System and method for multi-node data synchronization

• US 6,188,695 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Przybysz, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/993,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 364/247.5, 364/955.3, 364/962.1, 707/201, 707/203, 707/205, 710/3, 710/4, 710/9, 710/61, 711/169, 711/170, 711/205, 711/207, 370/389, 370/385, 370/400, 370/503, 370/507, 370/351, 370/410, 379/220, 379/229, 379/230, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/238, 709/242
• US Class Current: 370/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1336 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54516 Initialization, software or data downloading G06F9/445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54558 Redundancy, stand-by

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed in which a high-availability intelligent node maintains the synchronization of data between various nodes by utilizing both an index manager to administer and manage indices associated with the location of stored data and a data transfer function (DTF) to manage persistent dynamic data updates between nodes. For data updates, a DTF batch transfer function, receives, from the index manager, the data update information and stores the entry in a buffer, which is then forwarded to a DTF batch transfer function residing on another (standby) node. The DTF batch transfer function residing on the non-master node receives the message buffer from the master DTF batch transfer function and stores the values in the indexed memory location specified for that entry. In addition, at startup or reinitialization of the nodes, a DTF bulk transfer function on both the master and standby nodes can be used to achieve synchronization of data.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for updating and synchronizing data between a master intelligent node and at least one standby intelligent node, said telecommunications system comprising:

bulk transfer means within said master and standby intelligent nodes for transferring data stored within a master memory within said master node to a standby memory within said standby intelligent node, said bulk transfer means transferring substantially contiguous, configurable-sized portions of said data;

a master index manager within said master intelligent node for allocating an index associated with the location of a stored data element in said master memory, said index being a master starting memory address within said master memory of a given one of said configurable-sized portions of said data;

a master data transfer function within said master intelligent node for receiving said index from said index manager and said data element;

a buffer within said master intelligent node for storing said given configurable-sized portion of said data, beginning with said stored data element;

a standby data transfer function on said standby intelligent node, said buffer being forwarded to said standby data transfer function, said given configurable-sized portion of said data being copied into said standby memory by said standby bulk transfer means starting at the location in said standby memory associated with a standby starting memory address; and

a standby index manager within said standby intelligent node, said standby bulk transfer means receiving said standby starting memory address from said standby index manager.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said master and standby intelligent nodes are Service Control Points.

3. A telecommunications system for updating and synchronizing data between a master intelligent node and at least one standby intelligent node, said telecommunications system comprising:

a master index manager within said master intelligent node for allocating an index associated with the location of a stored data element in a master memory on said master intelligent node, said data element having a type associated therewith, said index being associated with a master memory address for said data element within said master memory and a standby memory address for said data element within said standby memory, said index being used by an application within said master and standby intelligent nodes for retrieval of the value associated with said data element;

a master data transfer function within said master intelligent node having a master batch transfer function for performing data updates between said master and standby intelligent nodes therein, said master batch transfer function receiving a new value associated with said data element, said index and said type from said index manager;

a buffer within said master intelligent node for storing said new value associated with said data element, said index and said type; and

a standby data transfer function within said standby intelligent node having a standby batch transfer function therein, said buffer being forwarded to said standby data transfer function, said standby batch transfer function verifying said type and said index and storing said new value in a standby memory within said standby intelligent node, using said index.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said type is selected from the group consisting of:

integers, short integers, long integers, characters, unsigned integers, and unsigned characters.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said master batch transfer function forwards said buffer to said standby batch transfer function when a threshold value is reached.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said buffer stores multiple ones of said index, said threshold value being based on a configurable number of said indices.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said buffer is forwarded to said standby batch transfer function when said new value has an urgent message associated therewith.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said buffer is forwarded to said standby batch transfer function when a timer within said master intelligent node expires.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said master and standby intelligent nodes are Service Control Points.

10. A method for updating and synchronizing data between a master intelligent node and at least one standby intelligent node, said method comprising the steps of:

allocating, by an index manager within said master intelligent node, an index associated with the location of a stored data element in a master memory within said master intelligent node;

receiving, by a master data transfer function within said master intelligent node, said index from said index manager and said data element, said master data transfer function having master bulk transfer means therein, said master bulk transfer means transferring substantially contiguous, configurable-sized portions of said data to said standby intelligent node, said index being a master starting memory address within said master memory of a given one of said configurable-sized portions of said data;

storing, by said bulk transfer means within said master intelligent node, said given configurable-sized portion of said data, beginning with said stored data element in a buffer within said master intelligent node;

forwarding said buffer, by said master data transfer function, to a standby data transfer function within said standby intelligent node;

receiving, by standby bulk transfer means within said standby data transfer function, a standby starting memory address from a standby index manager within said standby intelligent node; and

storing, by said standby bulk transfer means, said given configurable-sized portion of said data into a standby memory within said standby intelligent node starting at the location in said standby memory associated with said standby starting memory address.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said master and standby intelligent nodes are Service Control Points.

12. A method for updating and synchronizing data between a master intelligent node and at least one standby intelligent node, said method comprising the steps of:

allocating, by an index manager within said master intelligent node, an index associated with the location of a stored data element in a master memory within said master intelligent node, said data element having a type associated therewith, said index being associated with a master memory address for said data element within said master memory and a standby memory address for said data element within a standby memory within said standby intelligent node, said index being used by an application within said master intelligent node to retrieve the value associated with said data element;

receiving, by a master batch transfer function within a master data transfer function within said master intelligent node, said index, a new value associated with said data element and said type from said master index manager, said master batch transfer function for performing data updates between said master and standby intelligent nodes;

storing, by a master batch transfer function within said master data transfer function, said new value associated with said data element, said index and said type in a buffer within said master intelligent node;

forwarding said buffer, by said master data transfer function, to a standby data transfer function within said standby intelligent node;

verifying, by a standby batch transfer function within said standby data transfer function, said type and said index; and

storing, by said standby batch transfer function, said new value in said standby memory, using said index.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said type is selected from the group consisting of:

integers, short integers, long integers, characters, unsigned integers, and unsigned characters.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of forwarding is performed when a threshold value is reached.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said buffer stores multiple ones of said index, said threshold value being based on a predefined number of said indices.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of forwarding is performed when said new value has an urgent message associated therewith.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of forwarding is performed when a timer within said master intelligent node expires.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after said step of storing said new value in said standby memory, the steps of:

receiving, by said standby batch transfer function, data stored in said standby memory;

transferring, by said standby batch transfer function, said data to said master batch transfer function, using said buffer; and

copying, by said master batch transfer function, said data into said master memory.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said master and standby intelligent nodes are Service Control Points.