Replica server systems and methods

Abstract

An adaptable replica server system includes a primary replica associated with a primary storage for storing information and a primary processor, and a secondary replica associated with a secondary storage and a secondary processor for creating confirmation data upon receiving input data from the primary replica. The replica server system is configurable so as to work as an asynchronous server replica system and/or as a synchronous server replica system depending on an attribute included in the input data.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An adaptable replica server system comprising:
 a primary replica including a primary storage for storing input data and a primary processor configured to process the input data to create output data, and   a secondary replica including a secondary storage and a secondary processor configured to create confirmation data upon receiving input data from the primary replica,   wherein the replica server system is configured to operate as an asynchronous server replica system or as a synchronous server replica system depending on an attribute associated with the input data specifying a type of the input data, and   wherein the replica server system is configured to operate as an asynchronous server replica system for a first type of input data and as a synchronous server replica system for a second, different type of input data.   
     
     
         2 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first type of data is higher priority information and the second type of data is lower priority information. 
     
     
         3 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the attribute includes a safe value in which case the replica server system is configured to operate as a synchronous server system and a fast value in which case the replica server system is configured to operate as an asynchronous server system. 
     
     
         4 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary processor is configured to send the output data at an earlier time right after the output data is created by the primary processor if the attribute is a first value. 
     
     
         5 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 4 , wherein the primary processor is configured to send the output data at a later time after receiving the confirmation data from the secondary replica if the attribute is a second value different from the first value. 
     
     
         6 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary processor is configured to transfer the input data to the secondary replica upon receiving same and to process the input data after storing the input data. 
     
     
         7 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the attribute comprises at least one of the following values:
 Safe,   Fast.   
     
     
         8 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the replica server system further comprises an identifier, the input data further comprises a content value, the identifier being configured to identify the content value in the input data, and based on the content value, assign the attribute in the input data a value. 
     
     
         9 . An adaptable replica server system according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a processor. 
     
     
         10 . A method for an adaptable replica server system including a primary replica having a primary storage and a primary processor, and a secondary replica having a secondary storage and a secondary processor, the method comprising:
 storing input data in the primary storage;   processing, by the primary processor, the input data to create output data;   generating, by the secondary processor, confirmation data upon receiving input data from the primary replica,   operating the replica server system as an asynchronous server replica system or as a synchronous server replica system depending on an attribute associated with the input data specifying a type of the input data, and   wherein the replica server system is operated as an asynchronous server replica system for a first type of input data and as a synchronous server replica system for a second, different type of input data.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first type of data is higher priority information and the second type of data is lower priority information. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the attribute includes a safe value in which case the replica server system operates as a synchronous server system and a fast value in which case the replica server system operates as an asynchronous server system. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the primary processor sends the output data at an earlier time right after the output data is created by the primary processor if the attribute is a first value. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the primary processor sends the output data at a later time after receiving the confirmation data from the secondary replica if the attribute is a second value different from the first value. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the primary processor transfers the input data to the secondary replica upon receiving same and processes the input data after storing the input data. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the replica server system further comprises an identifier, the input data further comprises a content value, the identifier identifying the content value in the input data, and based on the content value, assigning the attribute in the input data a value.