Systems, methods, and media for database synchronization on a network

Abstract

Systems, methods and media for database synchronization on a network are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and/or software for database synchronization on a network protected with firewalls are disclosed. Embodiments include an e-mail listener for receiving e-mails from a plurality of computer systems and modifying a central database based on the received e-mails. In one embodiment, the computers systems and central database are protected by a firewall. Other embodiments provide for a transaction log that includes information about received e-mails. In these embodiments, the transaction log may optionally be used to synchronize other databases, including local databases located at the computer systems.

1 . A data processing system for synchronizing a database on a network, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of computer systems in communication with the network, the computer systems being capable of transmitting an e-mail, the e-mail having information relating to the computer system from which the e-mail is transmitted;    a central database in communication with the network; and    an e-mail listener in communication with the network, the e-mail listener being capable of receiving an e-mail transmitted from one of the plurality of computer systems via the network, wherein the e-mail listener is adapted to update the central database based on the received e-mail.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of computers systems has a local database, and wherein further the information relating to the computer system relates to an entry in the local database.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the computer system has information input by a user.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of computer systems is protected by a firewall.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central database is protected by a firewall.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the e-mail listener is capable of updating a transaction log based on the received e-mail.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of computer systems is a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an administrator computer in communication with the e-mail listener, the administrator computer being adapted to adjust settings of the e-mail listener.  
   
   
       9 . A method for synchronizing a central database on a network, the method comprising: 
 by a user on a computer system, modifying a record in a local database;    creating a transaction e-mail, the transaction e-mail having an indication of the modified record;    transmitting the transaction e-mail;    at an e-mail listener, receiving the transaction e-mail;    analyzing the transaction e-mail; and    modifying a central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail;    transmitting the transaction log;    receiving the transaction log at a computer system; and    modifying the local database based on the transaction log.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising before modifying the central database, determining if the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database.  
   
   
       13 . A method for synchronizing a central database on a network, the method comprising: 
 receiving a transaction e-mail via the network, the transaction e-mail having information relating to an update to a local database;    analyzing the transaction e-mail;    modifying the central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail; and    updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising before analyzing the transaction e-mail, decrypting the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising before analyzing the transaction e-mail, authenticating the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting the transaction log.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising modifying a second database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the database is located behind a firewall.  
   
   
       19 . A machine-accessible medium containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause said data processing system to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving a transaction e-mail via a network, the transaction e-mail having information relating to an update to a local database;    analyzing the transaction e-mail;    modifying the central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail; and    updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.    
   
   
       20 . The machine-accessible medium of  claim 19  wherein the operations further comprise decrypting the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       21 . The machine-accessible medium of  claim 19  wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       22 . The machine-accessible medium of  claim 19  wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the transaction log.  
   
   
       23 . The machine-accessible medium of  claim 19  wherein the operations further comprise modifying a second database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       24 . An e-mail listener system for synchronizing a central database on a network, the system comprising: 
 a receiving module adapted to receive a transaction e-mail from one of a plurality of computer systems via a network;    an analysis module adapted to analyze the received transaction e-mail to determine an update to the central database; and    an update module adapted to update the central database based on the results of the analysis of the received transaction e-mail.    
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the update module is adapted to update a transaction log based on the results of the analysis of the received transaction e-mail.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the update module is adapted to update a transaction log based on the results of the analysis of the received transaction e-mail, and wherein further the update module is adapted to transmit the transaction log.