Transitioning of database service responsibility responsive to server failure in a partially clustered computing environment

• US 8,069,139 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamlin, Robert H., Trisko, Kenneth J., McDaniel, Clayton L., Garbow, Zachary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richardson; James E
• Application Number:
  US12/354,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/782, 707/803, 714/4.11, 714/4.21
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A facility is provided for transitioning a database service from a failing, primary server to another server of a computing environment including a plurality of servers, at least some of which have a common database service capability, but not commonly replicated supporting databases. The facility includes, responsive to detection of failure at the primary server, selecting another server of the plurality of servers to function as database service backup for the primary server, updating at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the another server is to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server, and dynamically creating at least one database structure at the another server. The dynamically created at least one database structure supports the database service backup function at the another server and corresponds to a database structure of a database supporting the database service at the primary server.

Claims

1. A system for transitioning a database service from a failing server to another server of a computing environment comprising a plurality of servers, the system comprising:

a processor and a memory;

means, responsive to detecting failure at a primary server of the computing environment providing a database service, and without pre-requiring any server of the computing environment to function as backup to the primary server, for selecting another server of the computing environment to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server, wherein the another server lacks a mirrored copy of a database supporting the database service at the primary, failing server, and lacks access to the database supporting the database service at the primary, failing server;

means for updating at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the another service is to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server; and

means for dynamically creating by the another server, subsequent to the selecting of the another server, at least one database data repository structure at the another server, the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure supporting the database service backup function at the another server by receiving data therein, and the at least one database data repository structure corresponding to at least one database data repository structure of a database supporting the database service function at the primary server, wherein the data received into the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure was directed to the corresponding at least one database data repository structure of the database supporting the database service function at the primary server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting of the another server comprises means for employing a predefined priority list of servers of the computing environment having ability to provide the database service function, the means for employing comprising means for identifying a highest priority, currently available server in the predefined priority list of servers as the another server and verifying that the another server can handle anticipated processing load resulting from functioning as database service backup for the primary server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for dynamically creating comprises means for proactively creating multiple database data repository structures at the another server to facilitate database service backup, the proactively creating occurring prior to receipt of data at the another server to be deposited into one of the multiple database data repository structures.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for proactively creating comprises means for proactively creating multiple database data repository structures for supporting the database service at the another server according to a predefined database data repository structure rollout schedule.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for proactively creating comprises means for proactively creating multiple database data repository structures for supporting the database service at the another server according to a predefined list of backup database data repository structure priorities for supporting the database service.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising responsive to existence of data to be deposited into the at least one database data repository structure at the primary, failing server, means for checking the at least one configuration file of the computing environment to identify the another server functioning as database service backup for the primary, failing server, and for receiving the data at the another server for deposit into the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure, and for temporarily storing the data in the at least one database data repository structure at the another server functioning as database service backup for the primary structure at the another server functioning as database service backup for the primary server only while the primary server remains failing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for dynamically creating comprises means for employing a predefined template for at least one database data repository structure of the database at the primary, failing server in dynamically creating at least one corresponding database data repository structure at the another server, the predefined template being employed to dynamically create the at least one corresponding database data repository structure at the another server.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for transitioning the database service back to the primary server once operational, the means for transitioning back comprising means for updating the at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicates that the primary server is now operational, means for updating the database at the primary server by copying deposited data in the at least one database data repository structure of the another server into the corresponding at least one database data repository structure of the database at the now operational primary server, and means for preserving the at least one database data repository structure of the another server for a predefined time interval before automatically deleting the at least one database data repository structure of the another server.

9. At least one program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method of transitioning a database service from a failing server to another server of a computing environment comprising a plurality of servers, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting failure at a primary server of the computing environment providing a database service, and without pre-requiring any server of the computing environment to function as backup to the primary server, selecting another server of the computing environment to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server, wherein the another sever lacks a mirrored copy of a database supporting the database service at the primary, failing server, and lacks access to the database supporting the database service at the primary, failing server;

updating at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the another server is to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server; and

subsequent to the selecting of the another server, dynamically creating by the another server at least one database data repository structure at the another server, the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure supporting the database service backup function at the another server by receiving data therein, and the at least one database data repository structure corresponding to at least one database data repository structure of a database supporting the database service function at the primary server, wherein the data received into the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure was directed to the corresponding at least one database data repository structure of the database supporting the database service function at the primary server.

10. The at least one program storage device of claim 9, wherein the selecting of the another server comprises employing a predefined priority list of servers of the computing environment having ability to provide the database service function, the employing comprising identifying a highest priority, currently available server in the predefined priority list of servers as the another server and verifying that the another server can handle anticipated processing load resulting from functioning as database service backup for the primary server.

11. The at least one program storage device of claim 9, wherein the dynamically creating comprises proactively creating multiple database data repository structures at the another server to facilitate database service backup for multiple clients of the database service of the primary, failing server, the proactively creating occurring prior to receipt of data at the another server to be deposited into one of the multiple database data repository structures.

12. The at least one program storage device of claim 9, further comprising responsive to existence of data to be deposited into the at least one database data repository structure at the primary, failing server, checking the at least one configuration file of the computing environment to identify the another server functioning as database service backup for the primary server, and receiving the data at the another server for deposit into the dynamically created at least one database data repository structure, and temporarily storing the data in the at least one database data repository structure at the another server functioning as database service backup for the primary server only while the primary server remains failing.

13. The at least one program storage device of claim 12, wherein the dynamically creating is responsive to the existence of the data to be deposited, and wherein the dynamically creating of the at least one database data repository structure comprises employing a predefined template for the corresponding at least one database data repository structure of the database at the primary, failing server, the predefined template being employed to dynamically create the at least one database data repository structure at the another server.

14. The at least one program storage device of claim 9, further comprising a step of transitioning the database service back to the primary server once operational, the step of transitioning back comprising updating the at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the primary server is now operational, updating the database at the primary server by copying deposited data in the at least one database data repository structure of the another server into the corresponding at least one database data repository structure of the database at the now operational primary server, and preserving the at least one database data repository structure of the another server for a predefined time interval before automatically deleting the at least one database data repository structure of the another server.