Apparatus and method for sharing a cached security profile in a database environment

• US 7,818,566 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Kevin R., Ueno, Yoshinobu, Yuan, Jack C., Artobbello, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso; Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US11/843,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 713/164, 713/166, 713/168
• US Class Current: 713/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are provided for sharing a cached security profile in a database environment. The apparatus, system, and method include a cache module for caching a security profile accessible to primary tasks and secondary tasks. An identification module is provided that distinguishes between primary tasks authorized to refresh the security profile and secondary tasks. A refresh module cooperates with the cache module and identification module to selectively refresh the security profile in response to a refresh request and expiration of the security profile such that an old version of the security profile is retained for use by secondary tasks until an execution window closes.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor and memory for sharing a cached security profile in a database environment, the apparatus further comprising:

a cache module configured to cache a security profile accessible to primary tasks and secondary tasks;

an identification module configured to distinguish between primary tasks authorized to refresh the security profile and secondary tasks; and

a refresh module configured to selectively refresh the security profile in response to a refresh request and expiration of the security profile such that an old version of the security profile is retained for use by secondary tasks until an execution window closes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a loader configured to load a new version of the security profile.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a command module configured to associate an indicator of the refresh request with the cached security profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the execution window comprises a period of time between when the cached security profile is created and a predefined threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the security profile comprises an aging value and wherein expiration of the security profile comprises an age of the cached security profile meeting or exceeding the aging value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the age of the cached security profile comprises the difference between a creation timestamp associated with the cached security profile and a current timestamp.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to direct primary tasks requesting a security profile subsequent to refreshing the security profile to a new version of the security profile and currently executing secondary tasks to use the old version of the security profile until the predefined execution window closes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to require a primary task and a secondary task to use a non-cached security profile in response to a refresh request.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer-useable medium having a computer readable program for sharing a cached security profile in a database environment, the computer program product further comprising:

a cache module configured to cache a security profile accessible to primary tasks and secondary tasks;

an identification module configured to distinguish between primary tasks and secondary tasks;

a refresh module configured to selectively refresh the security profile in response to a refresh request and expiration of the security profile such that an old version of the security profile is retained for use by secondary tasks until an execution window closes; and

a loader configured to load a new version of the security profile;

wherein the cache module, identification module, refresh module, and loader are stored on a computer-readable storage medium.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising a deletion module configured to defer deletion of the old version of the security profile until the execution window closes and a subsequent primary task requests access to the cached security profile.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising a command module configured to receive the refresh request.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising a command module configured to associate an indicator of the refresh request with the cached security profile.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the security profile comprises an aging value and wherein expiration of the security profile comprises an age of the cached security profile meeting or exceeding the aging value, the age of the cached security profile comprising the difference between a creation timestamp associated with the cached security profile and a current timestamp.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the refresh request comprises a passive notification to the refresh module to refresh the cached security profile.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to direct primary tasks requesting a security profile subsequent to refreshing the security profile to a new version of the security profile and currently executing secondary tasks to use the old version of the security profile until the predefined execution window closes, the controller further configured to require a primary task and a secondary task to use a non-cached security profile in response to a refresh request.

16. A method for making a computer-implemented process to enable sharing a cached security profile in a database environment, said method comprising:

encoding a first set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said first instructions configuring a cache module to cache a security profile accessible to primary tasks and secondary tasks;

encoding a second set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said second instructions configuring an identification module to distinguish between primary tasks authorized to refresh the security profile and secondary tasks; and

encoding a third set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said third instructions configuring a refresh module to selectively refresh the security profile in response to a refresh request and expiration of the security profile such that an old version of the security profile is retained for use by secondary tasks until an execution window closes.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising encoding a fourth set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said fourth instructions configuring a deletion module to defer deletion of the old version of the security profile until the execution window closes and a subsequent primary task requests access to the cached security profile.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising encoding a fifth set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said fifth instructions configuring a loader configured to load a new version of the security profile.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising encoding a sixth set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said sixth instructions configuring a command module to associate an indicator of the refresh request with the cached security profile.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the security profile comprises an aging value and wherein expiration of the security profile comprises an age of the cached security profile meeting or exceeding the aging value.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising encoding a seventh set of computer instructions onto a computer-readable medium, said seventh instructions configuring a controller to direct primary tasks requesting a security profile subsequent to refreshing the security profile to a new version of the security profile and currently executing secondary tasks to use the old version of the security profile until the predefined execution window closes.