Method and apparatus for workgroup information replication
First Claim
1. A method of replicating information between a first and second site using a messaging system comprising the steps of:
- maintaining, at said first site, an index of objects currently known to said first site;
maintaining at said first site a message table for communicating to a second site the state of said first site, said first site'"'"'s message table identifying a plurality of objects contained in said first site'"'"'s index;
transmitting said first site'"'"'s message table to said second site;
transmitting to said second site using said messaging system a plurality of messages, each of said plurality of messages containing object information; and
updating said second site'"'"'s state using said first site'"'"'s message table and said plurality of messages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides the ability to use an existing store-and-forward messaging network such as an electronic mail system to replicate data between computer sites. The replication provided by the present invention can be used with software applications, such as workgroup applications, to replicate data located on multiple sites. Workgroup replication data is sent to other sites via electronic mail ("e-mail") messages. The present invention provides reliability features to handle errors in electronic mail transmissions. For example, the present invention provides the ability to reassemble objects at a replication site such that an object and all of its dependencies exist prior to the object'"'"'s use at the site. Messages referred to as "ACK" messages are used to communicate a site'"'"'s state and to provide other control information. Each site maintains latency information to determine transmission failures.
216 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of replicating information between a first and second site using a messaging system comprising the steps of:
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maintaining, at said first site, an index of objects currently known to said first site; maintaining at said first site a message table for communicating to a second site the state of said first site, said first site'"'"'s message table identifying a plurality of objects contained in said first site'"'"'s index; transmitting said first site'"'"'s message table to said second site; transmitting to said second site using said messaging system a plurality of messages, each of said plurality of messages containing object information; and updating said second site'"'"'s state using said first site'"'"'s message table and said plurality of messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of transmitting an object from a first site to a second site via a messaging system comprising the steps of:
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maintaining, at said first site, transmission characteristics for said second site; transmitting said object from said first site to said second site; receiving, at said second site, said object; determining, at said second site, whether said object is dependent on another object; determining, at said second site, whether said another object upon which said object depends exists at said second site and that its dependencies have been satisfied when said object is dependent on said another object; permitting access to said object at said second site when said another object exists at said second site and its dependencies have been satisfied; denying access to said object at said second site when said another object does not exist; denying access to said object at said second site when said another object'"'"'s dependencies have not been satisfied. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification