CONFIGURATION CHANGE WITHOUT DISRUPTION OF INCOMPLETE PROCESSES

• US 20100153468A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Lange, Stephan, Lang, Klaus-Peter, Wagner, Frank, Eschenroeder, Klaus, Fitzer, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

Various embodiments include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures to provide flexibility when configuring systems to new or different processes while not disrupting incomplete processes. Some embodiments include receiving input representative of a configuration change to at least one configuration setting and storing a copy of a setting of the at least one configuration setting from a current configuration to an historical configuration setting storage location. Such embodiments may further include storing the input representative of the configuration change into the current configuration. Following such configuring processes already initiated may be completed according to the copied historical configuration setting and new processes may be initiated according to the new configuration setting. These and other embodiments are described herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input into a computing system including at least one processor, the input representative of a configuration change to at least one configuration setting of a computer application executed by the at least one processor;

storing a copy of a setting of the at least one configuration setting from a current configuration setting storage location in an historical configuration setting storage location in a data storage device of the computing system;

storing the input representative of the configuration change in the current configuration setting storage location as a new configuration setting of the at least one configuration setting of the computer application;

completing processes initiated according to the copied at least one configuration setting; and

initiating new processes according to the new configuration setting of the at least one configuration setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the historical configuration storage location and the current configuration storage location are both the same database table;

the database table includes a termination column for each configuration setting stored in the table; and

the termination column of configuration settings stored in the table is populated with data indicating when the respective configuration setting is not a current configuration setting.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the termination column stores at least a date at which respective configuration settings are no longer current configuration settings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

current and historical configuration settings are each stored with a configuration setting identifier; and

processes initiated according to a set of configuration settings are stored with a reference to the set of configuration settings based on the configuration setting identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the configuration setting identifier is a date-time-stamp of when a respective process was initiated and the configuration of the process is retrievable from one or both of the current and historical configuration setting storage locations by a date-time-stamp of an initiated process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input representative of a configuration change to the at least one configuration setting includes receiving input specifying that the configuration change is to modify all processes including previously initiated processes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving input specifying that the configuration change is to modify all processes including previously initiated processes includes a configuration change to master data.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, with instructions stored thereon, which when executed by computer, cause the computer to:

instantiate a process in a computer application according to a set of current configuration settings of the computer application;

generate at least one data structure for the instantiated process;

store, in the at least one data structure, a representation-of at least one configuration setting, the at least one configuration setting being a current configuration setting when the process is initiated; and

execute the instantiated process based on the at least one stored configuration setting representation.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein a subsequent modification to a current configuration setting does not impact how the instantiated process is executed.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the representation of the at least one configuration setting current when the process is initiated is a data item for use as a retrieval argument to retrieve the at least one configuration setting from a configuration setting repository.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the data item is a date time stamp of when the process was initiated.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the date time stamp is a retrieval argument for a process configuration retrieval method that is operable to retrieve process configurations.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the process configuration retrieval method is operable to retrieve current and historical configurations.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, with further instructions stored thereon, which when executed, cause the computer to:

receive a configuration setting query from a requestor;

perform the query against both current and historical configuration settings; and

provide a result set of from the query to the requester.

15. A system comprising:

at least processors coupled to a bus;

a memory device coupled to the bus and storing an instruction set executable by the at least one processor to;

receive input representative of a configuration change to at least one configuration setting of a computer application executed at least in part on the system by the at least one processor;

store a copy of a setting of the at least one configuration setting from a current configuration setting storage location in an historical configuration setting storage location in a data storage device of the computing system;

store the input representative of the configuration change in the current configuration setting storage location as a new configuration setting of the at least one configuration setting of the computer application;

complete processes initiated according to the copied configuration setting of the at least one configuration setting; and

initiate new processes according to the new configuration setting of the at least one configuration setting.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a network interface coupled to the bus; and

wherein the current configuration setting storage location and the historical configuration setting storage location are remote data storage locations accessible via the network interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the historical configuration storage location and the current configuration storage location are both the same database table and are accessible over a network interface of the system;

the database table includes a termination column for each configuration setting stored in the table; and

the termination column of configuration settings stored in the table is populated with data indicating when the respective configuration setting is not a current configuration setting.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the termination column stores at least a date at which respective configuration settings are no longer current configuration settings.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

current and historical configuration settings are each stored with a configuration setting identifier; and

processes initiated according to a set of configuration settings are stored with a reference to the set of configuration settings based on the configuration setting identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configuration setting identifier is a date-time-stamp of when a respective process was initiated and the configuration of the process is retrievable from one or both of the current and historical configuration setting storage locations by a date-time-stamp of an initiated process.