Layered data management

• US 20070156751A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Goetz, Oliver, Barth, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A distributed system for administration and storage of data includes a data manager to access a local data store. Several data managers can be chained to form a layered hierarchical structure. All data layers are merged top down to form the resultant data records. Fields can be modified or added in each layer. The system is self organizing in that each data layer only knows about its superordinate data layer. The system provides scalable persistent data storage with centralized data management and the option to locally extend and modify data.

Claims

1. A data access system, comprising:

a first data manager to access an associated local store (the “

first local store”

) for a first instance of a data object in response to a request for such, and request a second instance of the data object from another data manager;

a second data manager to access an associated local store (the “

second local store”

) for the second instance of the data object in response to the request for such from, and provide the same to, the first data manager;

the first data manager to merge the first and second instances; and

the first data manager to provide the merged instance in response to the request for the instance of the data object.

2. The data access system of claim 1, wherein the first local store comprises a first local physical store, and wherein each data object therein comprises a plurality of fields of data.

3. The data access system of claim 1, wherein the first data manager comprises a data access unit to access the first local physical store.

4. The data access system of claim 3, wherein the first data manager further comprises a data merge unit to request the second instance of the data object from the other data manager.

5. The data access system of claim 4, wherein the second data manager is superordinate to the first data manager.

6. The data access system of claim 5, wherein the second local store comprises a second local physical store, and wherein each data object therein comprises a plurality of fields of data.

7. The data access system of claim 6, wherein the second data manager comprises a data access unit to access the second local store and provide the second instance of the data object to the first data merge unit.

8. The data access system of claim 7, wherein the first data manager'"'"'s data merge unit to merge the first and second instances.

9. The data access system of claim 8, wherein to merge the first and second instances comprises to maintain the merged instance separate from the first local physical store.

10. The data access system of claim 8, wherein the first data manager'"'"'s data access unit to provide the merged instance in response to the request for such.

11. The data access system of claim 8, wherein to merge the first and second instances comprises to not update those of the plurality of fields in the first instance that differ in value from the corresponding fields in the second instance due to a modification of those fields in the first instance.

12. The data access system of claim 11, wherein to merge the first and second instance comprises to update those of the plurality of fields in the first instance that differ in value from the corresponding fields in the second instance due to a modification of the corresponding fields in the second instance.

13. A method for accessing data, comprising:

receiving a request for an instance of a data object;

accessing a local store for the instance of the data object in response to the request;

requesting a second instance of the data object from a superordinate data manager;

receiving the second instance of the data object from the superordinate data manager in response to the request for the second instance;

merging the first and second instances; and

providing the merged instance in response to the request for the instance of the data object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request for the instance of the data object is received from a client.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the local store is associated with the client.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein requesting a second instance of the data object comprises requesting via a proxy a second instance of the data object from the superordinate data manager.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the superordinate data manager is associated with a server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the merged instance comprises providing the merged instance to the client.

19. An article of manufacture, comprising:

an electronically accessible medium including instructions for accessing data, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

receive a request for an instance of a data object from a local store;

access a local store for the instance of the data object in response to the request;

request a second instance of the data object from a superordinate data manager;

receive the second instance of the data object from the superordinate data manager in response to the request for the second instance;

merge the first and second instances; and

provide the merged instance in response to the request for the instance of the data object.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the instructions request the second instance via a proxy.

21. A method comprising:

receiving at a proxy element of a reusable software component a request for an instance of a data object from a superordinate data manager;

forwarding the request to a service element of the reusable software component;

forwarding the request from the service element to the superordinate data manager;

receiving at the service element the instance from the superordinate data manager;

returning the instance to the proxy element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the request is received from a subordinate data manager, and further comprising providing the instance from the proxy element to the subordinate data manager.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising merging the instance with a second instance of the data object obtained by the subordinate data manager from a local store.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the superordinate data manager is associated with a host in a network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the proxy element executes on another host in the network and the service element executes on the host.