System and method for using activity identifications in a database system

• US 7,801,911 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2004
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LexisNexis Risk Data Management, Inc. (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Seisint, Inc.
• Inventors: Halliday, Gavin C., Hicks, Nigel G., Poulsen, Ole D., Bayliss, David A., Cobbett-Smith, Jacob, Chapman, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pulliam; Christyann R
• Application Number:
  US10/865,954
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries

Abstract

A database system that is capable of using an activity ID for processing a query. The database system includes at least one master node that is operable to communicate a request to perform a remote action associated with a pre-compiled query. The request comprises an activity ID that identifies the remote action associated with the pre-compiled query. The system further includes at least one slave node that is coupled to the at least one master node. The at least one slave node is operable to receive the request to perform the remote action and to process the request to perform the remote action. In one particular embodiment, the activity ID operates to directs the at least one slave node to one or more executables for use in processing the request.

Claims

1. A database system, comprising program instructions executing on a processor, that uses an activity ID for processing a pre-compiled query, comprising:

a master node configured to;

receive a user request to execute a pre-compiled query, wherein the pre-compiled query is stored on the master node in advance of the user request;

determine a remote action from the pre-compiled query, the remote action including reading a key part of the database system;

selectively determine, from a plurality of communication channels coupled to the master node, at least one communication channel that provides access to the key part; and

communicate a request to perform the remote action over the at least one communication channel, the request comprising an activity ID, wherein the activity ID identifies the remote action; and

a plurality of slave nodes coupled to the master node, wherein at least two of the slave nodes are coupled to the at least one communication channel, the at least two slave nodes configured to receive the request from the master node as a multicast signal that is communicated over the at least one communication channel,

wherein the at least two slave nodes have access to the key part, and are configured to execute the remote action by reading the key part, and

wherein the activity ID directs the at least two slave nodes to one or more executables for use in processing the remote action.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity ID uniquely identifies the remote action.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two slave nodes perform the remote action based at least in part on the activity ID.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote action comprises an action that calls for the execution of at least a portion of such action on the at least two slave nodes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two slave nodes have access to one or more helper files that assist the at least two slave nodes in processing the request to perform the remote action by directing the at least two slave nodes to one or more particular executables associated with the activity ID.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a transaction ID and one or more variables associated with a data request supplied by a user of the system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the slave nodes store the precompiled query in advance of the user request that is received by the database system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-compiled query resolves routine or standard data requests that have variations in input parameters.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-compiled query comprises an annotated query execution graph and one or more executables.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two slave nodes are further configured to:

read the request to perform the remote action; and

communicate one or more desired results to the master node after processing the request to perform the remote action.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of master nodes, each of the plurality of master nodes storing the pre-compiled query and one or more top level keys associated with the pre-compiled query; and

wherein the plurality of slave nodes each store one or more key parts, the one or more key parts comprising data for resolving a portion of the pre-compiled query.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the master node is further configured to:

read an annotated query execution graph of the pre-compiled query to determine the key part to be read in accordance with the remote action;

read a top level key, associated with the pre-compiled query, to determine the at least one communication channel that is associated with the key part; and

send the request to the slave nodes that are coupled to the at least one communication channel.

13. A method of processing a query within a database system, the method comprising:

receiving at an input interface of a master node a user request to execute a pre-compiled query, wherein the pre-compiled query is stored in a first memory device of the master node in advance of the user request;

determining, by a processor on the master node, a remote action from the pre-compiled query, the remote action including reading a key part of the database system;

selectively determining, from a plurality of communication channels coupled to the master node, at least one communication channel that provides access to the key part;

communicating a request to perform the remote action over the at least one communication channel from the master node, the request comprising an activity ID that identifies the remote action associated with the pre-compiled query;

receiving the request to perform the remote action at least two of a plurality of slave nodes coupled to the master node, the at least two slave nodes receiving the request as a multicast signal that is communicated over the at least one communication channel, wherein the at least two slave nodes have access to the key part;

executing the remote action, by the at least two slave nodes, by reading the key part of the database system,

wherein the activity ID directs the at least two slave nodes to one or more executables for use in processing the remote action; and

returning and storing an output of the processing in a second memory device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity ID uniquely identifies the remote action.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote action comprises an action that calls for the execution of at least a portion of the action on the at least two slave nodes.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the slave nodes store the pre-compiled query in advance of the user-request that is received by the database system.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the pre-compiled query calls for one or more remote actions at the master node;

accessing one or more helper files for assisting the at least two slave nodes in processing the request to perform the remote action by directing the at least two slave nodes to the one or more executables associated with the activity ID; and

communicating one or more desired results to the master node after processing the request to perform the remote action.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

reading an annotated query execution graph of the pre-compiled query to determine the key part to be read in accordance with the remote action;

reading a top level key, associated with the pre-compiled query, to determine the at least one communication channel that is associated with the key part; and

sending the request to the slave nodes that are coupled to the at least one communication channel.

19. A computer-implemented system for processing a query within a database system, comprising one or more computer processors collectively configured to:

receive a user request to execute a pre-compiled query, wherein the pre-compiled query is stored on a master node in advance of the user request;

determine a remote action from the pre-compiled query, the remote action including reading a key part of the database system;

selectively determine, from a plurality of communication channels coupled to the master node, at least one communication channel that provides access to the key part;

communicate a request to perform the remote action over the at least one communication channel, the request comprising an activity ID that identifies the remote action associated with the pre-compiled query;

receive the request to perform the remote action at least two of a plurality of slave nodes coupled to the master node, the at least two slave nodes receiving the request as a multicast signal that is communicated over the at least one communication channel, wherein the at least two slave nodes have access to the key part; and

execute the remote action, by the at least two slave nodes, by reading the key part of the database system,

wherein the activity ID directs the at least two slave nodes to one or more executables for use in processing the remote action.