Distributed database management over a network

• US 5,606,693 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Garcia, David, Nilsen, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US08/473,154
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/575, 395/800, 395/650, 395/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3433 for load management allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• 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 2201/80 Database-specific techniques

Abstract

A distributed database application for logging large volumes of data to a plurality of database servers. Central configuration management is employed to balance the database load, to direct requesting workstations to the appropriate database, and to manage the mirroring of data for fault tolerance and the location of distributed data for query, print, or archive purposes. This system is implemented using workstations and database servers, and configuration controllers connected to a dual network. Dual networks and dual configurators provide system redundancy for fault tolerance. The configuration controller provides database server access information to each requesting workstation. Each database server reports status and availability to the configuration controller which can then adjust future logging requests. The network operator can change the configuration stored in the configuration controller whenever reconfiguration is necessary such as by the addition of new database servers. A data logging modification is then communicated to each currently active requestor workstation by the configuration controller. Standard communications protocols are used between requestors, configurators, and the database servers which permits creation of a heterogeneous database server environment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for handling a request for the retrieval of specified data in a distributed database environment having a plurality of data requestors and a plurality of database servers, each of said database servers having data storage associated therewith, said request originating from one of said requestors, said data requestors and said database servers being located at respective nodes of a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining configuration information regarding said database servers in a plurality of configuration controllers connected to said data requestors and to said database servers via said network, said controllers providing a redundant control system for said network, said configuration information identifying a particular subset of said plurality of database servers storing specified data;

transmitting said request for the retrieval of specified data from the originating data requestor via said network to one of said configuration controllers;

determining the particular subset of said plurality of database servers storing said specified data using said configuration information;

transmitting database server access information identifying said particular subset of said plurality of database servers from said configuration controller via said network to said originating data requestor; and

accessing from said originating data requestor the data storage of the subset of said plurality of database servers identified by said access information to retrieve said data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

merging the data retrieved from said subset of said plurality of database servers.

3. The method of claim 2, including the further step of:

printing the merged data retrieved from said database servers.

4. The method of claim 2 in which said subset comprises a plurality of database servers, said method including the further step of:

displaying the merged data retrieved from said database servers.