Method and system for updating a remote database

1. A method for updating a remote database over a network, comprising:

generating a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction;

sending the plurality of periodic updates to the remote database over the network; and

while generating the plurality of periodic updates,

generating an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time,

determining a last periodic update of the plurality of periodic updates based on the start time,

determining a last transaction based on the start time, and

sending the initialization update, a last periodic update identifier, and a last transaction identifier to the remote database over the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending the initialization update includes:

associating the last periodic update identifier with the last periodic update; and

associating the last transaction identifier with the last transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are generated at regular or irregular intervals.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is the same as a start time of a periodic update generation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is later than a start time of a periodic update generation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a periodic update includes a plurality of transactions, each of the plurality of transactions having a unique transaction identifier.

7. A method for updating a remote database over a network, comprising:

receiving a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database over the network, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction;

receiving an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time over the network;

reading a last periodic update identifier from the initialization update;

reading a last transaction identifier from the initialization update;

determining a last periodic update from the last periodic update identifier, said determining the last periodic update based on the start time;

determining a last transaction from the last transaction identifier, said determining the last transaction based on the start time;

applying transactions generated after the last transaction to the remote database; and

applying the periodic updates generated after the last periodic update to the remote database.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

discarding the periodic updates generated at an earlier time than the start time of the initialization update.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are received one at a time at periodic intervals.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are received in batches at periodic intervals.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein a periodic update includes a plurality of transactions, each of the plurality of transactions having a unique transaction identifier.

12. A method for updating a remote database over a network, comprising:

generating a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction;

generating an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time, an update identifier associated with a last periodic update generated before the start time, and a transaction identifier associated with a last transaction committed before the start time;

sending the initialization update, the update identifier, and the transaction identifier to the remote database over the network.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are generated at regular intervals.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are generated at irregular intervals.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is the same as a start time of a periodic update generation.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is later than a start time of a periodic update generation.

17. A system for updating a remote database over a network, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to the network; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a local database and instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to implement a method for updating the remote database over the network, the method including:

generating a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to the local database, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction,

sending the plurality of periodic updates to the remote database over the network, and

while generating the plurality of periodic updates,

generating an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time,

determining a last periodic update of the plurality of periodic updates based on the start time,

determining a last transaction based on the start time, and

sending the initialization update, a last periodic update identifier, and a last transaction identifier to the remote database over the network.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sending the initialization update includes:

associating the last periodic update identifier with the last periodic update; and

associating the last transaction identifier with the last transaction.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are generated at regular or irregular intervals.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is the same as a start time of a periodic update generation.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the start time of the initialization update generation is later than a start time of a periodic update generation.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein a periodic update includes a plurality of transactions, each of the plurality of transactions having a unique transaction identifier.

23. A system for updating a remote database over a network, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to the network; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including the remote database and instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to implement a method for updating the remote database over the network, the method including:

receiving a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database over the network, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction,

receiving an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time over the network,

reading a last periodic update identifier from the initialization update,

reading a last transaction identifier from the initialization update,

determining a last periodic update from the last periodic update identifier, the last periodic update being based on the start time,

determining a last transaction from the las 1 t transaction identifier, the last transaction being based on the start time,

applying transactions generated after the last transaction to the remote database, and

applying the periodic updates generated after the last periodic update to the remote database.

24. The system of claim 23 , further including:

discarding the periodic updates generated at an earlier time than the start time of the initialization update.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are received one at a time at regular or irregular intervals.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of periodic updates are received in batches at regular or irregular intervals.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein a periodic update includes a plurality of transactions, each of the plurality of transactions having a unique transaction identifier, the transaction identifiers being random in order.

28. A machine readable medium including program instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to implement a method for updating a remote database over a network, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction;

sending the plurality of periodic updates to the remote database over the network; and

while generating the plurality of periodic updates,

generating an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time,

determining a last periodic update of the plurality of periodic updates based on the start time,

determining a last transaction based on the start time,

associating a last periodic update identifier with the last periodic update,

associating a last transaction identifier with the last transaction, and

sending the initialization update, the last periodic update identifier and the last transaction identifier to the remote database over the network.

29. A machine readable medium including program instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to implement a method for updating a remote database over a network, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of periodic updates based on incremental changes to a local database over the network, each of the plurality of periodic updates having at least one transaction;

receiving an initialization update including a version of the local database at a start time over the network;

reading a last periodic update identifier from the initialization update;

reading a last transaction identifier from the initialization update;

determining a last periodic update from the last periodic update identifier, the last periodic update being based on the start time;

determining a last transaction from the last transaction identifier, the last transaction being based on the start time;

applying transactions generated after the last transaction to the remote database; and

applying the periodic updates generated after the last periodic update to the remote database.