Wal-mart Stores, Inc.

Ilya Milman

Jack P Hsu

Izrail Blank

Sonali Deshmukh

Pavel Kalinin

Vadim Kagansky

Websites, including supporting databases, are updated with little or no downtime. In one aspect, a database is replicated prior to updating, so that updates can be performed on one copy while the other remains operational. In another aspect, the data remains in one location while an application programming interface for interacting with the data using new software code is introduced. Another application programming interface remains operational while the update is taking place. Public and private synonyms are used to direct web traffic to the appropriate application programming interface during the update process.

Method and system for minimizing or eliminating downtime when updating a website

Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for collecting and utilizing product consumption cycle information from product purchasers. In one example a method comprises, responsive to a purchase of a product by a purchaser, selecting an end of use criteria for the product from a plurality of end of use criteria, determining a length of a consumption cycle of the product based on the end of use criteria, recording information identifying the purchaser, the product, and the length of the consumption cycle in an electronic database, and contacting the purchaser proximate expiration of the consumption cycle.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Ilya Milman