Techniques for reconfiguring configurable systems

• US 20040133610A1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sparta Systems (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sparta Systems (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Flam, Ran J., Kogan, Daniel, Koganov, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/214 Database migration support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases

Abstract

Techniques for reconfiguring systems that are configured by modifying configuration tables in a database. Reconfiguration begins by making a copy of the production version to obtain the development version and a snapshot showing the current state of the configuration tables in the production version is made. The development version is then reconfigured and tested. Before the development version'"'"'s configuration is migrated to the production version, the production version'"'"'s configuration tables are compared with the snapshot to see whether the state of the production version'"'"'s configuration tables has changed. If has not, the migration takes place; if it has, the production version'"'"'s configuration tables have changed since the snapshot was made. In this case, a new development copy and snapshot must be made and the reconfiguration done over or if the user desires, a forced migration may be made by overwriting the production version'"'"'s configuration tables with those of the development version.

Claims

1. A method of migrating from configuration m of a system to a configuration m+1 thereof, the system'"'"'s configuration being defined by first configuration tables in a database and

the method comprising the steps performed by the system of:

making second configuration tables that define configuration m+1;

making a determination whether the first configuration tables still define configuration m; and

if the first configuration tables still define configuration m, using the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables such that the first configuration tables define configuration m+1.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

making a snapshot of the first configuration tables prior to making the second configuration tables; and

in the step of making a determination, the snapshot is used to make the determination.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the snapshot is compared with the first configuration tables.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein

the step of making second configuration tables comprises the steps of:

making a copy of the first configuration tables; and

modifying the copy.

5. The method set forth in claim 4 further comprising the step of:

making a snapshot of the first configuration tables when the copy is made; and

in the step of making a determination, the snapshot is used to make the determination.

6. The method set forth in claim 5 wherein:

in the step of making a determination, the snapshot is compared with the first configuration tables.

7. The method set forth in claim 4 wherein:

the step of making a copy of the first configuration tables is part of a step of copying the database; and

the method further includes the step of testing the copied database with configuration m+1.

8. The method set forth in claim 4 wherein

the system performs the method under control of a user;

and

the method further comprises the step of;

having any other user log off before the step of making a copy of the first configuration tables.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 further comprising the step of:

also having any other user log off before the step of making a determination.

10. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein

the system performs the method under control of a user and

the method further comprises the steps performed when the comparison indicates that the first configuration tables no longer define configuration m of:

notifying the user that the first configuration tables no longer define configuration m; and

if the user so indicates, overwriting the first configuration tables with the second configuration tables.

11. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein:

in the step of using the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables, the first configuration tables are modified record-by-record.

12. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein

the system performs the method under control of a user and

the method further comprises the steps performed when the comparison indicates that the first configuration tables no longer define configuration m of:

notifying the user that the first configuration tables no longer define configuration m; and

if the user so indicates, overwriting the first configuration tables with the second configuration tables.

13. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

getting an approval by a user of the system for the migration.

14. The method set forth in claim 13 wherein:

the step of getting the approval is performed prior to the step of making a determination.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the step of getting the approval is performed immediately prior to the step of making a determination.

16. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein

the system performs the method under control of a user;

and

the method further comprises the step of;

having any other user log off before the step of making a determination.

17. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the database further includes a configuration change tracking table; and

in the step of using the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables, the modifications to the first configuration tables are recorded in the configuration change tracking table.

18. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein:

the modifications are recorded in the configuration change table together with an indication that they were made during a migration from one configuration to another.

19. Apparatus employed in a system having a processor and a database which includes first configuration tables that define a configuration m of the system to migrate the system to a configuration m+1 thereof,

the apparatus comprising:

a copy of the first configuration tables; and

a snapshot table which can be used by the processor to detect whether the first configuration tables still define configuration m,

the processor operating under control of a user of the system to modify the copy of the first configuration tables to produce second configuration tables that define configuration m+1, compare the first configuration tables with the snapshot table to determine whether the first configuration tables still define configuration m, and if the first configuration tables do so, use the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables so that the first configuration tables define configuration m+1.

20. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein

when the first configuration tables no longer define configuration m, the processor operates to notify the user thereof and to respond to an indication from the user to so do by overwriting the first configuration tables with the second configuration tables.

21. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

a copy of the database, the copied database including the copy of the first configuration tables, the processor further operating under control of the user to test configuration m+1 using the second configuration tables and the copied database.

22. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein:

the processor operates under control of the user to make the snapshot table when the copy of the first configuration tables is made.

23. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein:

the processor operates under control of the user to log any other users of the database off before making the copy of the first configuration tables and also before comparing the first configuration tables with the snapshot table.

24. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

a signoff table in the database which indicates one or more other users whose approval is required before the configuration m can be migrated to the configuration m+1; and

the processor operates under control of the user to obtain approval from each of the other users before using the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables.

25. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

a configuration change tracking table in the database; and

the processor further recording the modifications to the first configuration tables in the configuration change tracking table.

26. A data storage device, characterized in that:

the data storage device contains code which when executed by a processor performs a method of migrating from configuration m of a system to a configuration m+1 thereof, the system'"'"'s configuration being defined by first configuration tables in a database and

the method comprising the steps of;

making second configuration tables that define configuration m+1;

making a determination whether the first configuration tables still define configuration m; and

if the first configuration tables still define configuration m, using the second configuration tables to modify the first configuration tables such that the first configuration tables define configuration m+1.