Software Parameter Management

• US 20090276768A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iQmetrix Software Development Corp.
• Original Assignee: Synchronoss Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Fedok, Eric, Deasey, Don, Colson, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for allowing the updating and overriding of software parameters used by one or more software programs. The parameters are preferably in cache. When the system needs any such parameter, it first checks cache, then a preferably remotely located database, and then, preferably a flat file on the same computer as the cache. The checking is done in the foregoing order, and the parameter is used upon locating a current version of it. If the current version is obtained from anywhere other than the cache, it is put into cache.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing software as a sequence of steps;

when a step occurs that requires at least one of a set of predetermined parameters, checking cache memory for at least one valid value of said at least one predetermined parameter;

if said at least one valid value of said predetermined parameter is in cache, obtaining said at least one predetermined parameter from cache;

if said at least on predetermined parameter is not contained in cache, checking a database for said at least one predetermined parameter;

if said at least one predetermined parameter exists in said database, moving it into cache, and using it in said step;

if said at least one predetermined parameter does not exist in said database, obtaining said at least one predetermined parameter from a third file other than cache and other than said database, and moving said at least one predetermined parameter into cache; and

using said at least one predetermined parameter in said step regardless of from where it was obtained.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said third file and said cache reside on the same server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said database resides on a different server from said third file and said cache.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one valid value is deemed present in cache if said predetermined parameter is located in cache and if an expiration time associated with said predetermined parameter has not lapsed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the expiration time associated with at least one of said predetermined parameters is different from the expiration time associated with at least one other of said predetermined parameters.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein parameters that vary more often than a predetermined frequency are not stored in said third file.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein parameters that vary more often than a predetermined frequency are stored in said database.

8. A method comprising executing a software application on an application server, using memory on said application server as cache memory, if a valid value of at least one parameter needed for said application can be found in said cache, using said valid value in said application, if not, first checking a remote file on a different server and then a local file on said application server for a valid value of said parameter, and if said valid value of said parameter is found in either said remote file or said local file, moving it into cache.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein if said valid value is found in said remote file, not checking said local file.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein parameters in said local file vary less frequently than parameters in said remote file.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said remote file is a database.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said parameters are in both said local file and said remote file.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said parameters are in either said remote file or said local file but not both.

14. A method of using cache on a first computer, said method comprising populating said cache with parameters for use by a software application, said populating comprising obtaining some of said parameters from a first file located on said first computer, and others of said parameters from a second file located on a second computer connected over a network to said first computer, wherein at least some parameters are located both in said first file and in said second file, and wherein said step of obtaining comprises executing, by an application which requires use of at least one of any of said parameters, steps that first check said second file, and upon finding one of any of said parameters, places it into cache and uses it in said application, and upon not finding said one of any of said parameters, checks said first file, and upon finding said one of any of said parameters in said first file, populates said cache with said one of said parameters.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein upon finding one of any said parameters in said second file, said steps do not check said first file for said one of any of said parameters.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of said parameters in said second file is placed there after being placed in said first file and after it is determined that said at least one of said parameters is required to vary at more than a predetermined frequency.

17. A computer system comprising a first computer, a second computer, and a network connecting said first and second computers, the first computer having a first file, the second computer having a second file, said computer system further comprising cache memory, and a processor programmed to execute an application that locates a parameter for use by first checking cache, then the second file, then the first, using the parameter when it is first located from any source, and loading it into cache at substantially the time of use if its not already in cache.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein the first computer is an application file and the second computer is a database server.

19. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of terminals connected to an applications server, the terminals being configured to execute concurrently one or more applications running on the applications server, the applications requiring a plurality of parameters,

at least one file server;

at least one data network configured to facilitate communications between said file server and said applications server wherein upon an application requiring use of a parameter, said application first checks a first memory source that does not require communications over said data network, second checks a second memory source that does require communications over said data network, and third checks a third memory source that does not require communications over said data network, wherein said first and third memory sources may provide data more quickly than said second data source, and wherein, if said parameter is deemed present and current in said second or third memory sources by not in said first, it is moved into said first memory source.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said first memory source is cache, said second memory source is a database, and said third memory source is a flat file.

21. A system comprising computer storage containing a plurality of parameters for use by an application, at least one said parameter including an associated indicator of an additional source for a current version of said parameter, and a means for obtaining said parameter from said computer storage if a current version of said parameter exists therein, and, if said current version of said parameter does not exist therein, for checking first a potential second source and then said additional source if said parameter does not include said associated indicator, and if said parameter includes said associated indicator but if said current version of said parameter does not exist therein, checking said additional source without first checking said potential second source.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer storage is cache and said additional source is a file located on a server that also includes the cache.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said second source is a computer other than the computer that includes the computer storage.

24. A method comprising placing a software parameter in a first file that can be accessed by a software application at a first speed, determining that said parameter needs to be replaced with an updated version, placing the updated version in a second file that can be accessed at a second and slower speed, using the updated version in a software application, and then placing the updated version thereafter in said first file to replace the software parameter.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said first file is a flat file.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said updated version is moved into a cache memory after being placed in said first file.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said first file and said cache memory reside on a first computer and wherein said second file resides on a second computer.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said second file is a database server.

29. A computer system comprising cache memory, a first file, and a second file, the computer system comprising software that requires at least one parameter to operate, and upon reaching a point in operation wherein said parameter is needed, checks for said parameter first a cache memory on a first computer, then a second file on a second computer, and then a first file on said first computer, and obtains and uses said parameter from whichever source is first determined to include a valid value of said parameter, and wherein if said valid value of said parameter utilized in not obtained from cache, moving said valid value into cache.

30. The computer system of claim 30 wherein at least one of said files is a database file.