System for providing fault tolerant data warehousing environment by temporary transmitting data to alternate data warehouse during an interval of primary data warehouse failure

Abstract

A method and system utilizing one or more data generating computing devices as default data warehouses in the event of a primary data warehouse failure are provided. A data warehouse provides an environment in which data from one or more data servers in one or more locations, or premises, is aggregated in a central database. In the event of a system failure, in which communication between the data warehouse and one or more servers is disrupted, a warehouse ticket file, stored on secure, distributed ticket servers, is used to identify and initialize at least one of the data servers as a failover data warehouse. Once communication between the premises and its primary data warehouse is restored, the data collected during the failover is transferred to the primary data warehouse and purged from the failover data warehouse.

1. In a data collection and processing system including two or more premises servers for collecting data and transmitting the data to a primary data warehouse, a method for providing fault tolerant data warehousing, the method comprising:
 obtaining a set of data to be transmitted to a primary data warehouse; 
 obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive the set of data; 
 obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse to receive the set of data; and 
 transmitting the set of data to the identified alternate data warehouse; 
 wherein the alternate data warehouse is selected from the two or more premises servers; 
 obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse can receive data; 
 transmitting data to the primary data warehouse upon obtaining the indication; and 
 suspending data transmission to the alternate data warehouse. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising obtaining information for initializing the alternate data warehouse, and initializing the designated alternate data warehouse prior to transmitting the set of data. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse includes:
 transmitting a request to obtain an alternate data warehouse including one or more selection attributes; and 
 obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the selection attributes correspond to the collected data. 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the selection attributes correspond to the premises server transmitting the collected data. 
     
     
       6. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes includes obtaining a pre-assigned alternate data warehouse corresponding to the selection attributes. 
     
     
       7. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes includes obtaining a dynamically assigned alternate data warehouse corresponding to the selection attributes. 
     
     
       8. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the identified alternate data warehouse is not operable to receive data until being assigned as the alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       9. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the set of data to the identified alternate data warehouse includes storing the data locally as the identified alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       10. A computer-readable medium storage device having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       11. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       12. In a data collection and processing system including two or more premises servers for collecting data and transmitting the data to a primary data warehouse, a method for providing fault tolerant data warehousing, the method comprising:
 obtaining a set of data to be transmitted to a primary data warehouse; 
 obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive the set of data; 
 accessing a database associated with a premises server to obtain an identification of an alternate data warehouse associated with the premises server; 
 suspending transmission of data between the premises server and the primary data warehouse; 
 transmitting premises data to the alternate data warehouse; 
 wherein the alternate data warehouse is selected from the two or more premises servers; 
 obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse can receive data; 
 transmitting data to the primary data warehouse upon obtaining the indication; and 
 suspending data transmission to the alternate data warehouse. 
 
     
     
       13. The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising accessing the database associated with a premises server to obtain information for initializing the alternate data warehouse from the database, and initializing the designated alternate data warehouse prior to transmitting the set of data. 
     
     
       14. The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein accessing a database associated with a premises server to obtain an identification of an alternate data warehouse associated with the premises server includes:
 transmitting a request to obtain an alternate data warehouse including one or more selection attributes; and 
 obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes. 
 
     
     
       15. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the selection attributes correspond to the premises data. 
     
     
       16. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the selection attributes correspond to the premises server transmitting the premises data. 
     
     
       17. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes includes obtaining a pre-assigned alternate data warehouse corresponding to the selection attributes. 
     
     
       18. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse based upon a processing of the selection attributes includes obtaining a dynamically assigned alternate data warehouse corresponding to the selection attributes. 
     
     
       19. The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the identified alternate data warehouse is not operable to receive data until being assigned as the alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       20. The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein transmitting the set of data to the identified alternate data warehouse includes storing the premises data locally as the identified alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       21. The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the database associated with a premises server is an external database common to all premises in the data collection and processing system. 
     
     
       22. A computer-readable medium storage device having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in  claim 12 . 
     
     
       23. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in  claim 12 . 
     
     
       24. A system for providing fault tolerant data warehousing comprising:
 two or more premises servers in communication with a number of data generating devices, wherein the premises servers transmit collected data for storage; 
 a primary data warehouse for receiving the collected data from transmitted by the premises servers; 
 a database server in communication with the premises server for:
 providing an identification of an alternate data warehouse upon a failure of the primary data warehouse; 
 causing data to be transmitted to the alternate data warehouse upon providing the identification of the failure; 
 providing an identification that the primary data warehouse can receive data; 
 suspending data transmission to the alternate data warehouse upon the identification that the primary data warehouse can receive data; 
 causing data to be transmitted to the primary data warehouse; and 
 
 wherein the alternate data warehouse is selected from the two or more premises servers. 
 
     
     
       25. The system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the premises server is logically remote from the alternate data warehouse prior to an identification of the alternate warehouse. 
     
     
       26. The system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the primary data warehouse is physically remote from the alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       27. The system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the alternate data warehouse is preselected to correspond to a particular premises server. 
     
     
       28. The system as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the system includes at least two alternate data warehouses. 
     
     
       29. The system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the alternate data warehouse is dynamically selected to correspond to a particular premises server. 
     
     
       30. The system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein a premises server serves as its own alternate data warehouse. 
     
     
       31. In a data collection and processing system including two or more premises servers for collecting data and transmitting the data to a primary data warehouse, a method for providing fault tolerant data warehousing, the method comprising:
 obtaining information identifying an alternate data warehouse to receive a set of data when a primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive the set of data;   transmitting the set of data to the identified alternate data warehouse;   wherein the alternate data warehouse is selected from the two or more premises servers;   obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse can receive data;   transmitting data to the primary data warehouse upon obtaining the indication; and   suspending data transmission to the alternate data warehouse.   
     
     
       32. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 31. 
     
     
       33. In a data collection and processing system including two or more premises servers for collecting data and transmitting the data to a primary data warehouse, a method for providing fault tolerant data warehousing, the method comprising:
 suspending transmission of data between a premises server and a primary data warehouse when the primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive data from the premises server;   accessing a database associated with the premises server to obtain an identification of an alternate data warehouse associated with the premises server;   transmitting premises data to the alternate data warehouse;   wherein the alternate data warehouse is selected from the two or more premises servers;   obtaining an indication that the primary data warehouse can receive data;   transmitting data to the primary data warehouse upon obtaining the indication; and;   suspending data transmission to the alternate data warehouse.   
     
     
       34. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 33. 
     
     
       35. A method for providing fault tolerant data warehousing, the method comprising:
 obtaining an indication that a primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive data from a first premises server;   identifying an alternate data warehouse to receive the data;   transmitting information identifying the alternate data warehouse to the first premises server, wherein:
 if the primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive data, the first premises server attempts to establish contact with and transmit data to the identified alternate data warehouse; and 
 if the primary data warehouse is subsequently available to receive data, the first premises server transmits data to the primary data warehouse; and suspends data transmission to the alternate data warehouse. 
   
     
     
       36. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 35. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 35, wherein identifying an alternate data warehouse comprises obtaining a static file that includes a pre-assigned alternate data warehouse for the first premises server. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 35, wherein identifying an alternate data warehouse comprises obtaining a dynamically-generated warehouse ticket file that identifies the alternate data warehouse based upon at least one factor. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 38, wherein the at least one factor includes at least one of:
 available memory resources at a plurality of potential alternate data warehouses; or   availability of a corresponding communication network.   
     
     
       40. The method of claim 35, wherein the alternate data warehouse comprises a first alternate data warehouse, the method further comprising:
 obtaining an indication that the first premises server is unable to establish contact with and transmit data to the identified first alternate data warehouse;   identifying a second alternate data warehouse to receive the data; and   transmitting information identifying the second alternate data warehouse to the first premises server.   
     
     
       41. The method of claim 35, wherein the primary data warehouse is inoperable to receive data from the first premises server due to a system fault making the primary data warehouse inoperable to receive data from a subset of a plurality of premises servers, the method further comprising:
 identifying a corresponding alternate data warehouse to receive data from each of the subset of the plurality of premises servers; and   transmitting information identifying the corresponding alternate data warehouse to each of the subset of the plurality of premises server.