Mid-tier-based conflict resolution method and system usable for message synchronization and replication

• US 6,983,293 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Andy I-Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinison, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Linh
• Application Number:
  US10/205,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1-203, 709200-203, 709/248
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system, method and a computer usable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a computer-based method for providing a conflict detection and resolution in a mid-tier server of a multi-tier client-server communication system which performs message synchronization in a client/mid-tier environment and replication in a mid-tier/server environment. The method defines a client/mid-tier conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the client/mid-tier environment and corresponding action rules, and a mid-tier/server conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the mid-tier/server environment and corresponding action rules. For any detected conflict state the method finds and executes the corresponding action rule.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for providing a conflict detection and resolution in a mid-tier server of a multi-tier client-server communication system performing message synchronization in a client/mid-tier environment and performing replication in a mid-tier/server environment, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a client/mid-tier conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the client/mid-tier environment and corresponding action rules;

(b) defining a mid-tier/server conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the mid-tier/server environment and corresponding action rules; and

(c) for any detected conflict state, finding and executing the corresponding action rule.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method being usable for platform-independent synchronization of multi-tier client-server communication messaging systems capable of supporting multiple messaging servers and applications on different client devices.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) invoking a conflict resolution routine comprising the steps of:

matching of client and server messages, detecting a conflict state whenever an inconsistent to-be-applied operation being found in the matched client and server message pair, and creating, deleting or updating a message database record according to the returned action rule.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the conflict resolution routine being invoked for each client message by a synchronizing module and for each server message by a replicating module for comparing each client message with a corresponding mirror message, replicated from a corresponding server message.

5. A mid-tier server based conflict detection and resolution system of a multi-tier client-server communication system performing message synchronization in a client/mid-tier environment and performing replication in a mid-tier/server environment, comprising:

computer-based means for defining a client/mid-tier conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the client/mid-tier environment and corresponding action rules;

computer-based means for defining a mid-tier/server conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the mid-tier/server environment and corresponding action rules; and

computer-based means for detecting conflict state and finding and executing the corresponding action rule.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the system being usable for platform-independent synchronization of multi-tier client-server communication messaging systems capable of supporting multiple messaging servers and applications on different client devices.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the means for detecting conflict state invoking a conflict resolution means for matching of client and server messages, detecting a conflict state whenever an inconsistent to-be-applied operation being found in the matched client and server message pair, and creating, deleting or updating a message database record according to the returned action rule.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the conflict resolution means being invoked for each client message by a synchronizing module and for each server message by a replicating module for comparing each client message with a corresponding mirror message, replicated from a corresponding server message.

9. A computer usable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a computer-based method for providing a conflict detection and resolution in a mid-tier server of a multi-tier client-server communication system performing message synchronization in a client/mid-tier environment and performing replication in a mid-tier/server environment, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a client/mid-tier conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the client/mid-tier environment and corresponding action rules;

(b) defining a mid-tier/server conflict resolution look-up table listing all possible conflict states in the mid-tier/server environment and corresponding action rules; and

(c) for any detected conflict state, finding and executing the corresponding action rule.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method being usable for platform-independent synchronization of multi-tier client-server communication messaging systems capable of supporting multiple messaging servers and applications on different client devices.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step (c) invoking a conflict resolution routine comprising the steps of matching of:

client and server messages, detecting a conflict state whenever an inconsistent to-be-applied operation being found in the matched client and server message pair, and creating, deleting or updating a message database record according to the returned action rule.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the conflict resolution routine being invoked for each client message by a synchronizing module and for each server message by a replicating module for comparing each client message with a corresponding mirror message, replicated from a corresponding server message.