Partially replicated distributed database with multiple levels of remote clients

• US 6,754,681 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Peter S., Brodersen, Robert A., Chatterjee, Prashant
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Cheryl
• Application Number:
  US10/150,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/200, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 709/203, 709/207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Claims

1. A method of collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a database system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, said method comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client;

(b) copying said transaction file to an inbox in the docking client identified to the workgroup user client and updating said transaction file into an agency database resident on said docking client, said agency database including a transaction log; and

(c) reading said docking client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server corresponding to the docking server, and updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising connecting said workgroup user client to said docking client and thereafter copying said transaction file to said docking client.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising updating transactions into the enterprise database with a field corresponding to the docking client.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said enterprise server includes an enterprise database, a docking manager, a update processor, and a log manager.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said enterprise server further includes an update manager.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said workgroup user client is a mobile client.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said workgroup user client includes a partially replicated database, an update manager, a docking manager, and a update manager.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said work group user client further includes an update log.

9. The method of claim 7 comprising updating said partially replicated database through said update manager.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said work group user further includes an update log, said method further comprising updating said update log.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said work group user includes a node docking manager.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising activating the node docking manager of the work group user and transmitting contents of the work group user update log to the docking manager of the enterprise server.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising applying the update log contents to the enterprise database in the enterprise server.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising sending a command from the update manager of the work group user to the update manager of the enterprise server to alter data therein, updating the enterprise database, creating a log record describing the update, and writing the log record to the update log.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the update log record contains the node identifier of the workgroup user making the update, identification of the enterprise database table updated, and the type of update made.

16. The method of claim 1 comprising preparing partial output logs of enterprise database contents according to visibility rules in the enterprise server.

17. The method of claim 1 comprising transferring data that meets query criteria from one database to another database.

18. The method of claim 1 comprising synchronizing the work group user database and the enterprise database.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising synchronizing the work group user database with the enterprise database using a docking object, said docking object comprising at least one member table, visibility rules, and visibility events.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the member table comprises a table of a relational database, and synchronization comprises inserting an entry into or deleting an entry from a member table, said member table being associated with the docking object.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the member table contains visibility rules.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the member table contains an identification of a row of the member table being updated.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the docking object contains a statement to determine if any data meeting the criteria contained in the statement exists in the docking object.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the docking object contains related docking objects and the method comprises propagating or deleting a related docking object when the docking object is propagated or deleted.

25. The method of claim 1 comprising updating data from one database to another database.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising transferring a update log file from one database to the other database.

27. The method of claim 25 comprising comparing a value in the database to a value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database to detect a collision.

28. The method of claim 25 comprising updating the database when the value in the database matches the value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database.

29. The method of claim 25 comprising generating an error signal when the value in the database does not match the value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database.

30. A method of collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, said method comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client,

(b) entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client;

(c) reading said workgroup user client transaction log, while skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server,

(d) creating data files corresponding to the entries therein,

(e) copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and

(f) updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising updating workgroup user transactions having a field corresponding thereto into the enterprise database.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said enterprise server includes an enterprise database, a docking manager, a update processor, and a log manager.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said enterprise server further includes an update manager.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said workgroup user client is a mobile client.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said workgroup user client includes a partially replicated database, an update manager, a docking manager, and an update manager.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said work group user client further includes an update log.

37. The method of claim 36 comprising updating said partially replicated database through said update manager.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said work group user further includes an update log, said method further comprising updating said update log.

39. The method of claim 30 comprising preparing partial output logs of enterprise database contents according to visibility rules in the enterprise server.

40. The method of claim 30 comprising transferring data that meets query criteria from one database to another database.

41. The method of claim 30 comprising synchronizing the work group user database and the enterprise database.

42. The method of claim 41 comprising synchronizing the work group user database with the enterprise database using a docking object, said docking object comprising at least one member table, visibility rules, and visibility events.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the member table comprises a table of a relational database, and synchronization comprises inserting an entry into or deleting an entry from a member table, said member table being associated with the docking object.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the member table contains visibility rules.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the member table contains an identification of a row of the member table being updated.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the docking object contains a statement to determine if any data meeting the criteria contained in the statement exists in the docking object.

47. The method of claim 42 wherein the docking object contains related docking objects and the method comprises propagating or deleting a related docking object when the docking object is propagated or deleted.

48. The method of claim 30 comprising updating data from one database to another database.

49. The method of claim 48 comprising transferring a update log file from one database to the other database.

50. The method of claim 48 comprising comparing a value in the database to a value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database to detect a collision.

51. The method of claim 50 comprising updating the database when the value in the database matches the value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database.

52. The method of claim 50 comprising generating an error signal when the value in the database does not match the value that the update log reports as the previous value in the database.

53. A method of merging data from one data base into another data base in a data base system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, said method comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client,

(b) entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client,

(c) creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client;

(d) reading said workgroup user client transaction log, while skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server,

(e) creating data files corresponding to the entries therein,

(f) copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and

(g) transferring an update log file from one data base to the other data base to merge the transactions.

54. The method of claim 53 comprising comparing a value in the database to a value that the merge log reports as the previous value in the database to detect a collision.

55. The method of claim 53 comprising updating the database when the value in the database matches the value that the merge log reports as the previous value in the database.

56. The method of claim 53 comprising generating an error signal when the value in the database does not match the value that the merge log reports as the previous value in the database.

57. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a database system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising:

(a) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client;

(b) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect copying said transaction file to an inbox in the docking client identified to the workgroup user client and updating said transaction file into an agency database resident on said docking client, said agency database including a transaction log; and

(c) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect reading said docking client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server corresponding to the docking server, and updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

58. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a database system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, said method steps comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client;

(b) copying said transaction file to an inbox in the docking client identified to the workgroup user client and updating said transaction file into an agency database resident on said docking client, said agency database including a transaction log; and

(c) reading said docking client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server corresponding to the docking server, and updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

59. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing collection, storage, and retrieval of data in a database system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising:

(a) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on sail workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client; and

(b) computer readable program code means for causing the computer to effect reading said workgroup user client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

60. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a database system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, said method steps comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client; and

(b) reading said workgroup user client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server.

61. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing merging data from one database into another database in a database system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising:

(a) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client; and

(b) computer readable program code means for causing the computer to effect reading said workgroup user client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and transferring a update log file from one database to the other database to merge the transactions.

62. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for merging data from one database into another database in a database system, said database system having an enterprise server and at least one workgroup user client, said method steps comprising:

(a) creating a transaction in a local database resident on said workgroup user client, entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on said workgroup user client, and creating a transaction file corresponding thereto in an outbox of said workgroup user client; and

(b) reading said workgroup user client transaction log, skipping those transactions which originate at the enterprise server, creating data files corresponding to the entries therein, copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to an inbox on the enterprise server, and transferring a update log file from one database to the other database to merge the transactions.

63. A method of collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, said workgroup user client having a docking object comprising at least one member table, with visibility rules, and visibility events resident therein, said method comprising:

creating a transaction file in a local workgroup user database resident on said workgroup user client;

copying said transaction file to the docking client identified to the workgroup user client; and

copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to the enterprise server, updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server, and synchronizing the work group user database and the enterprise database using the docking object if a particular instance of the docking object is visible to the workgroup user client.

64. The method of claim 63 comprising synchronizing the work group user database with the enterprise database using a docking object, said docking object comprising at least one member table, visibility rules, and visibility events.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the member table comprises a table of a relational database, and synchronization comprises inserting an entry into or deleting an entry from a member table, said member table being associated with the docking object.

66. The method of claim 63 wherein the member table contains an identification of a row of the member table being updated.

67. The method of claim 63 wherein the docking object contains a statement to determine if any data meeting the criteria contained in the statement exists in the docking object.

68. The method of claim 63 wherein the docking object contains related docking objects and the method comprises propagating or deleting a related docking object when the docking object is propagated or deleted.

69. A program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein and resident on one or more computers in a database system, the system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, for creating a transaction file in a local workgroup user database resident on said workgroup user client, copying the transaction file to a docking client identified to the workgroup user client;

and copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to the enterprise server, updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server, and synchronizing the work group user database and the enterprise database using a docking object if a particular instance of the docking object is visible to the workgroup user client.

70. The program product of claim 69 wherein said docking object is a construct having at least one member table, visibility rules, and visibility events.

71. The program product of claim 70 wherein said member table is a primary table having an entry that indicates the visibility of a particular instance of the docking object to a workgroup user client.

72. A system for managing data, the system having an enterprise server, at least one docking client, and at least one workgroup user client, said docking client interposed between said enterprise server and said workgroup user client, said system further comprising computer readable program code embodied therein and resident on one or more of the computers therein for

i. creating a transaction file in a local workgroup user database resident on said workgroup user client,

ii. copying the transaction file to a docking client identified to the workgroup user client;

and

iii. copying data files corresponding to transactions originating at the workgroup user client to the enterprise server, updating the transactions into an enterprise database on the enterprise server, and synchronizing the work group user database and the enterprise database using a docking object if a particular instance of the docking object is visible to the workgroup user client.

73. The program product of claim 72 wherein said docking object is a construct having at least one member table, visibility rules, and visibility events.

74. The program product of claim 73 wherein said member table is a primary table having an entry that indicates the visibility of a particular instance of the docking object to a workgroup user client.