High Availability Enabler Abstraction Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high availability processes are limited as they do not abstract underlying technologies, making it difficult for applications to integrate with multiple network protocols and technologies, resulting in limited flexibility and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A high availability enabler is introduced to abstract functions of the high availability infrastructure, providing a northbound interface for accessing abstracted functions and decoupling application-level processing from protocol-level processing, allowing for interaction with various high availability infrastructures like JGroups and Oracle Coherence through a standardized interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications are developed specifically for and based on the technology used to provide replication and high availability functions, then high availability can be achieved, but the system becomes limited to use with only one network protocol and technology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (abstraction interface) between applications and the underlying high availability infrastructure. This intermediary decouples applications from protocol-specific implementations, allowing the same application to work with different protocols (TCP, UDP, SCTP, etc.) while maintaining high availability through session replication. The intermediary translates protocol-specific operations into generic high availability operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the high availability system into distinct layers: application layer, abstraction interface layer, and infrastructure layer. This segmentation allows each layer to be developed and modified independently. The abstraction interface layer acts as a buffer that separates application requirements from infrastructure implementations, enabling protocol flexibility without compromising high availability reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing high availability processes are used without abstraction, then implementation is straightforward, but integration with multiple network protocols and technologies becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal abstraction interface that can work with multiple network protocols and high availability infrastructures simultaneously. The interface defines generic operations (session creation, replication, failure detection, failover) that can be implemented over different protocols. This multi-functional interface maintains implementation simplicity while enabling broad technology integration.
3Reliability
If applications rely on technology-specific high availability processes, then session replication can be achieved, but the system lacks flexibility to expand and integrate with other capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The abstraction interface serves as a mediator that preserves session replication reliability while enabling system expansion. Applications interact with the generic interface for session management, which in turn coordinates with the underlying replication infrastructure. This mediation layer allows new capabilities (different protocols, replication strategies, failure detection mechanisms) to be integrated without requiring application changes, thus enabling scalability while maintaining replication reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for interacting with a high availability session. According to one embodiment, a method of providing high availability can comprise abstracting one or more functions of a high availability infrastructure via a high availability enabler and providing access to the abstracted one or more functions via a northbound interface of the high availability enabler. For example, the one or more functions of the high availability infrastructure can comprise session control, either synchronous session control or asynchronous session control, concurrency management, data distribution, e.g., possibly including storing at least some of the data local to the high availability enabler, caching, session replication, providing fault tolerance, providing predictable latencies, etc. The high availability infrastructure can comprise, for example JGroups, Oracle Coherence, or another high availability infrastructure. The method can include decoupling application level processing from protocol level processing via the high availability enabler.