Importance

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Abstract

A database system for maintaining accounting records in relation to usage of postage meters is disclosed. The database system is provided with two computers, both of which provide access to the system from remote postage meters via a telephone network, and each computer maintains a separate database. One computer acts as primary and handles all transactions, received either direct or via the other secondary computer, and maintains a primary database. For each transaction, the primary computer creates an archived record in a buffer and periodically when the buffer is full sends an archive record to the secondary computer for use by the secondary computer to update the secondary database. In addition for critical transactions such as a postage meter recredit transaction, the primary computer also creates a transaction log and sends it to the secondary computer for storing in a FILO buffer. The primary computer lastly authorises credit to the postage meter. In the event the archived record is not sent to the secondary computer due to a fault in the primary computer, the secondary computer utilises the transaction log to update the secondary database with critical accounting data.

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First Claim