Computer software framework and method for synchronizing data across multiple databases

• US 6,779,002 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mwaura, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Application Number:
  US09/592,795
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/101, 707/200, 707/203, 707/104.1, 709/203, 709/202, 709/201, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

The present invention discloses a computer software framework and method for synchronizing data across multiple databases. The present invention discloses a method for synchronizing data, which comprises instantiating a first data synchronization service object and a second data synchronization object. The first data synchronization service object is connected to a first datastore, and the second data synchronization service object is connected to a second datastore. A data synchronization message containing relevant information is sent from the first data synchronization service object to an outbox queue on the first datastore. The data synchronization message is propagated from the outbox queue on the first datastore to an inbox queue on the second datastore. The data synchronization message is received from the inbox queue on the second datastore to the second data synchronization object, and the relevant information is persisted in the second datastore. The present invention further discloses a data synchronization framework, which comprises a data synchronization service object connected to an underlying datastore. The data synchronization service object contains a method to send an outgoing synchronization message to the datastore and further contains a method to retrieve an incoming synchronization message from the datastore. The data synchronization framework further comprises a persistence component for persisting relevant information contained in the retrieved incoming data synchronization message to the underlying datastore in response to a persistence request from the synchronization service object. In a preferred embodiment, the datastore is a relational database having an inbox queue and an outbox queue.

Claims

1. A data synchronization framework, comprising:

a plurality of data synchronization service objects connected to a corresponding plurality of underlying databases, each or the data synchronization service objects having a method to send an outgoing synchronization message to the corresponding database and a method to retrieve an incoming synchronization message from the corresponding database; and

a message handler object having a method for persisting relevant information contained in the incoming data synchronization message to the underlying databases in response to a persistence request from the synchronization service objects such that common data is synchronized between the databases, wherein sending and receiving of messages between databases occur at a database layer in contrast to an application layer.

2. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least one of the databases is a relational database having an inbox queue and an outbox queue.

3. The framework of claim 2 further comprising an inbox queue monitor which monitors the inbox queue and retrieves any incoming data synchronization messages contained therein.

4. The framework of claim 3 wherein the data synchronization message is in the form of an object.

5. The framework of claim 4 further comprising a message factory for assembling the data synchronization message object.

6. The framework of claim 5 further comprising a message mapper to populate the data synchronization message object with the relevant information.

7. A method for synchronizing data, comprising:

(a) instantiating a first data synchronization service object and a second data synchronization service object, the first data synchronization service object being connected to a first database and the second data synchronization service object being connected to a second database;

(b) sending a data synchronization message containing relevant information from the first data synchronization service object to an outbox queue on the first database;

(c) propagating the data synchronization message from the outbox queue on the first database to an inbox queue on the second database;

(d) receiving the data synchronization message from the inbox queue on the second database to the second data synchronization object; and

(e) persisting the relevant information in the second database such that common data is synchronized between the first and second databases, wherein the sending and receiving of messages between the first and second databases occur at a database layer in contrast to an application layer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of deconstructing the data synchronization message from an object to a string prior to its being propagated from the outbox queue on the first database.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising monitoring the inbox queue on the second database to detect the presence of a data synchronization message.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of assembling a data synchronization message object from a string after its being received by the inbox queue on the second database.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a message factory is used to assemble the data synchronized message object.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of populating the data synchronization message object with the relevant information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a message handler object is used to persist the relevant information to the second database.