Extensible handling of new or modified data within an independent distributed database system

• US 7,562,102 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Software Corporation
• Original Assignee: Progress Software Corporation
• Inventors: Sumner, Jeffery, Loi, Duk
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obisesan; Augustine
• Application Number:
  US11/142,883
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Newly added, deleted, or changed data of a local storage in a distributed database system is prevented from being replicated until it has been approved via a specific process. Any new, deleted, or changed records are initially marked as being candidate data. The normal replication processing within the distributed database system ignores such data. In this way, the candidate data is not allowed to leave its source site, and potentially contaminate the rest of the replication network, until that data has been approved. The approval process is provided by a candidate data scanner that detects the candidate data and provides it to a candidate data resolver for processing. The candidate data resolver is architected to provide for per installation extensibility.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

indicating user data in a local database is candidate data in response to that user data being created, deleted, or modified, wherein the local database is in a distributed database system and the distributed database system also comprises a candidate data resolving site;

detecting the candidate data and transmitting the candidate data to the candidate data resolving site;

receiving, at the local database from the candidate data resolving site, a sequence of operations in a resolution script, wherein the sequence of operations is determined by the candidate data resolving site, and the determined sequence of operations are for promoting the candidate data to approved for replication status;

processing the candidate data within the local database pursuant to the resolution script to modify the local database by executing the resolution script to make changes required to approve the candidate data for replication; and

replicating approved candidate data to another database in the distributed database system, and not replicating rejected candidate data.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the user data is included in a database table record that is created, deleted, or modified by a user application.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises creating or updating control data that corresponds to the user data, the control data indicating that the user data is candidate data.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 3 wherein the control data is included in a control table record that is created or updated in response to user data changes.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 3 wherein the control data is used to determine whether the candidate data is approved for replication or rejected from replication.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein detecting the candidate data comprises using a candidate data flag that is set to indicate candidate data.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the resolution script indicates the candidate data is one of approved without modification, approved with specified modifications, and rejected.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the candidate data resolving site comprises a resolving database and the resolving database comprises replicated data in the distributed database system.

8. A method for processing candidate data in a distributed database system, comprising:

indicating user data in a local database is candidate data in response to that user data being created, deleted, or modified;

detecting the candidate data at a candidate data scanner module;

transmitting the candidate data to a candidate data resolver module;

at the candidate data resolver module, determining a sequence of operations in a resolution script, wherein the determined sequence of operations are for promoting the candidate data to approved for replication status;

processing the candidate data within the local database pursuant to the resolution script, thereby modifying the local database by executing the resolution script to make changes required to approve the candidate data for replication; and

replicating approved candidate data to another database in the distributed database system, and not replicating rejected candidate data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein detecting the candidate data includes using a candidate data flag that is set to indicate candidate data.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the resolution script indicates the candidate data is one of approved without modification, approved with specified modifications, or rejected.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the user data is included in a database table record that is created, deleted, or modified by a user application.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein indicating user data in a local database is candidate data includes creating or updating control data that corresponds to the user data, the control data indicating that the user data is candidate data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the control data is included in a control table record that is created or updated in response to user data changes.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein replicating approved candidate data to another database in the distributed database system, includes using the control data to determine whether the candidate data is approved for replication or rejected from replication.

15. A system including a processor and a memory for processing candidate data in a distributed database system comprising a local database and a candidate data resolving site, the system, comprising:

a change capture mechanism indicating user data in a local database is candidate data in response to that user data being created, deleted, or modified;

a candidate data scanner for receiving, at the local database from the candidate data resolving site, a sequence of operations in a resolution script, wherein the sequence of operations is determined by the candidate data resolving site and the determined sequence of operations are for promoting the candidate data to approved for replication status, and

processing the candidate data within the local database pursuant to the resolution script by executing the resolution script to make changes required to approve the candidate data for replication; and

a replication engine for replicating approved candidate data to another database in the distributed database system, and not replicating rejected candidate data.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein, the candidate data scanner is configured for:

detecting the candidate data using a candidate data flag that is set to indicate candidate data.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein indicating user data in a local database is candidate data includes creating or updating control data that corresponds to the user data, the control data indicating that the user data is candidate data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein replicating approved candidate data comprises:

replicating approved candidate data to another database in the distributed database system, using the control data to determine whether the candidate data is approved for replication or rejected from replication.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the user data is included in a database table record that is created, deleted, or modified by a user application.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the control data is included in a control table record that is created or updated in response to user data changes.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein the resolution script indicates the candidate data is one of approved without modification, approved with specified modifications, and rejected.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein the candidate data resolving site comprises a resolving database and the resolving database comprises replicated data in the distributed database system.