Data transfer method, apparatus, and recording medium for use in hierarchical system

• US 7,702,769 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sutou, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Todd; Gregory G
• Application Number:
  US11/066,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/232, 709/238, 709/244, 709/248, 709/223, 709/205, 709/213, 709/216, 709/245, 709/251, 707/203, 707/205, 707/206, 711/122, 711/159, 711/133, 711/130, 711/134
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/282 Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes

Abstract

In a hierarchical network configuration, if transfer of data, such as requirements and responses therefrom and thereto, are executed in a relay manner between plural manager systems and managed systems on network routes, the requirements and the responses are duplicated in each manager system, thereby presenting a problem of increased amounts of data transfer on the network. It is possible to prevent the data transfer amounts from increasing not only on one route but also on plural routes by determining whether to update data on the basis of names of a manager system in upper layers, route information and so forth.

Claims

1. A method of data transfer in a hierarchical computer system in which a plurality of systems are interconnected in a hierarchical manner, comprising the steps of:

managing management information including items which are associated with attribute information,

wherein said attribute information indicates that one of three statuses is set,

wherein a first status indicates that the items are managed by a current system, a second status indicates that the items are managed by an upper system, and a third status indicates that the items are common to the current system and the upper system, and

wherein when first data including at least one item is sent from the upper system to a lower system via the current system to request data corresponding to said at least one item;

receiving, in the current system, the first data including the at least one item from the upper system, the upper system being hierarchically above the current system;

if said at least one item included in the received first data exists in said items included in a database of the current system, then updating attribute information of said at least one item that exists in said items included in said database of the current system from said attribute information indicative of items managed by the current system to attribute information indicative of items common to the upper system and the current system; and

if said at least one item included in the received first data does not exist in said items included in said database of the current system, then adding said at least one item that does not exist to said database of the current system, then updating attribute information of said added at least one item to indicate said second status, and sending t he received first data from the current system to a lower system, the current system being hierarchically above the lower system,

wherein the added at least one item is associated with attribute information indicative of items managed only by the upper system in a database of the upper system,

wherein when second data including at least one item is sent from the lower system to the upper system via the current system in response to requesting the data corresponding to said at least one item;

receiving, in the current system, the second data including said at least one item and the data corresponding to said at least one item from the lower system,

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said second status or said third status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is sent from the current system to the upper system, and

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said first status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is not sent from the current system to the upper system.

2. The method of data transfer as claimed in claim 1, wherein if items included in said database of the current system does not exist in said at least one item of the received first data, then modifying said first data by adding items that do not exist in said at least one item of the received first data to said first data;

and

sending said modified first data to said lower system.

3. The method of data transfer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one of edit requirements for addition or deletion of items; and

changing items and attribute information of said items included in said database of the current system according to the edit requirements.

4. A hierarchical computer system comprising:

a plurality of systems which are interconnected in a hierarchical manner,

wherein each system manages management information including items which are associated with attribute information,

wherein said attribute information indicates that one of three statuses is set,

wherein a first status indicates that the items are managed by a current system, a second status indicates that the items are managed by an upper system, and a third status indicates that the items are common to the current system and the upper system, and

wherein when first data including at least one item is sent from the upper system to a lower system via the current system to request data corresponding to said at least one item;

said current system, upon receipt of the first data including the at least one item from the upper system, determines whether said at least one item exists in said items included in a database of said current system, the upper system being hierarchically above said current system,

if said at least one item included in the received first data exists in said items included in said database of said current system, then attribute information of said at least one item that exists in said items included in said database of said current system is updated from said attribute information indicative of items managed by said current system to attribute information indicative of items common to the upper system and said current system, and

if said at least one item included in the received first data does not exist in said items included in said database of said current system, then said at least one item that does not exist is added to said database of said current system, then attribute information of said added at least one item is undated to indicate said second status, and the received first data is sent from said current system to said lower system, said current system being hierarchically above the lower system,

wherein the added at least one item is associated with attribute information indicative of items managed only by the upper system in a database of said upper system,

wherein when second data including at least one item is sent from the lower system to the upper system via the current system in response to requesting the data corresponding to said at least one item;

receiving, in the current system, the second data including said at least one item and the data corresponding to said at least one item from the lower system,

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said second status or said third status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is sent from the current system to the upper system, and

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said first status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is not sent from the current system to the upper system.

5. The hierarchical computer system as claimed in claim 4, wherein if items included in said database of said current system does not exist in said at least one item of the received first data, then modifying said first data by adding items that do not exist in said at least one item of the received first data to said first data;

and

sending said modified first data to said lower system.

6. The hierarchical computer system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said current system, upon receipt of at least one of edit requirements for addition or deletion of items, changing items and attribute information of said items included in said database of said current system according to the edit requirements.

7. A computer program, stored on a computer readable storage medium, for implementing data transfer in a hierarchical computer system in which a plurality of systems are interconnected in a hierarchical manner, said computer program when executed causes the hierarchical computer system to perform the steps of:

managing management information including items which are associated with attribute information,

wherein said attribute information indicates that one of three statuses is set,

wherein a first status indicates that the items are managed by a current system, a second status indicates that the items are managed by an upper system, and a third status indicates that the items are common to the current system and the upper system, and

wherein when first data including at least one item is sent from the upper system to a lower system via the current system to request data corresponding to said at least one item;

receiving, in the current system, the first data including the at least one item from the upper system, the upper system being hierarchically above the current system;

if said at least one item included in the received first data exists in said items included in a database of the current system, then updating attribute information of said at least one item that exists in said items included in said database of the current system from said attribute information indicative of items managed by the current system to attribute information indicative of items common to the upper system and the current system; and

if said at least one item included in the received first data does not exist in said items included in said database of the current system, then adding said at least one item that does not exist to said database of the current system, then updating attribute information of said added at least one item to indicate said second status, and sending said first data to a lower system, the current system being hierarchically above the lower system,

wherein the added at least one item is associated with attribute information indicative of items managed only by the upper system in a database of the upper system,

wherein when second data including at least one item is sent from the lower system to the upper system via the current system in response to requesting the data corresponding to said at least one item;

receiving, in the current system, the second data including said at least one item and the data corresponding to said at least one item from the lower system,

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said second status or said third status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is sent from the current system to the upper system, and

wherein if said at least one item included in the received second data corresponds to said first status, the current system updates the data corresponding to said at least one item of the second data in the database of the current system, and the received second data is not sent from the current system to the upper system.

8. The computer program as claimed in claim 7, wherein if items included in said database of the current system do not exist in said at least one item of the received first data, then modifying said first data by adding items that do not exist in said at least one item of the received first data to said first data;

and

sending said modified first data to said lower system.

9. The computer program as claimed in claim 7, wherein said computer program when executed causes the hierarchical computer system to further perform the steps of:

receiving at least one of edit requirements for addition or deletion of items; and

changing items and attribute information of said items included in said database of the current system according to the edit requirements.