Integration of legacy database management systems with ODBC-compliant application programs

• US 6,240,417 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Miskin, Gregory K., Eastwick, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/469,757
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 707/4, 707/102, 707/100, 707/3, 707/103, 707/10, 707/1
• US Class Current: 707/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A database integrator is provided to an application program that utilizes the ODBC interface so as to enable the application program to access the data in a legacy DBMS. The application program (“the client program”) is located on a workstation, and the legacy DBMS is located on a host computer. The legacy DBMS is used primarily by an application program (“the server program”). The database integrator receives ODBC commands from the client program, and unlike database drivers interacting with non-legacy DBMSs that send SQL statements to the DBMS, the database integrator instead converts these commands into server program-specific commands to manipulate the user interface of the server program, establishes a connection with the server program over a terminal emulation session, and issues the server program-specific commands to the server program by using the terminal emulator. These server program-specific commands manipulate the server program'"'"'s user interface to display the appropriate data so that the database integrator can then access it. In this manner, the database integrator accesses the data in the legacy DBMS indirectly by issuing user interface commands to the server program, because the database integrator cannot typically access the legacy DBMS directly. This indirect access enables the client program to gain access to the data in a database that it would not otherwise be able to access.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for a client computer program on a workstation to access data stored in a database of a host computer, wherein the database is maintained by a server computer program, comprising the steps of:

receiving an ODBC command from the client computer program, the ODBC command requesting access to the data of the database stored on the host computer;

converting the ODBC command into user interface commands for a user interface of the server computer program running on the host computer that maintains the database;

issuing the user interface commands to the server computer program running on the host computer to perform the access of the data requested by the ODBC command;

establishing a connection with the server computer program over a terminal emulation session with the host computer; and

wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands to the server program via the terminal emulation session to the server computer program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands using WinHLLAPI functions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the ODBC command includes receiving the ODBC command which requests reading the data from the database and wherein the method further includes the step of receiving the data after issuing the user interface commands to the server computer program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the ODBC command includes receiving information with which to update the data and wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands such that the server computer program running on the host computer updates the data with the received information.

5. A method in a data processing system for an integration component to facilitate client program access of data maintained in a Database Management System (DBMS) by a server program, the method performed by the integration component, comprising the steps of:

receiving from the client program a database access request to directly access the data in the DBMS;

converting the database access request into a command recognized by the server program;

issuing the command to the server program to cause the database access request to access the data in the DBMS;

wherein the data processing system has a workstation and a host computer system;

wherein the client program is located on the workstation and the server program is located on the host computer system;

wherein the step of receiving the database access request includes receiving the database access request from the client program on the workstation; and

wherein the step of issuing the command includes issuing the command to the server program on the host computer system;

establishing a connection with the server program over a terminal emulation session created by a terminal emulator to perform terminal emulation of the host computer system; and

wherein the step of issuing the command includes issuing the command to the server program via the terminal emulator.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of issuing the command includes invoking a WinHLLAPI function.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of receiving the database access request includes receiving an ODBC command.

8. A data processing system comprising:

a host computer having

a secondary storage device containing a database with data;

a memory containing a server program that maintains the database; and

a processor for running the server program; and

a workstation having;

a memory containing;

a client program that issues database commands to directly access the data in the database;

an integrator component for receiving the database commands, for converting the database commands into user interface commands for the server program, and for issuing the user interface commands to the server program to effectuate the data access requested by the client program;

a processor for running the client program and the integrator component;

wherein the memory of the workstation further includes a terminal emulator for performing terminal emulation of the host computer; and

wherein the integrator component issues the user interface commands to the server program using the terminal emulation performed by the terminal emulator.

9. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the integrator component is a dynamically linked library that is linked by the client program at runtime.

10. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the workstation includes a secondary storage device with a configuration database containing mappings between database commands with functionality and user interface commands of the sever program which implement the functionality of the database commands.

11. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the client program issues the database commands in ODBC format.

12. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for a client computer program on a workstation to access data stored in a database of a host computer, wherein the database is maintained by a server computer program, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an ODBC command from the client computer program, the ODBC command requesting access to the data of the database stored on the host computer;

converting the ODBC command into user interface commands for a user interface of the server computer program running on the host computer that maintains the database;

issuing the user interface commands to the server computer program running on the host computer to perform the access of the data requested by the ODBC command;

wherein the method further includes the step of establishing a connection with the server computer program over a terminal emulation session with the host computer; and

wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands to the server computer program via the terminal emulation session.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands using WinHLLAPI functions.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving the ODBC command includes receiving the ODBC command which requests reading the data from the database and wherein the method further includes the step of receiving the data after issuing the user interface commands to the server computer program.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving the ODBC command includes receiving information with which to update the data and wherein the step of issuing the user interface commands includes issuing the user interface commands such that the server computer program running on the host computer updates the data with the received information.

16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for an integration component to provide a first program with access to data maintained in a Database Management System (DBMS) by a second program, the method performed by the integration component, comprising the steps of:

receiving from the first program a database access request to directly access the data in the DBMS;

converting the database access request into a command recognized by the second program;

issuing the command to the second program to cause the database access request to access the data in the DBMS;

wherein the data processing system has a workstation and a host computer system;

wherein the first program is located on the workstation and the second program is located on the host computer system;

wherein the step of receiving the database access request includes receiving the database access request from the first program on the workstation;

wherein the step of issuing the command includes issuing the command to the second program on the host computer system;

establishing a connection with the second program over a terminal emulation session created by a terminal emulator to perform terminal emulation of the host computer system; and

wherein the step of issuing the command includes issuing the command to the second program via the terminal emulator.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the step of issuing the command includes invoking a WinHLLAPI function.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving the database access request includes receiving an ODBC command.