Protocol for insuring exactly once semantics of transactions across an unordered, unreliable network

The method of step 4, comprising the further steps of:

• receiving said transmitted transaction results at said source site;
• and
• transmitting, from said source site to said destination site, a release request to delete said data entry associated with said data operative transaction in said destination database.

The method of step 10, comprising the further steps of:

• receiving at said destination site, said release request to delete said data entry associated with said data operative transaction;
• and
• deleting, within said destination database, said data entry associated with said data operative transaction, thereby liberating space in said destination database.

The method of step 11, comprising the further step of:

• transmitting, from said destination site to said source site, a release response message, thereby indicating that said data entry associated with said data operative transaction in said destination database has been deleted.

The method of step 1, comprising the further step of:

• wherein the source site includes a processor and an agent device,
• delegating said step of transmitting said initial transaction request message to said agent device.

A system for reliably executing a data operative transaction at a destination site requested by a source site, the system comprising:

• means for transmitting an initial transaction request message to said destination site from said source site;
• means for executing said data operative transaction associated with said initial transaction request message at said destination site;
• a reservation database at said destination site for storing information uniquely identifying said data operative transaction and for storing information tracking the progress of said data operative transaction.