Patent ID: 7567989

Claim:
A data processing method used in a database management system comprising a plurality of database management units for accessing data areas respectively allocated to the plurality of database management units by transactions, and for creating a replica database by recording update logs generated by the transactions wherein the transactions become valid upon being recorded in one or more of the update logs; the database management system comprises a replica database management unit that manages the replica database, an extraction unit that extracts update information and synchronous information for creating the replica database from the update logs, and an import unit that causes the replica database management unit to import the extracted update information into the replica database, the data processing method comprising the steps of: creating the synchronous information in response to a synchronous point obtainment command which establishes a synchronous point at which each transaction is designated as valid if the transaction is completed in every database management unit and invalid if it is not completed in every database management unit, said synchronous information being indicative of said synchronous point; recording the synchronous information in the update logs at a timing at which at least one of the transactions generated is valid in every database management unit and all other transactions are invalid in every database management unit; extracting from the update logs at a predetermined timing, with the extraction unit, the update information, for the transactions that were valid at the timing of recording the synchronous information and transactions that became valid between the timing of recording the synchronous information and the predetermined timing, and the synchronous information storing the extracted synchronous information and update information in a queue; reading, in sequence from the queue, into an import database management system: (1) update information for transactions that were valid at the timing of recording the synchronous information; and (2) the synchronous information; after receiving confirmation of receipt of the synchronous information into the import database management system, importing into the replica database update information for transactions that were valid at the timing of recording the synchronous information; and after beginning importation into the replica database of the update information for transactions that were valid at the timing of recording the synchronous information, reading the update information that became valid between the timing of recording the synchronous information and the predetermined timing into the import database management system.