Systems and methods of optimizing metadata publishing system updates by alternating databases

A method of managing and delivering data via a network server coupled to a data communication network, said data being delivered in response to a query from a client computer, said client computer executing a media player program adapted for rendering media files, said method comprising:

• collecting source data;
• generating a current publication database from the collected source data, said publication database containing a plurality of metadata records, said metadata records each relating to content of one or more media files, said media files being adapted for rendering by the media player program executed on the client computer;
• maintaining at least two associated databases including the current publication database;
• enabling one of said associated databases for delivery of metadata therefrom to at least one network server via the data communication network;
• disabling another one of said associated databases to prevent delivery of metadata therefrom to the network server via the data communication network;
• modifying the metadata contained in the disabled database;
• managing the associated databases with a front end database server;
• maintaining an automation control database managed by a back end database server, said automation control database containing job control data for instructing a front end database server which of the associated databases is enabled and which of the associated databases is disabled;
• and
• alternating the enabled and disabled databases after the metadata in the disabled database is modified to enable the previously disabled database for delivery of metadata therefrom to the network server and to disable the previously enabled database to prevent delivery of metadata therefrom to the network server.

An automated control database system comprising:

• a back end database server for collecting source data and generating a current publication database from the collected source data, said current publication database containing a plurality of metadata records, said metadata records each relating to content of one or more media files, said media files being adapted for rendering by a media player program executed on a client computer, said back end database server copying the current publication database to one of at least two associated front end databases managed by a front end database server, one of said associated front end databases being online for delivery of metadata therefrom to at least one recipient via a data communication network, another one of said associated front end databases being offline to prevent delivery of metadata therefrom to the recipient via the data communication network, said current publication database being copied to the offline database;
• and
• an automation control database managed by the back end database server, said automation control database containing job control data for instructing the front end database server which of the associated databases is online and which of the associated databases is offline, said front end database server directing queries from the recipient to the online database for data retrieval, said front end database server receiving and responsive to the job control data for alternating the online and offline databases after the current publication database is copied to the offline database so that the offline database becomes online for delivery of metadata therefrom to the recipient and the online database becomes offline to prevent delivery of metadata therefrom to the recipient.