A reservation system and methodology ensures that all changes to a
database in a federation are reliably and immediately communicated to all
of the other databases in the federation. The system communicates
information concerning hotel reservation transactions. The system
comprises multiple applications each associated with one or more
databases including hotel reservation data. The databases in the
federation reflect transactions that are communicated to other databases
and they also employ information received from other databases in
determining the transactions that their associated local applications
permit and the way in which they are processed. In one embodiment of the
invention, communication among databases occurs through the Internet and
data storage devices via secure packetized messages addressed to objects
that represent the relevant databases. The system of the present
invention also preferably includes a central database that functions as
the primary source for verifying reservations and hotel data.
Additionally, the system of the present invention also includes a yield
subsystem that allows hotels to increase revenues. The yield subsystem
calculates rates and availability based upon forecasted changes in supply
and customer segment demand.