Method and system for a distributed hidden database across a plurality of computer media

• US 6,578,034 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rafanello, Benedict Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US09/409,590
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/100, 707/103.R, 707/201, 707/10, 707/1, 711/158, 714/710, 345/95, 345/419, 717/131, 713/600, 713/2, 710/5, 360/75, 360/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0638 Organizing or formatting or addressing of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A database distributed across multiple drives and media, rather than being centralized. Fragments of the database are stored within the unused portion of disk space located after partition tables but before the beginning of a partition, thereby forming one or more hidden databases. The method and system disclosed is compatible with industry standard disk format definitions.

Claims

1. The method of distributing fragments of a database across a plurality of standard formatted computer disk media, said disk formatting including definitions of sectors, tracks, cylinders, and partitions, said tracks being of a uniform length of sectors, and said partitions starting on integral cylinder boundaries, said method comprising the steps of:

searching the disk media for a Master Boot Record;

searching the disk media for Extended Boot Records; and

creating and distributing database fragments in the unused disk spaces immediately following said Master Boot Record and Extended Boot Records and preceding said starting points of the partitions.

2. The method of distributing fragments of a database of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving from said Master Boot Record at least one partition definition logical block address starting point;

determining from said Master Boot Record the partition length of at least one partition associated with said logical block address starting point or points; and

creating at least one shadow partition table within said distributed database fragments, said shadow partition table containing at least one record having a drive letter assignment associated with a partition logical block address starting point and a partition length.

3. The method of distributing fragments of a database of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving from said Extended Boot Record at least one partition definition logical block address starting point;

determining from said Extended Boot Record the partition length of at least one partition associated with said logical block address starting point or points; and

creating at least one shadow partition table within said distributed database fragments, said shadow partition table containing at least one record having a drive letter assignment associated with a partition logical block address starting point and a partition length.