Systems and methods for automatic maintenance and repair of enitites in a data model

• US 7,366,740 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kodavalla, Hanumantha Rao, Ellis, Nigel R., Oks, Artem A., Sleeman, Martin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US10/903,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/3, 707/202, 707/102
• US Class Current: 707/691
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24565 Triggers; Constraints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention is directed a logical consistency checker (LCC) working alone or in conjunction with a physical consistency checker (PCC) and/or a data reliability system (DRS) for a database files system of a hardware/software interface system. Logical data correction pertains to logical data corruptions for entities (e.g., items, extensions, and/or relationships in an item-based operating system, where an item-based operating system is one example of an item-based hardware/software interface system). In this regard, a LCC analyses and corrects logical damage to entities representatively stored in the data store in order to ensure that all such entities in said data store are both consistent and conform to the data model rules.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing and correcting damage to a database file system (DBFS), the system comprising:

a computer system configured to effect an operating system that includes a database file system,

wherein the database file system includes a logical consistency checker,

the logical consistency checker configured to check referential integrity of a set of tables in a database corresponding to said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency, and

check structural integrity of a set of entities represented in said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency,

further wherein the logical consistency checker is configured to

detect at least one logical inconsistency of a damaged entity,

create, by the logical consistency checker when a logical data corruption associated with a damaged entity is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity,

replace the damaged entity with the dummy entity, and

associate the damaged entity with a broken item folder.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one subsystem for checking for at least one cycle that would constitute a logical inconsistency.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the logical consistency checker is further configured to resolve at least one logical inconsistency by performing an operation selected from a group of operations consisting of a page-level restoration operation, and a entity-level restoration operation.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the logical consistency checker is configured to first attempt a page-level restoration and, if the a page-level restoration is not successful, then attempt an entity-level restoration and, if the entity-level restoration is not successful, then replace at least one damaged entity corresponding to said at least one logical inconsistency with a dummy entity.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein, the logical consistency checker is configured to replace a damaged entity with a dummy item by creating said dummy item, redirecting at least one relationship belonging to said damaged entity to said dummy item, and moving said damaged entity to a broken item folder.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the damaged entity is a relationship, and the portion of information contained in the relationship defines a relationship from a first item to another item in the database file system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical consistency checker is further configured to log the logical inconsistency in the broken item folder.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein dummy entity is assigned the same identification number as the damaged entity, wherein identification numbers are used by the database file system to identity entities in the database file system.

9. An automated data reliability system (DRS) for a database file system (DBFS), said DRS effected by a computer system and comprising:

a set of policies for performing database administration (DBA) tasks;

a subsystem for resolving a set of physical data corruptions at a page level; and

a subsystem for resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level,

wherein the subsystem for resolving the set of logical data corruptions is configured to

detect at least one logical inconsistency associated with a damaged entity,

create, when a logical data corruption on an entity level associated with a damaged entity is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity,

replace the damaged entity with the dummy entity, and

associate the damaged entity with a broken item folder.

10. The automated data reliability system of claim 9 wherein said DBFS is a component of an operating system effected by a computer system.

11. The automated data reliability system of claim 9 further comprising an interface for adding, deleting, and modifying at least one functionality from among the following group of functionalities:

error and event notifications, policies, and error and event handling algorithms.

12. The automated data reliability system of claim 9 wherein said DRS operates as a background thread.

13. The automated data reliability system of claim 9 wherein said subsystem for resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level is executed after execution of said subsystem for resolving a set of physical data corruptions at a page level.

14. The automated data reliability system of claim 9 wherein said subsystem for resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level attempts to repair a corrupted entry before attempting to correct a corrupted relationship corresponding to said corrupted entry.

15. A method for analyzing and correcting damage to a database file system (DBFS), said method comprising:

checking, by a logical consistency checker of a database file system effected by a computer system, referential integrity of a set of tables in a database corresponding to said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency;

checking structural integrity of a set of relationships represented in said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency;

detecting at least one logical inconsistency associated with the structural integrality of a damaged entity;

creating, when a logical data corruption associated with a damaged entity is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity;

replacing the damaged entity with the dummy entity; and

associating the damaged entity with a broken item folder.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising checking for at least one cycle that would constitute a logical inconsistency.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

performing, by the logical consistency checker, an operation selected from a group of operations consisting of a page-level restoration operation, and an entity-level restoration operation.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

attempting a page-level restoration;

if said attempt at a page-level restoration is not successful, then attempting an entity-level restoration; and

if said attempt at an entity-level restoration is not successful, then replacing the damaged entity with the dummy entity.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein, if said entity is an item, said solution of replacing a damaged entity with a dummy entity further comprises:

creating said dummy entity and redirecting at least one relationship belonging to said damaged entity to said dummy entity; and

moving said damaged entity to a broken item folder.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein, if said entity is a damaged relationship, said solution of replacing a damaged entity with a dummy entity comprises:

creating said dummy entity as a relationship corresponding to the damaged relationship; and

logging said damaged relationship in a broken item folder.

21. A method for an automated data reliability system (DRS) for a database file system (DBFS) to address logical inconsistencies on an entity-level, said method comprising:

utilizing a set of policies for performing database administration (DBA) tasks;

checking, by the DRS effected by a computer system, if a database file system includes one or more logical inconsistencies at an entity-level, wherein a logical inconsistency includes at least one of a physical data corruption at a page level and a logical data corruption at an entity level;

correcting, by the DRS, at least one identified set of physical data corruptions at a page level;

creating, by the DRS when a logical data corruption on an entity level associated with a damaged entity is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity;

replacing the damaged entity with the dummy entity; and

associating the damaged entity with a broken item folder.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said DBFS is a component of an operating system effected by a computer system.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising an interface for adding, deleting, and modifying at least one functionality from among the following group of functionalities:

error and event notifications, policies, and error and event handling algorithms.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said DRS operates as a background thread.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein creating the dummy entity when a damaged entity is detected is executed after correcting the least one identified set of physical data corruptions at a page level.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting a damaged entity, wherein the damaged entity is an item; and

attempting to repair the damaged item prior to attempting to correct a damaged relationship corresponding to said damaged item.

27. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions for analyzing and correcting damage to a database file system (DBFS), said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

checking, by a logical consistency checker of a database file system, referential integrity of a set of tables in a database corresponding to said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency;

checking structural integrity of a set of entities represented in said DBFS for at least one logical inconsistency;

creating, when a logical inconsistency associated with a damaged item is detected, a dummy item that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged item and relationships corresponding to the relationships of the damaged item;

replacing the damaged item with the dummy item; and

moving the damaged item to a broken item folder.

28. The computer-readable instructions of claim 27 further comprising instructions for checking for at least one cycle that would constitute a logical inconsistency.

29. The computer-readable instructions of claim 27 further comprising:

instructions for performing, by the logical consistency checker, an operation selected from a group of operations consisting of a page-level restoration operation, and an entity-level restoration operation.

30. The computer-readable instructions of claim 27 further comprising instructions for:

attempting a page-level restoration;

if said attempt at a page-level restoration is not successful, then attempting an entity-level restoration; and

if said attempt at an entity-level restoration is not successful, then replacing the damaged item with the dummy item.

31. The computer-readable instructions of claim 27, wherein the dummy item is assigned the same identifier as the broken item, wherein identifiers are used by the database file system to identify items in the database file system.

32. The computer-readable instructions of claim 27 further comprising instructions for:

creating, when a logical inconsistency associated with a damaged relationship is detected, a dummy relationship that corresponds to the damaged relationship; and

logging said damaged relationship in a broken item folder.

33. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions for an automated data reliability system (DRS) for a database file system (DBFS) to address logical inconsistencies on an entity-level, said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

utilizing a set of policies for performing database administration (DBA) tasks;

resolving a set of physical data corruptions at a page level; and

resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level,

wherein the instructions for resolving the set of logical data corruptions include instructions for detecting at least one logical inconsistency associated with a damaged entity,

instructions for creating, when a logical inconsistency associated with a damaged item is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity,

instructions for replacing the damaged entity with the dummy entity, and

instructions for associating the damaged entity with a broken item folder.

34. The computer-readable instructions of claim 33 further comprising instructions whereby said DBFS is a component of an operating system effected by a computer system.

35. The computer-readable instructions of claim 33 further comprising instructions for an interface for adding, deleting, and modifying at least one functionality from among the following group of functionalities:

error and event notifications, policies, and error and event handling algorithms.

36. The computer-readable instructions of claim 33 further comprising instructions whereby said DRS operates as a background thread.

37. The computer-readable instructions of claim 33 further comprising instructions whereby said element of resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level is executed after the execution of said subsystem for resolving a set of physical data corruptions at a page level.

38. The computer-readable instructions of claim 33 further comprising instructions whereby said element of resolving a set of logical data corruptions at an entity level further comprises attempting to repair a corrupted item before attempting to correct a corrupted relationship corresponding to said corrupted item.

39. A hardware control device for an automated data reliability system (DRS) for a database file system (DBFS) to address logical inconsistencies on an entity-level, said device comprising means for:

utilizing a set of policies for performing database administration (DBA) tasks;

checking, if a database file system includes one or more logical inconsistencies at an entity-level, wherein a logical inconsistency includes at least one of a physical data corruption at a page level and a logical data corruptions at an entity level;

correcting at least one identified set of physical data corruptions at a page level;

creating, by the DRS when a logical data corruption on an entity level associated with a damaged entity is detected, a dummy entity that includes at least a portion of information contained in the damaged entity;

replacing the damaged entity with the dummy entity; and

associating the damaged entity with a broken item folder.