Data synchronization between a data management system and an external system

• US 9,311,378 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Subramanian, Manjunath B., Rao, Swetha
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, KIMBERLY LOVEL
• Application Number:
  US12/576,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/999.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

A method, a system and a computer program of synchronizing data between a data management system and an external system are disclosed. The method includes creating a first database instance and a second database instance using an integration data model. The method further includes synchronizing data between the second database instance and the external system. A services framework is created and the first database instance and the second database instance are interfaced using the services framework which includes an entity definition repository, a change tracking repository, and a data export element. Also disclosed are a system and a computer program for synchronizing data between a data management system and an external system.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing data between a first computer system and a second computer system, wherein the first computer system includes a data management system having data entities, the method comprising:

configuring an integration data model to define a selected subset of the data entities of the data management system according to an expected amount of data change;

creating a first database instance for the first computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model and a second database instance for the second computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model, wherein creating the first and second database instances includes configuring one of the database instances as a mirror of the other;

creating respective time-based indicators in a change tracking repository responsive to performance of predefined operations on respective ones of the data entities in the selected subset; and

synchronizing data of the subset of the data entities between the first computer system and the second computer system by communicating the data of the subset of the data entities between the first database instance and the second database instance and between the second database instance and the second system, wherein the second system feeds data to and receives data from the first system and wherein the synchronizing is responsive to the indicators in the change tracking repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the integration data model is configured to use a pre-defined subset of data entities of the first system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first system is configured to include the first database instance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing data between the second database instance and the second system is enabled by a database connector selected from connectors including an open database connectivity connector, an enterprise service bus connector, and a java database connectivity connector.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a services framework; and

interfacing the first database instance and the second database instance using the services framework.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the interfacing is enabled by a message brokering mechanism selected from a set comprising XML, a scheduled java process, and a data call to SQL call conversion mechanism.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the services framework is communicatively coupled to the first system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the services framework comprises:

an entity definition repository;

the change tracking repository; and

a data export element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the entity definition repository includes metadata of a plurality of entities of the integration data model, wherein the metadata comprises attributes and relationships.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the data export element uses the entity definition repository and the change tracking repository to export changes in entities identified in the change tracking repository.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

defining operations as triggers for respective data entities of the selected subset of the data entities.

12. A system for synchronizing data between a first computer system and a second computer system, wherein the first computer system includes a data management system having data entities, the system comprising:

an integration data model configured for defining a selected subset of the data entities of the data management system according to an expected amount of data change;

a processing device configured to create a first database instance for the first computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model and a second database instance for the second computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model, wherein creating the first and second database instances includes configuring one of the database instances as a mirror of the other;

a processing device configured to create respective time-based indicators in a change tracking repository responsive to performance of predefined operations on respective ones of the data entities in the selected subset; and

a processing device configured to synchronize data of the subset of the data entities between the first computer system and the second computer system by communicating the data of the subset of data entities between the first database instance and the second database instance and between the second database instance and the second system, wherein the second system feeds data to and receives data from the first system and wherein the synchronizing is responsive to the indicators in the change tracking repository.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create a services framework; and

interface the first database instance and the second database instance using the services framework.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the interfacing is enabled by a message brokering mechanism selected from a set comprising XML, a scheduled java process, and a data call to SQL call conversion mechanism.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the services framework comprises:

an entity definition repository;

the change tracking repository; and

a data export element.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the method comprises:

defining operations as triggers for respective data entities of the selected subset of the data entities.

17. A non-transitory storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to carry out a method of synchronizing data between a first computer system and a second computer system, wherein the first computer system includes a data management system having data entities, the storage medium configured with instructions for causing a processor to:

configure an integration data model to define a selected subset of the data entities of the data management system according to an expected amount of data change;

create a first database instance for the first computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model and a second database instance for the second computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model, wherein creating the first and second database instances includes configuring one of the database instances as a mirror of the other;

create respective time-based indicators in a change tracking repository responsive to performance of predefined operations on respective ones of the data entities in the selected subset; and

synchronize data of the subset of the data entities between the first computer system and the second computer system by communicating the data of the subset of data entities between the first database instance and the second database instance and between the second database instance and the second system, wherein the second system feeds data to and receives data from the first system and wherein the synchronizing is responsive to the indicators in the change tracking repository.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 further configured to:

create a services framework; and

interface the first database instance and the second database instance using the services framework.

19. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method comprises:

defining operations as triggers for respective data entities of the selected subset of the data entities.

20. A method for synchronizing data between a centralized master repository and an external system, wherein the centralized master repository is functionally coupled to a data management system having data entities, the method comprising:

configuring an integration data model to define a selected subset of the data entities of the data management system according to an expected amount of data change;

creating a first database instance for the first computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model and a second database instance for the second computer system for the subset of the data entities selected responsive to the integration data model, wherein creating the first and second database instances includes configuring one of the database instances as a mirror of the other;

creating a services framework, wherein the services framework comprises an entity definition repository, a change tracking repository and a data export element;

interfacing the first database instance and the second database instance using the services framework, wherein the communicating of data between the first database instance and the second database instance includes communicating via the services framework, wherein the change tracking repository comprises a list of changed data entities and corresponding metadata of the changed data entities and wherein the method comprises;

defining operations as triggers for respective data entities of the selected subset of the data entities; and

creating time-based indicators in the change tracking repository when the defined operations are performed on the defined data entities; and

synchronizing data of the subset of the data entities between the first computer system and the second computer system by communicating the data of the subset of the data entities between the first database instance and the second database instance and between the second database instance and the external system wherein the second system feeds data to and receives data from the first system and wherein the synchronizing is responsive to the indicators in the change tracking repository.