System and method for automatically synchronizing different classes of databases utilizing a repository database

• US 6,446,075 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Velasco, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US09/030,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-206
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing a first database and a second database is disclosed. The first database is of a first class, while the second database is of a second class. The method and system include providing a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database, automatically generating the first database using a first portion of the metadata and automatically generating the second database using a second portion of the metadata. The method and system further include automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a third portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a first database of a first class and a second database of a second class comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

(b) automatically generating the first database using a first portion of the metadata;

(c) automatically generating the second database using a second portion of the metadata; and

(d) automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a third portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the repository database providing step (a) further comprises the steps of:

(a1) providing the first portion of metadata relating to the first database; and

(a2) providing the second portion of metadata relating to the second database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first database generating step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b1) utilizing a plurality of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) to create the document oriented database.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second database generating step (c) further comprises the step of:

(c1) utilizing a data definition language (DDL) to create the relational database.

6. A method for synchronizing a first database of a first class and a second database of a second class, the first database being a preexisting database, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

(b) automatically generating the second database using a first portion of the metadata; and

(c) automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a second portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the repository database providing step (a) further comprises the step of:

(a1) automatically collecting the first portion of metadata.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second database generating step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b1) creating the second database using the repository database and the first portion of metadata relating to the second database.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first database is a relational database;

and

the second database is a document oriented database.

11. A system for synchronizing a first database of a first class and a second database of a second class comprising:

a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

means for automatically generating the first database using a first portion of the metadata, automatically generating the second database using a second portion of the metadata; and

means for automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a third portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for automatically generating the first database and the second database further include:

a plurality of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for creating the first and second databases.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for automatically generating the first database and the second database further include:

a data definition language (DDL) for creating the relational database.

15. A system for synchronizing a first database of a first class and a second database of a second class, the first database being a preexisting database, the system comprising:

a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

means for automatically generating the second database using a first portion of the metadata; and

means for automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a second portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for generating the second database further comprise:

means for creating the second database using the repository database and the first portion of metadata relating to the second database.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the first database is a relational database;

and

the second database is a document oriented database.

19. A computer-readable medium including a program for synchronizing a first database and a second database, the program containing instructions for:

providing a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

automatically generating the first database using a first portion of the metadata;

automatically generating the second database using a second portion of the metadata; and

automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a third portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instruction for providing a repository database further comprises instructions for:

allowing a user to provide a first set of metadata relating to the first database; and

allowing the user to provide a second set of metadata relating to the second database.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instruction for generating the first database further comprises:

a plurality of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for creating the document oriented database.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the instruction for generating the second database further comprises:

a data definition language (DDL) for creating the relational database.

24. A computer-readable medium including a program for synchronizing a first database and a second database, the first database being a preexisting database, the program containing instructions for:

providing a repository database for storing metadata regarding the first database and the second database wherein the first database is of a different type than the second database and metadata comprises information describing the structure of a database;

automatically generating the second database using a first portion of the metadata; and

automatically generating a mapping between the first database and the second database using a second portion of the metadata stored in the repository database.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the instruction for providing the repository database comprises an instruction for:

automatically collecting the first portion of metadata.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the instruction for generating the second database further comprises an instruction for:

creating the second database using the repository database and the first portion of metadata relating to the second database.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the first database is a document oriented database;

and

the second database is a relational database.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the first database is a relational database;

and

the second database is a document oriented database.