Method and system for cloning a tenant database in a multi-tenant system
First Claim
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1. A method for copying a tenant database in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with a plurality of tenants over a network, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of data structures at the provider;
selecting a tenant from the plurality of tenants, the provider hosting application software used by the plurality of tenants;
generating a tenant-specific designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being specific to the selected tenant, and generating a shared designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being common to the plurality of tenants;
determining which of the plurality of data structures are specific to the selected tenant and which of the plurality of data structures are common to the plurality of tenants based on attributes of the plurality of data structures;
appending the tenant-specific designation to tenant-specific data structures determined as being specific to the selected tenant, and appending the shared designation to shared data structures determined as being common to the plurality of tenants;
storing, in the tenant database, a copy of the tenant-specific data structures having the tenant-specific designation and links to the shared data structures having the shared designation;
copying the tenant database of the selected tenant from a first data storage device;
moving the copied tenant database to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is associated with a tenant server;
initializing the copied tenant database on the second data storage device; and
using the copied tenant database on the second data storage device to implement a system management function.
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Abstract
Exemplary methods and systems may clone a tenant database and send updates to the clone. By doing so, methods and systems may determine a difference between the clone and the tenant, making it possible to test upgrades for a tenant based on the difference. With this capability, a provider-tenant system may upgrade tenant business applications and customize tenant databases.
174 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for copying a tenant database in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with a plurality of tenants over a network, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of data structures at the provider; selecting a tenant from the plurality of tenants, the provider hosting application software used by the plurality of tenants; generating a tenant-specific designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being specific to the selected tenant, and generating a shared designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being common to the plurality of tenants; determining which of the plurality of data structures are specific to the selected tenant and which of the plurality of data structures are common to the plurality of tenants based on attributes of the plurality of data structures; appending the tenant-specific designation to tenant-specific data structures determined as being specific to the selected tenant, and appending the shared designation to shared data structures determined as being common to the plurality of tenants; storing, in the tenant database, a copy of the tenant-specific data structures having the tenant-specific designation and links to the shared data structures having the shared designation; copying the tenant database of the selected tenant from a first data storage device; moving the copied tenant database to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is associated with a tenant server; initializing the copied tenant database on the second data storage device; and using the copied tenant database on the second data storage device to implement a system management function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for cloning a first tenant database of a plurality of tenant databases in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with the plurality of tenant databases over a network, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of data structures at the provider; identifying the first tenant database from the plurality of tenant databases, the provider hosting application software used by the plurality of tenant databases; generating a tenant-specific designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being specific to the first tenant database, and generating a shared designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being common to the plurality of tenant databases; determining which of the plurality of data structures are specific to the first tenant database and which of the plurality of data structures are common to the plurality of tenant databases based on attributes of the plurality of data structures; appending the tenant-specific designation to tenant-specific data structures determined as being specific to the first tenant database, and appending the shared designation to shared data structures determined as being common to the plurality of tenant databases; storing, in the first tenant database, a copy of the tenant-specific data structures having the tenant-specific designation and links to the shared data structures having the shared designation; shutting down the first tenant database; copying the tenant-specific data structures and the links from the first tenant database to create a clone of the first tenant database; restarting the first tenant database; locating the clone on a second data storage device; initializing the clone on the second data storage device; and sending an upgrade to the clone for testing of the upgrade. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for copying a tenant database in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with a plurality of tenants over a network, the system comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of data structures at the provider; means for selecting a tenant from the plurality of tenants, the provider hosting application software used by the plurality of tenants; means for generating a tenant-specific designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being specific to the selected tenant, and generating a shared designation to identify a data structure of the plurality of data structures as being common to the plurality of tenants; means for determining which of the plurality of data structures are specific to the selected tenant and which of the plurality of data structures are common to the plurality of tenants based on attributes of the plurality of data structures; means for appending the tenant-specific designation to tenant-specific data structures determined as being specific to the selected tenant, and appending the shared designation to shared data structures determined as being common to the plurality of tenants; means for storing, in the tenant database, a copy of the tenant-specific data structures having the tenant-specific designation and links to the shared data structures having the shared designation; means for copying the tenant database of the selected tenant from a first data storage device; means for moving the copied tenant database to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is associated with a tenant server; means for initializing the copied tenant database on the second data storage device; and means for using the copied tenant database on the second data storage device to implement a system management function. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification