Methods for efficient data version verification

• US 7,606,836 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Software Group
• Original Assignee: TIBCO Software Incorporated (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Kanaley, Michael J., Lambert, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US11/468,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence
• 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 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Methods for efficiently determining and managing version information associated with sets of data objects, persistently storing the version information, and utilizing the stored version information to determine compatibility between the sets of data objects and applications performing operations utilizing the sets of data objects.

Claims

1. A method for deserializing data by an application, comprising:

determining whether at least one model containing at least one model class instance is known or unknown to the application based upon information contained in a meta-data artifact, the meta-data artifact information including at least one of version information, ignore policy information, or upgrade information associated with the at least one model, wherein the ignore policy information specifies at least whether data associated with the at least one model class instance is required or optional;

determining whether the at least one model is ignorable or non-ignorable by the application, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model is determined to be unknown to the application and the at least one model is determined to be ignorable by the application, marking all references to the at least one model class instance as unresolved;

determining whether the at least one model class instance is convertible or non-convertible to a generic representation, based upon the meta-data artifact information; and

when the at least one model is determined to be unknown to the application and the at least one model class instance is determined to be convertible to a generic representation, converting the at least one model class instance to a generic representation;

determining whether the at least one model has a version that is compatible or incompatible with a version of the application, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

determining whether the at least one model class instance is over-writable or non-over-writable, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model is determined to be known to the application, the at least one model is determined to be compatible with a version of the application, and the at least one model class instance is determined to be non-over-writable, marking the at least one model class instance as non-over-writable and deserializing the at least one model class instance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the at least one model class instance is read-only or non-read-only, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model is determined to be known to the application, the at least one model is determined to be compatible with a version of the application, and the at least one model class instance is determined to be read-only, marking the at least one model class instance as non-writable and deserializing the at least one model class instance.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

when the at least one model is determined to be known to the application, the at least one model is determined to be incompatible with a version of the application, and the at least one model class instance is determined to be over-writable or non-read-only, deserializing the at least one model class instance.

4. A method for serializing data by an application, comprising:

identifying at least one model class instance to be written, the at least one model class instance belonging to at least one model;

reading a meta-data artifact, the meta-data artifact containing information including at least one of version information, ignore policy information, or upgrade information associated with the at least one model, wherein the ignore policy information specifies at least whether data associated with the at least one model class instance is required or optional;

determining whether the at least one model class instance is compatible or incompatible with a version of a model used by the application, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model class instance is determined to be compatible with a version of a model used by the application, serializing the at least one model class instance;

when the at least one model class instance is determined to be incompatible with a version of a model used by the application, determining whether the at least one model class instance is updatable or non-updatable based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model class instance is determined to be non-updatable, generating an error;

when the at least one model class instance is determined to be updatable, determining whether the at least one model class instance should be replaced or retained; and

when the at least one model class instance should be retained, serializing the at least one model class instance to a new location as a copy.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the at least one model class instance should be replaced, determining whether the at least one model class instance is replaceable or non-replaceable, based upon the meta-data artifact information;

when the at least one model class instance is replaceable, serializing the at least one model class instance to an original location and overwriting a prior model class instance; and

when the at least one model class instance is non-replaceable, generating an error.