US 7,735,051 B2Granted

Method for replicating and synchronizing a plurality of physical instances with a logical master

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsGary A. Van Huben, David A. Webber, Christopher J. Berry

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Abstract

Design Data Management uses one copy of common data sets along with a plurality of instances, while continuing to utilize the existing design databases and existing CAD tools. Allowing a minimum amount of user intervention to create and maintain the common data set, Design Data Management employs replicating common data sets into one or more clone data sets. The method preferred provides for replicating and synchronizing one or more data sets with a master data set, comprises providing data design management of a master data set and at least one clone data set, and copying a master physical design data set into one or more physical instances to enable customization of said one or more physical instances. The master data set describes at least one of: a design component, a circuit macro, and a circuit entity, and comprises logical data sets, and it comprise physical design data sets. This permits all existing verification processes that are normally executed against the common data set to also be equally applied to the clones of said data set by way of automatic synchronization between of the common dataset and the clones.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for replicating and synchronizing one or more data sets with a master data set, the method comprising:

providing, by a design data management (“DDM”) computer system, management of a master data set and at least one clone data set, and
copying a master physical design data set into one or more physical instances, including storing said one or more physical instances of the master physical design data set in a data repository accessible by the DDM computer system to enable customization of said one or more physical instances, and wherein the method includes:
identifying one or more design elements to serve as said master data set, and for said master data set:
a. defining the number of and data type of said at least one clone data set for said master data set, and
b. identifying respective name and instance nomenclature for each of said at least one clone data set;
and
employing an automated process of the DDM computer system to create said clone data sets by replicating said master data set, wherein the identified one or more design elements participate in the replicating;
providing for associated pedigree information to establish a linkage between said master and clone data sets;
enabling a deposit into the DDM computer system of one or more additional data sets corresponding to the one or more design elements participating in the replicating, wherein said one or more additional data sets include additional physical design data sets, and:
a. independently altering said physical design data sets and/or
b. customizing each of said physical design data sets pertaining to each of said clone data set;
utilizing an iteration monitor of the DDM computer system to automatically detect updates to said master data set;
further replicating said updated master data set into at least one new iteration of a corresponding one of the at least one clone data set;
employing a design data management audit to ensure said master data set is properly synchronized to each corresponding one of the at least one clone data set;
and
performing, by the DDM computer system, a file compare of the at least one clone data set against the master data set to ensure all content is identical for replicating and synchronizing one or more data sets with a master data set.

13 more elements

A method for replicating and synchronizing data sets with a master data set, the method comprising:

identifying one or more design elements to serve as a master physical design data set;
for said master data set, defining i) a number indicating how many clone data sets to create and ii) at least one of the following for each clone data set:
data type,
name, and
instance nomenclature;
creating the clone data sets by an automated process of the computer system replicating said master data set, wherein the identified one or more design elements participate in the replicating;
enabling a deposit of the clone data sets into a data repository accessible by the computer system, wherein the clone data sets provide additional data sets corresponding to the one or more design elements participating in the replicating, and wherein the additional data sets provide additional physical instances of the master physical design data set to enable customization of the physical instances;
utilizing an iteration monitor of the computer system to automatically detect updates to said master data set;
and
further replicating detected master data set updates into respective iterations of the clone data sets;
synchronizing the master data set updates to corresponding clone data sets;
and
performing, by the computer system, a file compare of each clone data set against the master data set to ensure identical content for replicating and synchronizing the clone data sets with the master data set.

10 more elements

A computer system capable of reading instructions from a tangible storage media and responsively performing a method comprising:

identifying one or more design elements to serve as a master physical design data set;
for said master data set, defining i) a number indicating how many clone data sets to create and ii) at least one of the following for each clone data set:
data type,
name, and
creating the clone data sets by an automated process of the computer system replicating said master data set, wherein the identified one or more design elements participate in the replicating;
enabling a deposit of the clone data sets into a data repository accessible by the computer system, wherein the clone data sets provide additional data sets corresponding to the one or more design elements participating in the replicating, and wherein the additional data sets provide additional physical instances of the master physical design data set to enable customization of the physical instances;
utilizing an iteration monitor of the computer system to automatically detect updates to said master data set;
and
further replicating detected master data set updates into respective iterations of the clone data sets;
synchronizing the master data set updates to corresponding clone data sets;
and
performing, by the computer system, a file compare of each clone data set against the master data set to ensure identical content for replicating and synchronizing the clone data sets with the master data set.

9 more elements

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible storage media, the article of manufacture comprising instructions readable by a computer system for performing a method comprising:

identifying one or more design elements to serve as a master physical design data set;
for said master data set, defining i) a number indicating how many clone data sets to create and ii) at least one of the following for each clone data set:
data type,
name, and
instance nomenclature;
creating the clone data sets by an automated process of the computer system replicating said master data set, wherein the identified one or more design elements participate in the replicating;
enabling a deposit of the clone data sets into a data repository accessible by the computer system, wherein the clone data sets provide additional data sets corresponding to the one or more design elements participating in the replicating, and wherein the additional data sets provide additional physical instances of the master physical design data set to enable customization of the physical instances;
utilizing an iteration monitor of the computer system to automatically detect updates to said master data set;
further replicating detected master data set updates into respective iterations of the clone data sets;
synchronizing the master data set updates to corresponding clone data sets;
and
performing, by the computer system, a file compare of each clone data set against the master data set to ensure identical content for replicating and synchronizing the clone data sets with the master data set.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/468,031Filed 29 Aug 2006
Published: US 2008/0059952 A16 Mar 2008
Granted: 8 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 16/275
Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system…:…
G06F 11/2094
Where persistent mass storage functionality or persistent mass storage control functionality is redundant: redundant storage or storage space
G06F 16/27
Of structured data, e.g. relational data: replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database…
G06F
Computing and data processing