[Koha] Koha Concurrent and Simultaneous Use of Records

[dcook at prosentient.com.au]

Hi Charles,

Koha uses the "The ever popular do-nothing-approach".

In theory, this is problematic and certainly bothers me, but in practice I think it's fairly rare that two staff members are working on the same record at the same time. Locking and lock timeouts come with a lot of complexity, and I think the majority of libraries would actually prefer risk accidental overwrites rather than lock contention and session timeouts.

I would love to see a locking feature added, but I don't know if it's anyone's priority at the moment. 

David Cook
Software Engineer
Prosentient Systems
Suite 7.03
6a Glen St
Milsons Point NSW 2061
Australia

Office: 02 9212 0899
Online: 02 8005 0595

-----Original Message-----
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2021 07:23:55 +0900
From: Charles Kelley <cmkelleymls at gmail.com>
To: Discussion Group Koha <koha at lists.katipo.co.nz>
Subject: [Koha] Koha Concurrent and Simultaneous Use of Records
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	<CAM8F7wpRpmGDAsfd1DUNuz7ye=k5HEhnrbcFzVHsguCymPcazQ at mail.gmail.com>
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Hi, all!

    My library is preparing to migrate our Koha ILSA to the cloud. For reasons I shan't bore everyone with, I have a question about simultaneous and concurrent use of records: What happens if two or more parties try to access a bib. record or patron record at the same time?

    In my experience with other ILSs, there are several ways to handle such simultaneous use:

   - To lock the record when the first record accesses and queue up the
   rest for access in succession.
      - Party 1 works on the record and finishes -- the record is released.
      Every other party is blocked until the record is released.
      - Party 2 then works on the record and finishes -- the record is
      released. Every other party is blocked until the record is released.
      - Party 3 then works on the record and finishes -- the record is
      released. Every other party is blocked until the record is released.


   - To timestamp changes and then incorporate the changes based on the
   timestamp of the changes in a queued batch operation. A risk of data
   corruption.


   - The ever popular do-nothing-approach: to let multiple parties work on
   the same record simultaneously in real time, incorporating changes as they
   are submitted in real; another risk of data corruption.

    So if I may repeat my question: How does Koha handle simultaneous use of records?

    Many thanks, everyone!

-- 

    気を付けて。 /ki wo tukete/ = Take care.

    -- Charles.

    Charles Kelley, MLS
    PSC 704 Box 1029
    APO AP 96338

    Charles Kelley
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