Synchronization of configuration changes between applications and their platforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9336208-B2
Application number	US-201313802794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for handling synchronization of configuration changes between applications and their platforms. A computer implemented method synchronizes middleware configurations with application configurations using a reciprocating protocol. The protocol includes receiving a middleware state variable from a middleware component, then processing the middleware state variable to determine any application configuration state variables that depend on a value of the middleware state variable. The application (or agent) further processes the application configuration state variable to determine any affected middleware state variables and then sends the affected middleware state variable to the middleware component. The determinations can be performed using a forward mapper or reverse mapper, and the determinations can reciprocate repeatedly between applications and their middleware platforms until quiescence. The techniques can be used during an online patch cycle to maintain synchronization of configuration changes between applications and their platforms even while components are being patched.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for synchronizing between middleware configurations and application configurations, the method comprising:
receiving a first middleware state variable from a middleware component;
processing, at a synchronization module at least stored in memory, the first middleware state variable to determine at least one application state variable that depends on a value of the first middleware state variable and corresponds to an online edition of at least one software application that relies upon the middleware component;
sending one or more changes corresponding to the at least one application state variable to an offline edition of the at least one software application;
determining whether the one or more changes in the at least one application state variable result in one or more other changes in the middleware component;
receiving a change in configurations of the middleware component;
storing the change or information thereof into the first middleware state variable of the middleware component at a first location of the memory of a computing system;
triggering one or more operations within the synchronization module;
obtaining, at a middleware listener module, the one or more changes corresponding to the change or information thereof of and including at least a topology change in the middleware component;
storing the one or more changes at a second location of the memory of the computer system;
determining, at a forward mapping module, whether or not the at least one software application is to receive the one or more changes;
determining, at the forward mapping module, whether or not the one or more changes are affected by the change or information thereof of the middleware component;
transmitting the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application at least by performing a forward mapping operation with the forward mapping module when the at least one software application is to receive the one or more changes;
applying the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application;
determining, at a reverse mapping module, one or more implied changes corresponding to the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application and storing the one or more implied changes as the one or more other changes at a third location of the memory;
transmitting the one or more other changes to an application listener module for the middleware component;
performing a reverse mapping for the one or more other changes for the middleware component into one or more middleware configuration changes;
storing the one or more middleware configuration changes at a fourth location of the memory;
transmitting the one or more middleware configuration changes to the middleware component;
preparing the offline edition of the at least one software application at least by applying the one or more middleware configuration changes to the middleware component;
creating runtime data, which change while the offline edition and the one or more middleware configuration changes are being applied, for the online edition of the at least one software application and storing the runtime data at a fifth location of the memory;
applying patch transformations to the runtime data stored at the fifth location of the memory;
shutting down the online edition of the at least one software application;
designating the offline edition of the at least one software application as a new online edition of the at least one software application; and
restarting the new online edition of the at least one software application.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the at least one application state variable uses a forward mapper.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one second middleware state variable.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating an online patch cycle.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising invoking a transformation process to process state variable transformations.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the first middleware state variable from the middleware component comprises receiving a notification trigger.

7. A computer system for synchronizing between middleware configurations and application configurations, comprising:
a computer processor to execute a set of program code instructions; and
a memory to hold the program code instructions, in which the program code instructions comprises program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to:
receive a first middleware state variable from a middleware component;
process, at a synchronization module at least stored in memory, the first middleware state variable to determine at least one application state variable that depends on a value of the first middleware state variable and corresponds to an online edition of at least one software application that relies upon the middleware component;
send one or more changes corresponding to the at least one application state variable to an offline edition of the at least one software application;
determine whether the one or more changes in the at least one application state variable result in one or more other changes in the middleware component;
receive a change in configurations of the middleware component;
store the change or information thereof into the first middleware state variable of the middleware component at a first location of the memory of a computing system;
trigger one or more operations within the synchronization module;
obtain, at a middleware listener module, the one or more changes corresponding to the change or information thereof of and including at least a topology change in the middleware component;
store the one or more changes at a second location of the memory of the computer system;
determine, at a forward mapping module, whether or not the at least one software application is to receive the one or more changes;
determine, at the forward mapping module, whether or not the one or more changes are affected by the change or information thereof of the middleware component;
transmit the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application at least by performing a forward mapping operation with the forward mapping module when the at least one software application is to receive the one or more changes;
apply the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application;
determine, at a reverse mapping module, one or more implied changes corresponding to the one or more changes to the offline edition of the at least one software application and storing the one or more implied changes as the one or more other changes at a third location of the memory;
transmit the one or more other changes to an application listener module for the middleware component;
perform a reverse mapping for the one or more other changes for the middleware component into one or more middleware configuration changes;
store the one or more middleware configuration changes at a fourth location of the memory;
transmit the one or more middleware configuration changes to the middleware component;
prepare the offline edition of the at least one software application at least by applying the one or more middleware configuration changes to the middleware component;
create runtime data, which change while the offline edition and the one or more middleware configuration changes are being applied, for the online edition of the at least one software application and storing the runtime data at a fifth location of the memory;
apply patch transformations to the runtime data stored at the fifth l

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Dujmovic Ivo
• Bandla Satya Prakash
• Pinjarkar Ulhas Murlidhar
• Damodaran Ramya

Classifications

• G06F16/2365

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title

• G06F8/656 Primary

  while running · CPC title

• G06F16/245

  Query processing · CPC title

• G06F16/178

  Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems · CPC title

• G06F8/658

  Incremental updates; Differential updates · CPC title