Method allowing validation in a production database of new entered data prior to their release

• US 8,131,692 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amadeus S.A.S. (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Amadeus S.A.S. (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Inventors: Daniello, Rudy, Desmonceau, Sophie, Janin, Benoit, Jullien, René, Ruscica, Brigitte
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Farhan
• Application Number:
  US12/372,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity

Abstract

A method of insuring the integrity of a plurality of updates brought in real-time to a production database concurrently used by one or more software applications is described. The production database includes a plurality of products participating to the definition of objects. The method first includes requesting the issuance of a unique filing number associated to a draft state version of the plurality of updates while keeping them invisible to the end-users of the production database. Then, a set of product items identified as a whole by the unique filing number are created or copied from the production database and gathered under the form of a meta-product on which the plurality of updates is applied. After updating, the meta-product is successively set into a customizable flow of one or more validation states in order to perform a cross-validation of the plurality of updates. After validation, the meta-product is set into a production state where the uniquely identified meta-product becomes immediately visible and useable by the end-users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of ensuring an integrity of a plurality of updates brought in real-time to a production database concurrently used by one or more software applications, the production database including a plurality of products participating to a definition of objects, the method comprising steps of:

requesting an issuance of a unique filing number associated to a draft state version of the plurality of updates keeping invisible to end-users of the production database, the plurality of updates;

in the production database, creating or copying from the production database, a set of product items identified as a whole by the unique filing number and gathered under a form of a meta-product on which the plurality of updates is applied;

in the production database, updating the meta-product on which the plurality of updates has been applied;

when updating of the meta-product is complete, in the production database, successively setting into a customizable flow of one or more validation states the meta-product in order to perform a cross-validation of the plurality of updates, wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states allows returning the meta-product to the draft state when cross-validation of the plurality of updates fail, each validation state qualifying actions are performed on the meta-product identified by the filing number, the validation state is a field stored in association with the filing number in a specific table;

when validation of the meta-product is complete, setting into a production state the uniquely identified meta-product which becomes immediately visible and useable by the end-users of the one or more software applications;

wherein said creating or copying step, said updating step, said validation step, and said setting step are each perform while the production database is concurrently accessed by the end-users; and

wherein said meta-product cannot be accessed by the end-users during said creating or copying step, said updating step, and said validation step.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states includes a manual validation state (320) which does not allow the update of the meta-product.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states includes an applicative validation state (330) which allows simulating the one or more software applications on the meta-product.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the meta-product is merged with whichever non updated production products that are necessary to simulate the one or more software applications on the meta-product.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the applicative validation state allows updating and deleting data from the meta-product (334).

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the applicative validation state allows displaying by the one or more applications the meta-product as if it were a production product.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states allows setting the meta-product into the production state (328, 338).

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the production state only allows an expert team to update the meta-product (342).

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the production state allows updating any product (342).

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states include only a manual validation state (350).

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the production database is a database of fares (110) and the one or more software applications include a pricing engine (130).

14. The method of claim 2 wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states includes an applicative validation state (330) which allows simulating the one or more software applications on the meta-product.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein when updating of the meta-product is complete, in the production database, contents of the meta-product are checked in an actual production environment before said setting step.

12. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable code means for causing at least one computer to operate instructions comprising:

requesting an issuance of a unique filing number associated to a draft state version of the plurality of updates keeping invisible to end-users of the production database, the plurality of updates;

in the production database, creating or copying from the production database, a set of product items identified as a whole by the unique filing number and gathered under a form of a meta-product on which the plurality of updates is applied;

in the production database, updating the meta-product on which the plurality of updates has been applied;

when updating of the meta-product is complete, in the production database, successively setting into a customizable flow of one or more validation states the meta-product in order to perform a cross-validation of the plurality of updates, wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states allows returning the meta-product to the draft state when cross-validation of the plurality of updates fail, each validation state qualifying actions are performed on the meta-product identified by the filing number, the validation state is a field stored in association with the filing number in a specific table;

when validation of the meta-product is complete, setting into a production state the uniquely identified meta-product which becomes immediately visible and useable by the end-users of the one or more software applications;

wherein said creating or copying step, said updating step, said validation step, and said setting step are each perform while the production database is concurrently accessed by the end-users; and

wherein said meta-product cannot be accessed by the end-users during said creating or copying step, said updating step, and said validation step.

13. A server side or a client side of a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising computer code means for causing at least one computer to operate instructions comprising:

requesting an issuance of a unique filing number associated to a draft state version of the plurality of updates keeping invisible to end-users of the production database, the plurality of updates;

in the production database, creating or copying from the production database, a set of product items identified as a whole by the unique filing number and gathered under a form of a meta-product on which the plurality of updates is applied;

in the production database, updating the meta-product on which the plurality of updates has been applied;

when updating of the meta-product is complete, in the production database, successively setting into a customizable flow of one or more validation states the meta-product in order to perform a cross-validation of the plurality of updates, wherein the customizable flow of one or more validation states allows returning the meta-product to the draft state when cross-validation of the plurality of updates fail, each validation state qualifying actions are performed on the meta-product identified by the filing number, the validation state is a field stored in association with the filing number in a specific table;

when validation of the meta-product is complete, setting into a production state the uniquely identified meta-product which becomes immediately visible and useable by the end-users of the one or more software applications;

wherein said creating or copying step, said updating step, said validation step, and said setting step are each perform while the production database is concurrently accessed by the end-users; and

wherein said meta-product cannot be accessed by the end-users during said creating or copying step, said updating step, and said validation step.