Method, system and program product for maintaining a change history for a database design

• US 20030212647A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Murray, Douglas G., Martin, James A. Jr., Bangel, Matthew Jay
• Application Number:
  US10/140,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212647A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409

Abstract

A method, system and program product for maintaining a change history for a database design is provided. Specifically, a change to design of a production database is formulated using a development database. Change history data corresponding to the change is entered into a change history database. When the design change is implemented on the production database, the change history data is automatically sent thereto.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a change history for a database design, comprising:

providing a production database having a design;

formulating a change to the design;

entering change history data corresponding to the change into a change history database;

implementing the change; and

automatically sending the change history data to the production database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the production database is a production copy of a development database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the formulating step comprises formulating a change to the design, on the development database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering step comprises entering change history data corresponding to the change into a document on a change history database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the production database includes a profile document, and wherein the change history data is copied to the profile document.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the production database and the change history database communicate over a network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a version number of the production database when the change is implemented.

8. A method for maintaining a change history for a database design, comprising:

providing a development database having a design, and a production database, wherein the production database is a production copy of the development database;

making a change to the design on the development database;

entering change history data corresponding to the change into a document on a change history database;

implementing the change on the production database; and

automatically sending the change history data to the production database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the development database, the production database, and the change history database communicate over a network.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the production database includes a profile document.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically sending comprises copying the change history data to the profile document.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising updating a version number of the production database when the change is implemented.

13. A system for maintaining a change history for a database design, comprising:

a design system for formulating a change to a design of a production database using a development database;

a data system for entering change history data corresponding to the change into a change history database; and

an export system for implementing the change on the production database, and for automatically sending the change history data to the production database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the change to the design is made on a development database, and wherein the production database is a production copy of the development database.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the change history data is entered into a change history document in the change history database.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmission system copies the change history data to a profile document in the production database.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmission system comprises an export agent.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the export agent updates a version number of the production database when the change is implemented.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the change history database and the production database communicate over a network.

20. A program product stored on a recordable medium for maintaining a change history for a database design, which when executed, comprises:

program code for formulating a change to a design of a production database using a development database;

program code for entering change history data corresponding to the change into a change history database;

program code for implementing the change on the production database; and

program code for automatically sending the change history data to the production database.

21. The program product of claim 20, wherein the change to the design is made on a development database, and wherein the production database is a production copy of the development database.

22. The program product of claim 20, wherein the change history data is entered into a change history document in the change history database.

23. The program product of claim 20, wherein the program code for automatically sending copies the change history data to a profile document in the production database.

24. The program product of claim 20, wherein the program code for automatically sending comprises an export agent.

25. The program product of claim 24, wherein the export agent updates a version number of the production database when the change is implemented.

26. The program product of claim 20, wherein the change history database and the production database communicate over a network.