Pluggable tablespaces for database systems

• US 6,804,671 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, J. William, Loaiza, Juan R., Tsukerman, Alex, Putzolu, Gianfranco, Bridge, William H. Jr., Klein, Jonathan D., Rizvi, Hasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford
• Application Number:
  US10/353,381
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-2, 707/7-8, 707/100-102, 707/200-206, 711/1, 711/3, 711/200, 711/205-209, 715/500.1
• US Class Current: 711/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9017 using directory or table look-up use of a directory or look-up table in file systems G06F16/13
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A pluggable tablespace is enabled by logically partitioning a database into a set of tablespaces and storing all of the tablespaces disk pointers in tablespace-relative format. A pluggable set of tablespaces is unplugged by generating the associated metadata, and making a binary copy of the tablespaces. The pluggable set of tablespaces is plugged into a target database by making the pluggable set accessible to the target database and incorporating the associated metadata, without patching any of the disk pointers.

Claims

1. A method of plugging in a pluggable set of tablespaces having a plurality of disk pointers into a target database, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

incorporating metadata into said target database, said metadata describing said tablespace and data therein;

copying each tablespace of said pluggable set of tablespaces into said target database; and

locating a data item associated with any one of said plurality of disk pointers without patching any disk pointer of said plurality of disk pointers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of incorporating metadata into said target database includes the step of executing commands in a file that specify instructions for generating said metadata, wherein said commands are generated by a source database for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes:

examining said pluggable set of tablespaces to determine one or more attributes of said pluggable set of tablespaces to be defined by metadata; and

generating metadata based on said examination of said pluggable set of tablespaces.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes receiving user input that specifies instructions for generating said metadata.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes incorporating metadata that defines one or more columns for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

6. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for plugging in a pluggable set of tablespaces having a plurality of disk pointers into a target database, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

incorporating metadata into said target database, said metadata describing said tablespace and data therein;

copying each tablespace of said pluggable set of tablespaces into said target database; and

locating a data item associated with any one of said plurality of disk pointers without patching any disk pointer of said plurality of disk pointers.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the step of incorporating metadata into said target database includes the step of executing commands in a file that specify instructions for generating said metadata, wherein said commands are generated by a source database for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes:

examining said pluggable set of tablespaces to determine one or more attributes of said pluggable set of tablespaces to be defined by metadata; and

generating metadata based on said examination of said pluggable set of tablespaces.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes receiving user input that specifies instructions for generating said metadata.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes incorporating metadata that defines one or more columns for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

11. A database system configured for plugging in a pluggable set of tablespaces having a plurality of disk pointers into a target database, wherein said database system is configured to perform the steps of:

incorporating metadata into said target database, said metadata describing said tablespace and data therein;

copying each tablespace of said pluggable set of tablespaces into said target database; and

locating a data item associated with any one of said plurality of disk pointers without patching any disk pointer of said plurality of disk pointers.

12. The database system of claim 11, wherein the step of incorporating metadata into said target database includes the step of executing commands in a file that specify instructions for generating said metadata, wherein said commands are generated by a source database for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

13. The database system of claim 11, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes:

examining said pluggable set of tablespaces to determine one or more attributes of said pluggable set of tablespaces to be defined by metadata; and

generating metadata based on said examination of said pluggable set of tablespaces.

14. The database system of claim 11, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes receiving user input that specifies instructions for generating said metadata.

15. The database system of claim 11, wherein the step of incorporating metadata includes incorporating metadata that defines one or more columns for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

16. A computer system configured for plugging in a pluggable set of tablespaces having a plurality of disk pointers into a target database, wherein said computer comprises:

means for incorporating metadata into said target database, said metadata describing said tablespace and data therein;

means for copying each tablespace of said pluggable set of tablespaces into said target database; and

means for locating a data item associated with any one of said plurality of disk pointers without patching any disk pointer of said plurality of disk pointers.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein incorporating metadata into said target database includes executing commands in a file that specify instructions for generating said metadata, wherein said commands are generated by a source database for said pluggable set of tablespaces.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein incorporating metadata includes:

examining said pluggable set of tablespaces to determine one or more attributes of said pluggable set of tablespaces to be defined by metadata; and

generating metadata based on said examination of said pluggable set of tablespaces.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein incorporating metadata includes receiving user input that specifies instructions for generating said metadata.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein incorporating metadata includes incorporating metadata that defines one or more columns for said pluggable set of tablespaces.