Database system with methods for executing system-created internal SQL command statements

• US 5,950,188 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sybase Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sybase Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wildermuth, Elton P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALLACE, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/752,677
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/100, 707/200, 707/10, 707/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A Client/Server Database system is described which includes a Database Server providing methods for executing system-created internal command statements (e.g., SQL statements), such as those which ordinarily are submitted to the server by various Clients. The Database Server is modified so that it can be its own "user," thus removing the fundamental schism which had existed in prior systems. The system is allowed to issue SQL commands to itself and, thus, can do anything that either the system or the user can do. The methodology is particularly useful for carrying out upgrades. The system can now set flags that are not accessible to users. Unlike a standalone "utility" approach, however, authentication is assured. Here, the system is assured that a known user--itself--has issued the command. As a result, it is no longer necessary to expose "dangerous" system functions to users.

Claims

1. In a database system having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements, a method for executing system-created internal command statements, the method comprising:

creating a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself;

setting an internal status flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a client with system privileges;

invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

at said execution unit, executing instructions based on said parsed command statement with system privileges, whereupon said database system operates under control of the executing internally-generated command statement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises at least one structured query language (SQL) statement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said command buffer is created by dynamically constructing an internally-generated command statement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said internally-generated command statement is created based at least in part on information retrieved from a database table.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said information stored in a database table comprises a text string stored in a variable-length character field of a row from the database table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises one or more data manipulation statements which perform transactional operations against one or more database tables.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating said invoking step and said executing step for a plurality of command buffers, so that the database system operates under control of a sequence of internally-generated command statements.

7. In a database system having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements, a method for executing system-created internal command statements, the method comprising:

creating a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself;

setting an internal status flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a client with system privileges;

invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

at said execution unit, executing instructions based on said parsed command statement with system privileges, whereupon said database system operates under control of the executing internally-generated command statement, wherein said parser also parses command statements received from clients connected to the database system.

8. In a database system having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements, a method for executing system-created internal command statements, the method comprising:

creating a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself;

setting an internal status flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a client with system privileges;

invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

at said execution unit, executing instructions based on said parsed command statement with system privileges, whereupon said database system operates under control of the executing internally-generated command statement, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises at least one structured query language (SQL) statement for performing an upgrade of the database system, so that the system can be automatically upgraded without providing a standalone upgrade utility having system privileges.

10. In a database system having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements, a method for executing system-created internal command statements, the method comprising:

creating a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself;

setting an internal status flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a client with system privileges;

invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

at said execution unit, executing instructions based on said parsed command statement with system privileges, whereupon said database system operates under control of the executing internally-generated command statement,

wherein said invoking step includes;

automatically generating an "end of buffer" message for said parser, so that said parser begins parsing said internally-generated command statement without awaiting receipt of additional buffers.

11. A database system capable of operating as a "system" user, the system comprising:

a database server having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements;

a memory for storing a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself, and for storing an internal flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a user with system privileges;

means for invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

means for executing with system privileges instructions based on said parse command statement at said execution unit, so that said database system operates under control of itself as a "system" user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises at least one structured query language (SQL) statement.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said command buffer is created by dynamically constructing an internally-generated command statement.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said internally-generated command statement is created based at least in part on information retrieved from a database table.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said internally-generated information stored in a database table comprises a text string stored in a variable-length character field of a row from the database table.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises one or more data manipulation statements which perform transactional operations against one or more database tables.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said internally-generated command statement comprises at least one structured query language (SQL) statement for performing an upgrade of the database system, so that the system can be automatically upgraded without providing a standalone upgrade utility having system privileges.

17. A database system capable of operating as a "system" user, the system comprising:

a database server having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements;

a memory for storing a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself, and for storing an internal flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a user with system privileges;

means for invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

means for executing with system privileges instructions based on said parse command statement at said execution unit, so that said database system operates under control of itself as a "system" user,

wherein said parser also parses command statements received from clients connected to the database system.

19. A database system capable of operating as a "system" user, the system comprising:

a database server having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements;

a memory for storing a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself, and for storing an internal flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a user with system privileges;

means for invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement;

means for executing with system privileges instructions based on said parse command statement at said execution unit, so that said database system operates under control of itself as a "system" user; and

means for repeating invocation and execution for a plurality of command buffers, so that the database system operates under control of a sequence of internally-generated command statements.

20. A database system capable of operating as a "system" user, the system comprising:

a database server having a parser for parsing command statements and an execution unit for executing instructions based on parsed command statements;

a memory for storing a command buffer comprising a command statement which is internally generated by the database system itself, and for storing an internal flag for indicating to the database system that the internally-generated command statement is from a user with system privileges;

means for invoking said parser for parsing said command buffer for generating a parsed command statement; and

means for executing with system privileges instructions based on said parse command statement at said execution unit, so that said database system operates under control of itself as a "system" user,

wherein said invoking means includes;

means for automatically generating an "end of buffer" message for said parser, so that said parser begins parsing said internally-generated command statement without awaiting receipt of additional buffers.