Method for migrating application data definition catalog changes to the system level data definition catalog in a database
First Claim
1. A method of altering information in a computer system comprising the steps of:
- defining a system definition, said system definition containing a system-level definition for said information;
defining an application definition, said application definition containing an application-level definition for said information and said system-level definition;
identifying an alteration to said application definition;
altering said application definition to obtain a modified system-level definition in said application definition;
comparing said modified system-level definition in said application definition to said system-level definition in said system definition to identify a plurality of alterations for said system definition;
performing said plurality of alterations on said system definition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides the ability to alter data definitions in a Database Management System (DBMS). The present invention provides the ability to maintain DBMS and application catalogs. Alterations can be made to the an application catalog, and the changes propagated to the DBMS catalog based on the differences between like information in the application and DBMS catalogs as identified by the present invention. The present invention provides the ability to test for data loss. That is, the present invention examines the requested alteration and the data that will be affected by the alteration to determine whether or not the alteration will result in the loss of data. If loss of data is possible, alerts can be generated to determine whether or not to proceed with the alterations. The present invention provides two techniques to perform-the alterations depending on the ability of the DBMS to perform an alter on the original table without using an intermediate table (i.e., a native alter), or performing the alterations using an intermediate table for a DBMS with limited native alter capabilities.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method of altering information in a computer system comprising the steps of:
-
defining a system definition, said system definition containing a system-level definition for said information; defining an application definition, said application definition containing an application-level definition for said information and said system-level definition; identifying an alteration to said application definition; altering said application definition to obtain a modified system-level definition in said application definition; comparing said modified system-level definition in said application definition to said system-level definition in said system definition to identify a plurality of alterations for said system definition; performing said plurality of alterations on said system definition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of altering information in a database management system comprising the steps of:
-
creating a structural definition of said information in an application definition table; creating a structural definition of said information in a system definition table; storing said information in an original data table; identifying an alteration to said structural definition in said application definition table; altering said structural definition based on said alteration; converting said information in said original data table based on said alteration. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of identifying a history of alterations applied to structural information in a database management system comprising the steps of:
-
defining a structure definition, said structure definition including a plurality of field names; storing said structure definition in a database catalog and an application catalog; creating a name change table to store an old field name, its corresponding new field name, and a change time; changing one of said field names in said structure definition; and creating an entry in said name change table, said entry including the old and new names of said one of said field names and the time of the name change. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
Specification