Block corruption analysis and fixing tool

• US 6,954,746 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Batista, Carlos M.
• Primary Examiner(s): STARKS, WILBERT L
• Application Number:
  US09/872,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45, 709/219, 709/231, 713/201
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1004 to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00

Abstract

A graphical user interface receives data in the form of a data block. The graphical user interface displays the data and metadata associated with the data block. The graphical user interface also displays validation information computed by the graphical user interface or an associated validation module. The displayed data is editable. The graphical user interface allows a user to navigate through the various data blocks stored in a data file, to located selected blocks, such a corrupted blocks.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying validation information about a data block using a graphical user interface, comprising:

reading metadata stored within the data block, the data block stored within a computer-readable medium;

displaying the metadata, wherein the metadata is editable;

computing validation information about the metadata; and

indicating whether the data block in the computer-readable medium is corrupted or not corrupted based on the validation information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading data stored in the data block; and

displaying the data on the graphical user interface.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the data is editable.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the data is displayed in a structured format, the structured format being derived from a structure definition associated with the data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting data to be output; and

outputting the selected data to a data structure.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the metadata within the data block contains a header portion and a tail portion.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein computing validation information comprises one or more of:

checking data to be in the allowable range;

comparing a checksum in the header to a calculated checksum;

comparing a set of consistency information stored in the tail to a calculated set of consistency information.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data block is an Oracle data block.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indicating comprises displaying the validation information about the metadata.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

repairing the data in the data block if the data is indicated as corrupt.

11. A computer processing system for displaying and validating information about a data block, comprising:

a graphical user interface for indicating whether the data block stored within a computer-readable medium is corrupted or not corrupted, the graphical user interface comprising a first region for displaying metadata associated with the data block and a second region for displaying validation information, the validation information being based at least in part on the metadata associated with the data block; and

a validation module for reading the metadata, and computing validation information about the metadata.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the metadata displayed in the first region is editable.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a third region for displaying data stored in the data block.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data displayed in the third region is editable.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a script generation module, wherein the script generation module automatically generates a script that, when executed on the data file, parses the data file and extracts data contained within a data block within the data file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data block is a corrupted data block.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising,

a repair module for repairing the data in the data block if the data is indicated as corrupt.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the validation module further comprises

means for checking data to be in the allowable range;

means for comparing a checksum stored in the header to a calculated checksum;

means for comparing a set of consistency information stored in the tail to a calculated set of consistency information.

19. A computer program product that includes a medium useable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to execute a computer-implemented method for displaying information about a data block using a graphical user interface, comprising:

reading metadata stored within the data block, the data block stored within a computer-readable medium;

displaying the metadata, wherein the metadata is editable;

computing validation information about the metadata; and

indicating whether the data block in the computer-readable medium is valid or invalid corrupted or not corrupted based on the validation information.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

reading data stored in the data block; and

displaying the data on the graphical user interface.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the data is editable.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the data is displayed in a structured format, the structured format being derived from a structure definition associated with the data.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

selecting data to be input; and

outputting the selected data to a data structure.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the metadata within the data block contains a header portion and a tail portion.

25. The computer program of claim 24, wherein computing validation information comprises one or more of:

checking data to be in the allowable range;

comparing a checksum stored in the header to a calculated checksum;

comparing a set of consistency information stored in the tail to a calculated set of consistency information.

26. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the data block is an Oracle data block.

27. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the indicating comprises displaying the validation information about the metadata.

28. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

repairing the data in the data block if the data is indicated as corrupt.