System and method for synchronizing assets on multi-tiered networks

• US 7,685,183 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Op40 Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OP40 Incorporated
• Inventors: Pace, Charles P., Chen, Shuang, Pizzorni, Paolo R., DeForest, Darin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai; Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US09/947,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,122 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/102, 707/104.1, 709/203, 709223-224
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/549 Remote execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/15 Synchronised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 : Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 : for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An exemplary method and/or exemplary embodiment of the present invention synchronizes an asset over a multi-tiered network. An asset may represent network and/or application components (e.g., data, objects, applications, program modules, etc.) that may be distributed among the various resources of the network. Synchronization addresses the restoration of asset coherency in a distributed system, i.e. bringing changes made to assets on one distributed node into harmonization with changes made to assets on another distributed node. In an embodiment, a synchronization call having a data argument and an asset type is received, an adapter associated with the asset type is selected, and the data argument is passed to the adapter. The asset type is determined, as well as a table associated with the asset type. A synchronization information object is retrieved from a target environment on a target node, and a synchronization asset is created based on the synchronization information. A connection is established between the target node and the asset'"'"'s original source node, and the synchronization asset is sent from the target node to the source node.

Claims

1. A method for updating an asset in a source environment on a source node connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a synchronization call having a data argument and an asset type, the data argument defining changes to an asset on a target node, the asset being a component of an application and having the asset type;

wherein the asset originated on the source node and is a transformed asset that was translated to perform in a base execution environment of the target node to which it was distributed which has at least one of a computer hardware, software, or operating system environment associated therewith different from the originating source node;

selecting an asset adapter, associated with the asset type, based on the asset type;

passing the data argument to the adapter;

determining if the asset type is at least one of an entity data type and entity bean type;

determining a table, associated with the asset, based on the data argument;

retrieving at least one synchronization information object from a target environment on a target node;

creating a synchronization asset having a logic/data portion and an extended environment portion copied from the asset, the asset being updated with the synchronization information object;

translating the synchronization asset to perform on the source node;

establishing a connection between the target node and the source node; and

sending the synchronization asset over the network to the source node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization call is generated external to the target node.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization call is generated internal to the target node.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a specific set of database tables is changed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed and a certain user interface navigation has occurred.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed and a certain connectivity event has occurred.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed and a certain number of database record changes has occurred.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed and a certain set of database changes have occurred resulting in a number of bytes being changed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the asset type is an entity data type and the argument data indicates that a synchronization should occur every time a database record in the table is changed and at least one of a database record in the table is changed, a specific set of database tables is changed, a database record in the table is changed and a certain user interface navigation has occurred, a database record in the table is changed and a certain user interface navigation has occurred, a database record in the table is changed and a certain connectivity event has occurred, a database record in the table is changed and a certain number of database record changes has occurred, and a database record in the table is changed and a certain set of database changes have occurred that result in a number of bytes being changed.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization information object includes at least one of an insertion, a deletion, and updating of database records.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection is established through a component distribution server/asset distribution server.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection is established directly to the source node.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection is established indirectly to the source node through a chain of component distribution servers.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the source node includes at least one of a target node, an enterprise information system, a component distribution server/asset distribution server, and an edge server.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the connection is made using the machine address of the source node.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source node includes an enterprise information system having at least one of an on-line retail/wholesale sales, marketing, and inventory system, an enterprise supply chain management systems, a product and/or content distribution systems, an on-line financial systems, a service providing system, an on-line human resource system, an on-line pay roll service, an on-line banking system, an airline reservation system, and a general business transaction system.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein “

said asset being updated”

includes at least one of updating the extended environment portion, and updating the logic/data portion.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection is made through an enterprise information system deployment agent on the source node.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization information object includes at least one SQL query applicable to a source database table on the source.

21. The method according to claim 1, further including creating a “

coalesced synchronization asset”

from a first synchronization asset and a second synchronization asset.

22. The method according to claim 21, further including:

determining whether the first synchronization asset and the second synchronization conflict; and

rectifying the conflict using a compensating transaction.

23. A method for synchronizing an asset on a multi-tiered network, comprising:

receiving an asset synchronization request in a target environment having at least one of a computer hardware, software, or operating system different from that in a source environment;

determining a first asset type associated with the asset in the target environment;

the asset being a component of an application;

wherein the asset originated in the source environment and is a transformed asset that was translated to perform in a base execution environment of the target to which it was distributed;

selecting a first synchronization asset adapter associated with the asset;

determining a table associated with the asset;

retrieving synchronization information associated with the asset;

creating a synchronization asset having the synchronization information;

transferring the synchronization asset to a component distribution server;

translating the synchronization asset to perform in the source environment;

sending the synchronization asset to the source environment;

selecting a second synchronization asset adapter associated with the synchronization asset;

determining a second asset type associated with the synchronization asset; and

applying the synchronization information from the synchronization asset to the asset in the source environment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the asset is an entity bean type.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the asset is an entity data type.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the synchronization request is received every time at least one record in a database associated with the asset is changed.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the synchronization information includes insertions, deletions, or modifications to the database associated with the asset.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the synchronization information further comprises recorded SQL queries adaptively configured to be applied to a source environment database.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the asset includes a logic/data part and an extended environment part, and the synchronization asset is created by updating the logic/data part and extended environment part of the asset.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

transferring a plurality of synchronization assets to the component distribution server;

creating a coalesce synchronization asset from the plurality of synchronization assets; and

sending the coalesce synchronization asset to the source environment.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the synchronization asset is sent to an enterprise information system deployment agent in the source environment.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the synchronization request is sent to a client distribution agent in the target environment.

33. A system for synchronizing an asset on a multi-tiered network, comprising:

an asset synchronization request;

a target computer having at least one of a computer hardware, software or operating system different from that of a source computer and having a target base execution environment associated therewith, including a new version of the asset;

wherein the new version of the asset is a component of an application and originated on the source computer and is a transformed version of an old asset that was translated to perform in the base execution environment of the target computer, a first synchronization asset adapter, and a synchronization asset associated with the new version of the asset;

a component distribution computer, including a database associating assets with source computers; and

a source computer having a source environment, including old version of the asset and a second synchronization asset adapter.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the target computer further includes a client distribution agent.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the source computer further includes an enterprise information system deployment agent.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the component distribution computer further includes a coalesce synchronization asset.