Method, system and apparatus for intermediating database updates

Abstract

A method in an intermediate server of initiating updates to a secondary database based on activity in a primary database includes: retrieving primary data from a primary server hosting the primary database; retrieving secondary data from a secondary server hosting the secondary database; storing a combined data set including the primary data and the secondary data; responsive to receiving a request from a client device, presenting a portion of the combined data set to the client device; receiving, from the client device, input data associated with the portion of the combined data set and updating the combined data set in the memory; determining whether to synchronize the updated combined data set with at least one of the primary server and the secondary server; and when the determination is affirmative, selecting a subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary and secondary servers.

1 . A method of initiating updates to a secondary database based on activity in a primary database, comprising:
 retrieving, at an intermediate server, primary data from a primary server hosting the primary database;   retrieving, at the intermediate server, secondary data from a secondary server hosting the secondary database;   storing a combined data set including the primary data and the secondary data at the intermediate server;   responsive to receiving a request from a client device at the intermediate server, presenting a portion of the combined data set to the client device;   receiving, from the client device, input data associated with the portion of the combined data set and updating the combined data set in the memory;   determining whether to synchronize the updated combined data set with at least one of the primary server and the secondary server; and   when the determination is affirmative, selecting a subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting a portion of the combined data set to the client device comprises retrieving the portion from a memory of the intermediate server and transmitting the portion to the client device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 prior to the presenting, receiving the request containing a selection parameter; and   retrieving the portion from the memory based on the selection parameter.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combined data set includes (i) data corresponding to each of the primary data and the secondary data, and (ii) intermediate data including a status indicator associated with the primary data and the secondary data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising, when the input data updates the primary data or the secondary data, updating the combined data set without transmitting updated data to the primary server or the secondary server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 when the input data updates the status indicator, determining whether the status indicator indicates approval of the combined data set;   when the determination is negative, updating the combined data set without transmitting updated data to the primary server or the secondary server; and   when the determination is affirmative, selecting the subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to selecting the subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server, generating a document containing the subset.   
     
     
         8 . An intermediate server for initiating updates to a secondary database based on activity in a primary database, comprising:
 a memory storing an intermediate database;   a communications interface; and   a processor interconnected with the memory and the communications interface, the processor configured to:
 retrieve, via the communications interface, primary data from a primary server hosting the primary database; 
 retrieve, via the communications interface, secondary data from a secondary server hosting the secondary database; 
 store a combined data set including the primary data and the secondary data in the intermediate database; 
 responsive to receiving a request from a client device at the intermediate server, present a portion of the combined data set to the client device; 
 receive, from the client device, input data associated with the portion of the combined data set and updating the combined data set in the memory; 
 determine whether to synchronize the updated combined data set with at least one of the primary server and the secondary server; and 
 when the determination is affirmative, select a subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server, 
   
     
     
         9 . The intermediate server of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to present a portion of the combined data set to the client device by retrieving the portion from a memory of the intermediate server and transmitting the portion to the client device. 
     
     
         10 . The intermediate server of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prior to the presenting, receive the request containing a selection parameter;   retrieve the portion from the memory based on the selection parameter.   
     
     
         11 . The intermediate server of  claim 8 , wherein the combined data set includes (i) data corresponding to each of the primary data and the secondary data, and (ii) intermediate data including a status indicator associated with the primary data and the secondary data. 
     
     
         12 . The intermediate server of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the input data updates the primary data or the secondary data, update the combined data set without transmitting updated data to the primary server or the secondary server. 
     
     
         13 . The intermediate server of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 when the input data updates the status indicator, determine whether the status indicator indicates approval of the combined data set;   when the determination is negative, update the combined data set without transmitting updated data to the primary server or the secondary server; and   when the determination is affirmative, select the subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server.   
     
     
         14 . The intermediate server of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 responsive to selecting the subset of the combined data set for transmission to at least one of the primary server and the secondary server, generate a document containing the subset.