Database Upgrades with Triggered Progressive Request Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional database upgrades in cloud computing environments cause significant downtime for clients as applications and databases are taken offline during the upgrade process, leading to unacceptable unavailability and potential failures.

Innovation Solution

A progressive rollout strategy is employed where requests are initially routed to both old and new versions of the database, with synchronization triggers ensuring data consistency, and monitoring for successful operation of the new version, allowing seamless transition to the new version while maintaining near-zero downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the database and application are taken offline for upgrading, then the upgraded version can be deployed without interference, but client availability deteriorates causing significant downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupgrade reliabilityVSAvoiddowntime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A second database instance of the second version is deployed and configured with triggers before the first database instance is taken offline. This preliminary setup allows the system to switch to the new database instance once ready, eliminating the need to take the database offline for the upgrade itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Triggers are configured as intermediary mechanisms that automatically propagate data changes between the first database instance (first version) and the second database instance (second version). This intermediary layer ensures data consistency during the transition period without requiring manual intervention or system shutdown.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If the database instance is switched to the new version immediately, then upgrade time is reduced, but data consistency may deteriorate without proper synchronization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupgrade timeVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Triggers are configured on both database instances to provide automatic feedback loops. When data changes occur in either the first or second database instance, the triggers detect these changes and propagate them to the other instance, ensuring continuous data consistency without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The triggers ensure continuous data synchronization between the first and second database instances throughout the upgrade process. This continuous action maintains data consistency even as the system transitions from the first version to the second version, allowing the upgrade to proceed without interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Stability of the object's composition

If triggers are configured to synchronize data changes between database instances, then data consistency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The triggers are configured to automatically propagate data changes between database instances without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by using the triggers to maintain data consistency, eliminating the need for complex manual synchronization procedures or additional software tools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If progressive rollout rules are implemented to route requests between database versions, then reliability is improved through gradual transition, but operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransition reliabilityVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Progressive rollout rules are implemented that dynamically adjust request routing between the first and second database instances. The routing strategy can evolve from routing all requests to the first instance to progressively routing more requests to the second instance as it proves stable, providing a flexible and adaptive transition process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250245108A1Systems and methods for providing near zero downtime during database upgrades

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for providing near zero downtime during database upgrades for a computing environment are provided. A first database instance of a first version of a database may be hosted within a computing environment. A second database instance of a second version of the database may be deployed within the computing environment. The database instances are configured with triggers used to propagate data changes amongst the database instances. Requests to the database are routed based on a plurality of routing rules. A first routing rule routes a first portion of the requests to the first database instance and a second portion of the requests to the second database instance. The second database instance is monitored to determine whether to progress to a second routing rule of the plurality of routing rules.