Abstract:
The invention provides for the connection of a plurality of remote applications with a data source, to maximize the speed and reliability of data transfer. An interface module interfaces with a remote application such as a web browser. A port module interfaces between interface module and a data source. A connection manager facilitates the interface between the interface module and the port module. The port module detects the unavailability of the data source in response to an initial request for the data source by the remote application. The port module may then dynamically detect the availability of the data source in response to a subsequent request for the data source and re-connect to the data source to the remote application in response to the subsequent request without having to reinitialize the connection manager.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/653,975 filed Jan. 17, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/612,534 filed on Jul. 7, 2000 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,666, issued Apr. 3, 2007), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to the management of a remote application connection to a data source. More particularly, the present invention relates to automatically re-establishing a connection to a data source accessible by a plurality of remote applications. 
         [0004]    2. Relevant Technology 
         [0005]    Databases are computerized information storage and retrieval systems. A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is a database system which uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data. Relational databases are organized into tables consisting of rows and columns of data. A database typically includes many tables, and each table includes multiple rows and columns. The tables are conventionally stored in direct access storage devices (DASD), such as magnetic or optical disk drives, for semi-permanent storage. 
         [0006]    Generally, users communicate with an RDBMS using a Structured Query Language (SQL) interface. The SQL interface allows users to create, manipulate, and query a database by formulating relational operations on the tables, either interactively, in batch files, or embedded in host languages such as C and COBOL. SQL has evolved into a standard language for RDBMS software and has been adopted as such by both the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). 
         [0007]    A common application for databases relates to their interaction with Internet web browsers. A remote application such as a web browser may be used to query data from a data base. The data may then be used to create a table or other display of information on the web browser. This requires the transfer of data files and the formatting of data on the web browser. As the database is responsive to SQL and a web browser requires an HTML format, an interface module is required to enable interaction between the web browser and the database. One example of such an interface module is Net.Data available from IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y. 
         [0008]    Net.Data enables Internet and Intranet access to relational data on a variety of platforms. Net.Data incorporates a macrolanguage which supports both HTML and SQL and allows for interaction with universal web browsers and relational database systems. Net.Data operates in conjunction with a web server interface and supports client-side processing as well as server-side processing with languages such as Java, REXX, Perl and C++. Net.Data provides database connectivity to a variety of data sources including information stored in relational databases, fiat files Java files, Perl files and the like. 
         [0009]    Net.Data may support a variety of operating systems, including OS/2, AIX, Windows NT, HP-UX, Solaris, SCO, OS/390 and OS/400. Net.Data is further able to cache web pages to improve application performance, particularly when repeated requests are made for the same web page. Although this invention is compatible for use with an interface module such as Net.Data, other common gateway interface applications may be used with the present invention as well. 
         [0010]    The interface module, which may be resident on a server, receives a query from a web browser, formats the query into SQL, and interacts with the database to receive data and create the table or other display of information. The interface module then uses its macrolanguage to present the data to the web browser in HTML format. The web browser, in turn, displays the data to a user of the remote application. In this manner, the interface module serves as an Internet gateway for accessing a database. However, every time the interface module connects to the database, requests a connection set up for the database, or sends a query to get data results from the data base, the interface must perform a set of time-consuming processes such as initialization; authorization, password confirmation, and the like. These processes can be time consuming, slowing down the entire system and process. 
         [0011]    One attempt to overcome the problem of slower connections was to create a database manager to assist in synchronizing the connection of the interface modules with various ports of the database. However, in order to accommodate numerous web browsers, multiple applications of an interface module may be running, which may complicate the system. With increased use and complication, the system may be difficult to debug when a problem arises. Additionally, because everything runs through a connection manager, there are often miscommunications, synchronization problems, and bottlenecks between the user applications and the database. 
         [0012]    If other databases were static and the data source became inactive or went down for whatever reason, the data manager would not be able to tell when the data source became active again. Thus, subsequent queries would still detect an inactive data source. In order to establish another connection with the data source, the whole system would have to be reinitialized. In situations where the data manager managed multiple users, this reinitialization would affect remote users whose connection to a data base was functioning normally. 
         [0013]    Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a system and method for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source in a simplified way. 
         [0014]    It would be a further advancement in the art to provide such a system and method which would remove the likelihood of bottleneck by removing the necessity of routing every communication between the interface module and data source through the connection manager. 
         [0015]    It would be a further advancement in the art to provide such a system and method that was dynamic and reliable and did not have to reinitialize if the data source became inactive or “went down.” 
         [0016]    Such an apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention is disclosed and claimed herein. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The present invention solves many or all of the foregoing problems by introducing a system and method by which a plurality of remote applications can connect with a data source without having all communication pass through a simple connection manager. 
         [0018]    In one aspect of the invention, a system includes an interface module configured to interface with a remote application, a port module to interface between the interface module and the data source, and a connection manager module to facilitate the direct interface between the interface module and the port module. The connection manager may establish a connection between the connection manager and the port module. In one preferred embodiment, the port module reports its availability to the connection manager through this connection. This may be done by the connection manager retrieving a port module identifier, which identifies an available port module for connecting to the data source from a data structure. The port module identifier may then be passed to the interface module so that the interface module may connect directly to the port module, and thus, the data source. 
         [0019]    The system in one preferred embodiment is configured to support HTML and provide interfacing between the requesting application and the data source. The interface module may be configured to convert the command from the remote application to a structured query language format to support interfacing with the data source. 
         [0020]    In another aspect of the invention, a method for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source includes the steps of providing at least one interface module configured to interface with a remote application, providing at least one port module to interface between the interface module and the data source, and providing a connection manager to facilitate the interface between the interface module and the port module. In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes establishing a direct connection between the interface module and the port module. A port module identifier for an available port module may be returned to the interface module for direct connection between the interface module and the port module. 
         [0021]    Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide for the management of the connection between remote applications and a data source which alleviates bottlenecks in the data flow. It is another object of the invention to simplify the connection process by reducing the steps in the connection process. It is yet another object of the invention to reduce the need to synchronize each module used in the connection process. 
         [0022]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    These and other more detailed and specific objects and features of the present invention are more fully disclosed in the following specification, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a system in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating the components of one embodiment of a system for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram illustrating more details of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of a data structure for use in the system for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a schematic block diagram of a data structure for use in the system for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram illustrating the components of an alternative embodiment for a system for connecting a plurality of remote applications with a data source; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a flow diagram illustrating steps performed in one embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    Certain preferred embodiments of a system in accordance with the invention are now described with reference to the  FIGS. 1-8 , where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures, may be implemented in a wide variety of configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the  FIGS. 1-8 , is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of presently preferred embodiments of the invention. 
         [0033]    Various components of the invention are described herein as “modules.” In various embodiments, the modules may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof For example, as used herein, a module may include any type of computer instruction or computer executable code located within a memory device and/or transmitted as electronic signals over a system bus or network. An identified module may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions, which may be organized as an object, procedure, function, or the like. 
         [0034]    Nevertheless, the identified modules need not be located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations, which together implement the described functionality of the module. Indeed, a module may comprise a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. 
         [0035]    As used herein, the term executable code, or merely “executable,” is intended to include any type of computer instruction and computer executable code that may be located within a memory device and/or transmitted as electronic signals over a system bus or network. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which together comprise the module and achieve the purpose stated for the module. Indeed, an executable may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. 
         [0036]    Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure to be used, produced, or operated on during execution of an executable. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may at least partially exist merely as electronic signals on a system bus or network. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating a computer system  10  in which a plurality of modules may be hosted on one or more computer workstations  12  connected via a network  14 . The network  14  may comprise a wide area network (WAN) or local area network (LAN) and may also comprise an interconnected system of networks, one particular example of which is the Internet. 
         [0038]    A typical computer workstation  12  may include a central processing unit (CPU)  16 . The CPU  16  may be operably connected to one or more memory devices  18 . The memory devices  18  are depicted as including a non-volatile storage device  20  (such as a hard disk drive or CD-ROM drive), a read-only memory (ROM)  22 , and a random access memory (RAM)  24 . 
         [0039]    Preferably, the computer workstation  12  operates under the control of an operating system (OS) 25, such as OS/2®, WINDOWS NT®, WINDOWS®, UNIX®, and the like. In one embodiment, the OS 25 may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable the user to visually interact with the modules of the present invention. In one embodiment, the OS 25 may be loaded from the non-volatile storage device  20  into the RAM  24  at the time the workstation  12  is booted. 
         [0040]    The workstation  12  may also include one or more input devices  26 , such as a mouse and/or a keyboard, for receiving inputs from a user. Similarly, one or more output devices  28 , such as a monitor and/or a printer, may be provided within, or be accessible from, the workstation  12 . 
         [0041]    A network interface  30 , such as an Ethernet adapter, may be provided for coupling the workstation  12  to the network  14 . In one embodiment, the workstations  12  may be coupled to the network  14  via a distributed remote data architecture (DRDA). Where the network  14  is remote from the workstation  12 , the network interface  30  may comprise a modem, and may connect to the network  14  through a local access line, such as a telephone line. 
         [0042]    Within any given workstation  12 , a system bus  32  may operably interconnect the CPU  16 , the memory devices  18 , the input devices  26 , the output devices  28 , the network interface  30 , and one or more additional ports  34 , such as parallel and serial ports. 
         [0043]    The system bus  32  and a network backbone  36  may be regarded as data carriers. Accordingly, the system bus  32  and the network backbone  36  may be embodied in numerous configurations, such as wire and/or fiber optic lines, as well as electromagnetic channels using visible light, infrared, and radio frequencies. 
         [0044]    In general, the network  14  may comprise a single local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), several adjoining networks, an Intranet, an Extranet, or, as in the manner depicted, a system of interconnected networks such as the Internet  40 . The individual workstations  12  may communicate with each other over the backbone  36  and/or over the Internet  40  using various communication techniques. 
         [0045]    For instance, different communication protocols, e.g., ISO/OSI, IPX, TCP/IP, may be used within the network  14 . In the case of the Internet  40 , however, a layered communications protocol (i.e., TCP/IP) generally best enables communications between the differing networks  14  and workstations  12 . 
         [0046]    The workstations  12  may be coupled via the network  14  to application servers  42 , and/or other resources or peripherals  44 , such as scanners, printers, digital cameras, fax machines, and the like. External networks, may be coupled to the network  14  through a router  38  and/or through the Internet  40 . 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a data source connection management system  200  of the present invention is shown. In one embodiment, a web browser  202 , is part of a computer station  204 . The work station  204  may contain a plurality of modules (not shown) containing executable code and operational data suitable for operation within the memory devices  18  of  FIG. 1 . Of course, the memory devices  18  in which the modules of the present invention are located may also be distributed across both local and remote computer workstations  12  ( FIG. 1 ). Likewise, two or more illustrated modules may be integrated into a single module without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0048]    The present invention may be used over the Internet  40  in conjunction with a conventional web browser  202 . The web browser  202  interprets HTML documents and formats and defines web pages  204 . The web browser  202  may be at a remote workstation  12  ( FIG. 1 ) and may be connected through the Internet  40  to a web server  206 . The web server  206  stores HTML documents and interacts with the web browser  202  for downloading and uploading the documents for generation of web pages  212 . 
         [0049]    By way of example, a user at a remote application such as a web browser  202 , may want to search for a book on a book store web server via the Internet. The web browser  202  connects to the server  206 . The server  206  invokes an interface module  208 , which allows the remote user to specify a keyword in a book title for example. The interface module  208  will pass the request to a data source  210  and receive data in return in the form of a data file. The file can then be used to create a web page  212  either at the server  206  or at the remote user&#39;s web browser  202 . 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the system  200  of the present invention includes a connection manager  220 . The connection manager  220  is a module that may include any type of computer instruction or computer executable code located within a memory device and/or transmitted as electronic signals over a system bus or network. It may comprise one or more logical blocks of computer instructions, which may be organized as an object, procedure, function, or the like. In one preferred embodiment, the connection manager  220  is running in the background on the server  206 . 
         [0051]    The connection manager  220  is also configured to interface with at least one interface module  208 . The connection manager is preferably located at a predetermined address to allow the interface module  208  to readily connect to the connection manager  220 . Each interface module  208  in also configured to interface with a remote application  202  which may be a web browser connected to the interface module  208  through the Internet  40 . 
         [0052]    The connection manager  220  also interfaces with a plurality of port modules  222 . Each port module  222  may be associated with one or more data sources  210  and is identified by a port module identifier and the data source  210  with which it is associated. The port module  222 , connection manager  220 , and interface module  208  may each have their own separate executable code. In a presently preferred embodiment, each of the port modules  222 , connection manager  220 , and interface modules  208  communicate with each other using TCP/IP protocol, which allows the present invention to be easily transported between various operating system platforms such as Unix, OS, or Windows. 
         [0053]    The interface module  208  seeks a connection  224  with the connection manager  220  at the predetermined connection manager address. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the connection manager  220  will determine which data sources  210  are available to the remote application  202  and which port modules  222  are associated with each data source  210 . The connection manager  220  will identify a port module  222  that is active, but not currently busy operating as the port or gateway to the database for an interface module  208 . The connection manager  220  will return the port module identifier to the interface module  208  to allow the interface module  208  to establish a direct connection  226  with port module  222  and thus, the data source  210 . 
         [0054]    Instead of the connection manager  220  repeatedly having to communicate with each port module  222  and each interface module  208  involved with a data source query for multiple port modules  222  and interface modules  208 , the connection manager  220  simply tracks which port modules  222  are busy. When the interface module  208  requests a port module  222  for connection to the data source  210 , the connection manager  220  simply provides or identifies a location of an available port module  222  which can then communicate directly with the interface module. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that this configuration and method will eliminate information bottlenecks at the connection manager  220 . 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a remote application connects to a web server  206  to request information from a data source  210  which in one preferred embodiment is on the server side. For most data sources, the request must be converted into an SQL command. The request is sent to an interface module  208  which reads the request and formats it into an SQL command. Both the web server  206  and the interface module  208  may be resident on the server side. Further, the web server  206  or the interface module  208  may convert the remote application request into an SQL query. 
         [0056]    The connection manager  220  then determines an available port module  222  and returns the location of the port module  222  to the interface module  208 . The request may then be sent as an SQL command  230  to the data source  210  directly through the port module  222 . In one embodiment, the data source  210  may be a database system  210  such as a relational database, but hierarchical and object-oriented databases are also within the scope of this invention. In other preferred embodiments, data sources may include JAVA or PERL applications. In embodiments where data sources other than relational databases are used, the interface module  208  is configured to be compatible with such data sources in a supporting transaction and command language. 
         [0057]    A database manager  232 , such as DB2 manufactured by International Business Machines, receives the SQL command  230  and searches in the database  210  to retrieve query results  234  that satisfy the SQL command  230 . The query results  234  may include any number of various files stored in a database  210  including text, values, characters, integers, and the like. Once the query results  234  are retrieved, the database manager  232  passes the query results  234  to the interface module  208  through the appropriate port module  222  connection. The interface module  208  may pass the query results  234  in an HTML format through the web server  206  to the remote application, which may be used to create a web page  212  on a web browser  202 . This feature expedites retrieval of query results  214  and generation of the web page  204 . 
         [0058]    Accordingly, the interface module  208  is configured to be compatible with HTML as well as SQL transactions and commands  230 . In one embodiment, the interface module  208  may be Net.Data, but one of skill in the art will appreciate that other computer gateway interfaces capable of supporting and interfacing HTML formats and SQL commands may be used as well. 
         [0059]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , each port module is known by an associated database and port module identifier. In one embodiment, a data structure  240  includes entries  242  containing the name of the data source  210 , a minimum number of port modules  222  associated with the data source  210 , and a maximum number of port modules  222  associated with the data source  210 . In one presently preferred embodiment, the data structure is a data source array  240 . It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that any type of data structure or storage device may be used to store information of the type stored in the data source array  240 . 
         [0060]    A second data structure  244  indexes the data source array  240  and includes entries  246  containing data regarding each port module  222  associated with a particular data source  210 . Each entry identifies which data source each port module belongs to, the port module identifier, and a status, which states whether the port module is busy or available. In a preferred embodiment, the data structure  244  is a port module array  244 . It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that any type of data structure or storage device may be used to store information of the type store in the port module array  244 . 
         [0061]    The connection manager  220  returns a port module identifier of an available particular port module  222  to the interface module by checking the availability status for the port module  222  associated with the data source  210  that is the object of the data request or SQL command  230 . The availability status of a port module  222  may be determined by a number of factors. Upon initialization of the connection manager  220 , the minimum number of port modules, as stored in the data source array  240  are launched and available for connecting to an interface module  208 . 
         [0062]    Once a port module  222  is connected to an interface module  208 , that port module  222  is no longer available and its status changes to busy or unavailable. Once a busy port module  222  is no longer occupied by an interface module  208 , its status is updated from busy to available and passed along to the connection manager for storage in the port module data structure  244 . Each port module  222  may be configured to refresh or restart itself after a predetermined period of time, or after a particular event, such as the occurrence of an error. 
         [0063]    In a presently preferred embodiment, each port module  222  is configured to know its availability status and continually report that status to the connection manager  220  for storage in the port module array  244 . It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that in this configuration, the connection manager  220  need not initiate contact with the data source  210  every time a request or SQL command passed from the interface manager  208 . That would be time consuming, especially for data sources residing on main frames. Instead, the connection manager  220  need only determine the first port module  222  having an “available” status and pass the corresponding port module identifier to the interface module  208  for direct connection  226 . 
         [0064]    It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that there are many ways for connection manager  220  to determine the first available port module  222 . One such way includes storing the port module identifier for each available port module  222  in a queue (not shown). In one preferred embodiment, the queue may include a first-in-first out array. If the status of an “available” port module  222  changes, the associated port module identifier is removed from the queue. The connection manager  220 , need only check the queue of “available” port module identifiers to find an available port module  222 . 
         [0065]    In one preferred embodiment, the connection manager  220  may be configured to launch additional port modules  222  up to the predetermined maximum number of port modules  222  for a particular data source  210 ; the number being stored in the data source array. 
         [0066]    It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the storage of information such as that stored in the arrays  240 ,  244  may be accomplished in various ways using various data structures. It will further be appreciated that these arrays  240 ,  244  or data structures  240 ,  244  may be part of the connection manager  220 , the port module  222 , the interface module  208 , or may be a separate module, and still provide the necessary information to enable a direct connection  226  between the interface module  208  and the port module  222  after the manner of the present invention. 
         [0067]    In one preferred embodiment, communication between the interface module  208 , connection manager  220 , and the port module  222  may be subject to authentication as a security measure. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the data source array  240  and/or the port module array  244  may also include user identification or password data for use in verifying or authenticated the relevant communications. It will further be appreciated that any such identification data may be part of a separate module, or hard coded into the system  200 . 
         [0068]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , one preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an arbitrary set of parameters, which may be embodied as a log file  250  associated with the connection manager  220  and each port module  222 . Each log file  250  contains data  252  relating to the activity of the port module  222  and connection manager  220  to facilitate the tracking of data flow through the system  200 . The data  252  in each log file  250  may include, for example, the date, time, a previous SQL statement or request, a present SQL statement or request, a number of rows, a warning message, an error messages, a feature database schema, a number of records, and the like. Because each port module  222  will have a port module identifier and data source identifier, a user may track the how many, and what type of, SQL statements passed to the data source  210 . 
         [0069]    One may also determine the time of the last SQL statement or request to the data source  210  and other information at predetermined points in the process. 
         [0070]    It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that this information would facilitate debugging the system  200 . For example, users at a remote application  202  that may be creating or programming a web page that utilizes data stored at a data source  210  may check the log files  250  to track down an error in the application. 
         [0071]    Each port module  222  and the connection manager  210  writes to a log file  250 , which in one preferred embodiment is stored as a flat file. In a presently preferred embodiment, the log file  250  has a maximum storage capacity of one megabyte. Once the log file  250  is full, another log file  250  may be generated. The log file  250  in accordance with the present invention is dynamic. The data  252  stored in the log files  250  is continually updated as the system  200  operates. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that various sizes or types of files can be used to store the data  252  contained in the log files  250 . Of importance is the fact that the data  252  in the log files  250  is accessible to the remote application  202 . 
         [0072]    The log file  250  is configured such that a user at a remote location  202  can view the data  252  stored in the log files  250  on a screen, print out the data  252 , or send it to another application. The user of a remote application  202  may also determine which of predetermined types of data will be stored in the log files  250 . The user may set the log files  250  at a maximum level so that a maximus amount of data is stored in the log files  250 . The user may also set the log files  250  to store a minimum level of data. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the system  200  will run more efficiently when the amount of data  252  stored in the log file  250  is set to a minimal level. 
         [0073]    In one preferred embodiment, the log file  250  stores a change in status of the data source  210  from active to inactive. Thus, the port module  222  knows whether the data source  210  was “down” the last time the port module  222  was connected to the interface module  208 . When the connection manager  220  seeks to establish a connection with the data source  210  through the port module  222 , the port module  222  will check the last status of the data source  210 , to which it is assigned to determine whether the data source  210  was active or inactive. If the last detected status indicated that the data source was inactive or “down,” the port module  222  will reestablish a connection with the data source  210 . 
         [0074]    The connection or reconnection between the port module  222  and the data source  210  may be transparent to the interface module  208 . If the data source  210  is down, then the port module  222  will send the interface module  208  an error message stating that the data source  210  is down. When the data source  210  becomes active or is otherwise accessible again, the entire system  200  does not have to stop and restart in order to reestablish a connection between the interface module  208  and the data source  210 . The port module  222 , because it knows that the data source  210  was down during its last connection, will reestablish a connection with the data source. 
         [0075]    One of skill in the art will appreciate that if the connection manager  220  had to reinitialize, all of the part modules  222  attached to the connection manager  220 , even those whose connection to a respective data base was functioning fine, would reset, thus interrupting a data search. Thus, it is an advantage of the present invention for the port module  222  to be able to determine the last status of the data source  210 , and be able to reconnect to its data source  210  without the connection manager  220  having to reinitialize. This enhanced error recovery makes the system more reliable. Most importantly, users see the system as more reliable and less temperamental, requiring less interaction. 
         [0076]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a flow diagram  300  which incorporates one embodiment of a method of use of the system  200  of  FIGS. 2-6 . In step  302 , the method begins. A remote application, such as the web browser  202  requests data from a data source  210 . The request may be sent over the Internet  40  to the web server  206 , which provides  304  the interface module  208  which translates the request into a suitable search command such as SQL. 
         [0077]    The connection manager  220  is initialized  306  for communication with the interface module  208 . The connection manager  220  establishes  308  a connection between the connection manager  220  and the data source  210  through the port module  222 . 
         [0078]    The port modules  222  serve as the connection port to the data source  210  for the interface module  208 . The connection manager  220  facilitates the communication between the interface module  208  and the connection manager  220 . The connection manager  220  establishes a connection with the port module  222  and detects  310  the unavailability of the data source  210 . In one preferred embodiment, the unavailability of the data source  210  is detected by the port module  222 . In another preferred embodiment, the unavailability of the data source  210  is detected by the connection manager  220 . An error message is returned to the interface module  208 . A subsequent availability of the data source  210  may then be detected  314  by the port module  222 . In one preferred embodiment, the subsequent availability of the data source  210  is detected by the connection manager. The port module  222  is reconnected to the data source  210  through the port module  222 , without having to initialize the connection manager  220 . 
         [0079]    In one preferred embodiment, the connections between the interface module  208 , the connection manager  220 , and the port module  222  are authorized to facilitate secured communications. 
         [0080]    The method may then be repeated  310  for additional data source requests or queries. If there are no further requests, the remote application  202  disconnects from the server  206  and the method terminates  320 . 
         [0081]    The invention provides for the management of the connection between remote applications and a data source which alleviates bottlenecks in the data flow. The system and method of the present invention simplifies the connection between the remote application and the data source process by reducing the steps in the connection process. The system and method of the present invention eliminates the need to continually synchronize the interface module  208  with the port module  222  for each data source  210  request. The invention may be readily adapted to existing software applications such as web browsers, web servers, database management systems, operating systems and other modules disclosed herein. 
         [0082]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its scope or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.