Backward compatibility in database schemas

• US 20050149543A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Avalani, Bhaven, Cohen, Alon
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/213 with details for schema evolution support
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A method of accommodating at least one difference between a first database schema and a second database schema is provided. The method includes receiving a request from a first application program that is operationally dependent upon the first database schema, the request being received at a second application program that is operationally dependent upon the second database schema. Thereafter, the method identifies if there is a difference between the first database schema and the second database schema. When there is a difference, the method identifies the difference between the first database schema and the second database schema to identify at least one different schema definition element and associates the different schema definition element with a reserved element. The reserved element may have a corresponding reserved element provided in the first database schema. A response is then communicated to the first application program including the reserved element.

Claims

1. A method of accommodating at least one difference between a first database schema and a second database schema, the method including:

receiving a request from a first application program that is operationally dependent upon the first database schema, the request being received at a second application program that is operationally dependent upon the second database schema;

identifying if there is a difference between the first database schema and the second database schema and, when there is a difference,

identifying the difference between the first database schema and the second database schema to identify at least one different schema definition element;

associating the different schema definition element with a reserved element, the reserved element having a corresponding reserved element provided in the first database schema; and

communicating a response to the first application program including the reserved element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first database schema is a client-side database schema and the first application program is a client application, and the second database schema is a server-side database schema and the second application program is a server application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the server application program is an Application Program Interface (API) of a network-based commerce facility, the API communicating with a plurality of remote client applications at least one of which having the client-side database schema which corresponds to the server-side data schema associated with the API.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying if there is a difference between the first and the second database schemas includes identifying a version number of the first database schema.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one reserved element is included in the first database upon creating the first database schema.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database schema includes a schema definition that includes at least one reserved element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the schema definition is an XML schema definition and the reserved element is provided in a schema dictionary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the requests and responses are communicated using Web Services Description Language (WSDL) messages.

9. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method of claim 1.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server application program is an Application Program Interface (API) of a network-based commerce facility, the API communicating with a plurality of remote client applications at least one of which having the client-side database schema which corresponds to the server-side data schema associated with the API.

10. A system to accommodate at least one difference between a first database schema and a second database schema, the system including:

a programmatic interface to receive a request from a first application program that is operationally dependent upon the first database schema, the request being received at a second application program that is operationally dependent upon the second database schema; and

a processing module to;

identify if there is a difference between the first database schema and the second database schema and, when there is a difference,

identify the difference between the first database schema and the second database schema to identify at least one different schema definition element; and

associate the different schema definition element with a reserved element, the reserved element having a corresponding reserved element provided in the first database schema, a response to the first application program including the reserved element.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first database schema is a client-side database schema and the first application program is a client application, and the second database schema is a server-side database schema and the second application program is a server application.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifying if there is a difference between the first and the second database schemas includes identifying a version number of the first database schema.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one reserved element is included in the first database upon creating the first database schema.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the database schema includes a schema definition that includes at least one reserved element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema definition is an XML schema definition and the reserved element is provided in a schema dictionary.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the requests and responses are communicated using Web Services Description Language (WSDL) messages.

18. A system to accommodate at least one difference between a first database schema and a second database schema, the system including:

means for receiving a request from a first application program that is operationally dependent upon the first database schema, the request being received at a second application program that is operationally dependent upon the second database schema;

means for identifying if there is a difference between the first database schema and the second database schema and, when there is a difference,

means for identifying the difference between the first database schema and the second database schema to identify at least one different schema definition element;

means for associating the different schema definition element with a reserved element, the reserved element having a corresponding reserved element provided in the first database schema; and

means for communicating a response to the first application program including the reserved element.