Efficient handling of mostly read data in a computer server

• US 8,099,388 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shen, Jinmei, Wang, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US12/173,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 1/1, 707/608, 707/623, 707/634, 707/636, 707/652, 707/966, 711133-136, 710 15- 19, 718/102, 718/105
• US Class Current: 707/636
• 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: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An apparatus and method is described for improving access to mostly read data on network servers. The preferred embodiments more efficiently utilize replicated data servers to minimize server response time for improved performance of data access to network servers by workload managing client requests across the primary server and all replicated servers when it is possible to do so. In preferred embodiments, a load balancer supplies the most current data for mostly read data transactions while maximizing server usage by workload managing client requests across the primary server and all replicated servers. Client requests are managed by a load balancer in the workload manager. Client requests are sent by the load balancer to replicated servers when a routing table (stale data marker list) indicates that the data is in a safe period. Clients are directed exclusively to the primary server only during data update times.

Claims

1. A computer apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a client server program in the memory executing by the at least one processor that receives data requests from a client, the client server program comprising;

a first stale data marker list with stale data markers corresponding to stale data on a replicated server, where the first stale data marker list includes a key that corresponds to the stale data, and wherein the stale data markers include a data change time and a replication time used by the workload manager to determine when data on a server is stale, and wherein the first stale data marker list is a local stale data marker for a primary server;

a data server program residing on each of one or more replicated server that receives data requests from the client server program wherein the data server program further comprises a second stale data marker list with stale data markers corresponding to stale data residing on the replicated server wherein the second stale data marker list is a local stale data marker list for a corresponding replicated server;

a workload manager that routes data requests exclusively to the primary server when the local stale data marker list is not current and data requested has changed, and where the workload manager workload manages data requests to the primary server and one or more replicated servers both when the local stale data marker list is current, and when there is an entry in the local stale data marker list and the requested data has not changed; and

wherein the client server is part of WebSphere.

2. The computer apparatus of claim 1 wherein the client server program resides on the same computer hardware as the client making the data requests.

3. A computer-readable program product comprising:

a client server program that receives data requests from a client, the client server program comprising;

a first stale data marker list with stale data markers corresponding to stale data on a replicated server, where the first stale data marker list includes a key that corresponds to the stale data, and wherein the stale data markers include a data change time and a replication time used by the workload manager to determine when data on a server is stale, and wherein the first stale data marker list is a local stale data marker for a primary server;

a data server program residing on each of one or more replicated server that receives data requests from the client server program wherein the data server program further comprises a second stale data marker list with stale data markers corresponding to stale data residing on the replicated server wherein the second stale data marker list is a local stale data marker list for a corresponding replicated server;

a workload manager that routes data requests exclusively to the primary server when the local stale data marker list is not current and data requested has changed, and where the workload manager workload manages data requests to the primary server and one or more replicated servers both when the local stale data marker list is current, and when there is an entry in the local stale data marker list and the requested data has not changed; and

wherein the client server is part of WebSphere.

4. The program product of claim 3 wherein the client server program resides on the same computer hardware as the client making the data requests.