Atria Software, Inc.

Pure Atria Corporation

Gordon D McLean, Jr

David B Leblang

Debra A Minard

Larry W Allen

Bryan Phil Douros

Robert P Chase, Jr

David E Jabs

Gary L Fernandez

Kenneth P Kane

A data processing system and method for controlling files at a local development site within a geographically distributed multisite software development project includes a storage device, a processor, a mastership enforcer and an exchanger. The storage device stores a local replica including a plurality of files. Each file comprises a plurality of branches, and each branch comprises a plurality of versions of the file. The processor executes instructions, and retrieves and stores versions of the files in the storage device. The mastership enforcer provides the processor with the exclusive capability to modify specific branches by adding new versions of target files as determined by multisite mastership rules. The processor can create new versions of the target files, which are stored in the local replica within the storage device. The exchanger periodically updates the local replica by exporting the new versions of the target files to remote replicas at geographically remote development sites and importing additional new versions of the files from remote replicas. Thus, different branches of files, which are stored in multiple replicas geographically distributed at various development sites, can be modified concurrently and the replicas are updated with each others modifications periodically, without losing modifications or allowing inconsistent modifications among the replicas.

Version control system for geographically distributed software

A data processing system and method for controlling versions of data, features a processor, a storage device for storing versions of objects, and an object version selector for providing the processor with access only to specific versions of target data objects as determined by a set of selection rules. The selection rules are evaluated for an object when that object is accessed by the processor. The version selector includes a means for viewing the selected versions of the target objects as a transparent file system having directories, files, and links. The version selector applies the existing version selection rules to newly created objects, and can also store the identity of a selected object version in a cache memory. The version selection rules include a rule for selecting that version of an object that was the most recent version of that object at a specific time in the past, and a rule for selecting that version of an object that was the most recent version of that object at the specific time that a process requiring that object began. The time that the process began is adjusted to compensate for time skew among the storage devices storing the required objects. The process includes a system build.

Dynamic rule-based version control system

A data processing system and method features an object selector including an auditor for recording, as an audit record, which versions of objects are accessed by a processor during a data processing process. Each derived object is associated with an audit record. A system build process starts the auditor prior to executing commands which produce derived objects, and stops the auditor when those commands are completed. The process also includes any arbitrary sequence of commands. An audit cache memory stores the most recent audit entries made by the auditor while producing an audit record. A linker is also provided for linking a common identifying label to each object version whose identity is recorded as an entry in an audit record associated with the identifying label. An audit record comparator is provided for determining the difference between source object versions used in building two or more derived object versions.

Dynamic software version auditor which monitors a process to provide a

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Brookline, MA, United States of America

Gordon D McLean, Jr