Automatic conflict resolution during software catalog import

• US 10,002,157 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dzikowska, Ilona, Gorka, Cezary P., Lech, Grzegorz K., Matecka, Agnieszka G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hung
• Application Number:
  US14/739,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20160364432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/214 Database migration support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2386 Bulk updating operations data conversion details G06F16/258
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for managing conflicts in an import operation. The method includes one or more processors identifying a conflict in an import operation of an incoming set of data into an existing database, wherein the incoming set of data includes an incoming entry, and the existing database includes an existing entry that corresponds to the identified conflict. The method further includes one or more processors determining a probability to preserve the existing entry in the existing database based on a set of rules associated with the import operation. The method further includes one or more processors determining whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to a threshold probability.

Claims

1. A method for managing conflicts in an import operation, the method comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, a conflict in an import operation of an incoming set of data into an existing database, wherein the incoming set of data includes an incoming entry, and the existing database includes an existing entry that corresponds to the identified conflict;

determining, by one or more processors, a probability to preserve the existing entry in the existing database based on a set of rules associated with the import operation; and

determining, by one or more processors, whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to a threshold probability.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to determining to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, importing, by one or more processors, the incoming entry from the incoming set of data into the existing database and overwriting the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to determining to not overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, preserving, by one or more processors, the existing entry in the existing database instead of utilizing the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein the import operation is a user-initiated import operation that includes a definition to utilize a set of one or more defined rules; and

wherein the incoming set of data is included in a software catalog to be installed on the existing database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the first threshold probability further comprises:

comparing, by one or more processors, the determined probability to the threshold probability, wherein the threshold probability indicates whether to automatically overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data;

determining, by one or more processors, that the determined probability does not meet the threshold probability; and

providing, by one or more processors, a prompt to receive a selection of whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data, wherein the provide prompt includes a recommendation that indicates the determined probability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on a percentage of historical selections to preserve the existing entry in the existing database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on one of:

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to an ancestor entry of the existing entry in the existing database; and

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to a descendant entry of the existing entry in the existing database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on a modification date of the existing entry in the existing database in comparison to a modification date of the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on probabilities associated with user identifiers assigned to the existing entry in the existing database and the incoming entry in the incoming set of data.

10. A computer program product for managing conflicts in an import operation, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a conflict in an import operation of an incoming set of data into an existing database, wherein the incoming set of data includes an incoming entry, and the existing database includes an existing entry that corresponds to the identified conflict;

program instructions to determine a probability to preserve the existing entry in the existing database based on a set of rules associated with the import operation; and

program instructions to determine whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to a threshold probability.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

responsive to determining to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, import the incoming entry from the incoming set of data into the existing database and overwriting the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

responsive to determining to not overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, preserve the existing entry in the existing database instead of utilizing the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

13. The computer program product of claim 10:

wherein the import operation is a user-initiated import operation that includes a definition to utilize a set of one or more defined rules; and

wherein the incoming set of data is included in a software catalog to be installed on the existing database.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program instructions to determine whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the first threshold probability further comprise program instructions to:

compare the determined probability to the threshold probability, wherein the threshold probability indicates whether to automatically overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data;

determine that the determined probability does not meet the threshold probability; and

provide a prompt to receive a selection of whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data, wherein the provide prompt includes a recommendation that indicates the determined probability.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on one of:

a percentage of historical selections to preserve the existing entry in the existing database;

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to an ancestor entry of the existing entry in the existing database;

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to a descendant entry of the existing entry in the existing database;

a modification date of the existing entry in the existing database in comparison to a modification date of the incoming entry from the incoming set of data; and

probabilities associated with user identifiers assigned to the existing entry in the existing database and the incoming entry in the incoming set of data.

16. A computer system for managing conflicts in an import operation, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a conflict in an import operation of an incoming set of data into an existing database, wherein the incoming set of data includes an incoming entry, and the existing database includes an existing entry that corresponds to the identified conflict;

program instructions to determine a probability to preserve the existing entry in the existing database based on a set of rules associated with the import operation; and

program instructions to determine whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to a threshold probability.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to:

responsive to determining to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, import the incoming entry from the incoming set of data into the existing database and overwriting the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

18. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to:

responsive to determining to not overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the threshold probability, preserve the existing entry in the existing database instead of utilizing the incoming entry from the incoming set of data.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the program instructions to determine whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data based on comparing the determined probability to the first threshold probability further comprise program instructions to:

compare the determined probability to the threshold probability, wherein the threshold probability indicates whether to automatically overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data;

determine that the determined probability does not meet the threshold probability; and

provide a prompt to receive a selection of whether to overwrite the existing entry in the existing database with the incoming entry from the incoming set of data, wherein the provide prompt includes a recommendation that indicates the determined probability.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is based on one of:

a percentage of historical selections to preserve the existing entry in the existing database;

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to an ancestor entry of the existing entry in the existing database;

a percentage of historical selections to preserve an existing entry corresponding to a descendant entry of the existing entry in the existing database;

a modification date of the existing entry in the existing database in comparison to a modification date of the incoming entry from the incoming set of data; and

probabilities associated with user identifiers assigned to the existing entry in the existing database and the incoming entry in the incoming set of data.