Clean-up of orphaned server contexts

• US 6,496,850 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/386,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 709/228, 707/102, 707/103
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for detecting an orphaned server context. A collection of outstanding server objects is maintained and a list of contexts is created for each of the outstanding server objects. A compilation of clients who are interested in each of the outstanding server objects are added to the list. Recorded on the list is a duration of time since the clients invoked a method accessing each of the contexts of the outstanding server objects. The list is examined at predetermined intervals for determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since each of the objects has been accessed. Contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time are selected and information is sent to the clients identifying the contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an orphaned server context, comprising:

(a) maintaining a collection of outstanding server objects;

(b) creating a list of contexts for each of the outstanding server objects;

(c) adding to the list a compilation of clients who are interested in each of the outstanding server objects;

(d) recording on the list a duration of time since the clients invoked a method accessing each of the contexts of the outstanding server objects;

(e) examining the list at predetermined intervals for determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since each of the objects has been accessed;

(f) selecting contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time; and

(g) sending information to the clients identifying the contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising waiting a preselected amount of time for receiving a response from one of the clients, wherein the context is deleted if a response from one of the clients is not received within the predetermined amount of time.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a response from one of the clients requesting that one of the contexts be maintained.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising updating on the list a time the context was last updated to a current time upon receipt of the response.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising accommodating a queuing delay for a response from the clients.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the clients maintains a collection of all objects the client is interested in, wherein the clients send requests to keep alive any objects the clients are currently interested in.

7. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for detecting an orphaned server context, comprising:

(a) a code segment that maintains a collection of outstanding server objects;

(b) a code segment that creates a list of contexts for each of the outstanding server objects;

(c) a code segment that adds to the list a compilation of clients who are interested in each of the outstanding server objects;

(d) a code segment that records on the list a duration of time since the clients invoked a computer program accessing each of the contexts of the outstanding server objects;

(e) a code segment that examines the list at predetermined intervals for determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since each of the objects has been accessed;

(f) a code segment that selects contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time; and

(g) a code segment that sends information to the clients identifying the contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising a code segment that waits a preselected amount of time for receiving a response from one of the clients, wherein the context is deleted if a response from one of the clients is not received within the predetermined amount of time.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising a code segment that receives a response from one of the clients requesting that one of the contexts be maintained.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 9, further comprising a code segment that updates on the list a time the context was last updated to a current time upon receipt of the response.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising a code segment that accommodates a queuing delay for a response from the clients.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein each of the clients maintains a collection of all objects the client is interested in, wherein the clients send requests to keep alive any objects the clients are currently interested in.

13. A system for detecting an orphaned server context, comprising:

(a) software that maintains a collection of outstanding server objects;

(b) software that creates a list of contexts for each of the outstanding server objects;

(c) software that adds to the list a compilation of clients who are interested in each of the outstanding server objects;

(d) software that records on the list a duration of time since the clients invoked a system accessing each of the contexts of the outstanding server objects;

(e) software that examines the list at predetermined intervals for determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since each of the objects has been accessed;

(f) software that selects contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time; and

(g) software that sends information to the clients identifying the contexts that have not been accessed in the predetermined amount of time.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising software that waits a preselected amount of time for receiving a response from one of the clients, wherein the context is deleted if a response from one of the clients is not received within the predetermined amount of time.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising software that receives a response from one of the clients requesting that one of the contexts be maintained.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising software that updates on the list a time the context was last updated to a current time upon receipt of the response.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising software that accommodates a queuing delay for a response from the clients.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the clients maintains a collection of all objects the client is interested in, wherein the clients send requests to keep alive any objects the clients are currently interested in.

19. A method for cleaning-up orphaned server contexts, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of objects in an object-oriented computer system;

(b) providing a plurality of server contexts for use by a plurality of processes;

(c) creating a server object context for each of the plurality of objects as each object comes into use in one of the plurality of server contexts; and

(d) identifying for clean-up one of the plurality of server object contexts in one of the server contexts after said server object context is not accessed for a predetermined period of time.