Propagation of Oracle Transactions Between C++ and Java

Question

We have an existing C++ application that we are going to gradually replace with a new Java-based system. Until we have completely reimplemented everything in Java we expect the

Answer 1

There is an example on Laurent Schneider's blog of using the DBMS_XA package inside Oracle to permit multiple sessions to work in the same transaction. So it would be possible to have Java and C++ sessions participating in the same transaction without needing any sort of additional coordinator.

Alternately, you might consider using Workspace Manager. That was originally designed to support extremely long-running transactions (i.e. manipulating lots of spatial data for a proposed development). Essentially, you can create a workspace, which in your case would be roughly equivalent to a named transaction. Both the Java and C++ code could enter that workspace (from separate sessions) and both could manipulate and commit data in that workspace. When the transaction was complete, you could then merge the workspace to the LIVE workspace, which is equivalent to doing a commit in a normal transaction.

On the other hand, I would strongly agree with your initial assessment that coordinating transactions between processes is very likely to be a bad idea from a performance, stability, simplicity, and maintenance standpoint. On the other hand, it may well be a legitimate business requirement depending on how the C++ code is going to be retired (i.e. whether it is possible to replace code in such a way that transactions can be either exclusively Java or exclusively C++)

Answer 2

I believe JBoss Transaction Manager supports 2pc tx propagation across web service calls. You could, I suppose integrate your systems that way, but the performance would stink.

Answer 3

I have been using Hazlecast Messaging and Distributed memory locks to solve some of these concerns, however using such a tool would require that you redisign your software in those parts where you touch the same data. C++ client docs here Java client here

Oracle also has a similar product called Oracle Coherence that may help you, see locking in the dev guide.

Also the database contains a MQ system called Oracle Streams Advanced queueing ( transactional persistent queues) that might help you in some situations. Oracle AQ integrates well with Oracle triggers.

Additionally there is the Database Change Notification that may help you update caches or notify processes of updates, this can be used together with the Optimistic Offline Lock pattern.

See also Software transactional memory

Apache Zookeeper can also help you with distributed locking.