Method of maintaining data consistency in a loose transaction model

An apparatus for maintaining consistency of content of an object and metadata related to said object in a loose transaction model for object and meta-data updates, said apparatus including:

• means for storing said related meta-data and a reference to said object in a table of a database, said object being stored externally to said database in an object store, said reference used to obtain a handle for directly accessing or manipulating said external object;
• means for obtaining a version number embedded in said handle;
• and
• means for comparing said embedded version number with a version number of a latest committed version of said externally stored object to determine if said handle refers to a current version of said externally stored object.

A computer program for maintaining consistency of content of an object and metadata related to said object in a loose transaction model for object and meta-data updates, said computer program including:

• computer code for storing said related meta-data and a reference to said object in a table of a database, said object being stored externally to said database in an object store, said reference used to obtain a handle for directly accessing or manipulating said external object;
• computer code for obtaining a version number embedded in said handle;
• and
• computer code for comparing said embedded version number with a version number of a latest committed version of said externally stored object to determine if said handle refers to a current version of said externally stored object.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for maintaining consistency of content of an object and metadata related to said object in a loose transaction model for object and meta-data updates, said computer program product including:

• computer program code means for storing said related meta-data and a reference to said object in a table of a database, said object being stored externally to said database in an object store, said reference used to obtain a handle for directly accessing or manipulating said external object;
• computer program code means for obtaining a version number embedded in said handle;
• and
• computer program code means for comparing said embedded version number with a version number of a latest committed version of said externally stored object to determine if said handle refers to a current version of said externally stored object.

A system for maintaining consistency of content of an object and metadata related to said object in a loose transaction model for object and meta-data updates, said system including:

• a database storing said related meta-data and a reference to said object in a table of a database, said reference used to obtain a handle for directly accessing or manipulating said object;
• a native object store for storing said object externally to said database;
• a database mediator for obtaining said handle using said reference to directly access or manipulate said external object;
• means for obtaining a version number embedded in said handle;
• and
• means for comparing said embedded version number with a version number of a latest committed version of said externally stored object to determine if said handle refers to a current version of said externally stored object.