System and method for automatic audit data archiving within a remote database backup system

• US 7,103,619 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Rajpurkar, Anagha, Hart, Donald Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US10/256,379
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-204, 709/227, 714/6, 714/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

In a network of primary and secondary servers having individual databases which are mirrored to each other, there is provided a method to increase resource availability by removal, of already-utilized audit files onto external storage. A TRACKER program for expediting the update of the secondary database will initiate a CopyAudit program which offloads the audit files on the secondary server and then signals the primary server to offload the audit file, of the primary, onto external storage.

Claims

1. A method for purging already-utilized audit files in a primary and secondary database to enhance the utility of primary and secondary audit disks means comprising the steps of:

(a) completing, at said secondary database, of the use of a Tracker program to update said secondary database to make it consistent with said primary database wherein step (a) includes the steps of;

(a1) finding, by said Tracker program, that said secondary audit disk means is not supported by a COPYAUDIT program;

(a2) notifying such finding of step (a1) to an associated remote database support library;

(a3) commanding, via said remote database support library, that said primary audit disk means be purged of its audit files;

(b) utilizing a COPYAUDIT program to offload audit files in said secondary audit disk means onto a secondary external storage means after said update in step (a) wherein step (b) includes the steps of;

(b1) finding that no COPYAUDIT program is available for said secondary audit disk means;

(b2) initiating, by said Tracker program, via a support library means, of a purging operation at said primary audit disk means;

(c) initiating, a COPYAUDIT program at said primary database means to delay the audit file removal at said primary audit disk means before enabling the offload of audit files on said primary audit disk means onto a primary external storage means said delay enabling step (b) to be completed first in time sequence.

2. A method for purging audit disk files in a network of primary and secondary database means wherein each said primary and secondary database means includes an audit disk and a data disk, a primary and secondary Tracker means to institute a speed-up process for transfer of audit files from said primary audit disk to said secondary audit disk, a Support Library for initiating tasks at said primary and secondary database means and a primary and secondary COPYAUDIT program which operates to backup audit files to a specified storage medium, comprising the steps of:

(a) completing, by said secondary Tracker means, of insuring consistency between said primary and secondary data disks;

(b) checking to see that an automatic mirroring mode is operational between said primary and secondary audit disk wherein step (b) includes the steps of;

(b1) finding that said automatic mirroring mode (AFM) is not in operation;

(b2) transmitting, to said Support Library by said Tracker means, a signal for initiating a command message to said primary database to remove audit files in said primary audit file after said delay indicated in step (f);

(c) sensing that said COPYAUDIT program is applicable to said secondary audit disk;

(d) executing said Tracker means to notify said Support Library to initiate a COPYAUDIT program;

(e) copying said secondary audit file to a secondary external recording medium while delaying the removal of said primary audit file until said secondary audit file has been utilized and removed;

(f) transmitting a signal, by said secondary COPYAUDIT program, to said primary database means to initiate removal of said primary audit files after first delaying the removal of said primary audit files until said secondary audit file is removed to an external recording medium wherein step (f) includes the step of;

(f1) copying of said primary audit file to an external primary recording medium.

3. An apparatus for purging already-utilized audit file means in a primary and secondary database means wherein said primary and secondary database means holds primary and secondary audit file means and has connection means between a first database system and a second database system and includes, at said first and second database means, a remote backup database Support Library, a Tracker program means and a COPYAUDIT program means, said apparatus comprising:

(a) mirroring means during a mirrored audit mode to maintain consistency between said primary audit file means and said secondary audit file means;

(b) said Tracker program means for enabling the speedup of secondary audit files for updating said secondary database means to maintain consistency between said first and second database means;

(c) said COPYAUDIT program means responsive to said remote backup database Support Library and said Tracker program means for removing audit files from said primary and secondary audit file means when instructed by said Tracker program means via said Support Library in a regulated sequence whereby removal of said primary audit file means is delayed until completion of the removal of said secondary audit file means;

(d) storage medium means, external to said primary and secondary database means, for receiving copies of said primary and secondary audit file means as a result of the execution of said COPYAUDIT program means.

4. A system for removing already utilized primary and secondary audit files which have been used to update associated primary and secondary database files in a network where primary and secondary server means provide transaction processing capability to multiple client-users at said primary and secondary server means comprising:

(a) primary server means having a primary database means which includes a primary audit file disk means and a primary database disk means;

(b) secondary server means having a secondary database means which includes a secondary audit file disk means and a secondary database disk means;

(c) connection means between said primary and secondary database means which includes;

(c1) disk mirroring means connecting said primary audit file disk means and said secondary audit file disk means;

(c2) bus channel means connecting said primary and secondary database means;

(d) Tracker program means for applying audit updates from said secondary audit file disk means to said secondary database disk file means;

(e) means for enabling the purging of audit files which includes;

(e1) means to sense that a COPYAUDIT program is available to said secondary audit file disk means;

(e2) means to purge said secondary audit file disk means for storage on an external secondary storage means after completion of said audit updates in step (d);

(e3) means to initiate, after completion of step (e2), a COPYAUDIT program at said primary audit file disk means to offload its audit files onto a primary external storage means.

5. In a network wherein a primary server and secondary server each have respective access to a primary database means and a secondary database means which mirrors audit files of said primary database means, and wherein a Tracker program means operates to speed up the transfer of primary audit files from said primary database means to secondary audit files at said secondary database means, to work with a Support Library means to initiate audit file purging, a system for purging audit files of said primary and secondary database means after database updates to said secondary database means have been completed comprising:

(a) a first audit file means in said primary database means for storing changes to said primary database means;

(b) a second audit file means in said secondary database means for updating said secondary database means;

(c) Tracker program means in said secondary database means for enabling the updating of said secondary database means to maintain consistency with said primary database means;

(d) COPYAUDIT program means at said primary and secondary database means for purging said first and second audit file means after initiation by said Support Library means responsive to said Tracker program means, said purging of said first audit file means being delayed until after the purging of said second audit file means has been completed wherein said COPYAUDIT program means includes;

(d1) means to remove audit files from said first and second audit file means and copy said files to an external recording medium.