Data transfer mechanism between databases using a separate pipe at each database

• US 5,890,159 A
• Filed: 11/10/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Sealby, Arthur George, Griffiths, Lawrence Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loomis, John C.
• Application Number:
  US08/966,689
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A mechanism is described for transferring data between a pair of relational databases on client and server machines. A client component creates a first pipe in the client, and sends information to a server component, enabling it to create a second pipe in the server. The client component then calls the data unloading utility of the client database, causing it to start to unload the data into the first pipe. The client component then starts up a Send process in the client, which reads data from the first pipe and sends it to the server. At the server, the server component calls the loading utility of the server database, specifying the second pipe as input. As the data arrives at the server, the server component writes it into the second pipe, from where it will be read by the loading utility and written into the server database.

Claims

1. A method of transferring data between a first database on a first computer and a second database on a second computer, the method comprising the steps:

(a) creating a first pipe in said first computer;

(b) sending a message to the second computer, specifying a second pipe to be created in said second computer

(c) creating said second pipe in said second computer;

(d) in said first computer, unloading data from said first database into said first pipe;

(e) in said first computer, reading data from said first pipe and sending the data to said second computer;

(f) receiving said data in said second computer, and writing said data into said second pipe; and

(g) in said second computer, reading data from said second pipe and loading it into the second database.

2. A method according to claim 1, including the further steps:

(a) creating first and second command lines in the first computer;

(b) causing the first command line to be executed by the first computer, to initiate unloading of data from said first database into said first pipe;

(c) sending the second command line to the second computer; and

(d) executing the second command line in the second computer, to initiate loading of data into the second database.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the data transfer mechanism includes:

(a) in said first computer, means for creating first and second command lines, means for causing the first command line to be executed by the first computer, to initiate the unloading process, and means for sending the second command line to the second computer; and

(b) in said second computer, means for executing the second command line to initiate said loading process.

3. A computer system comprising a first computer containing a first database, a second computer containing a second database, and a data transfer mechanism for transferring data from the first database to the second database, wherein the data transfer mechanism comprises:

(a) in said first computer, a first pipe, an unloading process for reading data from the first database into the first pipe, and a send process for reading data from the first pipe and sending it to the second computer; and

(b) in said second computer, a second pipe, a receiving process for writing data received from the first computer into the second pipe, and a loading process for writing data from the second pipe into the second database.

5. A data processing system comprising a first computer including a first database having a data unloading utility, a second computer including a second database having a data loading utility, and a data transfer mechanism for transferring data from the first database to the second database, wherein the data transfer mechanism comprises:

(a) in the first computer, means for creating a first pipe, means for sending a message to the second computer, specifying a second pipe in said second computer, means for calling said data unloading utility of said first database, specifying the first pipe as an output, and means for starting up a send process in said first computer, to read data from said first pipe and send the data to said second computer; and

(b) in said second computer, means responsive to said message, for creating said second pipe in said second computer, means for calling said data loading utility of said second database, specifying the second pipe as an input, and means for receiving said data from said send process and writing said data into said second pipe.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the data transfer mechanism includes:

(a) in said first computer, means for creating first and second command lines, means for causing the first command line to be executed by the first computer, to call said data unloading utility, and means for sending the second command line to the second computer; and

(b) in the second computer, means for executing the second command line to call said data loading utility.