Method of and apparatus for performing design synchronization in a computer system

• US 6,397,125 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldring, Robert David, Chan, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/215,748
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200-201,203-205,104,8
• US Class Current: 700/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database

Abstract

A method of performing design synchronization in a computer system is described. At least a portion of a source schema and at least a portion of a target schema are compared. The target schema is modified based on the differences therebetween. In a preferred fashion, design changes are made at the target with target-specific syntax and the minimum number of equivalent operations.

Claims

1. A method of performing design synchronization in a computer system, the computer system having at least a first database and a second database, the method comprising:

executing, during a first time period, a first number of data definition commands against a first table located in the first database, thereby altering a design of the fist table;

comparing the design of the first table and a design of a second table located in the second database;

identifying a difference between the designs of the first and second tables;

constructing a second number of data definition commands based on the difference between the designs, the second number of commands being less than the first number of data definition commands; and

executing, during a second time period after the first time period, the second number of data definition commands against the second table, thereby altering the design of the second table.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second number of data definition commands comprises a minimum number of data definition commands reflecting the difference between the designs.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing a first number of data definition commands comprises executing a first number of data definition commands comprising Structured Query Language (SQL) statements.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein constructing comprises constructing a second number of data definition commands including a data definition command having a different syntax than any of the first number of data definition commands.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying comprises identifying at least one column in the first table that is not represented in the second table, and wherein constructing comprises constructing at least one data definition command executable to add at least one replica column in the second table which corresponds to the at least one column.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying comprises identifying at least one column in the second table that is not represented in the first table, and wherein constructing comprises constructing at least one data definition command executable to delete the at least one column.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a computer having a processor and the first database.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a computer having a processor and the second database, and wherein constructing and executing the second number of data definition commands are performed by the computer.

9. A method of performing design synchronization in a computer system, the computer system having at least a first database and a second database, the method comprising:

executing, during a first time period, a first number of data definition commands against a first table located in the first database, thereby altering a design of the first table;

comparing the design of the first table and a design of a second table located in the second database;

identifying a difference between the designs of the first and second tables;

constructing a second number of data definition commands based on the difference between the designs, the second number of commands being the minimum number of data definition commands reflecting the difference between the designs; and

executing, during a second time period after the first time period, the second number of data definition commands against the second table, thereby altering the design of the second table.