Software, systems, and methodologies for realignment of remote databases by a central database in support field representative territory assignments

• US 7,979,390 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Purdue Pharma L.P.
• Original Assignee: Purdue Pharma L.P.
• Inventors: Raghavan, Rajeshwara, Natarajan, Sayee, Chellappa, Balaji
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spieler; William
• Application Number:
  US11/925,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20080104134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 707/618
• US Class Current: 707/618
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning

Abstract

A method for realigning a database server and a client database is provided. During realignment at least one table of the database server is copied to a workspace, and a set of records copied to the workspace is identified that are associated with the client. The set of records associated with the client are modified and can include a subset of records newly associated with the client. An association-rule is created that defines the modified set of records as accessible by the client and includes an effective time. The association-rule and the newly associated records are distributed to the client, preferably during database synchronization. At the effective time, the modifications to the workspace records are made effective on the server and activated on the client. Optionally, the association-rule and the newly associated records are distributed in response to receiving approval of the modified set of records.

Claims

1. A method for realigning a database of a server and a database of a respective client among one or more of a plurality of clients, comprising the steps of:

copying a subset of at least one table of the database server to a workspace, the workspace having a plurality of records;

identifying a set of records among the plurality of records that are to be associated with the respective client after an effective time;

modifying in the workspace the set of identified records so as to be newly associated with the respective client;

creating an association-rule for the respective client defining the modified set of records as accessible by the respective client, the association-rule having a database view and the effective time;

distributing to the respective client the association-rule and the newly associated records;

after the distributing step, providing at the respective client a view of the database of the respective client while precluding access to the newly associated records until the effective time is reached; and

realigning the database server with the database of the respective client at the effective time with the modifications to the set of records in the workspace,

wherein the association-rule enables the respective client to access the newly assigned records.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving approval of the modified set of records, and performing the distributing step in response to receiving approval.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of distributing to the respective client secondary data external to the workspace related to the modified set of records.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the secondary data is retrieved from the database server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

synchronizing the respective client with the server; and

transmitting the newly associated records during synchronization.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a report concerning the set of records modified in the workspace.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the subset of the at least one table of the database server creates respective workspace tables, and the step of realigning the modifications to the set of records includes the step of merging the workspace tables into the respective database server table.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

determining if the modifying step alters one or more secondary data records external to the workspace; and

in response to the determination step, selectively copying the secondary data records into the workspace,

wherein the modifying step alters the secondary data records in the workspace.

9. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of activating the association-rule at the effective time at the respective client.

10. A method for realigning data responsibility in a client-database server environment, comprising the steps of:

copying a table from a database server to a workspace, the database server associating respective first sets of database records with respective clients, each having a client database;

establishing a proposed realignment of database records for each respective client;

creating in the workspace respective second sets of database records corresponding to respective proposed assignments;

defining an association-rule for each respective client, the association-rule having a common effective time and a database view;

distributing to each client the respective association-rule and second set of database records;

after the distributing step, providing at the respective client a view of the database of the respective client while precluding access to the newly associated records until the effective time is reached, as dictated by the association-rule; and

making effective the second association of the workspace table in the database server after the effective time, as dictated by the association-rule.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving approval of the proposed assignment, and performing the distributing step in response to receiving approval.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of distributing to the respective client database at least one secondary data record related to the second set of data records.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary data is retrieved from the table of the database server.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

synchronizing the respective client with the server; and

transmitting the data records associated with the associated second set during the synchronization.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of generating a report concerning the proposed realignment.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of making effective the modifications of the workspace table includes the step of merging the workspace table into the database server table.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps:

determining if the creating step requires alteration of a data record stored in a secondary table external to the workspace; and

in response to the determination step, copying the secondary table into the workspace,

wherein the creating step modifies data records in the secondary table.

18. The method of claim 10, including the additional step of activating the association-rule at the effective time at the respective client.