two-phase commit

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
two-phase commit

   <database> A technique for maintaining {integrity} in
   distributed {databases}.  Where a system uses two or more
   database, a transaction among the distibuted database should
   be {atomic} ("all or nothing").  This is done by handling the
   transaction in two phases.  First the databases prepare the
   transaction, confirm that it is possible to process it, and
   lock the relevant record.

   Once all the required databases confirm that the transaction
   is viable, the system instructs them all to {commit} it -
   i.e. to make it permanent.  If it is not possible to process
   it, the system will instruct the databases to {rollback}
   (undo) the transaction.

   (2000-02-28)
    

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