System and method for hierarchical data distribution
First Claim
1. In a hierarchical distributed computing environment including a plurality of servers arranged in at least three levels of hierarchy, the highest level of hierarchy including at least one highest level server, the lowest level of hierarchy including at least one lowest level server and there being at least one intermediate level of hierarchy including at least one intermediate level server, each server including at least one database, a method for replicating changes effected to a database of said highest level server to databases of servers at the other levels of hierarchy, comprising the steps of:
- a) said highest level server, in receipt of a change to a database thereof, transmitting an indicator of said change to at least one server of an intermediate level of hierarchy;
b) said intermediate level server, in receipt of said indicator of said change, entering said change into a database thereof, and thereafter transmitting an indicator of said change to at least one lower level server, andc) said lower level server, in receipt of said indicator of said change from said intermediate level server, entering said change into a database thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The hierarchical data distribution system (HDDS) includes a top level master database system, bottom level client servers, each with its own database copy, and at least one intermediate database level. HDDS is an event driven pusher type system. The entry of update data into the system invokes the distribution process. First, the master database system is updated. Then, the master database system updates several database systems at the first intermediate database level. Each database system at the first intermediate database level then updates several database systems at the next lower database level. This may be a lower level intermediate level or it may be client servers. This process continues until the lowest level database systems, the client servers, have been updated. The distribution process performs any necessary reformatting, data assembly and data view processing before transmitting the update data. Each higher level database system must update fewer lower level servers and overall update performance is improved. If communications to a destination server are not functional, the distribution system detects this immediately because it is unable to establish communications with the destination server. Transitional inconsistency is reduced because the distribution process is invoked for all destination servers at the same time. System resources are not wasted because communications are only established when there is data to be updated.
360 Citations
32 Claims
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1. In a hierarchical distributed computing environment including a plurality of servers arranged in at least three levels of hierarchy, the highest level of hierarchy including at least one highest level server, the lowest level of hierarchy including at least one lowest level server and there being at least one intermediate level of hierarchy including at least one intermediate level server, each server including at least one database, a method for replicating changes effected to a database of said highest level server to databases of servers at the other levels of hierarchy, comprising the steps of:
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a) said highest level server, in receipt of a change to a database thereof, transmitting an indicator of said change to at least one server of an intermediate level of hierarchy; b) said intermediate level server, in receipt of said indicator of said change, entering said change into a database thereof, and thereafter transmitting an indicator of said change to at least one lower level server, and c) said lower level server, in receipt of said indicator of said change from said intermediate level server, entering said change into a database thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A hierarchical distributed computing environment having a hierarchy of at least a highest level and a lowest level, comprising:
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at least one highest level server transmitting an indicator of a change to its database to a server at a lower level; at least one intermediate level server for receiving said indicator of said change from said highest level server and transmitting it to a server at a level lower than the level of said intermediate level server; at least one lowest level server for receiving said indicator of said change and entering said change to its database; and a data communications network, coupled to said servers, for communicating data including said indicator of said change and said change between said servers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification