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Database driven type extensibility

  • US 7,370,051 B2
  • Filed: 06/24/2003
  • Issued: 05/06/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a multi-tier server system that includes a back end server at a first tier and a plurality of additional servers at a middle tier, each additional server using multiple types of data objects that must be defined on the plurality of additional servers before the data objects can be used by the plurality of middle tier servers, a method for deploying one or more data types from the back end server to the plurality of middle tier servers in a manner that maintains consistency and compatibility in the definitions of the data types and in code associated with each data type as stored on each middle tier server in the system, the method comprising:

  • an act of creating a special table in a database of the back end server, the special table including a plurality of data elements storing data identifying data types used by the plurality of middle tier servers, each data element including;

    a data type identification field;

    a code field containing any code necessary for enabling use of a corresponding data type; and

    a link to one or more data type specific tables containing information further defining the corresponding data type,wherein the database of the back end server acts as a repository for each data type used by any of the plurality of middle tier servers, and the back end server acts as a single and centralized source from which each of the plurality of middle tier servers obtains all data types used by any other of the plurality of middle tier servers and the corresponding code required to enable use of the data types by the plurality of middle tier servers, and such that the plurality of middle tier servers each obtain all data types from the single and centralized source which operates at a different tier than the plurality of middle tier servers;

    an act of identifying a data type to be deployed from the back end server to one or more of the plurality of middle tier servers;

    an act of obtaining an extended assembly that corresponds to the data type to be deployed, the extended assembly including data obtained using the special table, including data identifying the data type, one or more definitions of the data type, and the code for enabling processing of data corresponding to the data type, the extended assembly being generated after the act of identifying the data type to be deployed; and

    an act of transmitting the extended assembly to the one or more middle tier servers of the plurality of middle tier servers in the multi-tier system such that the data type, as transmitted to and received by the one or more of the plurality of middle tier servers in the multi tier system, is consistent and compatible with a data type of the same kind stored on other middle tier servers in the system.

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