Data access layer

• US 8,260,757 B1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Amlan, Shah, Chirag R., Kishore, Mohan, Hsu, Jack P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US12/765,226
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 707/703, 707/769, 707/959, 709/1, 709202-204, 709/215, 370/230, 370/352
• US Class Current: 707/703
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases

Abstract

An improved data access layer (DAL) architecture enables database connection pooling or multiplexing across machine boundaries. Drivers installed at web servers communicate with servers in a DAL. The DAL servers present a virtual database to the web servers, and the DAL servers in turn open connections to a set of physical databases. DAL servers are able to recycle connections that are no longer needed, or to move available connections from one DAL server to another, so as to provide improved efficiency in connection management, burst management, and peak load management. Scalability is thereby improved, and more efficient use of system resources is facilitated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing a data transaction with respect to data stored in a plurality of databases, comprising:

at a data access layer comprising a plurality of DAL servers, performing the steps of;

establishing a plurality of logical database constructs, each of the plurality of logical database constructs having default routing to one of the plurality of physical databases as a default physical database, such default routing specifying a default physical database as a default destination for forwarding a data transaction request received at the logical database construct;

receiving a database connection request from a web server;

establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct based on the contents of the database connection request;

receiving a data transaction request from the web server on the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

redirecting the data transaction request from the default physical database for the logical database construct to another physical database, the data transaction request being redirected based on routing rules that override the default routing for the logical database construct;

establishing a database connection with the other physical database;

transmitting the data transaction request to the other physical database;

receiving a result set from the other physical database; and

returning the result set to the web server.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving the data transaction request from the web server:

at a load balancer, selecting a DAL server to receive the database connection request from a web server; and

routing the database connection request to the selected DAL server;

and wherein the steps of establishing the database connection, transmitting the data transaction request, receiving the result set, and returning the result set are performed by the selected DAL server.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, at the data access layer, converting the data transaction request to a format compatible with the database connection with to the other physical database.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the result set comprises at least one database object.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to returning the result set to the web server, converting the at least one database object to a format compatible with the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving a database connection request from a web server comprises receiving a database connection directed to at least one of the established logical database constructs.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

establishing a connection between the web server and the logical database construct comprises;

receiving a request for a DAL driver;

providing the DAL driver; and

using the DAL driver to establish the connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

and wherein;

establishing a database connection with the other physical database comprises;

issuing a request for a database driver;

obtaining the database driver; and

using the database driver to establish the database connection with the other physical database.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to redirecting the data transaction request, at the data access layer:

consulting a router to select the other physical database for handling the data transaction request.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein consulting a router comprises initializing a routing framework for implementing at least one routing rule.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein consulting a router comprises initializing a routing framework for implementing a plurality of routing rules and at least one default routing rule.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a pool of available connections between a set of web servers and a set of logical database constructs; and

establishing a pool of available connections for a set of the plurality of physical databases.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct comprises obtaining a connection from a connection pool; and

establishing a database connection with at least one the other physical database comprises obtaining a connection from a connection pool.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to unavailability of the other physical database, moving at least one available connection from the other physical database to other a further physical database selected from among the plurality of physical databases.

14. A computer program product for performing a data transaction with respect to data stored in a plurality of databases, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the storage medium, for causing at least one processor operating at a data access layer comprising a plurality of DAL servers to perform the steps of;

establishing a plurality of logical database constructs, each of the plurality of logical database constructs having default routing to one of the plurality of physical databases as a default physical database, such default routing specifying a default physical database as a default destination for forwarding a data transaction request received at the logical database construct;

receiving a database connection request from a web server;

establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct based on the contents of the database connection request;

receiving a data transaction request from the web server on the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

redirecting the data transaction request from the default physical database for the logical database construct to another physical database, the data transaction request being redirected based on routing rules that override the default routing for the logical database construct;

establishing a database connection with the other physical database;

transmitting the data transaction request to the other physical database;

receiving a result set from the other physical database; and

returning the result set to the web server.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer program code for, responsive to receiving the data transaction request from the web server:

causing at least one processor operating at a load balancer to perform the steps of;

select a DAL server to receive the database connection request from a web server; and

routing the database connection request to the selected DAL server;

and wherein the steps of establishing the database connection, transmitting the data transaction request, receiving the result set, and returning the result set are performed by at least one processor operating at the selected DAL server.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer program code for causing at least one processor operating at the data access layer to convert the data transaction request to a format compatible with the database connection to the other physical database.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the result set comprises at least one database object.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer program code for, causing the at least one processor operating at a data access layer to, prior to returning the result set to the web server, convert the at least one database object to a format compatible with the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program code for causing at least one processor to receive a database connection request from a web server comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to receive a database connection directed to at least one of the established logical database constructs.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein:

the computer program code for causing at least one processor to establish a connection between the web server and the logical database construct comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to perform the steps of;

receiving a request for a DAL driver;

providing the DAL driver; and

using the DAL driver to establish the connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

and wherein;

the computer program code for causing at least one processor to establish a database connection with the other physical database comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to perform the steps of;

issuing a request for a database driver;

obtaining the database driver; and

using the database driver to establish the database connection with the other physical database.

21. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer program code for causing at least one processor operating at the data access layer prior to redirecting the data transaction request to consult a router to select the other physical database for handling the data transaction request.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer program code for causing at least one processor to consult a router comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to initialize a routing framework for implementing at least one routing rule.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer program code for causing at least one processor to consult a router comprises the computer program code for causing at least one processor to initialize a routing framework for implementing a plurality of routing rules and at least one default routing rule.

24. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer program code for causing at least one processor to perform the steps of:

establishing a pool of available connections between a set of web servers and a set of logical database constructs; and

establishing a pool of available connections for the plurality of physical databases.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein:

the computer program code for causing at least one processor to perform the step of establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to obtain a connection from a connection pool; and

the computer program code for causing at least one processor to perform the step of establishing a database connection with the other physical database comprises computer program code for causing at least one processor to obtain a connection from a connection pool.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising computer program code for causing at least one processor to, responsive to unavailability of the other physical database, move at least one available connection from the other physical database to further physical database selected from among the plurality of physical databases.

27. A system for performing a data transaction with respect to data stored in a plurality of databases, comprising:

a plurality physical database; and

a data access layer comprising a plurality of DAL servers, for;

establishing a plurality of logical database constructs, each of the plurality of logical database constructs having default routing to one of the plurality of physical databases as a default physical database, such default routing specifying a default physical database as a default destination for forwarding a data transaction request received at the logical database construct;

receiving a database connection request from a web server;

establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct based on the contents of the database connection request;

receiving a data transaction request from the web server on the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

redirecting the data transaction request from the default physical database for the logical database construct to another physical database, the data transaction request being redirected based on routing rules that override the default routing for the logical database construct;

establishing a database connection with the other physical database;

transmitting the data transaction request to the other physical database;

receiving a result set from the other physical database; and

returning the result set to the web server.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a load balancer, for;

selecting a DAL server to receive the database connection request from a web server; and

routing the database connection request to the selected DAL server;

and wherein the selected DAL server establishes the database connection, transmits the data transaction request, receives the result set, and returns the result set.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the data access layer converts the data transaction request to a format compatible with the database connection to the other physical database.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the result set comprises at least one database object.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein, prior to returning the result set to the web server, the data access layer converts the at least one database object to a format compatible with the database connection between the web server and the logical database construct.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the data access layer receives a database connection request from a web server by receiving a database connection directed to at least one of the established logical database constructs.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein:

the data access layer establishes a connection between the web server and the logical database construct by;

receiving a request for a DAL driver;

providing the DAL driver; and

using the DAL driver to establish the connection between the web server and the logical database construct;

and wherein;

the data access layer establishes a database connection with the other physical database by;

issuing a request for a database driver;

obtaining the database driver; and

using the database driver to establish the database connection with the other physical database.

34. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a router, communicatively coupled to the data access layer, for selecting the other physical database for handling the data transaction request.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the data access layer consults the router by initializing a routing framework for implementing at least one routing rule.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the data access layer consults the router by initializing a routing framework for implementing a plurality of routing rules and at least one default routing rule.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the data access layer:

establishes a pool of available connections between a set of web servers and a set of logical database constructs; and

establishes a pool of available connections for the plurality of physical databases.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the data access layer:

establishing a connection between the web server and a logical database construct by obtaining a connection from a connection pool; and

establishing a database connection with the other physical database by obtaining a connection from a connection pool.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein, responsive to unavailability of the other physical database, the data access layer moves at least one available connection from the other physical database to a further physical database selected from among the plurality of physical databases.