System and method for repairing data synchronization links

• US 9,342,512 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tasktop Technologies, Inc. (Planview Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tasktop Technologies, Inc. (Planview Incorporated)
• Inventors: Janzen, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Sherief
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raab, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US13/834,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2308 Concurrency control transaction processing G06F9/466
• 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: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

A system for detecting and repairing errors in synchronization links for data records includes a first data repository containing a first data record that maintains a data field which links to associated data records) and a self-reference record. The system also includes a second data repository containing a second data record that also maintains a data field which links to associated data records) and a self-reference record. The system also includes a synchronizer that maintains a data table containing the addresses of the first and second data records and the status of any previous synchronization activity.

Claims

1. A system to detect and repair errors in synchronization links for data records, the system comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

a synchronizer that, when executed by at least one of the one or more hardware processors;

maintains a data table containing a first address indicative of a first data record (DR1) of a first data repository (R1) and a second address indicative of a second data record (DR2) of a second data repository (R2), wherein the first data record (DR1) includes a data field (FieldA) that links to one or more other data records associated with the first data record (DR1) and that further includes a self-reference record (SelfRefA), wherein the second data record (DR2) includes a data field (FieldB) that links to one or more associated data records and further includes a self-reference record (SelfRefB), and wherein the second data repository (R2) is distinct and separate from the first data repository (R1); and

in response to receiving an indication of one or more modifications to the first data record (DR1);

determines, based at least in part on the data field (FieldA) of the first data record (DR1), that the first data record (DR1) is linked with the second data record (DR2),

checks the data field (FieldB) of the second data record (DR2) to determine if the second data record (DR2) is linked with the first data record (DR1), and

if the second data record (DR2) is not linked with the first data record (DR1), corrects the data field (FieldB) of the second data record (DR2) by writing at least the contents of the data field (FieldA) of the first data record (DR1) into the data field (FieldB) of the second data record (DR2) and the second address into the self-reference record (SelfRefB) of the second data record (DR2).

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first data repository (R1), the second data repository (R2) and the synchronizer all reside on a single computer system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the single computer system is a mobile communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data repository (R1) and the second data repository (R2) each reside on respective ones of a plurality of separate computer systems.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first data repository (R1) and the second data repository (R2) are communicatively connected over the Internet.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the first and second addresses in the data table is a URL.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein at least one of the plurality of separate computer systems is a mobile communication device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the synchronizer is responsive to a change in a state of the first data record (DR1).

9. A computer-implemented method for detecting and repairing errors in synchronization links for data records which data records include at least a first data record (DR1) of a first data repository (R1) and a second data record (DR1) of a second data repository (R2), the second data repository (R2) being different from the first data repository (R1), the first data record (DR1) including a data field (FieldA) that links to associated data records and further including a self-reference record (SelfRefA) to detect any errors, and the second data record (DR2) including a data field (FieldB) that links to associated data records and further including a self-reference record (SelfRefB) to detect any errors, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more computing systems implementing a synchronizer, an association between the first data record (DR1) and the second data record (DR2);

determining, by the one or more computing systems, an address of the second data record (DR2) by checking a data table that is maintained by the synchronizer and that includes respective addresses of the first data record (DR1) and the second data record (DR2);

based at least in part on the determined address of the second data record (DR2), checking, by the one or more computing systems, the data field (FieldB) of the second data record (DR2) to determine if the second data record (DR2) is linked with the first data record (DR1); and

if the second data record (DR2) is not linked with the first data record (DR1), correcting, by the one or more computing systems, the data field (FieldB) of the second data record (DR2) by writing the contents of the data field (FieldA) of the first data record (DR1) and the address of the second data record (DR2) into the second data record (DR2).

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

maintaining the data table on a first computer system on which the first data repository (R1) and the second data repository (R2) both reside.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an association between the first data record (DR1) and the second data record (DR2) includes determining an association between the first data record (DR1) of the first data repository (R1) and the second data record (DR2) of the second data repository (R2) which resides on a different computer system from a computer system on which the first data repository (R1) resides.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

communicating, by the one or more computing systems and via one or more electronic communications, with the first data repository (R1) and the second data repository (R2) over the Internet.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

maintaining one or more addresses in the data table in the form of uniform resource locators (URLs).

14. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an association between the first data record (DR1) and the second data record (DR2) includes determining, by the synchronizer which resides on a mobile communication device, an association between the first data record (DR1) of the first data repository (R1) which resides on the mobile communications device, and the second data record (DR2) of the second data repository (R2) which resides on the mobile communications device.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an association between the first data record (DR1) and the second data record (DR2) includes determining an association between the first data record (DR1) of the first data repository (R1) which resides on a first mobile communications device, and the second data record (DR2) of the second data repository (R2) which resides on a distinct and separate second mobile communications device.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a change in the first data record (DR1) of the first data repository (R1).

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the synchronizer is responsive to one or more modifications to the first data record (DR1).