Patent ID: 7921090

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for accessing shared data in a database system, comprising: identifying a desired data access protocol for providing access for a data item by determining whether to use a first data access protocol or a second data access protocol, wherein the first data access protocol is configured for allowing a first node to hold an exclusive lock for accessing of the data item until a sufficient number of other requests for access of the data item is received from one or more other nodes, wherein the second data access protocol comprises: requesting, at the first node, the exclusive lock for the data item; releasing, at a second node, a shared lock for the data item; granting the exclusive lock to the first node; modifying, by using a processor, the data item via the first node; releasing the exclusive lock by the first node after the act of modifying the data item is completed without requiring to wait for any other nodes to request access to the data item; transmitting a data update for the data item and granting the shared lock to the second node without receiving a request from the second node, wherein the data update is transmitted to the second node in response to the first node finishing the modification of the data item and releasing, at the first node, the exclusive lock for the data item; setting a field to indicate whether to use the first data access protocol or the second data access protocol for the data item; and storing the data update in a volatile or non-volatile computer-usable medium in the database system or displaying the data update on a display device.