Data synchronization between a data center environment and a cloud computing environment

• US 8,315,977 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Inventors: Anand, Siddharth, Gopalani, Naresh, Hunt, Neil, Rau, Santosh R., Kim, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US12/710,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/756, 709/224, 709/230, 709/248
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles for simultaneously maintaining copies of data in a data center and a cloud computing environment providing network based services. Synchronizing applications monitor modifications to data records made in the data center and the cloud computing environment. The synchronizing applications are also configured to convert modified records from the data center into a format compatible with databases in the cloud computing environment prior to updating the databases in the cloud computing environment, and vice versa.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously maintaining copies of data in a data center and a cloud computing environment, comprising:

determining that a first data record in a first database of a data center has been modified;

transferring the first data record to a cloud replicator in the cloud computing environment, wherein the cloud replicator is configured to modify a corresponding data record in a second database of the cloud computing environment in response to receiving the first data record;

replicating, by the cloud replicator and based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the first data record in the corresponding data record, wherein the replicating comprises converting the modified first data record into a format compatible with the second database;

determining whether a second data record has been modified in the second database; and

upon determining that the second data record has been modified;

transferring, by the cloud replicator, the second data record to the first database; and

replicating, based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the second data record to a data record in the first database corresponding to the second data record, wherein the replicating comprises converting the second data record into a format compatible with the first database.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule comprises updating databases only with most recently modified data.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first database and the second database are different types of databases.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first data record has been modified is based on the first data record being modified by a network service application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data center and the cloud computing environment are configured to provide video on demand services to consumers;

wherein a plurality of video files are stored in the databases of the data center and the cloud computing environment;

wherein a data record associated with a video file indicates a stopping point of a user watching the video file;

wherein a user receives a first portion of the video file from the data center, and receives a second portion from the cloud computing environment.

6. A method for simultaneously maintaining copies of data in a data center and a cloud computing environment, comprising:

receiving a modified first data record from a first database of the data center, wherein the modified first data record marks a first time position of a video file, wherein the video file is stored in the first database, wherein a copy of the video file is stored in a second database of the cloud computing environment; and

replicating modifications to the first data record in a second data record in the second database, wherein the second data record marks a second time position of the video file, wherein the replicating comprises converting the modified first data record into a format compatible with the second database and updating the second data record to mark the first time position,

wherein the data center and the cloud computing environment are configured to provide video on demand services, wherein a plurality of databases in the data center and a plurality of databases in the cloud computing environment are configured to perform bi-directional modifications of data records based on the at least one rule for updating data records,

wherein a user viewing a first portion of the video file from a first one of;

(i) the first database, and (ii) the second database subsequently views a second portion of the video file from a second one of;

(i) the first database, and (ii) the second database, different than the first, wherein the first portion of the video file concludes at the first time position, wherein the second portion of the video file begins at the first time position, wherein the first time position indicates a time in the video file where the user interrupted playback of the video file.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one rule for updating data records comprises updating databases only with most recently modified data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one rule includes determining whether the first time position and the second time position are the same, wherein a plurality of video files are stored in the databases of the data center and the cloud computing environment.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising;

computer-readable program code configured to determine that a first data record in a first database of a data center has been modified;

computer-readable program code configured to transfer the first data record to a cloud replicator in the cloud computing environment, wherein the cloud replicator is configured to modify a corresponding data record in a second database of the cloud computing environment in response to receiving the first data record;

computer-readable program code configured to replicate, by the cloud replicator and based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the first data record in the corresponding data record, wherein the replication comprises converting the modified first data record into a format compatible with the second database;

computer-readable program code configured to determine whether a second data record has been modified in the second database; and

computer-readable program code configured to;

transferring, by the cloud replicator, the second data record to the first database; and

replicating, based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the second data record to a data record in the first database corresponding to the second data record, wherein the replicating comprises converting the second data record into a format compatible with the first database.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the at least one rule for updating data records comprises updating databases only with most recently modified data.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first database and the second database are different types of databases.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising transferring the modified first data record upon determining that the first data record has been modified by a network service application.

13. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the data center and the cloud computing environment are configured to provide video on demand services to consumers;

wherein a plurality of video files are stored in the databases of the data center and the cloud computing environment;

wherein a data record associated with a video file indicates a stopping point of a user watching the video file;

wherein a user receives a first portion of the video file from the data center, and receives a second portion from the cloud computing environment.

14. A system, comprising:

a memory device comprising at least one application for simultaneously maintaining copies of data in a data center and a cloud computing environment; and

at least one processor which, when executing the at least one application is configured to;

determine that a first data record in a first database of a data center has been modified;

transfer the first data record to a cloud replicator in the cloud computing environment, wherein the cloud replicator is configured to modify a corresponding data record in a second database of the cloud computing environment in response to receiving the first data record;

replicating, by the cloud replicator and based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the first data record in the corresponding data record, wherein the replication comprises converting the modified first data record into a format compatible with the second database;

determine whether a second data record has been modified in the second database; and

upon determining that the second data record has been modified;

transfer, by the cloud replicator, the second data record to the first database; and

replicating, based on at least one rule for updating data records, modifications to the second data record to a data record in the first database corresponding to the second data record, wherein the replicating comprises converting the second data record into a format compatible with the first database.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first database and the second database are different types of databases.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the cloud replicator is configured to:

receiving the modified first data record from the first database of the data center; and

replicating modifications to the first data record in a third data record in the second database, wherein the replicating comprises converting the modified first data record into a format compatible with the second database.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one rule for updating data records comprises updating databases only with most recently modified data.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the data center and the cloud computing environment are configured to provide video on demand services to consumers;

wherein a plurality of video files are stored in the databases of the data center and the cloud computing environment;

wherein a data record associated with a video file indicates a stopping point of a user watching the video file;

wherein a user receives a first portion of the video file from the data center, and receives a second portion from the cloud computing environment.