System and method for using a buffer to facilitate log catchup for online operations
First Claim
1. A processor-implemented information retrieval method for providing online operations in an application to replace a target object with a shadow object, wherein the application and the target object remain accessible to a plurality of users while the application is implementing the online operations, the method comprising:
- in response to the online operations, dynamically allocating a buffer that is associated exclusively to the shadow object;
exclusively logging to the dynamically allocated buffer, the online activities of the target object, wherein the buffer is stored in a non-persistent memory having a faster response time than a persistent memory; and
applying the logged online activities from the dynamically allocated buffer to the shadow object to catchup the shadow object to the target object without using physical input/output operations (I/Os), thus enabling a faster response time compared to the use of the persistent memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A memory buffer facilitates log catchup for online operations. Certain designated areas of memory are allocated for one or more buffers for use during online operations (e.g., reorganization, create index, etc.). Concurrent update activities to the target object write informational records into the one or more buffers. If the buffers become full, the informational records may be written to logs for persistent storage. After online operations finish building all or a suitable portion of the shadow object, log catchup is performed by first applying activities in the informational records from the buffer and thereafter applying activities from logs, if necessary. The invention helps solve the drawbacks of log catchup since the buffer contains only the information related to the target shadow object. Also it does not involve physical I/Os, as these records are all in memory.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A processor-implemented information retrieval method for providing online operations in an application to replace a target object with a shadow object, wherein the application and the target object remain accessible to a plurality of users while the application is implementing the online operations, the method comprising:
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in response to the online operations, dynamically allocating a buffer that is associated exclusively to the shadow object; exclusively logging to the dynamically allocated buffer, the online activities of the target object, wherein the buffer is stored in a non-persistent memory having a faster response time than a persistent memory; and applying the logged online activities from the dynamically allocated buffer to the shadow object to catchup the shadow object to the target object without using physical input/output operations (I/Os), thus enabling a faster response time compared to the use of the persistent memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A processor-implemented information retrieval system for providing online operations in an application to replace a target object with a shadow object, wherein the application and the target object remain accessible to a plurality of users while the application is implementing the online operations, the system comprising:
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a writer for dynamically allocating a buffer that is associated exclusively to the shadow object, in response to the online operations; a buffer logging mechanism for exclusively logging to the dynamically allocated buffer the online activities of the target object; wherein the buffer is stored in a non-persistent memory having a faster response time than a persistent memory; and an online operations provider for applying the logged online activities from the dynamically allocated buffer to the shadow object to catchup the shadow object to the target object without using physical input/output operations (I/Os), thus enabling a faster response time compared to the use of the persistent memory. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A processor-implemented information retrieval system providing online operations that includes a computer program product having executable instruction codes stored on a computer usable medium, for providing online operations in an application to replace a target object with a shadow object, wherein the application and the target object remain accessible to a plurality of users while the application is implementing the online operations, the computer program product comprising:
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a set of instruction codes for dynamically allocating a buffer that is associated exclusively to the shadow object, in response to the online operations; a set of instruction codes for exclusively logging to the dynamically allocated buffer, the online activities of the target object; wherein the buffer is stored in a non-persistent memory having a faster response time than a persistent memory; and a set of instruction codes for applying the logged online activities from the dynamically allocated buffer to the shadow object to catchup the shadow object to the target object without using physical input/output operations (I/Os), thus enabling a faster response time compared to the use of the persistent memory. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification