The Bengal Database Replication System

  • Authors:

  • Todd Ekenstam;Charles Matheny;Peter Reiher;Gerald J. Popek

  • Affiliations:

  • Computer Associates International, Inc., 9800 La Cienega Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90301, USA. todd.ekenstam@ca.com;Computer Associates International, Inc., 9800 La Cienega Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90301, USA;University of California, Computer Science Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. reiher@cs.ucla.edu;University of California, Computer Science Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. popek@cs.ucla.edu

  • Venue:
  • Distributed and Parallel Databases
  • Year:
  • 2001

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Abstract

Mobile computers often suffer from limited connectivity, or even complete lack of network access. Moreover, in wireless networks some machines are often more accessible to mobile computers than others are. Ideally, nomadic users want the same quality and speed of database access as when they are well connected to the network. Replicated databases meet this need by allowing each mobile machine to carry its own copy of key data. But existing replicated systems are not well suited for all nomadic scenarios. Certain important mobile computing situations require optimistic peer-oriented database replication. The Bengal Database Replication System has these characteristics and was designed to operate in difficult nomadic conditions. This paper presents the design assumptions of the system, describes its architecture, presents performance data on its operation, and discusses future enhancements for the system. The paper also contrasts the system to other replicated databases, concentrating on their suitability for nomadic computing. The Bengal technology can play an important role in the development of highly scalable, highly available, fault-tolerant database systems.