Model consolidation in a database schema

• US 7,606,813 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Rozenman, Vitaly, Gritsay, Dmitry, Bushoy, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Hosain T
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, ELIYAH STONE
• Application Number:
  US11/529,675
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/100, 707/10, 707/3, 707/5, 711/203, 711/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A database manager maintains information (in a database) associated with each of multiple resources according to different domain models used to view the resources by corresponding topology services. Model consolidation (for the topology services) and a unique way of storing information associated with the models in the database enables the database manager to efficiently store, calculate, and retrieve topology objects from a database for multiple model-driven applications, which may have commonly defined portions of the domain models. The model consolidation solution provides flexibility and scalability in terms of defining cross-model functionality for model-driven applications. Additionally, the model consolidation solution also allows any model-driven topology service application to operate within a set of domain models derived from application needs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method in which at least one computer system executes software instructions retrieved from computer storage, the computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining a domain model table in a relational database, records in the domain model table including unique identifier values specifying different domain models for managing and viewing different resource types in a storage area network environment;

maintaining at least one data table in the relational database to store data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain; and

utilizing the domain model table and the at least one data table in the relational database to define attributes of a given storage area network resource differently for each of multiple domain models;

maintaining a resource type table in the relational database records in the resource type table specifying different possible types of resources present in the storage area network environment;

maintaining a resource attribute table in the relational database records in the resource property table specifying resource types associated with each of the different possible types of resources specified in the resource;

maintaining a resource instance table for purposes of indicating actual resources present in the storage area network environment, the actual resources including the common resource;

in addition to storing data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain, storing a respective set of identifier values for each of multiple data values in the at least one data table; and

for a particular data value in the at least one data table, the respective set of identifies including;

i) a first identifier value specifying a resource type in the resource type table for which the particular data value pertains,

ii) a second identifier value specifying a resource attribute type in the resource property table to which the particular data value pertains and

iii) a third identifier value specifying an actual resource present in the storage area network environment to which the particular data value pertains.

2. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein utilizing the domain model table and the at least one data table includes:

i) for the given storage area network resource, storing a first record in the at least one data table to include a first data value and a respective reference to a first domain model to which the first data value pertains; and

ii) for the given storage area network resource, storing a second record in the at least one data table to include a second data value and a respective reference to a second domain model to which the second data value pertains.

3. A computer-implemented method as in claim 2 further comprising:

storing the resource type table in the relational database.

4. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

enabling a first management application to use a first portion of the data values in the at least one data table to view the given storage area network resource according to a first domain model; and

enabling a second management application to use a second portion of the data values in the at least one data table to view the given storage area network resource according to a second domain model, the second domain model supporting a different viewing of the given storage area network resource than as supported by the first domain model.

5. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

for an application that provides simultaneous viewing of information associated with multiple domain models, applying a set of merging rules to consolidate redundant information associated with the given resource maintained for each of the multiple domain models.

6. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a mapping table associating each domain model identified in the domain model table to a respective type of resource specified by the resource type table.

11. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

producing a first view of the given storage area network resource in accordance with a first domain model of the different domain models; and

producing a second view of the given storage area network resource in accordance with a second domain model of the different domain models.

12. A computer-implemented method as in claim 11 further comprising:

producing the at least one data table to include separate sets of unique data for viewing the given storage area network resource, a first set of the unique data stored in the at least one data table including data for producing the first view, a second set of the unique data stored in the at least one data table including data for producing the second view.

13. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a first data value from the at least one data table based on an association of the first data value with a first domain model;

based at least in part on use of the first data value, producing a first view of the given resource in accordance with the first domain model;

retrieving a second data value from the at least one data table based on an association of the second data value with a second domain model;

based at least in part on use of the second data value, producing a second view of the given resource in accordance with the second domain model.

14. A computer-implemented method as in claim 13 further comprising:

storing different property values for the given storage area network resource in the at least one data table depending on the different domain models to which the different property values pertain;

producing a first view to include a first set of properties associated with the given storage area network resource based on data values in the at least one data table that are associated with the first domain model; and

producing a second view to include a second set of properties associated with the given storage area network based on data values in the at least one data table that are associated with the second domain model, the first set of properties being different than the second set of properties.

7. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit that stores instructions associated with an application executed by the processor; and

an interconnect coupling the processor and the memory unit, enabling the computer system to execute the application and perform operations of;

maintaining a domain model table in a relational database, records in the domain model table including unique identifier values specifying different domain models for managing and viewing different resource types in a storage area network environment;

maintaining at least one data table in the relational database to store data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain;

utilizing the domain model table and the at least one data table in the relational database to define attributes of a given storage area network resource differently for each of multiple domain models;

maintaining a resource type table in the relational database records in the resource type table specifying different possible types of resources present in the storage area network environment;

maintaining a resource attribute table in the relational database records in the resource property table specifying resource types associated with each of the different possible types of resources specified in the resource;

maintaining a resource instance table for purposes of indicating actual resources present in the storage area network environment, the actual resources including the common resource;

in addition to storing data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain, storing a respective set of identifier values for each of multiple data values in the at least one data table; and

for a particular data value in the at least one data table, the respective set of identifies including;

i) a first identifier value specifying a resource type in the resource type table for which the particular data value pertains,

ii) a second identifier value specifying a resource attribute type in the resource property table to which the particular data value pertains and

iii) a third identifier value specifying an actual resource present in the storage area network environment to which the particular data value pertains.

8. A computer system as in claim 7, wherein utilizing the domain model table and the at least one data table includes:

i) for the given storage area network resource, storing a first record in the at least one data table to include a first data value and a respective reference to a first domain model to which the first data value pertains; and

ii) for the given storage area network resource, storing a second record in the at least one data table to include a second data value and a respective reference to a second domain model to which the second data value pertains; and

maintaining a resource type table in the relational database, records in the resource type table specifying different possible types of resources present in the storage area network environment; and

maintaining the first record and the second to include respective references to an entry in the resource type table to indicate a respective resource type associated with the given storage area network resource.

9. A computer system as in claim 7 further supporting operations of:

enabling a first management application to use a first portion of the data values in the at least one data table to display the given storage area network resource according to a first domain model; and

enabling a second management application to use a second portion of the data values in the at least one data table to display the given storage area network resource according to a second domain model, the second domain model supporting a different perspective of the given storage area network resource than as supported by the first domain model.

10. A computer program product including a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for processing data information, such that the instructions, when carried out by a processing device, enable the processing device to perform the steps of:

maintaining a domain model table in a relational database, records in the domain model table including unique identifier values specifying different domain models for managing and viewing different resource types in a storage area network environment;

maintaining at least one data table in the relational database to store data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain; and

utilizing the domain model table and the at least one data table in the relational database to define attributes of a given storage area network resource differently for each of multiple domain models;

maintaining a resource type table in the relational database records in the resource type table specifying different possible types of resources present in the storage area network environment;

maintaining a resource attribute table in the relational database records in the resource property table specifying resource types associated with each of the different possible types of resources specified in the resource;

maintaining a resource instance table for purposes of indicating actual resources present in the storage area network environment, the actual resources including the common resource;

in addition to storing data values as well as corresponding references to specific domain models in the domain model table to which the data values pertain, storing a respective set of identifier values for each of multiple data values in the at least one data table; and

for a particular data value in the at least one data table, the respective set of identifies including;

i) a first identifier value specifying a resource type in the resource type table for which the particular data value pertains,

ii) a second identifier value specifying a resource attribute type in the resource property table to which the particular data value pertains and

iii) a third identifier value specifying an actual resource present in the storage area network environment to which the particular data value pertains.