Archiving or backup

Transaction clash management in a disconnectable computer and network

5878434

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting and handling clashes that may occur when transactions performed on disconnected replicas of a database are merged after the computers carrying the replicas are reconnected. A variety of clashes are addressed, including those which arise from inconsistent add, remove, move, and modify operations. Transient clashes that would resolve themselves without significant intervention are distinguished from persistent clashes. Log patching, regression, key modification, duplication, and a variety of other tools for handling the clashes are described.


Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by patent is:

1. A method for handling clashes during the synchronization of operations performed on a disconnected first computer with operations performed on a second computer, the synchronization being performed after the first computer and the second computer are reconnected by a network link, the second computer and the first computer each containing a replica of a distributed database, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

merging out a representation of the operations performed on the first computer by applying at least a portion of the operations to the second replica;

merging in a representation of the operations performed on the second computer by applying at least a portion of the operations to the first computer replica;

detecting persistent clashes during at least one of said merging steps; and

recovering from at least a portion of the detected persistent clashes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the operations performed on each computer includes an update log.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said method further comprises the steps of detecting transient clashes and eliminating at least a portion of the detected transient clashes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises the step of compressing at least one of the update logs and said steps of detecting and eliminating transient clashes both occur during said compressing step.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of detecting transient clashes comprises identifying a clashing update in an update log, and said eliminating step comprises scanning forward in the log from the clashing update to determine whether a subsequent repairing update will remove a clash condition associated with the clashing update.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein temporally consistent sections of the update log are merged atomically.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said eliminating step comprises providing a shadow database for at least a portion of one of the replicas, and one of said merging steps applies operations atomically to the shadow database and subsequently alters the replica to correspond with the shadow database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said merging steps is preceded by the step of locking the replica used during merging to prevent access to the replica during merging by any process other than a process that is performing the merging step.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of detecting persistent clashes and recovering from persistent clashes are performed primarily on the second computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said merging out step is preceded by the step of compressing an update log on the first computer to create the representation of operations performed on the first computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting unique key clashes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting incompatible manipulation clashes.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting file content clashes.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting permission clashes.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting a clash between at least a portion of the distributed database and a structure external to the distributed database.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises comparing a value in the first computer replica with a corresponding value in the second replica and modifying the value stored in one replica to make it equal to the corresponding value in the other replica.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the operations performed on the first computer includes an update log, and said step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises regressing persistently clashing updates from the first computer replica.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said detecting, recovering, and regressing steps are applied recursively after an update regression to handle clashes caused by the update regression.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises inserting an update into the update stream before a clashing update.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises creating a recovery item in a recovery storage.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the recovery storage comprises a directory hierarchy for holding recovery items in a file system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein all recovery items created in response to clashes detected during a single instance of said detecting step reside in a single directory hierarchy whose directories were created during said recovering step.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the recovery storage comprises a container hierarchy for holding recovery items in a directory services tree.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of creating a recovery item comprises moving an object in the distributed database into the recovery storage.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of creating a recovery item comprises duplicating an object in the distributed database and placing the duplicate object into the recovery storage.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of creating a recovery item comprises creating in the recovery storage an object that is not present in the distributed database.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said merging steps includes applying an operation to the replica by modifying a grouped attribute.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

associating a sequence number with each operation performed on the first computer while the first computer is disconnected from the second computer; and

maintaining a record on the second computer of which sequence numbers have been applied to the second replica during said merging out step.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer is a mobile computer and the second computer is a central server computer.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer and the second computer are each server computers in a computer network.

31. A computer-readable storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which cause a first computer and a second computer connected by a network link to perform method steps for handling clashes, the first computer and the second computer each containing a replica of a distributed database, the method comprising the steps of:

merging out a representation of operations performed on the first computer by applying at least a portion of the operations to the second replica;

merging in a representation of operations performed on the second computer by applying at least a portion of the operations to the first computer replica;

detecting persistent clashes during at least one of the merging steps; and

recovering from at least a portion of the detected persistent clashes.

32. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the representation of the operations performed on each computer includes an update log and the method further comprises the steps of detecting transient clashes and eliminating at least a portion of the detected transient clashes.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises the step of compressing at least one of the update logs and the steps of detecting and eliminating transient clashes both occur during the compressing step.

34. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein the step of detecting transient clashes comprises identifying a clashing update in an update log, and the eliminating step comprises scanning forward in the log from the clashing update to determine whether a subsequent repairing update will remove a clash condition associated with the clashing update.

35. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the merging out step is preceded by the step of compressing an update log on the first computer to create the representation of operations performed on the first computer.

36. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting incompatible manipulation clashes.

37. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting file content clashes.

38. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of detecting persistent clashes comprises detecting a clash between at least a portion of the distributed database and a structure external to the distributed database.

39. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the representation of the operations performed on the first computer includes an update log, and the step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises regressing persistently clashing updates from the first computer replica.

40. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of recovering from persistent clashes comprises inserting an update into the update stream.

41. The storage medium of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

associating a sequence number with each operation performed on the first computer while the first computer is disconnected from the second computer; and

maintaining a record on the second computer of which sequence numbers have been applied to the second replica during the merging out step.

42. A system for clash handling comprising:

a first computer;

a second computer connected to the first computer by a network link, the first computer and the second computer each containing a replica of a distributed database;

means for merging out a representation of operations performed on the first computer and applying at least a portion of the operations to the second replica;

means for merging in a representation of operations performed on the second computer and applying at least a portion of the operations to the first computer replica;

means for detecting persistent clashes during at least one of the merging steps; and

means for recovering from at least a portion of the detected persistent clashes.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the representation of the operations performed on each computer includes an update log and said system further comprises means for detecting transient clashes and means for eliminating at least a portion of the detected transient clashes.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said system further comprises means for compressing at least one of the update logs.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for detecting transient clashes comprises means for identifying a clashing update in an update log, and said means for eliminating transient clashes comprises means for scanning forward in the log from the clashing update and means for determining whether a subsequent repairing update will remove a clash condition associated with the clashing update.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein said means for detecting persistent clashes comprises means for detecting incompatible manipulation clashes.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein said means for detecting persistent clashes comprises means for detecting file content clashes.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein said means for detecting persistent clashes comprises means for detecting a clash between at least a portion of the distributed database and a structure external to the distributed database.

49. The system of claim 42, wherein the representation of the operations performed on the first computer includes an update log, and said means for recovering from persistent clashes comprises means for regressing persistently clashing updates from the first computer replica.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein said means for recovering from persistent clashes comprises means for inserting an update into the update stream.

51. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

means for associating a sequence number with each operation performed on the first computer while the first computer is disconnected from the second computer; and

means for maintaining a record on the second computer of which sequence numbers have been applied to the second replica during the merging out step.


Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the detection and resolution of inconsistent updates performed on disconnected computers, and more particularly, to clash handling during transaction synchronization when disconnectable computers are reconnected.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

"Disconnectable" computers are connected to one another only sporadically or at intervals. Familiar examples include "mobile-link" portable computers which are connectable to a computer network by a wireless links and separate server computers in a wide-area network (WAN) or other network. Disconnectable computers can be operated either while connected to one another or while disconnected. During disconnected operation, each computer has its own copy of selected files (or other structures) that may be needed by a user. Use of the selected items may be either direct, as with a document to be edited, or indirect, as with icon files to be displayed in a user interface.

Unfortunately, certain operations performed on the selected item copies may not be compatible or consistent with one another. For instance, one user may modify a file on one computer and another user may delete the "same" file from the other computer. A "synchronization" process may be performed after the computers are reconnected. At a minimum, synchronization attempts to propagate operations performed on one computer to the other computer so that copies of items are consistent with one another.

During synchronization, some disconnectable computers also attempt to detect inconsistencies and to automatically resolve them. These attempts have met with limited success.

For instance, the Coda File System ("Coda") is a client-server system that provides limited support for disconnectable operation. To prepare for disconnection, a user may hoard data in a client cache by providing a prioritized list of files. On disconnection, two copies of each cached file exist: the original stored on the server, and a duplicate stored in the disconnected client's cache. The user may alter the duplicate file, making it inconsistent with the server copy. Upon reconnection, this inconsistency may be detected by comparing timestamps.

However, the inconsistency is detected only if an attempt is made to access one of the copies of the file. The Coda system also assumes that the version stored in the client's cache is the correct version, so situations in which both the original and the duplicate were altered are not properly handled. Moreover, Coda is specifically tailored, not merely to file systems, but to a particular file system (a descendant of the Andrew File System). Coda provides no solution to the more general problem of detecting and resolving inconsistencies in a distributed database that can include objects other than file and directory descriptors.

Various approaches to distributed database replication attempt to ensure consistency between widely separated replicas that collectively form the database. Examples include, without limitation, the replication subsystem in Lotus Notes and the partition synchronization subsystem in Novell NetWare.RTM. 4.1 (LOTUS NOTES is a trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. and NETWARE is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.).

However, some of these approaches to replication are not transactional. Non-transactional approaches may allow partially completed update operations to create inconsistent internal states in network nodes. Non-transactional approaches may also require a synchronization time period that depends directly on the total number of files, directories, or other objects in the replica. This seriously degrades the performance of such approaches when the network connection used for synchronization is relatively slow, as many modem or WAN links are.

Moreover, in some conventional approaches potentially conflicting changes to a given set of data are handled by simply applying the most recent change and discarding the others. In other conventional systems, users must resolve conflicts with little or no assistance from the system. This can be both tedious and error-prone.

Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a system and method for detecting and handling inconsistent changes to copied items when two disconnectable computers are reconnected.

It would also be an advancement to provide such a system and method which are not limited to file system operations but can instead be extended to support a variety of database objects.

Such a system and method are disclosed and claimed herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for handling clashes during the synchronization of operations performed on first and second disconnected computers. Each disconnected computer contains a replica of a distributed database. In one embodiment, the first computer is a mobile client computer and the second computer is a central server computer; in another embodiment, each computer is a server on a network.

Synchronization of the database replicas is performed after the computers are reconnected. Synchronization includes a "merging out" step, a "merging in" step, and one or more clash handling steps. During the merging out step, operations performed on the first computer are transmitted to the second computer and applied to the second replica. During the merging in step, operations performed on the second computer are transmitted to the first computer and applied to the first replica.

Some of the clash handling steps detect transient or persistent clashes, while other steps recover from at least some of those clashes. Persistent clashes may occur in the form of unique key clashes, incompatible manipulation clashes, file content clashes, permission clashes, or clashes between the distributed database and an external structure. Recovery may involve insertion of an update before or after a clashing update, alteration of the order in which updates occur, consolidation of two updates into one update, and/or creation of a recovery item.

In one embodiment of the present invention, operations performed on each computer are represented by entries in an update log kept on each computer. During recovery, the log may be accessed to help regress persistently clashing updates from the computer's replica. Clash detection, recovery, and regression are performed recursively after an update regression to handle clashes caused by the update regression. Log management steps permit the identification of clashing updates in a log, the removal of a clash condition by use of a repairing update, and compression of the update log.

Transaction synchronization and log compression are further described in commonly owned copending applications entitled TRANSACTION SYNCHRONIZATION IN A DISCONNECTABLE COMPUTER AND NETWORK and TRANSACTION LOG MANAGEMENT IN A DISCONNECTABLE COMPUTER AND NETWORK, filed the same day and having the same inventors as the present application.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent through the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To illustrate the manner in which the advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention summarized above will be rendered by reference to the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings only provide selected embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a computer network suitable for use with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating two computers in a network, each configured with a database manager, replica manager, network link manager, and other components according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram further illustrating the replica managers shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating clash handling methods of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to the Figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals. The present invention relates to a system and method which facilitate disconnected computing with a computer network. One of the many computer networks suited for use with the present invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1.

In one embodiment, the network 10 includes Novell NetWare.RTM. network operating system software, version 4.x (NETWARE is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.). In alternative embodiments, the network includes Personal NetWare, NetWare Mobile, VINES, Windows NT, LAN Manager, or LANtastic network operating system software (VINES is a trademark of Banyan Systems; NT and LAN Manager are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; LANtastic is a trademark of Artisoft). The network 10 may include a local area network 12 which is connectable to other networks 14, including other LANs, wide area networks, or portions of the Internet, through a gateway or similar mechanism.

The network 10 includes several servers 16 that are connected by network signal lines 18 to one or more network clients 20. The servers 16 may be file servers, print servers, database servers, Novell Directory Services servers, or a combination thereof. The servers 16 and the network clients 20 may be configured by those of skill in the art in a wide variety of ways to operate according to the present invention.

The network clients 20 include personal computers 22, laptops 24, and workstations 26. The servers 16 and the network clients 20 are collectively denoted herein as computers 28. Suitable computers 28 also include palmtops, notebooks, personal digital assistants, desktop, tower, micro-, mini-, and mainframe computers. The signal lines 18 may include twisted pair, coaxial, or optical fiber cables, telephone lines, satellites, microwave relays, modulated AC power lines, and other data transmission means known to those of skill in the art.

In addition to the computers 28, a printer 30 and an array of disks 32 are also attached to the illustrated network 10. Although particular individual and network computer systems and components are shown, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention also works with a variety of other networks and computers.

At least some of the computers 28 are capable of using floppy drives, tape drives, optical drives or other means to read a storage medium 34. A suitable storage medium 34 includes a magnetic, optical, or other computer-readable storage device having a specific physical substrate configuration. Suitable storage devices include floppy disks, hard disks, tape, CD-ROMS, PROMs, RAM, and other computer system storage devices. The substrate configuration represents data and instructions which cause the computer system to operate in a specific and predefined manner as described herein. Thus, the medium 34 tangibly embodies a program, functions, and/or instructions that are executable by at least two of the computers 28 to perform clash handling steps of the present invention substantially as described herein.

With reference to FIG. 2, at least two of the computers 28 are disconnectable computers 40 configured according to the present invention. Each disconnectable computer 40 includes a database manager 42 which provides a location-independent interface to a distributed hierarchical target database embodied in convergently consistent replicas 56. Suitable databases include Novell directory services databases supported by NetWare 4.x.

A database is a collection of related objects. Each object has associated attributes, and each attribute assumes one or more values at any given time. Special values are used internally to represent NULL, NIL, EMPTY, UNKNOWN, and similar values. Each object is identified by at least one "key." Some keys are "global" in that they are normally unique within the entire database; other keys are "local" and are unique only within a proper subset of the database. A database is "hierarchical" if the objects are related by their relative position in a hierarchy, such as a file system hierarchy. Hierarchies are often represented by tree structures.

The target database includes file descriptor objects, directory descriptor objects, directory services objects, printer job objects, or other objects. The target database is distributed in that entries are kept in the replicas 56 on different computers 40. Each replica 56 in the target database contains at least some of the same variables or records as the other replicas 56. The values stored in different replicas 56 for a given attribute are called "corresponding values." In general, corresponding values will be equal.

However, replicas 56 at different locations (namely, on separate computers 40) may temporarily contain different values for the same variable or record. Such inconsistencies are temporary because changes in value are propagated throughout the replicas 56 by the invention. Thus, if the changes to a particular variable or record are infrequent relative to the propagation delay, then all replicas 56 will converge until they contain the same value for that variable or record.

More generally, the present invention provides a basis for a family of distributed software applications utilizing the target database by providing capabilities which support replication, distribution, and disconnectability. In one embodiment, the database manager 42 includes one or more agents 44, such as a File Agent, a Queue Agent, or a Hierarchy Agent. The database manager 42 hides the complexity of distribution of data from the application programs. Distributed programs make requests of the database manager 42, which dispatches each request to an appropriate agent 44.

Each agent 44 embodies semantic knowledge of an aspect or set of objects in the distributed target database. Under this modular approach, new agents 44 can be added to support new distributed services. For instance, assumptions and optimizations based on the semantics of the hierarchy of the NetWare File System are embedded in a Hierarchy Agent, while corresponding information about file semantics are embedded in a File Agent. In one embodiment, such semantic information is captured in files defining a schema 84 (FIG. 3) for use by agents 44.

The schema 84 includes a set of "attribute syntax" definitions, a set of "attribute" definitions, and a set of "object class" (also known as "class") definitions. Each attribute syntax in the schema 84 is specified by an attribute syntax name and the kind and/or range of values that can be assigned to attributes of the given attribute syntax type. Attribute syntaxes thus correspond roughly to data types such as integer, float, string, or Boolean in conventional programming languages.

Each attribute in the schema 84 has certain information associated with it. Each attribute has an attribute name and an attribute syntax type. The attribute name identifies the attribute, while the attribute syntax limits the values that are assumed by the attribute.

Each object class in the schema 84 also has certain information associated with it. Each class has a name which identifies this class, a set of super classes that identifies the other classes from which this class inherits attributes, and a set of containment classes that identifies the classes permitted to contain instances of this class.

An object is an instance of an object class. The target database contains objects that are defined according to the schema 84 and the particulars of the network 10. Some of these objects may represent resources of the network 10. The target database is a "hierarchical" database because the objects in the database are connected in a hierarchical tree structure. Objects in the tree that can contain other objects are called "container objects" and must be instances of a container object class.

A specific schema for the Hierarchy Agent will now be described; other agents may be defined similarly. The ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- server class is the top level of the HA-specific database hierarchy. Since a database may contain many servers, the name is treated as a unique key for HA servers within a database.

    __________________________________________________________________________
    CLASS    ha.sub.-- server
    SUPERCLASS
             ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- object.sub.-- header;
    PARENT   ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- database;
    PROPERTY NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- FULLY.sub.--
             REPLICATED;
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    ha.sub.-- server.sub.-- name
                server.sub.-- name
    PROPERTY    NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- SIBLING.sub.--
                KEY;
    }
    }
    CONSTANT
          HA.sub.-- VOLUME.sub.-- NAME.sub.-- MAX=32;
    DATATYPE
          ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- name
                    STRING HA.sub.-- VOLUME.sub.-- NAME.sub.-- MAX;
    DATATYPE
          ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id
                    BYTE;
    A volume has a name, which must be unique within the
    server and can be used as the root component of a path name:
    CLASS ha.sub.-- volume
    {
    SUPERCLASS
             ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- object.sub.-- header;
    PARENT   ha.sub.-- server;
    PROPERTY NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- NAMESPACE.sub.--
             ROOT;
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- name
                    volume.sub.-- name
    PROPERTY        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- SIBLING.sub.-
                    - KEY .linevert split.
                    NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- IS.sub.--
                    DOS.sub.-- FILENAME;
    ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id
                    volume.sub.-- id;
    }
    }
    __________________________________________________________________________


In order to allocate unique volume identifiers this object holds the next free volume ID. Initially this is set to 1, so that the SYS volume can be given ID 0 when it is added to the database, in case any applications make assumptions about SYS:

    ______________________________________
    CLASS   ha.sub.-- next.sub.-- volume
    SUPERCLASS ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- object.sub.-- header;
    PARENT     ha.sub.-- server;
    PROPERTY   NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.--
               FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICATED;
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.--
                  dummy.sub.-- key
    dummy.sub.-- key
    PROPERTY      NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.--
                  SIBLING.sub.-- KEY
    COMPARISON    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- dummy.sub.-- key.sub.-- compare
    VALIDATION    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- dummy.sub.-- key.sub.-- validate;
    ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id
                  next.sub.-- free.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id;
    }
    }
    ______________________________________


A file or directory name can be 12 (2-byte) characters long:

    ______________________________________
    CONSTANT    HA.sub.-- FILENAME.sub.-- MAX=24;
    DATATYPE    ha.sub.-- filename
                          STRING HA.sub.-- FILENAME.sub.-- MAX;
    ______________________________________


The ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id is a compound unique key embracing the file or directory ID that is allocated by the server, as well as the server-generated volume number. The latter is passed as a byte from class 87 NetWare Core Protocols from which it is read directly into vol (declared as a byte below). Elsewhere in the code the type ndr.sub.-- host.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id (a UINT16) is used for the same value.

    ______________________________________
    DATATYPE    ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id
    ULONG         file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir;
    ha.sub.-- volume.sub.-- id
                  vol;
    }
    ______________________________________


Files and directories have many shared attributes, the most important being the file name. This must be unique for any parent directory.

    __________________________________________________________________________
    CLASS
        ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir
    PARENT    ha.sub.-- directory;
    SUPERCLASS
              ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- object.sub.-- header;
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    ha.sub.-- filename filename
    PROPERTY           NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- SIBLING.su
                       b.-- KEY .linevert split.
                       NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- IS.sub.--
                       DOS.sub.-- FILENAME;
    ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id
                       id
    PROPERTY           NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- GLOBAL.sub
                       .-- KEY .linevert split.
                       NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICAT
                       ED
    GROUP              file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id.sub.-- group;
    ULONG              attributes;
    SHORT              creation.sub.-- date;
    SHORT              creation.sub.-- time;
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id
                       creation.sub.-- id;
    SHORT              access.sub.-- date;
    SHORT              archive.sub.-- date;
    SHORT              archive.sub.-- time;
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id
                       archive.sub.-- id;
    }
    }
    __________________________________________________________________________


A file has some additional attributes not present in a directory, and may contain a contents fork which can be accessed via a file distributor 90 (FIG. 3):

    __________________________________________________________________________
    CLASS ha.sub.-- file
    SUPERCLASS
             ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir;
    PROPERTY NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- DEFINE.sub.--
             REPLICAS .linevert split.
             NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.--
             PARTIALLY.sub.-- REPLICATED.sub.-- FILE .linevert split.
             NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.--
             FILE.sub.-- PATH.sub.-- NAME .linevert split.
             NRD.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- PARENT.sub.--
             HAS.sub.-- RSC;
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    BYTE            execute.sub.-- type;
    SHORT           update.sub.-- date
    property        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICATED;
                    N
    SHORT           update.sub.-- time
    property        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICATED;
                    O
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id
                    update.sub.-- id
    property        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICATED;
                    N
    ULONG           length
    property        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- UNREPLICATED;
                    O
    }
    }
    __________________________________________________________________________


A directory does not possess a contents fork for file distributor 90 access. The access rights mask is inherited and should be managed by like access control lists ("ACLs"):

    __________________________________________________________________________
    CLASS ha.sub.-- directory
    SUPERCLASS
             ha.sub.-- file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir;
    PROPERTY NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- DEFINE.sub.--
             REPLICAS .linevert split.
             NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.--
             FILE.sub.-- PATH.sub.-- NAME .linevert split.
             NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.-- RSC;
             //replication support count
    ATTRIBUTE
    {
    BYTE            access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- mask;
    SHORT           update.sub.-- date;
    SHORT           update.sub.-- time;
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id
                    update.sub.-- id;
    SHORT           rsc
    PROPERTY        NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- IS.sub.--
                    RSC .linevert split.
                    NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- ATTR.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- REPLICATED;
    }
    }
    __________________________________________________________________________


The root directory must appear at the top of the hierarchy below the volume. Its name is not used; the volume name is used instead. This is the top of the replication hierarchy and therefore is the top level RSC in this hierarchy:

    ______________________________________
    CLASS       ha.sub.-- root.sub.-- directory
    SUPERCLASS  ha.sub.-- directory;
    PARENT      ha.sub.-- volume;
    PROPERTY    NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- DEFINE.sub.--
                REPLICAS .linevert split.
                NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.--
                RSC;
    }
    ______________________________________


In one embodiment, schemas such as the schema 84 are defined in a source code format and then compiled to generate C language header files and tables. The named source file is read as a stream of lexical tokens and parsed using a recursive descent parser for a simple LL(1) syntax. Parsing an INCLUDE statement causes the included file to be read at that point. Once a full parse tree has been built (using binary nodes), the tree is walked to check for naming completeness. The tree is next walked in three passes to generate C header (.H) files for each included schema file. The header generation passes also compute information (sizes, offsets, and so forth) about the schema which is stored in Id nodes in the tree. Finally, the complete tree is walked in multiple passes to generate the schema table C source file, which is then ready for compiling and linking into an agent's executable program.

Each disconnectable computer 40 also includes a replica manager 46 which initiates and tracks location-specific updates as necessary in response to database manager 42 requests. The replica manager is discussed in detail in connection with later Figures.

A file system interface 48 on each computer 40 mediates between the replica manager 46 and a storage device and controller 54. Suitable file system interfaces 48 include well-known interfaces 48 such as the File Allocation Table ("FAT") interfaces of various versions of the MS-DOS.RTM. operating system (MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation), the XENIX.RTM. file system (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation), the various NOVELL file systems (trademark of Novell, Inc.), the various UNIX file systems (trademark of Santa Cruz Operations), the PCIX file system, the High Performance File System ("HPFS") used by the OS/2 operating system (OS/2 is a mark of International Business Machines Corporation), and other conventional file systems.

Suitable storage devices and respective controllers 54 include devices and controllers for the media disclosed above in connection with the storage medium 34 (FIG. 1) and other conventional devices and controllers, including non-volatile storage devices. It is understood, however, that the database replicas 56 stored on these media are not necessarily conventional even though the associated devices and controllers 54 may themselves be known in the art.

Each computer 40 also has a network link manager 50 that is capable of establishing a network connection 52 with another disconnectable computer 40. Suitable network link managers 50 include those capable of providing remote procedure calls or an equivalent communications and control capability. One embodiment utilizes "DataTalk" remote procedure call software with extended NetWare Core Protocol calls and provides functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    rpc.sub.-- init( )
                    Initialize RPC subsystem
    rpc.sub.-- shutdown( )
                    Shutdown RPC subsystem
    rpc.sub.-- execute( )
                    Execute request at single
                    location
    rpc.sub.-- ping( )
                    Ping a location (testing)
    rpc.sub.-- claim.sub.-- .sub.-- next.sub.-- execute( )
                    Wait until the next rpc.sub.-- execute( )
                    is guaranteed to be used by this
                    thread
    rpc.sub.-- free.sub.-- next.sub.-- execute( )
                    Allow others to use rpc.sub.-- execute(
    ______________________________________
                    )


Those of skill in the art will appreciate that other remote procedure call mechanisms may also be employed according to the present invention. Suitable network connections 52 may be established using packet-based, serial, internet-compatible, local area, metropolitan area, wide area, and wireless network transmission systems and methods.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of the replica manager 46 of the present invention. A replica distributor 70 insulates the database manager 42 from the complexities caused by having database entries stored in replicas 56 on multiple computers 40 while still allowing the database manager 42 to efficiently access and manipulate individual database objects, variables, and/or records. A replica processor 72 maintains information about the location and status of each replica 56 and ensures that the replicas 56 tend to converge.

A consistency distributor 74 and a consistency processor 76 cooperate to maintain convergent and transactional consistency of the database replicas 56. The major processes used include an update process which determines how transaction updates are applied, an asynchronous synchronization process that asynchronously synchronizes other locations in a location set, a synchronous synchronization process that synchronously forces two locations into sync with each other, an optional concurrency process that controls distributed locking, and a merge process that adds new locations to a location set. In one embodiment, processes for synchronization and merging are implemented using background software processes with threads or similar means. The concurrency process may be replaced by a combination of retries and clash handling to reduce implementation cost and complexity.

Each location is identified by a unique location identifier. A "location sync group" is the group of all locations that a specific location synchronizes with. The location sync group for a database replica 56 on a client 20 is the client and the server 16 or other computer 28 that holds a master replica 56; the computer 28 holding the master replica 56 is the "storage location" of the target database. The location sync group for the computer 28 that holds the master replica 56 is all computers 28 connectable to the network that hold a replica 56. A "location set" is a set of presently connected locations in a location sync group. Locations in an "active location set" have substantially converged, while those in a "merge location set" are currently being merged into the active location set. Objects are read at a "reference location" and updated at an "update location," both of which are local when possible for performance reasons. To support concurrency control, objects require a "lock location" where they are locked for read or update; the local location is the same for all processes in a given location set.

According to one update process of the present invention, the updates for a single transaction are all executed at one update location. Each group of updates associated with a single transaction have a processor transaction identifier ("PTID") containing the location identifier of the update location and a transaction sequence number. The transaction sequence number is preferably monotonically consecutively increasing for all completed transactions at a given location, even across computer 28 restarts, so that other locations receiving updates can detect missed updates.

The PTID is included in update details written to an update log by an object processor 86. An update log (sometimes called an "update stream") is a chronological record of operations on the database replica 56. Although it may be prudent to keep a copy of an update log on a non-volatile storage device, this is not required. The operations will vary according to the nature of the database, but typical operations include adding objects, removing objects, modifying the values associated with an object attribute, modifying the attributes associated with an object, and moving objects relative to one another.

The PTID is also included as an attribute of each target database object to reflect the latest modification of the object. In one embodiment, the PTID is also used to create a unique (within the target database) unique object identifier ("UOID") when a target database object is first created.

A target database object may contain attributes that can be independently updated. For instance, one user may set an archive attribute on a file while a second user independently renames the file. In such situations, an object schema 84 may define attribute groups. A separate PTID is maintained in the object for each attribute group, thereby allowing independent updates affecting different attribute groups of an object to be automatically merged without the updates being treated as a clash.

The consistency distributor 74 gathers all of the updates for a single transaction and sends them, at close transaction time, to the update location for the transaction. The consistency processor 76 on the update location writes the updates to a transaction logger 88. In one embodiment, the transaction logger 88 buffers the updates in memory (e.g. RAM). If the update location is not local then the updates are committed to the transaction log and the PTID for the transaction is returned, so that the same updates can be buffered locally; this allows all updates to be applied in order locally. In this manner the transaction updates are applied to the update location.

An objective of one asynchronous synchronization process of the present invention is to keep the rest of the locations in the location set in sync without unacceptable impact on foreground software process performance. This is achieved by minimizing network transfers.

A process of the consistency processor 76 (such as a background software process) either periodically or on demand requests the transaction logger 88 to force write all pending transactions to the log and (eventually) to the target database. The consistency processor 76 also causes the batch of updates executed at an update location to be transmitted to all other locations in the current location set as a "SyncUpdate" request. These updates are force written to the log before they are transmitted to other locations, thereby avoiding use of the same transaction sequence number for different transactions in the event of a crash.

The SyncUpdate requests are received by other locations in the same location set and applied to their in-memory transaction logs by their respective consistency processors 76. Each consistency processor 76 only applies SyncUpdate transactions which have sequence numbers that correspond to the next sequence number for the specified location.

The consistency processor 76 can determine if it has missed updates or received them out of order by examining the PTID. If updates are missed, the PTID of the last transaction properly received is sent to the consistency distributor 74 that sent out the updates, which then arranges to send the missing updates to whichever consistency processors 76 need them.

Acknowledged requests using threads or a similar mechanism can be used in place of unacknowledged requests sent by non-central locations. Non-central locations (those not holding a master replica 56) only need to synchronize with one location and thus only require a small number of threads. To promote scalability, however, central locations preferably use unacknowledged broadcasts to efficiently transmit their SyncUpdate requests.

The asynchronous synchronization process causes SyncUpdate requests to be batched to minimize network transfers. However, the cost paid is timeliness. Accordingly, a synchronous synchronization process according to the present invention may be utilized to selectively speed up synchronization. The synchronous synchronization process provides a SyncUptoPTID request and response mechanism.

In one embodiment, the SyncUptoPTID mechanism utilizes a SyncState structure which is maintained as part of a location state structure or location list that is managed by a location state processor 80 in the memory of each computer 28. The SyncState structure for a given location contains a location identifier and corresponding transaction sequence number for the most recent successful transaction applied from that location. The SyncState structure is initialized from the update log at startup time and updated in memory as new transactions are applied.

A SyncUptoPTID request asks a destination to bring itself up to date with a source location according to a PTID. The destination sends a copy of the SyncState structure for the source location to that source location. The source location then sends SyncUpdate requests to the destination location, as previously described, up to an including the request with the PTID that was specified in the SyncUptoPTID request. In a preferred embodiment, the central server is a NetWare server and the SyncUptoPTID requirements are approximately 100 bytes per location, so scalability is not a significant problem for most systems.

A merge process according to the present invention includes merging location sets when disconnected disconnectable computers are first connected or reconnected. For instance, merging location sets normally occurs when a computer new to the network starts up and merges into an existing location set. Merging can also happen when two sets of computers become connected, such as when a router starts.

Merging occurs when two replicas 56 are resynchronized after the computers 28 on which the replicas 56 reside are reconnected following a period of disconnection. Either or both of the computers 28 may have been shut down during the disconnection. A set of updates are "merged atomically" if they are merged transactionally on an all-or-nothing basis. A distributed database is "centrally synchronized" if one computer 28, sometimes denoted the "central server," carries a "master replica" with which all merges are performed.

Portions of the master replica or portions of another replica 56 may be "shadowed" during a merge. A shadow replica, sometimes called a "shadow database", is a temporary copy of at least a portion of the database. The shadow database is used as a workspace until it can be determined whether changes made in the workspace are consistent and thus can all be made in the shadowed replica, or are inconsistent and so must all be discarded. The shadow database uses an "orthogonal name space." That is, names used in the shadow database follow a naming convention which guarantees that they will never be confused with names in the shadowed database.

A "state-based" approach to merging compares the final state of two replicas 56 and modifies one or both replicas 56 to make corresponding values equal. A "log-based" or "transaction-based" approach to merging incrementally applies successive updates made on a first computer 28 to the replica 56 stored on a second computer 28, and then repeats the process with the first computer's replica 56 and the second computer's update log. A hybrid approach uses state comparison to generate an update stream that is then applied incrementally. The present invention preferably utilizes transaction-based merging rather than state-based or hybrid merging.

As an illustration, consider the process of merging a single new location A with a location set containing locations B and C. In one embodiment, the following performance goals are satisfied:

(a) Use of locations B and C is not substantially interrupted by synchronization of the out-of-date location A with B and C; and

(b) Users connected to location A (possibly including multiple users if location B is a gateway) are able to see the contents of the other locations in the set within a reasonable period of time.

Merging typically occurs in three phases. During a "merging out" phase location A sends newer updates to location B. For instance, if A's location list contains PTID 50:14 (location identifier:transaction sequence number) and B's location list contains PTID 50:10, then the newer updates sent would correspond to PTID values 50:11 through 50:14.

During a "merging in" phase new updates in the merge location B are merged into A's location. For instance, suppose A's location list contains PTIDs 100:12 and 150:13 and B's location list contains PTIDs 100:18 and 150:13. Then the new updates would correspond to PTID values 100:13 through 100:18. If updates are in progress when merging is attempted, the initial attempt to merge will not fully succeed, and additional iterations of the merging in and merging out steps are performed.

In one embodiment, merging does not include file contents synchronization. Instead file contents are merged later, either by a background process or on demand triggered by file access. This reduces the time required for merging and promotes satisfaction of the two performance goals identified above. In embodiments tailored to "slow" links, merging is preferably on-going to take advantage of whatever bandwidth is available without substantially degrading the perceived performance of other processes running on the disconnectable computers.

In embodiments employing an update log, the log is preferably compressed prior to merging. Compression reduces the number of operations stored in the log. Compression may involve removing updates from the log, altering the parameters associated with an operation in a given update, and/or changing the order in which updates are stored in the log.

In one embodiment, all Object Database calls come through the consistency distributor 74, which manages distributed transaction processing and maintains consistency between locations. Almost all calls from a location distributor 78 are made via the consistency distributor 74 because the consistency distributor 74 supports a consistent view of the locations and the database replicas 56 on them.

The consistency distributor 74 and an object distributor 82 support multiple concurrent transactions. This is needed internally to allow background threads to be concurrently executing synchronization updates. It could also be used to support multiple concurrent gateway users. In an alternative embodiment, multiple concurrent transactions on the same session is supported through the consistency distributor 74.

In one embodiment, the consistency distributor 74 and the consistency processor 76 are implemented in the C programming language as a set of files which provide the functionality described here. Files CD.H and CD.C implement part of the consistency distributor 74. A separate module having files CD.sub.-- BG.H and CD.sub.-- BG.C is responsible for background processes associated with merging and synchronization. A module having files CDI.H and CDI.C contains functions used by both the CD and CD.sub.-- BG modules. These modules provide functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    cd.sub.-- init   Init CD
    cd.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shutdown CD
    cd.sub.-- create.sub.-- replica
                     Create a replica of a specified
                     database
    cd.sub.-- remove.sub.-- replica
                     Remove a replica of a specified
                     database
    cd.sub.-- load.sub.-- db
                     Load an existing database
    cd.sub.-- unload.sub.-- db
                     Unload an existing database
    cd.sub.-- merge.sub.-- start
                     Start merge of active and merge
                     location sets
    cd.sub.-- merge.sub.-- stop
                     Stop merge
    cd.sub.-- start.sub.-- txn
                     Start a CD transaction
    cd.sub.-- set.sub.-- txn.sub.-- ref.sub.-- loc
                     Set reference/update lid
                     (location identifier) for txn
                     (transaction)
    cd.sub.-- get.sub.-- txn.sub.-- desc
                     Get a txn descriptor given a txn
                     id
    cd.sub.-- abort.sub.-- txn
                     Abort a CD transaction
    cd.sub.-- end.sub.-- txn
                     End a CD transaction
    cd.sub.-- commit Commit all previously closed txns
                     to disk
    cd.sub.-- execute.sub.-- txn
                     Execute locks and updates for a
                     txn
    cd.sub.-- read   Do read or lookup request
    cd.sub.-- readn  Do readn
    cd.sub.-- lookup.sub.-- by.sub.-- uoid
                     Do lookup using UOID
    cd.sub.-- add.sub.-- lock
                     Add an object or agent lock
    cd.sub.-- remove.sub.-- lock
                     Remove an object or agent lock
    cd.sub.-- modify.sub.-- attribute
                     Modify a single attribute in a
                     previously read object
    cd.sub.-- init.sub.-- new.sub.-- doid
                     Setup all fields in a new doid
    cd.sub.-- add    Add a new object
    cd.sub.-- remove Remove an object
    cd.sub.-- move   Move an object
    cd.sub.-- set.sub.-- marker
                     Add marker point to txn
    cd.sub.-- revert.sub.-- to.sub.-- marker
                     Revert txn state to last marker
    cd.sub.-- get.sub.-- effective.sub.-- access.sub.-- right
                     Get the effective access rights
                     for the current session and
                     object
    cd.sub.-- convert.sub.-- uoid2doid
                     Convert UOID to DOID
    cd.sub.-- sync.sub.-- object
                     Get the server to send a newly
                     replicated object
    cd.sub.-- bg.sub.-- init
                     Initialize CD background
                     processes
    cd.sub.-- bg.sub.-- merge
                     Execute a background merge
    cd.sub.-- bg.sub.-- sync.sub.-- remote.sub.-- upto.sub.-- ptid
                     Bring remote location up to date
                     with local PTID
    cdi.sub.-- init
    cdi.sub.-- shutdown
    cdi.sub.-- execute.sub.-- ack.sub.-- sys
                     Execute acknowledged request
                     using system session
    cdi.sub.-- execute.sub.-- ack
                     Execute acknowledged request
    cdi.sub.-- apply.sub.-- locks
                     Apply locks for txn
    cdi.sub.-- abort.sub.-- prc.sub.-- txn
                     Remove all locks already set for
                     a txn
    //Forced update location (used to change update location
    when executing clash handler functions)
    cdi.sub.-- register.sub.-- forced.sub.-- update.sub.-- location
                     Register location to be used as
                     update location for thread
    cdi.sub.-- unregister.sub.-- forced.sub.-- update.sub.-- location
                   Unregister location to be used as
                   update location for thread
    cdi.sub.-- get.sub.-- forced.sub.-- update.sub.-- location
                   Get forced update location for
                   thread
    cdi.sub.-- sync.sub.-- upto.sub.-- ptid
                     Bring location up to date with
                     PTID
    cdi.sub.-- sync.sub.-- upto.sub.-- now
                     Bring location up to date with
                     latest PTID
    cdi.sub.-- sync.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Make my location list consistent
                     with destination location list
                     and return info on mismatch of
                     PTIDs
    cdi.sub.-- read.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Read location list
    cdi.sub.-- sync.sub.-- upto.sub.-- dtid
                     Bring location up to date with
                     DTID
    ______________________________________


Since updates are cached during a transaction, special handling of reads performed when updates are cached is required. In one embodiment, the caller of cd.sub.-- read() or cd.sub.-- readn() sees the results of all updates previously executed in the transaction. In an alternative embodiment, for cd.sub.-- read() reads will see all previously added objects and will see the modified attributes of objects, but will not see the effects of moves or removes. Thus if an object is removed during a transaction the read will behave as if it has not been removed. The same is true for moved objects. Modifications to keys will have no effect on reads using the keys. The cd.sub.-- readn() function behaves as if none of the updates in the current transaction have been applied.

In one embodiment, the consistency processor 76, which processes all distributed object database requests, includes background processes that manage object database updates on local locations and synchronization of locations. Within this embodiment, a CP module contains a dispatcher for all requests which call functions that have a prefix of "cpXX.sub.-- "; a CPR module processes read requests; a CPU module processes update and lock requests; a CPSM module processes synchronization and merging requests; a CP.sub.-- BG module controls background processing which includes scheduling multiple background threads, controlling the state of all local locations and synchronization of local locations with local and remote locations; and a CPUI module provides functions that are shared by the CP.sub.-- BG and CPx modules. These modules provide functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    cp.sub.-- init   Includes performing mounting of
                     local locations and recovery of
                     TL (transaction logger 88) and OP
                     (object processor 86)
    cp.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shutdown CP
    cp.sub.-- process
                     Process a consistency request
    cp.sub.-- clear.sub.-- stats
                     Reset CP statistics
    cp.sub.-- dump.sub.-- stats
                     Dump CP statistics to the log
    cpr.sub.-- process.sub.-- read
                     Process OP read or lookup request
    cpr.sub.-- process.sub.-- readn
                     Process readn request
    cpu.sub.-- register.sub.-- dtid
                     Register use of a DTID at a
                     reference location
    cpu.sub.-- execute.sub.-- txn
                     Execute single txn at reference
                     location
    cpu.sub.-- commit
                     Commit all txns for session
    cpu.sub.-- add.sub.-- locks
                     Add list of locks
    cpu.sub.-- remove.sub.-- locks
                     Remove list of locks
    cpu.sub.-- abort.sub.-- prc.sub.-- txn
                     Remove object locks for specified
                     transaction
    cpsm.sub.-- sync.sub.-- upto.sub.-- ptid
                     Bring remote locations up to date
                     as far as given PTID
    cpsm.sub.-- get.sub.-- latest.sub.-- ptid
                     Obtain the latest PTID
    cpsm.sub.-- get.sub.-- sync.sub.-- object
                     Remote machine wants to sync a
                     newly replicated object
    cpsm.sub.-- sync.sub.-- object
                     Add a newly replicated object to
                     the local database
    cpsm.sub.-- get.sub.-- sync.sub.-- update
                     Get a local sync.sub.-- update
    cpsm.sub.-- sync.sub.-- update
                     Apply multiple update txns to
                     location
    cpsm.sub.-- read.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Read list of locations and states
    cpsm.sub.-- sync.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Sync location list
    cpsm.sub.-- merge.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Attempt to merge my location list
                     with other location list
    cpsm.sub.-- sync.sub.-- finished
                     Remote machine is notifying us
                     that a sync.sub.-- upto.sub.-- ptid has
                     completed
    cpsm.sub.-- request.sub.-- merge
                     Request a merge of this location
                     with the central server
    cpui.sub.-- init Initialize internal structures
    cpui.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shutdown CPUI subsystem
    cpui.sub.-- execute.sub.-- txn
                     Execute update txn at a local
                     location
    cpui.sub.-- apply.sub.-- update.sub.-- list.sub.-- to.sub.-- db
                   Apply an update list to an OP
                   database
    cpui.sub.-- commit
                     Commit all txns at location
    cpui.sub.-- flush
                     Flush all txns to object database
                     at location
    cpui.sub.-- replay.sub.-- logged.sub.-- transactions
                   Replay transactions from the log
                   that have not been committed to
                   OP
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- init
                     Initialize CP.sub.-- BG subsystem
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shutdown CP.sub.-- BG subsystem
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- handle.sub.-- distributed.sub.-- request
                   Handle a request that requires
                   remote communication
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- notify.sub.-- close.sub.-- txn
                     Notify CP.sub.-- BG of a closed
                     transaction
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- notify.sub.-- commit
                     Notify CP.sub.-- BG that all txns are
                     committed at a location
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- attempt.sub.-- send.sub.-- flush
                     Attempt to send out and flush
                     txns
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- notify.sub.-- load
                     Notify CP.sub.-- BG of a newly loaded DB
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- notify.sub.-- unload
                     Notify CP.sub.-- BG of a newly unloaded
                     DB
    cp.sub.-- bg.sub.-- flush.sub.-- upto.sub.-- ptid
                     Force all transactions upto the
                     specified ptid to the migrated
                     state
    ______________________________________


The location distributor 78 in each replica manager 46 and the location state processor 80 are used to determine the storage locations of database entries. In one embodiment, the location state processor 80 uses a cache of the current state of locations and maintains state information on the merging process. The location state processor 80 is responsible for processing remote requests which pertain to the location list.

All locations that are up at any time within a sync group are in either the ACTIVE or MERGE location sets. The ACTIVE location set contains all locations that are in sync with the local location up to certain sync watermarks. The MERGE location set contains all nodes that are not in sync with the local location, either through not having updates the active set does have, or through having updates the active set does not have.

Locations in the MERGE set enter the ACTIVE set through the two-way merging process described above, under control of the consistency distributor 74 and the consistency processor 76. Once in the ACTIVE set, a location should never leave it until the location goes down.

Each location continuously sends out its local updates to other members of its active location set as part of the merging process. The PTID in a location's log that was last sent out in this manner is called the location's "low watermark" PTID. For a location to enter the active set it must have all PTIDS in its local log up to the low watermark PTID; only the merging process used to move a location from the MERGE to the ACTIVE location set is capable of propagating early transactions. Each location also maintains a "high watermark" PTID which is the last transaction (in local log order) that has been committed, and is thus a candidate for sending out in a background sync update.

The replica managers 46 track the last transaction sequence number made by every location up to the low watermark PTID in order to know whether a location is up to date with another location's low watermark. The log ordering may be different in different locations, up to an interleave.

One embodiment of the location state processor 80 provides functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    ls.sub.-- init   Initialize LS
    ls.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shutdown LS
    ls.sub.-- close.sub.-- db
                     Clear out all entries for a
                     database
    ls.sub.-- allocate.sub.-- new.sub.-- lid
                     Allocate a new location
                     identifier for use by a new
                     replica
    ls.sub.-- add    Add a new location
    ls.sub.-- remove Remove a location
    ls.sub.-- modify.sub.-- local.sub.-- tid
                     Modify a location entry's local
                     transaction identifier (sequence
                     number)
    ls.sub.-- modify.sub.-- state
                     Modify a location entry's state
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Get list of locations
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- loc.sub.-- sync.sub.-- list
                     Get list of locations for syncing
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- next.sub.-- loc
                     Get next location
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- first.sub.-- in.sub.-- loc.sub.-- list
                     Get first location in list that
                     is in current location set
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- loc.sub.-- entry
                     Get location entry given lid
                     (location identifier)
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- first.sub.-- ref.sub.-- loc
                     Get nearest reference location in
                     provided list
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- first.sub.-- ref.sub.-- loc.sub.-- in.sub.--
                     Get first reference location in
                     provided list
    ls.sub.-- get.sub.-- lock.sub.-- loc
                     Get lock location for location
                     set
    ls.sub.-- higher.sub.-- priority
                     Determine which location has
                     highest priority
    ls.sub.-- complete.sub.-- merge
                     Complete the merge process
    ls.sub.-- set.sub.-- sync.sub.-- watermarks
                     Set the high and low watermark
                     PTIDS used in syncing and merging
    ______________________________________


The object distributor 82 manages ACLs and otherwise manages access to objects in the database. In one embodiment, the object distributor 82 provides functionality according to this interface:

    ______________________________________
    typedef void* ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle;
                         //open database handle
    //lint -strong(AJX, ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id)
    //object distributor transaction instance identifier
    typedef void* ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id;
    #define NDR.sub.-- OD.sub.-- INVALID.sub.-- TXN.sub.-- ID
                         (ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id)0
    typedef struct //Txn info returned by NdrOdGetTxnInfo
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db;      /* database */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                    session; /* session */
    }   ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- info;
    //Start a new clash txn for this session
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdStartClashTxn (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                   db.sub.-- handle,
    /* --> Handle to the open DB */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                   session,  /* --> session */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                   *txn.sub.-- id);
                             /* <-- txn.sub.-- id */
    //Find out what databases are available
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdEnumerateDBs (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- enum.sub.-- flags
                         flags,
    /* -->Determines which databases are included in search */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- name
                         search.sub.-- name,
    /* --> The database name (may be wild)
                         */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- name
                         search.sub.-- type,
    /* --> The database type (may be wild)
                         */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- database id.sub.-- type
                         search.sub.-- id,
    /* --> The database id (may be wild) */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- name
                         name,
    /* <-- The database name */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- name
                         type,
    /* <-- The database type */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- database.sub.-- id.sub.-- type
                         *id,
    /* <-- The database id */
    UINT16               *index);
    /* <--> Set to 0 to start else use
    previous returned value */
    //Start a new txn for this session
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdStartTxn (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                         db.sub.-- handle,
    /* --> Handle to the open DB */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                         session,
    /* --> session */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                         *txn.sub.-- id);
    /* <-- txn id */
    ______________________________________


The interface includes NdrOdCloseTxn(), which closes updates for the current transaction and causes all updates since the last NdrOdStartTxn() call to be applied. Either all updates will be applied, or none will be applied. NdrOdCloseTxn() does not commit the updates, that is, they are not written to disk. NdrOdCommit() is used to commit closed updates to disk. However, after calling NdrOdCloseTxn(), no further updates may be applied in the transaction. This function is also where all the locking and updates previously cached actually get done. Consequently, most locking and/or consistency errors are reported here (after synchronization) so that the transaction can be retried:

    ______________________________________
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdCloseTxn(ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                      txn.sub.-- id);
                                /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ______________________________________


The NdrOdEndTxn() function ends the current transaction and executes an implicit NdrOdCloseTxn(). No error is returned if no transaction is currently open:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdEndTxn(ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> txn id */
    The NdrOdCommit function commits all previously closed
    transactions for the session to disk:
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdCo.linevert split.it(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,     /* --> DB to commit */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                    session);
                            /* --> session */
    The interface also includes the following functions:
    //Abort current txn
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdAbortTxn(ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                     txn.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    //Get info on current txn
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdGetTxnInfo(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- info*
                    txn.sub.-- info);
                            /* <-- txn.sub.-- info */
    //Lookup an object using parent Distributed Object Identifier
    //(DOID; encodes location info to assist in sending distributor
    //requests to the right machine; includes UOID) & sibling key
    or
    //using global key; the key value MUST be a contiguous
    structure.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdLookupByKey(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of superclass to match */
    /* Acts as filter when key contains wildcard. */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    parent.sub.-- doid,
                            /* --> Parent DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- attribute
                    key.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Type of unique key */
    UINT16          key.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Length, in bytes, of the key value */
    VOID*           key,    /* --> Key value */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class* doid);
    /* <-- Pointer to returned DOID of object */
    //Lookup an object using DOID
    //This checks the existence of the object and updates its DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdLookup(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    new.sub.-- doid);
    /* <-- Updated DOID of object */
    //Lookup an object's parent using DOID.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdLookupParent(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    parent.sub.-- doid);
    /* <-- Parent DOID of object */
    //Read an object using parent DOID and sibling key or using
    //global key. It's always OK to read an object with an out of
    //date parent.sub.-- doid as the parent's lid is not used to get the
    //reference location. The key value MUST be a contiguous
    //structure.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdReadByKey(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of superclass to match */
    /* and superclass structure to be returned */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    parent.sub.-- doid,
                            /* --> Parent DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- attribute
                    key.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Type of unique key */
    UINT16          key.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Length, in bytes, of the key value */
    VOID*           key,    /* --> Key value */
    UINT16          max.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Max length of data read */
    UINT16*         length,
    /* <-- Final length of data read */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- object*
                    object);
    /* --> Pointer to object buffer */
    //Read an object using DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdRead(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of superclass to match */
    /* and superclass structure to be returned */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> DOID */
    UINT16          max.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Max length of data read */
    UINT16*         length,
    /* <-- Final length of data read */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- object*
                    object);
    /* --> Pointer to object buffer */
    __________________________________________________________________________


An NdrodReadn() function which reads multiple objects using parent DOID and wildcards behaves as if none of the updates in the transaction have been applied. Interpretation of wildcard values in the key is done by registered keying functions. NdrOdReadn() reads either up to max.sub.-- objects, or up to the maximum number of objects that will fit in the max.sub.-- length object buffer:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdReadn(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of superclass to match
    and superclass structure to be returned */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    read.sub.-- as.sub.-- class,
    /* --> Class id. target objects are to be read as */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    parent.sub.-- doid
                            /* --> Parent Doid */
    ndr.sub.-- os attribute
                    key.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Type of unique key */
    UINT16          key.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Length, in bytes, of the key value */
    VOID*           key,
    /* --> Key value to match, can contain wildcard.
    NULL implies match all objects under parent containing
    the key id */
    UINT16          max.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Max length of data read */
    UINT16*         length,
    /* <-- Final length of data read */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- object.sub.-- list*
                    object.sub.-- list,
    /* --> Pointer to object buffer */
    UINT16          max.sub.-- objects,
    /* --> Max number of objects read. Use OD.sub.-- MAX.sub.-- OBJECTS to
    read max that will fit in buffer */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- context.sub.-- type*
                    context);
    /* < > --> set to DODB.sub.-- CONTEXT.sub.-- START to start a new read,
    or a previously returned context to continue a previous
    read. <-- set to DODB.sub.-- CONTEXT.sub.-- END if all objects read,
    or a value that can be used to continue reading at the
    next object */
    #define NDR.sub.-- OD.sub.-- MAX.sub.-- OBJECTS
                            0xFFFF
    __________________________________________________________________________


The NdrOdLock() function explicitly adds an exclusive or shared lock to an object using the object's DOID. The lock call is called implicitly for all updates, but should be called explicitly if read locks are required. The lock is only taken when the transaction is initially executed. It is not executed when the update is merged. The lock is applied at the end of a transaction. If it fails the transaction is aborted and should be re-tried by the caller. One embodiment does not utilize locks to control concurrency but instead relies on retries and clash handling:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdLock(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Objects's DOID */
    BOOLEAN         is.sub.-- exclusive);
    /* --> TRUE => take exclusive lock */
    The interface also includes:
    //Add agent defined lock to object
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdAddAgentLock(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Objects's DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- lock.sub.-- type
                    lock.sub.-- type,
    /* --> Type of lock */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- lock.sub.-- flags.sub.-- type
                    lock.sub.-- flags,
    /* --> Flags that allow multiple locks to be taken
    in single call. Each bit corresponds to a separate
    lock, e.g. used for read/write flags on file open */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- lock.sub.-- deny.sub.-- flags.sub.-- type
                    deny.sub.-- flags);
    /* --> Bits set that correspond to lock.sub.-- flags bits
    causes the corresponding lock to be denied */
    //Remove agent defined lock
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdRemoveAgentLock(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Objects's DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- lock.sub.-- type
                    lock.sub.-- type);
    /* --> Type of lock */
    __________________________________________________________________________


The following four calls are used to append various types of updates onto an open transaction. Any of them may return NDR.sub.-- OK indicating success, NDR.sub.-- CD.sub.-- EXCEEDED.sub.-- TXN.sub.-- LIMITS indicating that transaction limits have been exceeded, or some other error indicator. In the case of exceeded transaction limits the transaction state will not have been changed and the failed call will have had no effect. The caller is expected to commit or abort the transaction as appropriate. In all other error cases the transaction is automatically aborted before returning the error to the caller:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    //Modify a single attribute in a previously read object
    //The object distributor caches the modifications and only
    //applies them at close txn time
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdModifyAttribute(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,
    /* --> DOID of previous read version of object.
    Used to verify object has not been modified by another
    user since previously read */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- attribute
                    attribute.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Identifies attribute to be modified */
    VOID*           value); /* --> New attribute value */
    //Add a new object
    //The DOID attribute does not need to be filled in by the
    caller.
    //The DOID will be set up before writing the object to the
    //database.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdAdd(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    parent.sub.-- doid,
                            /* --> Parent DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id of object */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- object*
                    object);
    /* --> Pointer to agent object */
    //Remove an object using DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdRemove(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid);  /* --> DOID */
    //Move an object using DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdMove(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights.sub.-- needed.sub.-- on.sub.-- parent,
    /* --> rights needed on parent */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    target.sub.-- parent.sub.-- doid);
    /* --> Target parent DOID */
    //Set a marker in an open transaction. The state of the
    //transaction at the time the marker is set can be reverted
    //to at any time before the transaction is closed by
    //calling NdrOdRevertToMarker( ).
    //Only the last marker in a transaction is significant.
    //This call may return NDR.sub.-- CD.sub.-- EXCEEDED.sub.-- TXN.sub.--
    LIMITS which
    //should be treated as for the update appending calls above
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdSetMarker(ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    //Revert a txn's state to the last previously marked state
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdRevertToMarker (ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    //Add a <user-id, rights-mask> pair to an object's
    //access rights, overwriting any previous rights-mask for
    //that user
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdAddAccessRight(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- dboid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Object DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id.sub.-- type
                    user,
    /* --> User to whom rights are to be granted */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type
                    rights);
    /* --> Rights to be granted to that user */
    //Remove any <user-id, rights-mask> pair from an object's
    //access rights for a given user-id
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdRemoveAccessRight(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Object DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- auth.sub.-- id.sub.-- type
                    user);
    /* --> User whose rights are to be revoked */
    //Get the array of all <user-id, rights-mask> pairs for an
    object
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdGetAccessRights(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- dboid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Object DOID */
    UINT16*         acl.sub.-- count,
    /* <-- Number of ACL entries for that object */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- acl.sub.-- element.sub.-- type*
                    acl);
    /* <-- Rights information for that object */
    //Get the effective access rights for the current session
    //for an object
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    Ndr.sub.-- OdGetEffectiveAccessRight(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,   /* --> Object DOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- access.sub.-- rights.sub.-- type*
                    rights);
    /* <-- Effective rights for the current session */
    //Convert UOID to DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdConvertUoid2Doid(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of object */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid type*
                    uoid,   /* --> UOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid);  /* <-- Updated DOID */
    //Convert UOID to DOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrOdConvertUoid2LocalDoid(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class id. of object */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- lid.sub.-- type
                    location,
    /* --> Location on which object exists */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                    uoid,   /* --> UOID */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid);  /* <-- Updated DOID */
    __________________________________________________________________________


The object processor 86 provides a local hierarchical object-oriented database for objects whose syntax is defined in the object schema 84. In one embodiment, the object processor 86 is built as a layered structure providing functionality according to an interface in the structure which is described below. The embodiment also includes a module for object attribute semantics processing, a set of global secondary indexes, a hierarchy manager, a B-tree manager, a record manager, and a page manager. Suitable modules and managers are readily obtained or constructed by those familiar with database internals. A brief description of the various components follows.

The page manager provides functionality according to a logical file interface of free-form fixed length pages addressed by logical page number. Rollback and commit at this level provide anti-crash recovery.

The record manager provides for the packing of variable length keyed records into fixed length pages.

The B-tree manager uses the facilities of the record and page managers to provide general B-trees supporting variable length records and variable length keys.

The hierarchy manager imposes a hierarchical structure on records by use of structured B-tree keys and a global UOID.fwdarw.full name index.

The secondary index manager provides generalized global indexing capabilities to records.

The attribute manager interprets the schema 84 in order to raise the interface of the object processor 86 from a record-level to an object-level interface.

The interface module of the object processor 86 uses lower level interfaces to provide functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    op.sub.-- init   Initializes object processor
    op.sub.-- shutdown
                     Shuts down object processor
    op.sub.-- add.sub.-- database
                     Creates a new volume
    op.sub.-- mount.sub.-- database
                     Mounts a specified volume for use
    op.sub.-- dismount.sub.-- database
                     Dismounts the specified volume
    op.sub.-- remove.sub.-- database
                     Removes a specified volume
                     (permanently)
    op.sub.-- read   Read an object by UOID
    op.sub.-- readn  Read one or more objects with
                     wildcards
    op.sub.-- execute.sub.-- update.sub.-- list
                     Apply one or more updates
    op.sub.-- commit Commit updates to a specified
                     volume
    op.sub.-- rollback
                     Rollback to the last committed
                     state
    op.sub.-- free.sub.-- inversion.sub.-- list
                     Free up an inversion list
                     returned from update execution
    op.sub.-- clear.sub.-- stats
                     Clear object processor statistics
    op.sub.-- dump.sub.-- stats
                     Dump statistics to the log
    ______________________________________


Due to higher level requirements of trigger functions in a set of trigger function registrations 94, in one embodiment it is necessary to have the old values of modified attributes available on a selective basis. This is done by means of a `preservation list` produced by op.sub.-- execute.sub.-- updates(). The preservation list contains an update list specifying old attribute values for all executed updates that require it (as determined by a callback function), together with pointers to the original causative updates. These updates may not actually be present in the input update list, as in the case of an object removal that generates removes for any descendant objects it may have. Preservation lists reside in object processor 86 memory and must thus be freed up by the caller as soon as they are no longer needed.

The transaction logger 88 provides a generic transaction log subsystem. The logs maintained by the logger 88 provide keyed access to transaction updates keyed according to location identifier and processor transaction identifier (PTID). In one embodiment, a non-write-through cache is used to batch uncommitted transaction updates.

The transaction logger 88 is used by the consistency processor 76 to support fast recovery after a crash. Recovery causes the target database to be updated with any transactions that were committed to the log by the logger 88 but were not written to the target database. The log file header contains a "shutdown OK" flag which is used on startup to determine if recovery is required for the location.

The transaction logger 88 is also used by the consistency processor 76 to support fast synchronization. The update log created by the logger 88 is used to replay the updates from one location to a second location using minimal disk and network 10 transfers.

The file distributor 90 distributes file contents to appropriate locations in the network 10. A file processor 92 supports each file distributor 90 by carrying out requested read, write, lock, or other operations locally.

The file distributor 90 hides from agents the complexities caused by the distributed nature of files. To the extent possible, the interface portion of the file distributor 90 resembles file system interfaces that are familiar in the art. An open file is denoted by a numeric fork.sub.-- id and functions are provided to read, write, open, and otherwise manipulate and manage files and their contents.

However, a class in the schema 84 can be given a REPLICATED.sub.-- FILE property. Whenever an object of such a class is created in the database, a distributed file is created by the file distributor 90 and file processor 92 to hold the file contents associated with that object. For instance, the Hierarchy Agent might create such an object to denote a leaf node in the directory hierarchy. In short, in one embodiment the file distributor 90 neither has nor needs an explicit externally called mechanism for creating files.

Moreover, the distributed file is deleted from storage when the corresponding object is deleted from the database. The locations at which the file is stored are precisely those at which the object exists. When a file with more than one replica 56 is modified and closed, the file distributors 90 and file processors 92 at the various locations holding the replicas 56 ensure that all replicas 56 of the file receive the new contents. It is not necessary for the agent to expressly manage any aspect of file content distribution.

A distributed file is identified by the UOID of the corresponding object; no built-in hierarchical naming scheme is used. A transaction identifier is also required when opening a file, to identify the session for which the file is to be opened. In one embodiment, the file distributor 90 and file processor 92 provide functionality according to the following interface:

    ______________________________________
    //An ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id is the Id by which an FD open
    fork is known
    typedef SINT16 ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id;
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- NOT.sub.-- A.sub.-- FORK.sub.-- ID (-1)
    //An ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- open.sub.-- mode is a bit-mask which specifies
    whether a
    //fork is open for reading and/or writing
    typedef UINT16 ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- open.sub.-- mode;
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- READ.sub.-- MODE
                                  0x0001
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- WRITE.sub.-- MODE
                                  0x0002
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- EXCL.sub.-- MODE
                                  0x0004
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- EXTERNAL.sub.-- MODES
                                  0x0007
    //The remaining open modes are private to the replica managers
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- SYNC.sub.-- MODE
                                  0x0008
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- CLOSE.sub.-- ON.sub.-- EOF.sub.--
           MODE                   0x0010
    #define
           NDR.sub.-- FD.sub.-- OPEN.sub.-- READ.sub.-- NOW
                                  0x0020
    ______________________________________


In one alternative embodiment, opening a file with an NdrFdOpenFile() function returns pointers to two functions together with a separate fork.sub.-- id for use with these two functions only. These pointers are of the type ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- io.sub.-- function, and may be used as alternatives to NdrFdReadFile() and NdrFdWriteFile() when accessing that open file only. The functions should be at least as efficient as NdrFdReadFile() and NdrFdWriteFile() and will be significantly faster when the file access is to a local location. Their use does require that the caller maintain a mapping from the open fork id onto these function pointers. For this reason, NdrFdReadFile() and NdrFdWriteFile() should always be available for all open files in this alternative embodiment:

    ______________________________________
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT (*ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- io.sub.-- function)(
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                      fork.sub.-- id,
                               /* --> Id of open fork
    UINT32            offset,
    /* --> Offset at which to start reading */
    UINT16*           length,
    /* <--> desired length on entry, actual length on
    exit. These will only differ if an error
    is encountered (such as end of file) */
    UINT8*            data,
    /* <--> Data read or written */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                      txn.sub.-- id);
                              /* --> txn.sub.-- id
    ______________________________________


A "clash" occurs during synchronization when two desired changes to the database are inconsistent. Clashes arise from "independent" updates, namely, updates performed on separate replicas 56 while the computers holding the replicas 56 were disconnected. Thus, clashes always take place between a pair of "clashing updates" which together define a "clash condition." A "repairing update" is an update that removes a clash condition caused by a clashing update.

A "transient clash" is a clash that is not present in the final states of the two replicas 56 being merged. Transient clashes only arise when log-based or hybrid merging is used. For instance, suppose two users each create a file of a given name at two locations 36, 38 while those locations are disconnected. The user at the first location 36 then deletes (or renames or moves) the file in question before reconnection such that it no longer clashes with anything on the second location 38. On merging the replicas 56 of the two locations 36, 38, the original add update for the file from the first location 36 will clash with the replica 56 of the second location 38, yet the final result of applying the update stream from the first location 36 to the replica 56 on the second location 38 is a state that is compatible with that replica 56.

By contrast, "persistent clashes" create inconsistencies that are present in the final states of two replicas 56. A clash whose type is unknown is a "potential clash."

A "file contents clash" occurs when a file's contents have been independently modified on two computers 28, or when a file has been removed from one replica 56 and the file's contents have been independently modified on another replica 56.

An "incompatible manipulation clash" occurs when an object's attributes have been independently modified, when an object has been removed in one replica 56 and the object's attributes have been modified in another replica 56, when an object has been removed in one replica 56 and moved in the hierarchy in another replica 56, when a parent object such as a file directory has been removed in one replica 56 and has been given a child object in another replica 56, or when an object has been independently moved in different ways. Thus, although clashes are discussed here in connection with files and the file distributor 90, clashes are not limited to updates involving files.

A "unique key clash" occurs when two different objects are given the same key and both objects reside in a portion of the database in which that key should be unique. In a database representing a file system hierarchy, for instance, operations that add, move, or modify files or directories may create a file or directory in one replica 56 that clashes on reconnection with a different but identically-named file or directory in another replica 56.

A "permission clash" occurs when a change in file access or modification permissions that is made to a central server replica 56 would prohibit an independent update made to a mobile or client computer replica 56 from being applied to the server replica 56. A permission clash is an example of an "external clash," namely, a clash detected by reference to a structure external to the database. Permission clashes and other external clashes may be detected by trigger functions.

A "grouped attribute" is a database object attribute that is associated with other database object attributes such that changing the value of any attribute in a group creates a clash with the other attributes in the group. For instance, filename and rename-inhibit attributes are preferably grouped together, while filename and file-access-date attributes are preferably not grouped together. Without attribute grouping, a change to any attribute of an object is assumed to clash with a change to any other attribute of the object or another change to the same attribute.

"Eliminating a clash" means identifying the basis for the clash and eliminating it. "Recovering from a clash" means identifying the basis for the clash and either eliminating that basis or presenting alternative resolutions of the clash to a user to choose from. "Regressing an update" means undoing the update on at least one replica 56.

Creating a "recovery item" means moving an object into a recovery storage, creating a duplicate object in recovery storage, or adding a new object to recovery storage. In the case of duplicating an object, uses of the object's key may be remapped so that subsequent updates are performed on the recovery item instead of the original object. Suitable recovery storage means include directory hierarchies in a file system and container hierarchies in a directory services database. If the database represents a file system hierarchy, recovery items may be gathered in a "single directory hierarchy" or "recovery directory" that contains a directory at the root of the volume, recovered items, and copies of any directories necessary to connect the recovered items properly with the root.

A clash handler function of one of the types below can be registered with the file distributor 90 for a database type to be called whenever the file distributor 90 detects a clash caused by disconnected modification or removal of a file's contents. The parameters are those of a regular clash handler plus the object DOID with NDR.sub.-- OS.sub.-- CLASS.sub.-- FLAG.sub.-- HAS.sub.-- PARTIALLY.sub.-- REPLICATED.sub.-- FILE property (the file object defined by the object schema 84) and possibly a duplicated object return:

    ______________________________________
    //Call back to a husk in respect of clashes detected at the
    //database level
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT (*ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- object.sub.--
    clash.sub.-- fn) (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,       /* --> Database */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                    session,
    /* --> session to use in od.sub.-- start.sub.-- txn */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- clash.sub.-- info*
                    info,
    /* --> Information on clash */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                     old.sub.-- doid,
    /* --> DOID of file with clashing contents */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    new.sub.-- doid);
    /* <-- Doid of duplicated file */
    //Call back to the husk in respect of clashes detected at the
    //filesystem level
    //(via pre trigger functions)
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT (*ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- filesys.sub.--
    clash.sub.-- fn) (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,       /* --> Database */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                    session,
    /* --> session to use in od.sub.-- start.sub.-- txn */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- clash.sub.-- info*
                    info,
    /* --> Information on clash */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid);
    /* --> DOID of file with clashing contents */
    ______________________________________


A parameter block such as the following is passed to clash handling functions to provide them with information about the clash:

    ______________________________________
    typedef struct
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- ptid.sub.-- type*
                         ptid;
    /* --> PTID of clashing txn */
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- clash.sub.-- type
                         clash.sub.-- type;
    /* --> Clash type */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                         class.sub.-- id;
    /* --> Class id of object causing the clash */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- attribute
                         attr.sub.-- id;
    /* --> Attr id of object causing the clash */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- update.sub.-- list*
                         update.sub.-- list;
    /* --> Update list of transaction */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- update*
                         update;
    /* --> Update causing clash (always a pointer
    into `update.sub.-- list` */
    BOOLEAN              is.sub.-- higher.sub.-- priority;
    /* -->  Relative priority of location
            to which update is being applied.
            TRUE=> Applying to location with higher
            priority (e.g. to location set with
            central location) */
    void*                agent.sub.-- merge.sub.-- info;
    /* -->  Value which is reserved for (arbitrary)
            use by agent clash handlers. It is
            guaranteed to be set to NULL on the
            first clash of a merge, and preserved
            for all subsequent clashes within that
            merge */
    } ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- clash info;
    ______________________________________


A close handler function of type ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- close.sub.-- fn can be registered with the file distributor 90 for a database type to be called whenever the file distributor 90 closes a modified local copy of the file contents, passing the new length and modification date/time and user identifier:

    ______________________________________
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT (*ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- close.sub.-- fn) (
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,       /* --> Database */
    ndr.sub.-- do.sub.-- db.sub.-- session.sub.-- type
                    session,
    /* --> session to use in od.sub.-- start.sub.-- txn */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                    uoid,     /* --> UOID */
    UINT32          length,
    /* --> length of closed file */
    UINT16          time,
    /* --> modification time */
    UINT16          date,
    /* --> modification date */
    UINT32          updator);
    /* --> modification user */
    ______________________________________


A creation handler function of type ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- creation.sub.-- fn can be registered with the file distributor 90 for a database type to be called whenever the file distributor 90 creates a local copy of the file contents. This allows the replica manager 46 on a central server computer 28 to update the master copy of the file to reflect the attributes of the file created while disconnected:

    ______________________________________
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT (*ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- creation.sub.--
    fn)(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                      txn.sub.-- id,
                              /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                      class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                      uoid);  /* --> UOID of file */
    ______________________________________


The file distributor 90 embodiment also provides the following:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    //Return aggregated information about all volumes
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdVolumeInfo(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id
    UINT32          cluster size,
    /* <-- Number of bytes per cluster */
    UINT16*         total.sub.-- clusters,
    /* <-- Total number of clusters */
    UINT16*         free.sub.-- clusters);
    /* <-- Number of free clusters */
    //Add a file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdAddFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- doid.sub.-- class*
                    doid,
    /* --> Uoid of file created */
    UINT32          length);
    /* --> Length of existing file (0 when new) */
    //Remove a file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdRemoveFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid type*
                    uoid);
    /* --> Uoid of file removed */
    //Open a file for reading or writing by a task
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdOpenFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file to open */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type
                    uoid,
    /* --> Uoid of file to open */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- open.sub.-- mode
                    open.sub.-- mode,
    /* --> Open for read and/or write? */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id*
                    fork.sub.-- id,
    /* <-- FD Fork Id of open file */
    BOOLEAN         is.sub.-- create,
    /* --> TRUE if open as part of create
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- io.sub.-- function*
                    read.sub.-- function,
    /* <-- Function to be used for READ operations */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- io.sub.-- function*
                    write.sub.-- function,
    /* <-- Function to be used for WRITE operations */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id*
                    io.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id,
    /* <-- FD Fork Id used with above two functions (only) */
    UINT16*         num.sub.-- forks.sub.-- remaining);
    /* <-- Number of forks remaining to be opened
    on same machine */
    //Read from a file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdReadFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Id of open fork */
    UINT32          offset,
    /* --> Offset at which to start reading */
    UINT16          req.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Number of bytes requested to read */
    UINT8*          data,   /* <-- Data read */
    UINT16*         act.sub.-- length);
    /* <-- Actual number of bytes read */
    //Write to a file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdWriteFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Id of open fork */
    UINT32          offset,
    /* --> Offset at which to start writing */
    UINT16          req.sub.-- length,
    /* --> Number of bytes requested to write */
    UINT8*          data);  /* --> Data to be written */
    //Get the current length of an open file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdGetOpenFileLength(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Id of open fork */
    UINT32*         length);
    /* <-- Length of that open file */
    //Lock or Unlock a range of bytes in an open file
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdClearPhysicalRecord(or NdrFdLockPhysicalRecord(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> Id of open fork */
    UINT32          offset, /* --> Offset for lock */
    UINT32          req.sub.-- length);
    /* --> Number of bytes requested to lock */
    //Ensure a file's contents are on disk
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdCommitFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> Id of open fork
    //Close a file, having completed reading and writing
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdCloseFile(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- txn.sub.-- id
                    txn.sub.-- id,
                            /* --> txn.sub.-- id */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- fork.sub.-- id
                    fork.sub.-- id);
                            /* --> Id of open fork */
    //Given a UOID to a file or directory return its name
    //in the specified namespace, along with its parent's UOID
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdGetFilename(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,
    /* --> handle to current database */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                    file.sub.-- or.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Uoid of object whose name is wanted */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- attr.sub.-- property
                    namespace,
    /* --> Namespace (e.g. DOS) of name wanted */
    void*           name.sub.-- buffer,
    /* <-- Buffer to receive name */
    UINT16*         name.sub.-- size,
    /* --> Size of provided buffer */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                    parent.sub.-- dir.sub.-- id);
    /* <-- Parent UOID of object (NULL at root) */
    //Callback functions to be used with
    //NdrFdRegisterChangedIdCallback
    typedef ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    (*NdrFdChangedIdCallback)(
    ndr.sub.-- od.sub.-- db.sub.-- handle
                    db,     /* --> Database Id */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file or dir */
    ndr.sub.-- dodb.sub.-- uoid.sub.-- type*
                    uoid,   /* --> Uoid of file or dir
    UINT32          new.sub.-- id);
    /* --> New Id allocated by underlying file system */
    __________________________________________________________________________


A NdrFdRegisterChangedIdCallback() function provides registration of a callback function to be called when a change to a file or directory's unique identifier is made. On a NetWare 4.x server this normally happens only when the file or directory is created by an internal file distributor 90 trigger function. However the identifier will be needed by agents for tasks such as directory enumeration. Because trigger functions cannot directly modify replicated objects, a record of the identifier change is queued within the file distributor 90 and the callback is made asynchronously:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdRegisterChangedIdCallback(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- handle
                    db.sub.-- type,
                            /* --> Database type */
    NdrFdChangedIdCallback
                    fn);    /* --> Callback function */
    __________________________________________________________________________


The interface also provides the following:

    __________________________________________________________________________
    //Register clash handlers for contents clashes for files held
    in
    //a database of the given type.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdRegisterClashHandlers(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- handle
                    db.sub.-- type,
                            // --> Database type
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    // --> Class ID of contents `container` eg file
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- object.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn
                    object.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn,
    // --> Clash handler for dealing with conflicts
    // --> between objects (e.g. contents modification
    // and removal)
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- filesys.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn
                    filesys.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn,
    // --> Clash handler for conflicts that arise
    // through some characteristic of the file
    // system (e.g. access rights on delete)
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- filesys.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn
                    filesys.sub.-- clash.sub.-- fn1);
    //Register a trigger-like routine to be called when a local
    //replica of a file is modified. The routine takes the length
    //and modification date/time of the local replica of the file.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdRegisterCloseHandler(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- handle
                    db.sub.-- type,
                            // --> Database type
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- close.sub.-- fn
                    close.sub.-- fn);
    /* --> Clash handler to call */
    //Register a trigger-like routine to be called when a local
    //replica of a file is has been created. This allows the
    //replica manager on a central server to update the
    //server's master copy of the file to reflect the attributes
    //of the file created during the disconnection.
    ndr.sub.-- ret EXPORT
    NdrFdRegisterCreationHandler(
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- db.sub.-- type.sub.-- handle
                    db.sub.-- type,
                            /* --> Database type */
    ndr.sub.-- os.sub.-- class
                    class.sub.-- id,
    /* --> Class ID of file */
    ndr.sub.-- fd.sub.-- creation.sub.-- fn
                    creation.sub.-- fn);
    /* --> Creation handler to call */
    //De-register a cla