Transparent caching of configuration data

• US 8,983,902 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Martick, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): BOWEN, RICHARD L
• Application Number:
  US12/965,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing transparent caching of configuration data in distributed landscapes. One process includes operations for receiving a read request of original configuration data stored at a second system. A first timestamp associated with local configuration data stored locally at a first system is identified. A second timestamp associated with the original configuration data is identified, and the second timestamp is determined to be later in time than the first timestamp. A copy of the original configuration data from the second system is retrieved for storage locally in place of the local configuration data at the first system based on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp. The first timestamp is updated with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed by one or more processors for providing transparent caching of configuration data in a distributed computing landscape, the method comprising:

identifying two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape, each of the systems selectively comprising a controller system of the distributed computing landscape such that only one of the two or more systems comprises the controller system at a particular time;

receiving at a first system a read request of original configuration data stored at a second system, the two or more systems including the first system and the second system;

setting a flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system and setting a flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system;

based on setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system, identifying a first timestamp associated with local configuration data, the local configuration data stored locally at the first system, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determining a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determining that the second timestamp is at an arbitrary time that is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieving a copy of the original configuration data from the second system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

updating the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system;

maintaining persistence of the original configuration data at a persistence module shared between the first system and the second system by communicably coupling the first system directly to the second system with identical persistence software;

determining that the second system is offline, and in response, identifying resources and hardware specifications associated with each remaining system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

evaluating the resources and hardware specifications associated with each of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

based on the evaluation, selecting the first system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape; and

in response to selecting the first system, switching the controller system from the second system to the first system by updating the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is designated as the controller system and updating the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is not designated as the controller system, wherein the second system is available and fully functional during the switching.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the copy of the original configuration data includes retrieving only portions of the original configuration data that are different from the local configuration data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system further comprises the second system is configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems, and wherein setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system further comprises indicating the first system is designated as a non-controller system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to designate the first system as a controller system;

retrieving the original configuration data from the second system; and

storing the original configuration data locally.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

identifying a change to the original configuration data;

performing a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

storing cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

after switching the controller system from the second system to the first system, receiving a request from the second system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second system; and

allowing the second system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first system includes a cache management layer for maintaining persistence of configuration data stored at the first system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller system performs one or more of managing, updating, handling and caching requests for the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems in the distributed landscape that are associated with one of a business process, application, or solution.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the original configuration data through on-demand refresh cycles by the controller system using cache metadata.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape, determining that none of the systems of the two or more systems are available for synching the original configuration data to the second system;

in response to determining that none of the systems of the two or more systems are available for synching the original configuration data to the second system, receiving partial configuration data from each remaining system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape; and

obtaining the original configuration data to store at the second system based on the partial configuration data received from each remaining system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory, tangible storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape, each of the systems selectively comprising a controller system of the distributed computing landscape such that only one of the two or more systems comprises the controller system at a particular time;

receiving at a first system a read request at a first system, the read request comprising a request for original configuration data stored at a second system, the two or more systems including the first system and the second system;

setting a flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system and setting a flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system;

based on setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system, identifying a first timestamp associated with local configuration data, the local configuration data stored locally at the first system, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determining a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determining that the second timestamp is at an arbitrary time that is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieving a copy of the original configuration data from the second system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

updating the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second system;

maintaining persistence of the original configuration data at a persistence module shared between the first system and the second system by communicably coupling the first system directly to the second system with identical persistence software;

determining that the second system is offline, and in response, identifying resources and hardware specifications associated with each remaining system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

evaluating the resources and hardware specifications associated with each of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

based on the evaluation, selecting the first system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape; and

in response to selecting the first system, switching the controller system from the second system to the first system by updating the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is designated as the controller system and updating the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is not designated as the controller system, wherein the second system is available and fully functional during the switching.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein retrieving the copy of the original configuration data includes retrieving only portions of the original configuration data that are different from the local configuration data.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein setting the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system further comprises the second system is configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems, and wherein setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system further comprises indicating the first system is designated as a non-controller system.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request to designate the first system as a controller system;

retrieving the original configuration data from the second system; and

storing the original configuration data locally.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

identifying a change to the original configuration data;

performing a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

storing cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

after switching the controller system from the second system to the first system, receiving a request from the second system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second system; and

allowing the second system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first system.

17. A distributed computing environment, comprising:

a first computing system comprising;

memory operable to store local configuration data and at least a portion of a persistence module; and

one or more processors operable execute the persistence module, the persistence module when executed to;

identify two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape, each of the systems selectively comprising a controller system of the distributed computing landscape such that only one of the two or more systems comprises the controller system at a particular time;

receive at the first computing system a read request of original configuration data stored at a second computing system communicably coupled to the first computing system, the two or more systems including the first system and the second system;

set a flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system and set a flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system;

based on setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system, identify a first timestamp associated with the local configuration data, wherein the first timestamp comprises a recorded time that the local configuration data was last updated;

determine a second timestamp associated with the original configuration data, wherein the second timestamp comprises a recorded time that the original configuration data was last updated;

determine that the second timestamp is at an arbitrary time that is later in time than the first timestamp;

retrieve a copy of the original configuration data from the second computing system for storage locally in place of the local configuration data based at least in part on the determination that the second timestamp is later in time than the first timestamp;

update the first timestamp with a current timestamp associated with a time the copy of the original configuration data was retrieved from the second computing system;

maintain persistence of the original configuration data at a persistence module shared between the first computing system and the second computing system by communicably coupling the first computing system directly to the second computing system with identical persistence software;

determine that the second system is offline, and in response, identifying resources and hardware specifications associated with each remaining system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

evaluate the resources and hardware specifications associated with each of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape;

based on the evaluation, select the first system of the two or more systems of the distributed computing landscape; and

in response to selecting the first system, switch the controller system from the second system to the first system by updating the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is designated as the controller system and updating the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is not designated as the controller system, wherein the second system is available and fully functional during the switching.

18. The distributed computing environment of claim 17, the one or more processors further configured to:

receive a request to designate the first computing system as a controller system;

retrieve the original configuration data from the second computing system; and

store the original configuration data locally;

19. The distributed computing environment of claim 18, the one or more processors further operable to:

identify a change to the original configuration data;

perform a write operation on the local configuration data to implement the change to the original configuration data; and

store cache metadata associated with the change, the cache metadata including a timestamp associated with a time the write operation was performed.

20. The distributed computing environment of claim 18, the one or more processors further operable to:

after switching the controller system from the second system to the first system, receive a request from the second computing system for refreshing configuration data stored at the second computing system; and

allow the second computing system to retrieve configuration data stored locally at the first computing system.

21. The distributed computing environment of claim 17, wherein setting the flag associated with the second system to indicate the second system is designated as the controller system further comprises the second computing system is configured to manage the original configuration data for a plurality of other systems, and wherein setting the flag associated with the first system to indicate the first system is not designated as the controller system further comprises indicating the first computing system is designated as a non-controller system.