface (API) exposed by the backend system.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the backend system stores the set of data in a data storage container, the data storage container being a logical construct for storing data in the backend system;

wherein the services for supporting cloud-based software applications further include a push service, the push service providing change notifications to the set of application instances in response to a change in contents of the data storage container;

wherein the backend system employs the push service for the data storage container in response to the set of sync settings indicating that syncing is to be performed for the set of data; and

wherein syncing the set of data among the backend system and the set of application instances of the cloud-based application includes providing change notifications to the set of application instances in response to a change in contents of the set of data.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the sync service includes a badging service for assigning a sync status to the set of data as stored locally on the respective computing machines on which the set of application instances run;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

storing, by the backend system, a set of badging settings for the set of data, the set of badging settings indicating whether the backend system employs the badging service with the sync service for the set of data; and

in response to the badging settings indicating that the backend system employs the badging service with the sync service, directing the respective computing machines to assign a sync status to the set of data stored locally on the respective computing machines, the sync status indicating at least one of (i) that syncing is complete, (ii) that syncing is in process, and (iii) that syncing has failed.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the set of badging settings indicates that the backend system does employ the badging service to assign a sync status to the set of data, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing, by the data storage service, a second set of data in the backend system; and

storing a second set of badging settings in the backend system that indicates that the backend system does not employ the badging service to assign a sync status to the second set of data.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein, prior to storing the set of badging settings for the set of data, the method includes receiving instructions from the cloud-based application via the API to include the badging service with the sync service.

8. A method as in claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a command from an application instance to update the set of data stored in the backend system;

updating the set of data stored in the backend system in response to receiving the command; and

providing, via the push service and in response to receiving the command to update the set of data, a change notification to the set of application instances, the change notification notifying the set of application instances that an update has occurred in the set of data.

9. A method as in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from an application instance in response to receiving the change notification, a request to obtain the update of the set of data; and

sending, via the sync service, the update of the set of data to the application instance to enable the application instance to effect the update on a copy of the set of data stored on a computing machine on which the application instance runs.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving another command from another application instance to update the set of data stored in the backend system;

comparing a timestamp of the other command and a timestamp of the command, the timestamp of the command indicating a time at which the command was received by the backend system, the timestamp of the other command indicating a time at which the other command was received by the backend system;

verifying that the timestamp of the other command indicates a time later than a time indicated by the timestamp of the command; and

rejecting the other command in response to the timestamp of the other command indicating that the time at which the other command was received by the backend system is later than the time at which the command was received by the backend system.

11. A backend system that provides services for supporting cloud-based software applications, the backend system comprising:

a network interface; and

a controller including memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the controller constructed and arranged to;

store, by a data storage service in the backend system, a set of data used by a cloud-based application, the data storage service storing the set of data in response to storage instructions received from the cloud-based application, the cloud-based application having a set of application instances running on respective computing machines operatively connected to the backend system over a network;

store, by the backend system, a set of syncing settings for the set of data, the set of sync settings indicating whether the backend system employs a sync service for syncing the set of data stored in the backend system by the data storage service; and

in response to (i) changes in the set of data and (ii) having stored sync settings indicating that the backend system employs the sync service for syncing the set of data, sync the set of data among the backend system and the set of application instances.

12. A backend system as in claim 11, wherein the controller, constructed and arranged to store the set of sync settings for the set of data, is constructed and arranged to store a first setting in the backend system that indicates that the sync service is to perform syncing for the set of data, and wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to:

store, in the backend system, a second set of data by the data storage service; and

store a second setting in the backend system that indicates that the sync service is not to perform syncing for the second set of data.

13. A backend system as in claim 11, wherein the controller, constructed and arranged to store the set of sync settings for the set of data, is further constructed and arranged to receive the set of sync settings via an application programming interface (API) exposed by the backend system.

14. A backend system as in claim 13, wherein the backend system stores the set of data in a data storage container, the data storage container being a logical construct for storing data in the backend system;

wherein the services for supporting cloud-based software applications further include a push service, the push service providing change notifications to the set of application instances in response to a change in contents of the data storage container;

wherein the backend system employs the push service for the data storage container in response to the set of sync settings indicating that syncing is to be performed for the set of data; and

wherein the controller, constructed and arranged to sync the set of data among the backend system and the set of application instances of the cloud-based application, is further constructed and arranged to provide change notifications to the set of application instances in response to a change in contents of the set of data.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the sync service includes a badging service for assigning a sync status to the set of data as stored locally on the respective computing machines on which the set of application instances run;

and

wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to;

store a set of badging settings for the set of data, the set of badging instructions directing the backend system to include the badging service with the sync service for the set of data; and

in response to the badging settings indicating that the backend system employs the badging service with the sync service, direct the respective computing machines to assign a sync status to the set of data stored locally on the respective computing machines, the sync status indicating at least one of (i) that syncing is complete, (ii) is that syncing is in process, and (iii) syncing has failed.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the set of badging settings indicates that the backend system does employ the badging service to assign a sync status to the set of data, and wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to:

store, by the data storage service, a second set of data in the backend system; and

store a second set of badging settings in the backend system that indicates that the backend system does not employ the badging service to assign sync status to the second set of data.

17. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the controller, constructed and arranged to store the set of badging settings for the set of data, is further constructed and arranged to receive instructions to include the badging service with the sync service.

18. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to:

receive a command from an application instance to update the set of data stored in the backend system;

update the set of data stored in the backend system in response to receiving the command; and

provide, via the push service and in response to receiving the command to update the set of data, a change notification to the set of application instances, the change notification notifying the set of application instances that an update has occurred in the set of data.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to:

receive, from an application instance in response to receiving the change notification, a request to obtain the update of the set of data; and

send, via the sync service, the update of the set of data to the application instance to enable the application instance to effect the update to a copy of the set of data stored on a computing machine on which the application instance runs.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed by control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to perform a method of syncing data in a backend system that provides services for supporting cloud-based software applications, the method comprising:

storing, by a data storage service in the backend system, a set of data used by a cloud-based application, the data storage service storing the set of data in response to storage instructions received from the cloud-based application, the cloud-based application having a set of application instances running on respective computing machines operatively connected to the backend system over a network;

storing, by the backend system, a set of syncing settings for the set of data, the set of sync settings indicating whether the backend system employs a sync service for syncing the set of data stored in the backend system by the data storage service; and

in response to (i) changes in the set of data and (ii) having stored sync settings indicating that the backend system employs the sync service for syncing the set of data, syncing the set of data among the backend system and the set of application instances.