Automatic enforcement or relationships in a database schema

• US 8,095,501 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Inventors: Bailey, Stuart, Gutti, Srinath, Pulleyn, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tim T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mobin, Hasanul
• Application Number:
  US10/950,364
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity

Abstract

A technique for enforcing a database relationship is disclosed. The technique includes specifying within a database schema a reference type that associates two structures and specifies the relationship between the two structures, and automatically generating code that checks the relationship between the two structures based on the specified reference in the database schema.

Claims

1. A method of enforcing a database relationship, comprising:

specifying using a markup language within a database schema a host structure and a reference type for the host structure that indicates an association between the host structure and a parent structure to which the host structure refers and specifies the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure, wherein the reference type is specified using the markup language and selected from at least a first reference type and a second reference type;

automatically generating code that enforces the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure based on the reference type specified in the database schema;

enforcing the relationship using the automatically generated code, including;

(1) determining whether the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type or the second reference type;

(2) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type, ensuring that an instance of the parent structure cannot be deleted when an instance of the host structure exists; and

(3) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the second reference type;

(i) ensuring that when an instance of the parent structure does not exist, an instance of the host structure cannot exist;

(ii) receiving a request to insert a host into a database for which the database schema has been defined, wherein the host is an instance of the child structure and the host refers to an instance of a parent structure;

(iii) determining whether the instance of the parent structure exists in the database, wherein the instance of the parent structure is a Domain Name System (DNS) zone of a network; and

(iv) in the event that the instance of the parent structure does not exist in the database, disallowing insertion of the instance of the child structure into the database, wherein the insert of the host is disallowed if the DNS zone does not exist.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference type is selected from the first reference type, the second reference type, and a third reference type, wherein if the third reference type is selected, it is not necessary for the parent structure to exist for the host structure to exist;

and it is not necessary for a child structure of the host structure to exist for the host structure to exist.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the code includes a function that checks the relationship between the two structures.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the code is SQL code.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the code is associated with a relational database.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the code is associated with an object oriented database.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating includes:

translating the markup language specification into an in memory representation; and

generating the code from the in memory representation in a specific database language.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the markup language is based on XML.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein translating includes compiling a structure in an intermediate language.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the database language is associated with a relational database.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the database language is associated with an object oriented database.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the generated code includes a function.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the structure includes a reference that indicates a parent of the structure.

14. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the structure includes a key that uniquely identifies the structure.

45. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request to insert the host into the database includes a zone name for the zone, a host name for the host, and an IP address for the host.

15. A system for enforcing a database relationship, comprising:

a processor configured to;

specify using a markup language within a database schema a host structure and a reference type for the host structure that indicates an association between the host structure and a parent structure to which the host structure refers and specifies the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure, wherein the reference type is specified using the markup language and selected from at least a first reference type and a second reference type;

automatically generate code that enforces the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure based on the reference type specified in the database schema;

enforce the relationship using the automatically generated code, including;

(1) determining whether the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type or the second reference type;

(2) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type, ensuring that an instance of the parent structure cannot be deleted when an instance of the host structure exists; and

(3) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the second reference type;

(i) ensuring that when an instance of the parent structure does not exist, an instance of the host structure cannot exist;

(ii) receiving a request to insert a host into a database for which the database schema has been defined, wherein the host is an instance of the child structure and the host refers to an instance of a parent structure;

(iii) determining whether the instance of the parent structure exists in the database, wherein the instance of the parent structure is a Domain Name System (DNS) zone of a network; and

(iv) in the event that the instance of the parent structure does not exist in the database, disallowing insertion of the instance of the child structure into the database, wherein the insert of the host is disallowed if the DNS zone does not exist;

a memory that is coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides the processor with instructions.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the reference type is selected from the first reference type, the second reference type, and a third reference type, wherein if the third reference type is selected, it is not necessary for the parent structure to exist for the host structure to exist;

and it is not necessary for a child structure of the host structure to exist for the host structure to exist.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the code includes a function that checks the relationship between the two structures.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the code is SQL code.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the code is associated with a relational database.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the code is associated with an object oriented database.

21. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein generate includes:

translate the markup language specification into an in memory representation; and

generate the code from the in memory representation in a specific database language.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the markup language is based on XML.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein translating includes compiling a structure in an intermediate language.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the database language is associated with a relational database.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the database language is associated with an object oriented database.

26. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the generated code includes a function.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the structure includes a reference that indicates a parent of the structure.

28. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the structure includes a key that uniquely identifies the structure.

44. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the request to insert the host into the database includes a zone name for the zone, a host name for the host, and an IP address for the host.

29. A computer program product for enforcing a database relationship, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions executable to:

specifying using a markup language within a database schema a host structure and a reference type for the host structure that indicates an association between the host structure and a parent structure to which the host structure refers and specifies the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure, wherein the reference type is specified using the markup language and selected from at least a first reference type and a second reference type;

automatically generating code that enforces the relationship between the host structure and the parent structure based on the reference type specified in the database schema;

enforcing the relationship using the automatically generated code, including;

(1) determining whether the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type or the second reference type;

(2) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the first reference type, ensuring that an instance of the parent structure cannot be deleted when an instance of the host structure exists; and

(3) in the event the reference type for the host structure is of the second reference type;

(i) ensuring that when an instance of the parent structure does not exist, an instance of the host structure cannot exist;

(ii) receiving a request to insert a host into a database for which the database schema has been defined, wherein the host is an instance of the child structure and the host refers to an instance of a parent structure;

(iii) determining whether the instance of the parent structure exists in the database, wherein the instance of the parent structure is a Domain Name System (DNS) zone of a network; and

(iv) in the event that the instance of the parent structure does not exist in the database, disallowing insertion of the instance of the child structure into the database, wherein the insert of the host is disallowed if the DNS zone does not exist.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the reference type is selected from the first reference type, the second reference type, and a third reference type, wherein if the third reference type is selected, it is not necessary for the parent structure to exist for the host structure to exist;

and it is not necessary for a child structure of the host structure to exist for the host structure to exist.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the code includes a function that checks the relationship between the two structures.

32. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the code is SQL code.

33. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the code is associated with a relational database.

34. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein the code is associated with an object oriented database.

35. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein generating includes:

translating the markup language specification into an in memory representation; and

generating the code from the in memory representation in a specific database language.

36. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the markup language is based on XML.

37. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein translating includes compiling a structure in an intermediate language.

38. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the database language is associated with a relational database.

39. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the database language is associated with an object oriented database.

40. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the generated code includes a function.

41. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the structure includes a reference that indicates a parent of the structure.

42. The computer program product as recited in claim 35, the computer program product wherein the structure includes a key that uniquely identifies the structure.

43. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, the computer program product wherein the request to insert the host into the database includes a zone name for the zone, a host name for the host, and an IP address for the host.