Stateless Transaction Snapshot Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stateless computer applications lose processed information if a data exchange is unsuccessful, leading to duplicative messages and wasted bandwidth when resending data, as there is no persistence of data that was processed.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that provides a snapshot of a transaction in a stateless process, persisting it until confirmation of completion, allowing the transaction to resume from the snapshot rather than recreating it from the beginning, using a unique identifier to associate and insert the snapshot at the correct point in the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If stateless applications transmit data without persistence, then the system simplicity is maintained, but data loss occurs when transmission fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the transaction data (snapshot) and stores it in a database when a transaction is initiated. This copy serves as a fallback if the original transmission fails, resolving the contradiction by maintaining simplicity while preventing data loss through selective copying.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing the transaction snapshot before the transmission completes. This preliminary preservation ensures that if transmission fails, the data is already available for retry, eliminating data loss without requiring complex continuous persistence mechanisms.
2Loss of information
If data is persisted throughout the entire process, then data loss is prevented, but processing time increases due to unnecessary reprocessing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the persistence mechanism by capturing only the snapshot at the point of potential failure (before transmission) rather than persisting the entire transaction process continuously. This segmentation allows data to be preserved when needed while avoiding unnecessary processing time for already-completed transactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential transaction data into a snapshot for persistence, separating the critical information that needs to be preserved from the complete transaction process. This extraction minimizes the data storage requirements and processing overhead while ensuring data loss prevention.
3Loss of information
If complete data is resent from the beginning after failure, then data completeness is maintained, but bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of resentting the complete transaction data from the beginning, the system performs partial action by resentting only the snapshot that was captured at the failure point. This partial resend approach maintains data completeness for the failed portion while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption compared to complete retransmission.
4Device complexity
If no snapshot mechanism is used, then system complexity is minimized, but transaction resumption becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a simple copying mechanism that creates a snapshot of the transaction at the point of failure. This copy enables easy resumption by providing the exact state needed to continue, achieving ease of operation without requiring complex state management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the incomplete or failed transaction state and recovers by using the snapshot copy. This approach simplifies resumption by clearly separating the failed portion from the recoverable snapshot, making transaction resumption easier without adding significant system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide systems and methods having an engine that gives stateless applications attributes of a ‘stateful’ process. To accomplish this end, a ‘snapshot’ of a transaction at a given point is taken and persisted until receiving confirmation that the transaction is completed. The snapshot may be a snapshot of data flowing in a stateless messaging system. The snapshot is maintained until confirmation that all intended recipients to which the transaction relates to have completed the steps they need to for the given transaction. The snapshot may be formed into a message and reflowed to an intended recipient to ensure that the recipient receives the message in the event that the initial delivery is unsuccessful.