Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2001-09-18
Alam, Hosain T. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C709S201000, C709S227000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292800
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
A computer application can store and access data by sending queries to, and receiving replies from, a database system. As an application's storage or query processing requirements increase, a single database system may be unable to adequately support the application. In such a case, the application may use multiple database systems. Each database system can store a portion of the data needed by the application. An application may then distribute its queries among the multiple database systems, thus enabling a larger volume of queries to be processed.
To support multiple databases, an application may need to be programmed with knowledge of the various database systems and the distribution of its data among those systems. Such programming may complicate application development and may complicate reconfiguration of the database systems. Consequently, improvements in the use of multiple database systems are desired.
SUMMARY
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a database access method. The method includes receiving a data request at a switcher system from another computer, selecting a connection to a database system from among a collection of connections, and communicating with the database system across the selected connection to fulfill the data request.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Communicating with the database system may include sending a database query and receiving a reply to the query. The database query can be generated by processing the data request message at a message processing library that is selected based on an identity value in the data request. The switcher may be configured to process messages by attaching a message process library corresponding to different data request identifier values. The switcher may receive data requests from multiple computers and service the data requests on different connections to the database system. The order in which various data requests are received, and in which they are fulfilled, may differ.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a computer program residing on a computer readable medium. The program includes instructions for causing a computer to receive a data request from another computer, select a connection to a database system from among a number of connections to the database system, and communicate with the database system across the selected connection to fulfill the data request.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The program may include instructions to send a database query and instructions to receive a reply to the database query on the selected connection. The program may also include instructions to send the data request to a request message processing library based on an identity value in the received data request and instructions to process the data request using the selected message processing library to generate the database query.
Implementations may provide advantages including increased total data storage volume, improved transaction processing response time, simplified database access, and increased service availability.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
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IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin; “Generic Dynamic SQL Application Programming Interface Set”; vol. 36; No. 8; Aug. 1993; pp. 573-577.
International Business Machines Corporation; “Database Connection Pool Management”; 1724/Research Disclosure; Dec. 1998.
Alam Hosain T.
America Online
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Hwang Joon Hwan
LandOfFree
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