Chasing engine for data transfer

• US 20060224637A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Wald, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A data repository defined by a single logical specification includes a data store comprising a plurality of tables and a view of the plurality of tables, a data dictionary comprising a meta-table and means to generate the data store, wherein the meta-table is generated from the single logical specification defining the data repository, and a chase engine configured to transfer a plurality of data within the data store, wherein the chase engine generates a plurality of chasing procedures based on a chasing specification, wherein the chasing procedures define a manner to transfer the plurality of data.

Claims

1. A data repository defined by a single logical specification, comprising:

a data store comprising a plurality of tables and a view of the plurality of tables;

a data dictionary comprising a meta-table and means to generate the data store, wherein the meta-table is generated from the single logical specification defining the data repository; and

a chase engine configured to transfer a plurality of data within the data store, wherein the chase engine generates a plurality of chasing procedures based on a chasing specification, wherein the chasing procedures define a manner to transfer the plurality of data.

2. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the generating a plurality of chasing procedures comprises:

loading a chasing specification;

analyzing the chasing specification for consistency;

computing an order of chasing;

generating a plurality of stored procedures; and

selecting entities within the data store to be transferred based on seed entities.

3. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the chasing procedures are stored in the data dictionary.

4. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the chasing specification is obtained by an administrator using domain specific knowledge.

5. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the administrator is unfamiliar with database management.

6. The data repository of claim 2, wherein the chasing engine is further configured to generate reports of inconsistencies in the chasing specification.

7. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chasing procedures is generated in advance of transferring the plurality of data.

8. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the chasing engine is further configured to operate on a plurality of database platforms.

9. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the chasing engine is further configured to allow data synchronization between data stores of a plurality of database platforms.

10. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the chasing engine supports incremental data transfer and focused incremental data transfer.

11. A method of performing data chasing, comprising:

obtaining a chasing specification defining at least one domain of a data repository;

generating a plurality of chasing procedures based on a chasing specification; and

transferring a plurality of data within the data repository, wherein the chasing procedures define a manner to transfer the plurality of data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating a plurality of chasing procedures comprises:

loading a plurality of specifications;

analyzing the specifications for consistency;

computing an order of chasing;

generating a plurality of stored procedures; and

selecting entities to be transferred based on seed entities.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the chasing procedures are stored in the data dictionary.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the chasing specification is obtained by an administrator using domain specific knowledge.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the administrator is unfamiliar with database management.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating reports of inconsistencies in the chasing specification.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of chasing procedures is generated in advance of transferring the plurality of data.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of chasing procedures operate on a plurality of database platforms.

19. A computer readable medium containing software instructions stored thereon to perform:

obtaining a chasing specification defining at least one domain of a data repository;

generating a plurality of chasing procedures based on a chasing specification; and

transferring a plurality of data within the data repository, wherein the chasing procedures define a manner to transfer the plurality of data.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the generating a plurality of chasing procedures comprises:

loading a plurality of specifications;

analyzing the specifications for consistency;

computing an order of chasing;

generating a plurality of stored procedures; and

selecting entities to be transferred based on seed entities.