Transaction Aggregation for Throughput Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transaction processing systems, such as Microsoft Transaction Server and Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition, are not optimized for dataflow networks, limiting their ability to increase throughput due to lower scale of transaction aggregation and lack of data separation properties.

Innovation Solution

A method that aggregates transactions by identifying transaction items with unique session identifiers, breaking them into smaller units based on system throughput measurements, and adjusting the target size of aggregated transactions to optimize processing, while maintaining data integrity and parallelism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If transaction composition is performed using existing systems like MTS or J2EE, then transaction processing functionality is provided, but throughput is limited due to lower scale of transaction aggregation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction processing throughputVSAvoidtransaction aggregation scale
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments transactions into individual transaction items that can be independently aggregated. Each transaction is broken down into discrete items with unique identifiers, allowing them to be collected and combined into larger aggregated transactions. This segmentation enables the system to achieve higher scales of aggregation while maintaining manageability and control over individual transaction components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple individual transaction items into larger aggregated transactions. By collecting transaction items that can be processed together and combining them into single aggregated transaction units, the system reduces the total number of coordination operations required. This merging directly increases throughput by amortizing coordination costs across more individual transaction items.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If transaction aggregation is increased to improve throughput, then coordination costs are amortized over larger transaction sizes, but system complexity increases requiring automatic adjustment mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidtransaction size management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of aggregated transaction target sizes based on measured system throughput. The system continuously monitors performance metrics and automatically adjusts the target size of aggregated transactions to optimize throughput. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt to changing load conditions and maintain optimal performance without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that measure system throughput and use this information to adjust transaction aggregation parameters. The system monitors performance outcomes and feeds this information back into the aggregation logic, automatically tuning the target size of aggregated transactions. This closed-loop control enables the system to self-optimize and maintain high throughput while managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If existing transaction servers are used, then declarative transaction composition is provided, but data separation properties are lacking limiting aggregation scale

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata separation propertiesVSAvoidtransaction aggregation scale
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments transactions into discrete items with unique identifiers (transaction IDs, correlation IDs) that enable clear separation and tracking. This segmentation provides data separation properties by clearly delineating individual transaction boundaries while allowing flexible aggregation of items that can be processed together, overcoming the limitations of traditional transaction servers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimension of transaction item aggregation orthogonal to traditional transaction boundaries. By operating at the transaction item level rather than the full transaction level, the system enables aggregation across multiple traditional transaction boundaries while maintaining data separation properties through unique item identifiers. This dimensional shift allows larger aggregation scales without sacrificing data integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2191370B1Transaction aggregation to increase transaction processing throughput
Publication Date: 2016.10.05 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • EP2191370B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2191370B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2191370B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are techniques for increasing transaction processing throughput. A transaction item with a message identifier and a session identifier is obtained. The transaction item is added to an earliest aggregated transaction in a list of aggregated transactions in which no other transaction item has the same session identifier. A first aggregated transaction in the list of aggregated transactions that has met execution criteria is executed. In response to determining that the aggregated transaction is not committing, the aggregated transaction is broken up into multiple smaller aggregated transactions and a target size of each aggregated transaction is adjusted based on measurements of system throughput.