Data staging system and method

• US 20110040737A1
• Filed: 08/17/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kreiter, Thomas, Heßedenz, Hans-Jürgen, Guldner, Andreas, Guldner, Felix
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2329 using versioning

Abstract

A data staging system comprises an inbound staging area, data conversion logic, and a graphical user interface. The inbound staging area is configured to receive data records from a data sending computer system, including being configured to receive different versions of the same record. The inbound staging area stores the different versions of the same record pending further processing. The data conversion logic is configured to perform the further processing. The further processing reduces the number of different versions of the same record. The graphical user interface logic is configured to generate a display showing the records in the inbound staging area.

Claims

1. Computer-readable media having program code stored therein executable by one or more processors to implement a receiving computer system, the receiving computer comprising:

an inbound staging area, the inbound staging area being configured to receive data records from a data sending computer system, including being configured to receive different versions of the same record and to store the different versions of the same record pending further processing;

data conversion logic, the data conversion logic being configured to perform the further processing, the further processing being configured to reduce the number of different versions of the same record;

graphical user interface logic, the graphical user interface logic being configured to generate a display showing the records in the inbound staging area.

2. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein the records are data objects.

3. Computer readable media according to claim 2 wherein, whenever data for an object is received by the inbound staging area, a complete data record for the object is received.

4. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion logic is configured to create packages of records, each package containing the different versions of the same record for different types of records.

5. Computer readable media according to claim 4, wherein the data conversion logic is configured to sort the different versions based on a timestamp.

6. Computer readable media according to claim 5, wherein the data conversion logic is configured to initiate the creation of the packages and the sorting of the different versions based on a manual input received from a user.

7. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein the records are received in messages, and wherein the display shows message types organized in a table, including the number of different versions of each record.

8. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein graphical user interface logic is further configured to generate a display that provides options to a user for manually processing records.

9. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein graphical user interface logic is further configured to generate a display that provides options to a user for deleting records.

10. Computer readable media according to claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface logic is further configured to generate a display showing an inbound history of the records in the inbound staging area.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising maintaining a configuration table, the configuration table storing information that defines an order in which types of records are sorted during the sorting step.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the records are data objects and are received as messages.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein each message is assigned a unique key, a key timestamp, and a sender identification.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein, whenever data for an object is received by the inbound staging area, a complete data record for the object is received.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a record from a sending computer, the record being received at a receiving computer; and

processing the record at the receiving computer, including;

storing the record in an inbound staging table of an inbound staging area, the inbound staging table being one of a plurality of inbound staging tables in the inbound staging area, and the record being one of a plurality of records stored in the plurality of inbound staging tables, each of the plurality of records having a timestamp associated therewith,

sorting the plurality of records in the plurality of inbound staging tables based on the timestamps and deleting older records;

providing a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface permitting the user to view details of messages in the inbound staging area.

16. A computer-implemented data processing system comprising:

a sending computer system, the sending computer system being configured to send data records for a plurality of different types of data objects;

a receiving computer system, the receiving computer system being configured to receive the data records from the sending system by way of a computer network, the receiving system including

an inbound staging layer, the inbound staging layer further including

inbound staging tables, the inbound staging tables being configured to store the messages pending further processing, including being configured to receive different versions of the same record and to store the different versions of the same record pending further processing, wherein each new record received is appended to an inbound staging table,

data conversion logic, the data conversion logic being configured to perform the further processing, including being configured to create business objects by packaging records from different ones of the inbound staging tables into respective packages different versions of the same record, sorting the records, and deleting older versions of the same record,

graphical user interface logic, the graphical user interface logic being configured to generate a display showing the records in the inbound staging layer;

a business application layer, the business application layer being configured to receive the business objects from the inbound staging layer and to validate the business objects; and

a persistence layer, the persistence layer being configured to store the business objects.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein, whenever data for an object is received by the inbound staging area, a complete data record for the object is received.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the display shows message types organized in a table, including the number of different versions of each record.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein graphical user interface logic is further configured to generate a display that provides options to a user for manually processing records.

20. A system according to claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface logic is further configured to generate a display showing an inbound history of the records in the inbound staging area.