Unified Namespace Service for Distributed Data Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the capacity of databases increases, existing methods for distributing data across multiple sources lead to suboptimal storage utilization and require clients to determine the location of data items before retrieval, which can be inefficient and complex.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allow interaction with multiple data sources as a single entity by using a parser to extract parameters from client requests, designating a distribution key, and routing requests to appropriate data sources, with an aggregator combining responses to provide a unified result to the client.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is duplicated on multiple data sources (mirroring), then availability and access flexibility are improved, but storage utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into different types (hot, warm, cold data) and distributes them across multiple data sources based on access frequency and storage requirements. This allows optimal storage utilization while maintaining data availability, as each data source stores only the appropriate portion of data rather than complete duplicates.
Solution Approach 2:
Different data sources are assigned different roles based on their characteristics - some serve as primary sources for hot data, others as secondary sources for warm data, and tertiary sources for cold data. This local optimization of data placement improves overall storage utilization while maintaining system reliability.
2Quantity of substance
If data is distributed across multiple data sources, then storage capacity is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a namespace service as an intermediary layer between clients and data sources. This mediator handles the complexity of data location determination, request routing, and response aggregation, allowing clients to interact with a simplified interface while the intermediary manages the distributed data sources behind the scenes.
Solution Approach 2:
The namespace service performs multiple functions including data location determination, request routing, response aggregation, and metadata management. This multi-functional intermediary consolidates various complex operations into a single service, reducing overall system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If clients determine data location before retrieval, then access precision is improved, but operation complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining data locations and routing requests without requiring client intervention. The namespace service autonomously queries metadata, determines the appropriate data source, and routes the request, eliminating the need for clients to manually determine data locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The namespace service acts as an intermediary that handles the complex task of data location determination. Clients simply issue requests to the namespace service, which then resolves the data location and retrieves the data, shielding clients from operational complexity while maintaining precise data location determination.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple data sources are used, then storage capacity is improved, but client interaction complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The namespace service provides a unified interface that handles multiple functions including request routing, response aggregation, and data retrieval from multiple data sources. This universal interface allows clients to interact with a single entity rather than managing multiple data sources individually, reducing interaction complexity while maintaining access to distributed storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple data sources into a unified namespace that appears as a single entity to clients. The namespace service combines responses from multiple data sources and presents a unified result to the client, simplifying the interaction model while utilizing the combined storage capacity of multiple sources.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for interacting with a plurality of data sources are provided. A request may be parsed and an identification parameter identifying a data set may be determined. A field included in the request may be designated as a distribution key. At least one data source may be selected based on a value associated with the distribution key. At least a portion of the request may be sent to a selected data source. Other embodiments are described and claimed.