URI Mapping Redirection via Database Switch Records

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for switching website content often result in significant downtime, especially when the root site is updated, leading to inconvenience for users and inefficiency, as they require taking the site offline and using temporary URIs, which can cause errors and affect subsites.

Innovation Solution

A multi-step process involving renaming the source site in a content store, swapping lookup records in a site map database, and finally renaming the target site, minimizing downtime and allowing for safe retries, ensuring the root site remains available during the transition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the original URI is switched to point to the new site using a temporary URI, then the site redesign can be completed, but significant downtime occurs and users are inconvenienced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesite redesign capabilityVSAvoiddowntime
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a preliminary switch record in the database before actually switching the URI. This allows the system to prepare the redirection path in advance, so when the switch occurs, it happens atomically without downtime. The temporary URI is pre-configured in the database as a switch record that can be activated instantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a switch record as an intermediary layer between the original URI and the new site. This switch record acts as a mediator that can redirect traffic from the original URI to the new site without requiring the original site to be taken offline, thus eliminating downtime while enabling the redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the site is taken offline for switching, then the URI can be switched to the new site, but user access is disrupted and subsites are affected

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveURI switching accuracyVSAvoiduser access continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation and configuration of the switch record before activation. This ensures that the URI switching is accurate and reliable, while the pre-prepared state allows the switch to occur without taking the site offline, maintaining user access continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the URI mapping in the form of a switch record in the database. This copy allows the system to manage URI redirection without affecting the original site's availability, enabling accurate switching while maintaining continuous user access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If a temporary URI is used during switching, then the new site can be accessed, but errors may occur and subsite access is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveredesign implementation speedVSAvoidaccess stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The switch record serves as an intermediary that manages the transition from the original URI to the new site. It provides stable and reliable redirection by handling the mapping in the database, eliminating errors that would otherwise occur with temporary URI approaches, while maintaining fast redesign implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses database switch records that provide feedback mechanisms to ensure proper redirection. The database can track and manage the URI mappings, ensuring that subsites and related resources are correctly redirected, thereby maintaining access stability while enabling rapid redesign implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4028909B1Method and system of re-associating location mappings for uniform resource identifier named objects
Publication Date: 2024.06.05 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4028909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4028909B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4028909B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A method of and system for re-associating location mappings of two uniform resource identifier named objects may include receiving a request over a network to switch a source site associated with a first URI with a target site associated with a second URI such that content of the target site can be accessed via the first URI, renaming the target site to associate the target site with the first URI, changing a lookup data associated with the first URI from the source site to the target site, and renaming the source site to associate the source site with a third URI.