Method and apparatus for a physical storage architecture having an improved information storage and retrieval system for a shared file environment

• US 6,182,121 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enfish, LLC
• Original Assignee: Enfish, Inc.
• Inventors: Wlaschin, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal D.
• Application Number:
  US09/128,922
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/8, 707/201, 707/3, 707/1, 707/4, 711/153, 711/173, 709/215
• US Class Current: 709/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1767 Concurrency control, e.g. optimistic or pessimistic approaches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database

Abstract

A distributed storage system provides a method and apparatus for storing, retrieving, and sharing data items across multiple physical storage devices that may not always be connected with one another. The present invention comprises one or more ‘partitions’ on distinct storage devices, with each partition comprising of a group of associated data files. Partitions can be of various types, and the partitions of the various clients may, at various times, be merged into a consolidation file or a file resident within another partition. The system resolves conflicts between two or more clients to determine which updates, if any, should be stored in a library partition. The flexible, self-referential table of the present invention may store any type of data, both structured and unstructured, and provides an interface to other application programs. The table of the present invention comprises a plurality of rows and columns. Each row has an object identification number (OID) and each column also has an OID. A row corresponds to a record and a column corresponds to a field such that the intersection of a row and a column comprises a cell that may contain data for a particular record related to a particular field, a cell may also point to another record. To enhance searching and to provide for synchronization between columns, columns are entered as rows in the table and the record corresponding to a column contains various information about the column. The table includes an index structure for extended queries.

Claims

1. A method for providing simultaneous access to a common file in memory configured according to a logical table on a computer network comprising at least one computer, said method including the steps of:

configuring an extensible logical table to include;

a plurality of rows, each said row including an object identification number (OID) to identify each said row, each said row corresponding to a record of information;

a plurality of columns intersecting said plurality of rows to define a plurality of cells, a cell being basic unit of storage, each said column including an OID to identify each said column;

wherein

at least one row includes a fields cell having references to a plurality of labeled columns;

partitioning the logical table on said at least one computer to provide a first user with a first partition to store updates to files corresponding to said first user, the logical table at least partially inaccessible to a second user;

partitioning the logical table on said at least one computer to provide said second user with a second partition to store updates to files corresponding to said second user, the logical table at least partially inaccessible to said first user;

partitioning the logical table on said at least one computer to store selected updates from said first and second user partitions to create a first common partition such that said first and second users have associated partition chains comprising said first and second partitions, respectively, and said common partition;

storing first user update data in said first partition while maintaining common data unchanged, said first user update date corresponding to changes to said common data file by said first user;

storing second user update data in said second partition while maintaining common data unchanged, said second user update date corresponding to changes to said common data file by said second user;

selectively storing desired updates from said first and second user partitions in said first common partition; and

providing each of said first and second users access to said first common partition.