Merging data edits with intervening edits for data concurrency
View Patent ↗A data concurrency module maintains a delta chain for each record that stores the edits made to the flexible record over time. The delta chain stores the edits ordered by a version identifier. When the data concurrency module receives an edit to a record, the data concurrency module compares the version identifier associated with the edit with the most recent version identifier stored in the delta chain for that flexible record. If the version identifiers are different, then the data concurrency module merges the edit with all intervening edits in the delta chain, resolving any conflicts that result from the merging.
1. A method for persisting data received from different data sources, the method comprising:
maintaining a delta chain for a record, the delta chain identifying a current version of the record with a first version identifier and an earlier version of the record with a second version identifier, wherein a data field of the current version has a first value and the same data field of the earlier version has a second value different than the first value;
receiving an edit made to the earlier version of the record associated with the second version identifier, the edit comprising a change of the second value to a third value different than the first value;
determining that a conflict exists between the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version by comparing a version identifier associated with the received edit with a version identifier of the current version stored in the delta chain for the record;
selecting a resolution strategy based on a data type associated with the data field, wherein the resolution strategy for the data type specifies one or more mechanisms for merging two edits to resolve conflicts;
merging, based on the selected resolution strategy, the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version to generate a resolved edit that incorporates at least a portion of the first value and a portion of the third value, wherein the merging comprises:
merging the received edit and a second edit to the earlier version of the record to generate an intermediary resolved edit,
merging the intermediary resolved edit the resolved edit to generate a final resolved edit;
storing the final resolved edit in an operation log in association with a new version of the record to maintain data concurrency of the delta chain for the record; and
modifying the delta chain to identify the new version of the record to as the most recent version of the record.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises determining a data type of the data field associated with the current version of the record, and selecting the resolution strategy based on the data type of the data field.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises selecting the resolution strategy based on a difference between the first value and the second value.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current version of the record indicates that a status of a task is set to complete and the edit indicates that the task is in progress, and the selected resolution strategy indicates that the resolved edit is to be made to a second data field.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected resolution strategy indicates that the resolved edit should append text to the first value based on the third value.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises selecting from a plurality of resolution strategies provided for the different data sources.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delta chain is a temporally ordered list of versions of the record.
8. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
maintaining a delta chain for a record, the delta chain identifying a current version of the record with a first version identifier and an earlier version of the record with a second version identifier, wherein a data field of the current version has a first value and the same data field of the earlier version has a second value different than the first value;
receiving an edit made to the earlier version of the record associated with the second version identifier, the edit comprising a change of the second value to a third value different than the first value;
determining that a conflict exists between the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version by comparing a version identifier associated with the received edit with a version identifier of the current version stored in the delta chain for the record;
selecting a resolution strategy based on a data type associated with the data field, wherein the resolution strategy for the data type specifies one or more mechanisms for merging two edits to resolve conflicts;
merging, based on the selected resolution strategy, the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version to generate a resolved edit that incorporates at least a portion of the first value and a portion of the third value, wherein the merging comprises:
merging the received edit and a second edit to the earlier version of the record to generate an intermediary resolved edit,
merging the intermediary resolved edit the resolved edit to generate a final resolved edit;
storing the final resolved edit in an operation log in association with a new version of the record to maintain data concurrency of the delta chain for the record; and
modifying the delta chain to identify the new version of the record to as the most recent version of the record.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises determining a data type of the data field associated with the current version of the record, and selecting the resolution strategy based on the data type of the data field.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises selecting the resolution strategy based on a difference between the first value and the second value.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the current version of the record indicates that a status of a task is set to complete and the edit indicates that the task is in progress, and the selected resolution strategy indicates that the resolved edit is to be made to a second data field.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the selected resolution strategy indicates that the resolved edit should append text to the first value based on the third value.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein selecting the resolution strategy comprises selecting from a plurality of resolution strategies provided for the different data sources.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the delta chain is a temporally ordered list of versions of the record.
15. A system for persisting data received from different data sources, the system comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
a processor for executing the instructions to perform the steps of:
maintaining a delta chain for a record, the delta chain identifying a current version of the record with a first version identifier and an earlier version of the record with a second version identifier, wherein a data field of the current version has a first value and the same data field of the earlier version has a second value different than the first value;
receiving an edit made to the earlier version of the record associated with the second version identifier, the edit comprising a change of the second value to a third value different than the first value;
determining that a conflict exists between the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version by comparing a version identifier associated with the received edit with a version identifier of the current version stored in the delta chain for the record;
selecting a resolution strategy based on a data type associated with the data field, wherein the resolution strategy for the data type specifies one or more mechanisms for merging two edits to resolve conflicts;
merging, based on the selected resolution strategy, the third value associated with the received edit and the first value associated with the current version to generate a resolved edit that incorporates at least a portion of the first value and a portion of the third value, wherein the merging comprises:
merging the received edit and a second edit to the earlier version of the record to generate an intermediary resolved edit, merging the intermediary resolved edit the resolved edit to generate a final resolved edit;
storing the final resolved edit in an operation log in association with a new version of the record to maintain data concurrency of the delta chain for the record; and
modifying the delta chain to identify the new version of the record to as the most recent version of the record.