go/zodb: DB: handle invalidations

Implement invalidation handling to teach DB to reuse Connections from
connection pool: after connection is returned to the pool on transaction
completion, we can use this connection for next DB.Open(at) request, by
seeing which objects we changed in conn.at..at range and invalidating
those objects in connection live cache.

To know which objects were changed, DB adds watch on its storage and
maintains some history tail (using ΔTail - see previous commit).

Finally add test for both DB and Connection, and also for Persistent,
LiveCache, ... - as all those application-level components are tightly
inter-related.

go/zodb/db.go

@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@
 package zodb
 // application-level database handle.
 
-// TODO: handle invalidations
-
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"lab.nexedi.com/kirr/go123/xerr"
 	"lab.nexedi.com/kirr/neo/go/transaction"
 )
 
@@ -46,21 +46,75 @@ import (
 // DB is safe to access from multiple goroutines simultaneously.
 type DB struct {
 	stor   IStorage
+	watchq chan Event // we are watching .stor via here
+
+	down     chan struct{} // ready when DB is no longer operational
+	downOnce sync.Once     // shutdown may be due to both Close and IO error in watcher
+	downErr  error         // reason for shutdown
 
 	mu sync.Mutex
 
 	// pool of unused connections.
+	//
+	// On open(at) live cache is reused through finding conn with nearby
+	// .at and invalidating live objects based on δtail info.
+	//
+	// not all connections here have δtail coverage.
 	pool []*Connection // order by ↑= .at
 
-	// information about invalidations
-	// XXX -> Storage. XXX or -> Cache? (so it is not duplicated many times for many DB case)
-	invTab []invEntry // order by ↑= .tid
-}
+	// δtail of database changes.
+	//
+	// Used for live cache invalidations on open with at close to current
+	// storage head. δtail coverage is maintained based on the following:
+	//
+	// 1) if open(at) is _far_away_ from head - it is _unlikely_ for
+	//    opened connection to be later propagated towards head.
+	//
+	// 2) if open(at) is _close_      to head - it is _possible_ for
+	//    opened connection to be later propagated towards head.
+	//
+	// For "1" we don't need δtail coverage; for "2" probability that
+	// it would make sense for connection to be advanced decreases the
+	// longer the connection stays opened. Thus the following 2 factors
+	// affect whether it makes sense to keep δtail coverage for a
+	// connection:
+	//
+	//         |at - δhead(when_open)|	ΔTnext		 - avg. time between transactions
+	// heady = ──────────────────────	at     		 - connection opened for this state
+	//                ΔTnext		δhead(when_open) - δtail.Head when connection was opened
+	//					Twork(conn)	 - time the connection is used
+	//         Twork(conn)
+	// lwork = ───────────
+	//           ΔTnext
+	//
+	// if heady >> 1 - it is case "1" and δtail coverage is not needed.
+	// if heady  ~ 1 - it is case "2" and δtail coverage might be needed depending on lwork.
+	// if lwork >> 1 - the number of objects that will need to be invalidated
+	//		   when updating conn to current head grows to ~ 100% of
+	//		   connection's live cache. It thus does not make
+	//		   sense to keep δtail past some reasonable time.
+	//
+	// A good system would monitor both ΔTnext, and lwork for connections
+	// with small heady, and adjust δtail cut time as e.g.
+	//
+	//	timelen(δtail) = 3·lwork·ΔTnext
+	//
+	//
+	// FIXME for now we just fix
+	//
+	//	Tδkeep = 10min
+	//
+	// and keep δtail coverage for Tδkeep time
+	//
+	//	timelen(δtail) = Tδkeep
+	δtail  *ΔTail        // [](rev↑, []oid)
+	tδkeep time.Duration
 
-// invEntry describes invalidations caused by a database transaction.
-type invEntry struct {
-	tid  Tid
-	oidv []Oid
+	// waiters for δtail.Head to become ≥ their at.
+	hwait map[hwaiter]struct{} // set{(at, ready)}
+
+	// XXX δtail/hwait -> Storage or -> Cache?
+	// (so it is not duplicated many times for many DB case)
 }
 
 
@@ -69,11 +123,41 @@ type invEntry struct {
 // Created database handle must be closed when no longer needed.
 func NewDB(stor IStorage) *DB {
 	// XXX db options?
-	return &DB{stor: stor}
+	db := &DB{
+		stor:   stor,
+		watchq: make(chan Event),
+		down:   make(chan struct{}),
+		hwait:  make(map[hwaiter]struct{}),
+
+		tδkeep: 10*time.Minute, // see δtail discussion
+	}
+
+	at0 := stor.AddWatch(db.watchq)
+	db.δtail = NewΔTail(at0) // init to (at0, at0]
+	go db.watcher()
+
+	return db
+}
+
+// shutdown marks db no longer operational due to reason.
+//
+// It serves both either explicit Close, or shutdown triggered due to error
+// received by watcher. Only the first shutdown call has the effect.
+func (db *DB) shutdown(reason error) {
+	db.downOnce.Do(func() {
+		db.downErr = reason
+		close(db.down)
+
+		db.stor.DelWatch(db.watchq)
+	})
 }
 
 // Close closes database handle.
+//
+// After Close DB.Open calls will return error. However it is ok to continue
+// to use connections opened prior to Close.
 func (db *DB) Close() error {
+	db.shutdown(fmt.Errorf("db is closed"))
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -107,6 +191,125 @@ func (opt *ConnOptions) String() string {
 	return s
 }
 
+// watcher receives events about new committed transactions and updates δtail.
+//
+// It also notifies δtail waiters.
+//
+// The watcher stops when it sees either the storage being closed or an error.
+// The DB is shutdown on exit.
+func (db *DB) watcher() (err error) {
+	defer func() {
+		//fmt.Printf("db: watcher: exit: %s\n", err)
+		xerr.Contextf(&err, "db: watcher")
+		db.shutdown(err)
+	}()
+
+	var event Event
+	var ok bool
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-db.down:
+			// db is already shut down with concrete reason
+			return fmt.Errorf("db is down")
+
+		case event, ok = <-db.watchq:
+			if !ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("storage closed")
+			}
+		}
+
+		//fmt.Printf("db: watcher <- %v\n", event)
+
+		var δ *EventCommit
+		switch event := event.(type) {
+		default:
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unexepected event: %T", event))
+
+		case *EventError:
+			return fmt.Errorf("error: %s", event.Err)
+
+		case *EventCommit:
+			δ = event
+		}
+
+		var readyv []chan struct{} // waiters that become ready
+
+		db.mu.Lock()
+
+		db.δtail.Append(δ.Tid, δ.Changev)
+		for w := range db.hwait {
+			if w.at <= δ.Tid {
+				readyv = append(readyv, w.ready)
+				delete(db.hwait, w)
+			}
+		}
+
+		// forget older δtail entries
+		tcut := db.δtail.Head().Time().Add(-db.tδkeep)
+		δcut := TidFromTime(tcut)
+		//fmt.Printf("db: watcher: δtail: =  (%s, %s]\n", db.δtail.Tail(), db.δtail.Head())
+		//fmt.Printf("db: watcher: forget <=  %s\n", δcut)
+		db.δtail.ForgetPast(δcut)
+		//fmt.Printf("db: watcher: δtail: -> (%s, %s]\n", db.δtail.Tail(), db.δtail.Head())
+
+		db.mu.Unlock()
+
+		// wakeup waiters outside of db.mu
+		for _, ready := range readyv {
+			//fmt.Printf("db: watcher: wakeup %v\n", ready)
+			close(ready)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// hwaiter represents someone waiting for δtail.Head to become ≥ at.
+type hwaiter struct {
+	at    Tid
+	ready chan struct{}
+}
+
+// headWait waits till db.Head becomes ≥ at.
+//
+// It returns error either if db is down or ctx is canceled.
+//
+// Must be called db.mu released.
+func (db *DB) headWait(ctx context.Context, at Tid) (err error) {
+	defer xerr.Contextf(&err, "wait head ≥ %s", at)
+
+	// precheck if db is already down -> error even if at is under coverage
+	if ready(db.down) {
+		return db.downErr
+	}
+
+	db.mu.Lock()
+
+	// we already have the coverage
+	if at <= db.δtail.Head() {
+		db.mu.Unlock()
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// we have some δtail coverage, but at is ahead of that.
+	// wait till δtail.head is up to date covering ≥ at.
+	δready := make(chan struct{})
+	db.hwait[hwaiter{at, δready}] = struct{}{}
+	db.mu.Unlock()
+
+	select {
+	case <-δready:
+		// ok - δtail.head went over at
+		return nil
+
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+
+	case <-db.down:
+		return db.downErr
+	}
+}
+
+
 // Open opens new connection to the database.
 //
 // By default the connection is opened to current latest database state; opt.At
@@ -129,50 +332,188 @@ func (db *DB) Open(ctx context.Context, opt *ConnOptions) (_ *Connection, err er
 		}
 	}()
 
-	txn := transaction.Current(ctx)
+	// don't bother to sync to storage if db is down
+	if ready(db.down) {
+		return nil, db.downErr
+	}
 
+	// find out db state we should open at
 	at := opt.At
 	if at == 0 {
-		// XXX init head from current DB.head (head of .invTab)
-		var head Tid
-		var err error
-
+		if opt.NoSync {
+			db.mu.Lock()
+			at = db.δtail.Head()
+			db.mu.Unlock()
+		} else {
 			// sync storage for lastTid
-		if !opt.NoSync {
-			head, err = db.stor.LastTid(ctx)
+			var err error
+			at, err = db.stor.LastTid(ctx)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 		}
-
-		at = head
 	}
 
-	// wait till .invTab is up to date covering ≥ lastTid
-	// XXX reenable
-/*
-	err = db.invTab.Wait(ctx, at)
+	// wait for db.Head ≥ at
+	err = db.headWait(ctx, at)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-*/
-
-	// now we have both at and invalidation data covering it -> proceed to
-	// get connection from the pool.
-	conn := db.get(at)
-	conn.txn = txn
-	txn.RegisterSync((*connTxnSync)(conn))
 
+	// open(at)
+	conn := db.open(at)
+	conn.resync(ctx, at)
 	return conn, nil
 }
 
-// get returns connection from db pool most close to at.
+// open is internal worker for Open.
 //
-// it creates new one if there is no close-enough connection in the pool.
-func (db *DB) get(at Tid) *Connection {
+// It returns either new connection, or connection from the pool.
+// Returned connection does not generally have .at=at, and have to go through .resync().
+//
+// Must be called with at ≤ db.Head .
+// Must be called with db.mu released.
+func (db *DB) open(at Tid) *Connection {
 	db.mu.Lock()
 	defer db.mu.Unlock()
 
+	δtail := db.δtail
+
+	//fmt.Printf("db.open @%s\t; δtail (%s, %s]\n", at, δtail.Tail(), δtail.Head())
+
+	// at should be ≤ head (caller waited for it before invoking us)
+	if head := δtail.Head(); at > head {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("open: at (%s) > head (%s)", at, head))
+	}
+
+	// check if we already have an exact match
+	conn := db.get(at, at)
+	if conn != nil {
+		return conn
+	}
+
+	// no exact match - let's try to find nearest
+
+	// too far in the past, and we know there is no exact match
+	// -> new historic connection.
+	if at <= δtail.Tail() {
+		return newConnection(db, at)
+	}
+
+	// at ∈ (δtail, δhead]	; try to get nearby idle connection or make a new one
+	//
+	// note: we are ok to get conn with .at = δtail.Tail inclusive, because
+	// we need only later transactions to invalidate conn cache, and data
+	// about later transactions is present in δtail.
+	conn = db.get(δtail.Tail(), at)
+	if conn == nil {
+		conn = newConnection(db, at)
+	}
+	return conn
+}
+
+// resync serves DB.Open .
+//
+// Must be called with at ≤ conn.db.Head .
+// Must be called with conn.db released.
+func (conn *Connection) resync(ctx context.Context, at Tid) {
+	txn := transaction.Current(ctx)
+	conn.resync1(at)
+
+	// upon exit, with all locks released, register conn to txn.
+	conn.at = at
+	conn.txn = txn
+	txn.RegisterSync((*connTxnSync)(conn))
+}
+
+// resync1 serves resync.
+//
+// it computes δ(conn.at, at) and invalidates objects ∈ δ in conn cache.
+func (conn *Connection) resync1(at Tid) {
+	if conn.txn != nil {
+		panic("Conn.resync: previous transaction is not yet complete")
+	}
+
+	db := conn.db
+	db.mu.Lock()
+
+	// at should be ≤ head (caller waited for it before invoking us)
+	if head := db.δtail.Head(); at > head {
+		db.mu.Unlock()
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("resync: at (%s) > head (%s)", at, head))
+	}
+
+
+	// conn.at == at - nothing to do (even if out of δtail coverage)
+	if conn.at == at {
+		db.mu.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+
+	// conn.at != at - have to invalidate objects in live cache.
+	δtail := db.δtail
+	δobj  := make(map[Oid]struct{}) // set(oid) - what to invalidate
+	δall  := false                  // if we have to invalidate all objects
+
+	// both conn.at and at are covered by δtail - we can invalidate selectively
+	if (δtail.Tail() < conn.at && conn.at <= δtail.Head()) &&
+	   (δtail.Tail() <      at &&      at <= δtail.Head()) {
+		var δv []ΔRevEntry
+		if conn.at <= at {
+			δv = δtail.SliceByRev(conn.at, at)
+		} else {
+			// at < conn.at
+			δv = δtail.SliceByRev(at-1, conn.at-1)
+		}
+
+		for _, δ := range δv {
+			for _, oid := range δ.Changev {
+				δobj[oid] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+
+	// some of conn.at or at is outside δtail coverage - invalidate all
+	// objects, but keep the objects present in live cache.
+	} else {
+		δall = true
+	}
+
+	// unlock db before locking cache and txn
+	db.mu.Unlock()
+
+	conn.cache.Lock()
+	defer conn.cache.Unlock()
+
+	if δall {
+		// XXX keep synced with LiveCache details
+		// XXX -> conn.cache.forEach?
+		for _, wobj := range conn.cache.objtab {
+			obj, _ := wobj.Get().(IPersistent)
+			if obj != nil {
+				obj.PInvalidate()
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		for oid := range δobj {
+			obj := conn.cache.Get(oid)
+			if obj != nil {
+				obj.PInvalidate()
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// all done
+	return
+}
+
+// get returns connection from db pool most close to at with conn.at ∈ [atMin, at].
+//
+// If there is no such connection in the pool - nil is returned.
+// Must be called with db.mu locked.
+//
+// Note: atMin is inclusive, because even if we get conn with .at = δtail.Tail,
+// we still can use δtail data to invalidate conn cache with followup transactions.
+func (db *DB) get(atMin, at Tid) *Connection {
 	l := len(db.pool)
 
 	// find pool index corresponding to at:
@@ -181,30 +522,38 @@ func (db *DB) get(at Tid) *Connection {
 		return at < db.pool[i].at
 	})
 
+	//fmt.Printf("pool:\n")
+	//for i := 0; i < l; i++ {
+	//	fmt.Printf("\t[%d]:  .at = %s\n", i, db.pool[i].at)
+	//}
+	//fmt.Printf("get  [%s, %s] -> %d\n", atMin, at, i)
+
 	// search through window of X previous connections and find out the one
-	// with minimal distance to get to state @at. If all connections are to
-	// distant - create connection anew.
+	// with minimal distance to get to state @at that fits into requested range.
 	//
 	// XXX search not only previous, but future too? (we can get back to
-	// past by invalidating what was later changed)
-	const X = 10 // XXX hardcoded
+	// past by invalidating what was later changed) (but likely it will
+	// hurt by destroying cache of more recent connection).
+	const X = 10 // XXX search window size: hardcoded
 	jδmin := -1
 	for j := i - X; j < i; j++ {
 		if j < 0 {
 			continue
 		}
+		if db.pool[j].at < atMin {
+			continue
+		}
 
 		// TODO search for max N(live) - N(live, that will need to be invalidated)
 		jδmin = j // XXX stub (using rightmost j)
 	}
 
-	// nothing found or too distant
-	const Tnear = 10*time.Minute // XXX hardcoded
-	if jδmin < 0 || tabs(δtid(at, db.pool[jδmin].at)) > Tnear {
-		return newConnection(db, at)
+	// nothing found
+	if jδmin < 0 {
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	// reuse the connection
+	// found - reuse the connection
 	conn := db.pool[jδmin]
 	copy(db.pool[jδmin:], db.pool[jδmin+1:])
 	db.pool[l-1] = nil
@@ -217,10 +566,6 @@ func (db *DB) get(at Tid) *Connection {
 		panic("DB.get: live connection in the pool")
 	}
 
-	if conn.at != at {
-		panic("DB.get: TODO: invalidations")
-	}
-
 	return conn
 }
 
@@ -230,12 +575,11 @@ func (db *DB) put(conn *Connection) {
 		panic("DB.put: conn.db != db")
 	}
 
-	conn.txn = nil
-
 	db.mu.Lock()
 	defer db.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// XXX check if len(pool) > X, and drop conn if yes
+
 	// [i-1].at ≤ at < [i].at
 	i := sort.Search(len(db.pool), func(i int) bool {
 		return conn.at < db.pool[i].at
@@ -246,7 +590,7 @@ func (db *DB) put(conn *Connection) {
 	copy(db.pool[i+1:], db.pool[i:])
 	db.pool[i] = conn
 
-	// XXX GC too idle connections here?
+	// TODO GC too idle connections here
 }
 
 // ---- txn sync ----
@@ -264,7 +608,8 @@ func (csync *connTxnSync) AfterCompletion(txn transaction.Transaction) {
 	conn := (*Connection)(csync)
 	conn.checkTxn(txn, "AfterCompletion")
 
-	// XXX check that conn was explicitly closed by user?
+	// mark the connection as no longer being live
+	conn.txn = nil
 
 	conn.db.put(conn)
 }

go/zodb/persistent_test.go

@@ -20,12 +20,18 @@
 package zodb
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
+	"lab.nexedi.com/kirr/neo/go/transaction"
+
+	"lab.nexedi.com/kirr/go123/exc"
 	"lab.nexedi.com/kirr/go123/mem"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	assert "github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 // test Persistent type.
@@ -35,6 +41,10 @@ type MyObject struct {
 	value string
 }
 
+func NewMyObject(jar *Connection) *MyObject {
+	return NewPersistent(reflect.TypeOf(MyObject{}), jar).(*MyObject)
+}
+
 type myObjectState MyObject
 
 func (o *myObjectState) DropState() {
@@ -122,9 +132,9 @@ func tCheckObj(t testing.TB) func(IPersistent, *Connection, Oid, Tid, ObjectStat
 	}
 }
 
-
-func TestPersistent(t *testing.T) {
-	assert := require.New(t)
+// basic Persistent tests without storage.
+func TestPersistentBasic(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
 	checkObj := tCheckObj(t)
 
 	// unknown type -> Broken
@@ -179,11 +189,292 @@ func TestPersistent(t *testing.T) {
 
 		obj.PDeactivate()
 	}()
+}
+
+// ---- TestPersistentDB ----
+
+// zcacheControl is simple live cache control that prevents specified objects
+// to be evicted from live cache.
+type zcacheControl struct {
+	keep []Oid // objects that must not be evicted
+}
+
+func (cc *zcacheControl) WantEvict(obj IPersistent) bool {
+	for _, oid := range cc.keep {
+		if obj.POid() == oid {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// tPersistentDB represents one testing environment inside TestPersistentDB.
+type tPersistentDB struct {
+	*testing.T
+
+	// a transaction and DB connection opened under it
+	txn   transaction.Transaction
+	ctx   context.Context
+	conn  *Connection
+}
+
+// Get gets oid from t.conn and asserts its type.
+func (t *tPersistentDB) Get(oid Oid) *MyObject {
+	t.Helper()
+	xobj, err := t.conn.Get(t.ctx, oid)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	zclass := ClassOf(xobj)
+	zmy    := "t.zodb.MyObject"
+	if zclass != zmy {
+		t.Fatalf("get %d: got %s;  want %s", oid, zclass, zmy)
+	}
+
+	return xobj.(*MyObject)
+}
+
+// PActivate activates obj in t environment.
+func (t *tPersistentDB) PActivate(obj IPersistent) {
+	t.Helper()
+	err := obj.PActivate(t.ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// checkObj checks state of obj and that obj ∈ t.conn.
+//
+// if object is !GHOST - it also verifies its value.
+func (t *tPersistentDB) checkObj(obj *MyObject, oid Oid, serial Tid, state ObjectState, refcnt int32, valueOk ...string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	// any object with live pointer to it must be also in conn's cache.
+	cache := t.conn.Cache()
+	cache.Lock()
+	connObj := cache.Get(oid)
+	cache.Unlock()
+	if obj != connObj {
+		t.Fatalf("cache.get %s -> not same object:\nhave: %#v\nwant: %#v", oid, connObj, oid)
+	}
+
+	// and conn.Get must return exactly obj.
+	connObj, err := t.conn.Get(t.ctx, oid)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if obj != connObj {
+		t.Fatalf("conn.get %s -> not same object:\nhave: %#v\nwant: %#v", oid, connObj, oid)
+	}
+
+	checkObj(t.T, obj, t.conn, oid, serial, state, refcnt)
+
+	if state == GHOST {
+		if len(valueOk) != 0 {
+			panic("t.checkObj(GHOST) must come without value")
+		}
+		return
+	}
+
+	if len(valueOk) != 1 {
+		panic("t.checkObj(!GHOST) must come with one value")
+	}
+	value := valueOk[0]
+	if obj.value != value {
+		t.Fatalf("obj.value mismatch: have %q;  want %q", obj.value, value)
+	}
+}
+
+// Abort aborts t's connection and verifies it becomes !live.
+func (t *tPersistentDB) Abort() {
+	t.Helper()
+	assert.Same(t, t.conn.txn, t.txn)
+	t.txn.Abort()
+	assert.Equal(t, t.conn.txn, nil)
+}
+
+
+// Persistent tests with storage.
+//
+// this test covers everything at application-level: Persistent, DB, Connection, LiveCache.
+func TestPersistentDB(t *testing.T) {
+	// perform tests without and with raw data cache.
+	// (rawcache=y verifies how raw cache handles invalidations)
+	t.Run("rawcache=n", func(t *testing.T) { testPersistentDB(t, false) })
+	t.Run("rawcache=y", func(t *testing.T) { testPersistentDB(t, true) })
+}
+
+func testPersistentDB(t0 *testing.T, rawcache bool) {
+	X := exc.Raiseif
+	assert := assert.New(t0)
+
+	work, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "t-persistent"); X(err)
+	defer func() {
+		err := os.RemoveAll(work); X(err)
+	}()
+
+	zurl := work + "/1.fs"
+
+	// create test db via py with 2 objects
+	// XXX hack as _objX go without jar.
+	_obj1 := NewMyObject(nil); _obj1.oid = 101; _obj1.value = "init"
+	_obj2 := NewMyObject(nil); _obj2.oid = 102; _obj2.value = "db"
+	at0, err := ZPyCommit(zurl, 0, _obj1, _obj2); X(err)
+
+	_obj1.value = "hello"
+	_obj2.value = "world"
+	at1, err := ZPyCommit(zurl, at0, _obj1, _obj2); X(err)
+
+	// open connection to it via zodb/go
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	stor, err := OpenStorage(ctx, zurl, &OpenOptions{ReadOnly: true, NoCache: !rawcache}); X(err)
+	db := NewDB(stor)
+	defer func() {
+		err := db.Close(); X(err)
+	}()
+
+	// testopen opens new db transaction/connection and wraps it with tPersistentDB.
+	testopen := func(opt *ConnOptions) *tPersistentDB {
+		t0.Helper()
+
+		txn, ctx := transaction.New(context.Background())
+		conn, err := db.Open(ctx, opt); X(err)
+
+		assert.Same(conn.db, db)
+		assert.Same(conn.txn, txn)
+
+		return &tPersistentDB{
+			T:    t0,
+			txn:  txn,
+			ctx:  ctx,
+			conn: conn,
+		}
+	}
 
-	// TODO activate	- jar has to load, state changes
-	// TODO activate again	- refcnt++
-	// TODO deactivate	- refcnt--
-	// TODO deactivate	- state dropped
+	t1 := testopen(&ConnOptions{})
+	t := t1
+	assert.Equal(t.conn.At(), at1)
+	assert.Equal(db.pool, []*Connection(nil))
+
+	// δtail coverage is (at1, at1]  (at0 not included)
+	assert.Equal(db.δtail.Tail(), at1)
+	assert.Equal(db.δtail.Head(), at1)
+
+	// do not evict obj2 from live cache. obj1 is ok to be evicted.
+	zcache1 := t.conn.Cache()
+	zcache1.Lock()
+	zcache1.SetControl(&zcacheControl{[]Oid{_obj2.oid}})
+	zcache1.Unlock()
+
+	// get objects
+	obj1 := t.Get(101)
+	obj2 := t.Get(102)
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+
+	// activate:		jar has to load, state changes -> uptodate
+	t.PActivate(obj1)
+	t.PActivate(obj2)
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "hello")
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "world")
+
+	// activate again:	refcnt++
+	t.PActivate(obj1)
+	t.PActivate(obj2)
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 2, "hello")
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE, 2, "world")
+
+	// deactivate:		refcnt--
+	obj1.PDeactivate()
+	obj2.PDeactivate()
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "hello")
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "world")
+
+	// deactivate:		state dropped for obj1, obj2 stays in live cache
+	obj1.PDeactivate()
+	obj2.PDeactivate()
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE,    0, "world")
+
+	// invalidate:		obj2 state dropped
+	obj1.PInvalidate()
+	obj2.PInvalidate()
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST,    0)
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, InvalidTid, GHOST,    0)
+
+	// commit change to obj2 from external process
+	_obj2.value = "kitty"
+	at2, err := ZPyCommit(zurl, at1, _obj2); X(err)
+
+	// new db connection should see the change
+	t2 := testopen(&ConnOptions{})
+	assert.Equal(t2.conn.At(), at2)
+	assert.Equal(db.pool, []*Connection(nil))
+
+	// δtail coverage is (at1, at2]
+	assert.Equal(db.δtail.Tail(), at1)
+	assert.Equal(db.δtail.Head(), at2)
+
+	c2obj1 := t2.Get(101)
+	c2obj2 := t2.Get(102)
+	t2.checkObj(c2obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t2.checkObj(c2obj2, 102, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+
+	t2.PActivate(c2obj1)
+	t2.PActivate(c2obj2)
+	t2.checkObj(c2obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "hello")
+	t2.checkObj(c2obj2, 102, at2, UPTODATE, 1, "kitty")
+	c2obj1.PDeactivate()
+	c2obj2.PDeactivate()
+
+
+	// conn1 stays at older view for now
+	t1.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST,    0)
+	t1.checkObj(obj2, 102, InvalidTid, GHOST,    0)
+	t1.PActivate(obj1)
+	t1.PActivate(obj2)
+	t1.checkObj(obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "hello")
+	t1.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "world")
+
+	// conn1 deactivate:	obj2 stays in conn1 live cache with old state
+	obj1.PDeactivate()
+	obj2.PDeactivate()
+	t1.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t1.checkObj(obj2, 102, at1, UPTODATE,    0, "world")
+
+	// txn1 completes - conn1 goes back to db pool
+	t1.Abort()
+	assert.Equal(db.pool, []*Connection{t1.conn})
+
+
+	// open new connection - it should be conn1 but at updated database view
+	t3 := testopen(&ConnOptions{})
+	assert.Same(t3.conn, t1.conn)
+	t = t3
+	assert.Equal(t.conn.At(), at2)
+	assert.Equal(db.pool, []*Connection{})
+
+	// obj2 should be invalidated
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+
+	// obj2 data should be new
+	t.PActivate(obj1);
+	t.PActivate(obj2);
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, at1, UPTODATE, 1, "hello")
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at2, UPTODATE, 1, "kitty")
+
+	obj1.PDeactivate()
+	obj2.PDeactivate()
+	t.checkObj(obj1, 101, InvalidTid, GHOST, 0)
+	t.checkObj(obj2, 102, at2, UPTODATE,    0, "kitty")
+
+
+	// finish tnx3 and txn2 - conn1 and conn2 go back to db pool
+	t.Abort()
+	t2.Abort()
+	assert.Equal(db.pool, []*Connection{t1.conn, t2.conn})
 }
 
 // TODO Map & List tests.