Internal database validation

• US 6,560,598 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Napier, Carolyn L., Delo, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYYAN, SUSAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/978,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/4, 707/100, 707/200
• US Class Current: 707/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

Internal database validation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a database having a data table and a validation table. The data table has at least one data column and at least one data row and the validation table has a plurality of validation columns and a validation row. Also included is a database engine module for maintaining the database and a database validation module operative to read a validation value from the validation column of the validation row and using the validation value to validate a data value in the data column of the data row.

Claims

1. A computerized internal database validation system comprising:

a database engine module for maintaining a database, said database having a data table and a validation table, said data table having a data column and a data row, said validation table having a plurality of validation columns and a validation row, wherein said validation columns include a column specifying application-specific validation criteria for the data column and wherein all applications using the data column are not required to satisfy said validation criteria; and

a database validation module operative to receive a request from an application to validate the data column and, in response to receiving said request, read a validation value from a validation column of the validation row and use the validation value to validate a data value in the data column of the data row, said database validation module forming a module included within the database engine module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the validation columns includes a column specifying a minimum value for the data column.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the validation columns include a column specifying a maximum value for the data column.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the validation columns include a column specifying a set of valid values for the data column.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the validation columns includes a column specifying a key column from the data table.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a software application installation editing tool operative to modify the data in the database and wherein the database contains a set of software application installation data.

7. A method of internally validating a database comprising:

determining a column to validate;

reading a validation row from a validation table in the database, said validation table including a table name column, a column name column, and a key identifier column;

identifying a data column in a candidate row using the table name column and the column name column; and

determining if the data column in the candidate row refers to a data row of the database identified by the key identifier column prior to a database operation on the column to validate.

8. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium;

a database having a data table and a validation table, said data table having a data column and a data row, said validation table having a plurality of validation columns and a validation row, wherein said validation columns include a column specifying application-specific validation criteria for the data column and wherein all applications using the data column are not required to satisfy said validation criteria;

a database engine module for maintaining the database; and

a database validation module operative to receive a request from an application to validate the data column and, in response to receiving said request, read a validation value from a validation column of the validation row and use the validation value to validate a data value in the data column of the data row, wherein the database validation module is a module contained within the database engine module.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

determining a column to validate;

reading a validation row from a validation table in the database, said validation table including a table name column, a column name column, and a key identifier column;

identifying a data column in a candidate row using the table name column and the column name column; and

determining if the data column in the candidate row refers to a data row of the database identified by the key identifier column prior to a database operation on the column to validate.

10. A method of internally validating a database comprising:

determining a column to validate;

reading a validation row from a validation table, said validation table including a table name column, a column name column, a column category column, and a valid value column;

identifying a data column in a candidate row using the table name column and the column name column;

performing a validation of a data value in the data column prior to a database operation on the column to validate; and

setting a results indicator based on the validation comparison.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation table further includes a maximum value column and wherein performing a validation of a data value in the data column includes comparing the data value to a value from the maximum value column in the validation row.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation table further includes a minimum value column and wherein performing a validation of a data value in the data column includes comparing the data value to a value from the minimum value column in the validation row.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation table further includes a set column defining valid values and wherein performing a validation of a data value in the data column includes comparing the data value to each value from the set column in the validation row.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation table further includes a set column defining invalid values and wherein performing a validation of a data value in the data column includes comparing the data value to each value from the set column in the validation row.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation table includes a category column and wherein performing a validation of a data value includes determining that the data value conforms to a syntax specified by a data item in the category column.