Method and system for dynamic data merge in databases

• US 20060224638A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Prabhakaran, Muralidhar, Wald, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• 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

Abstract

A data repository defined by a single logical specification includes a data store including a plurality of tables and a view of the plurality of tables, a data dictionary including a meta-table and means to generate the data store, where the meta-table is generated from the single logical specification defining the data repository, and a merge engine configured to merge incoming data with the data store based on match attributes defined by the single logical specification, where the incoming data is stored in at least one staging area.

Claims

1. A data repository defined by a single logical specification, comprising:

a data store comprising a plurality of tables and a view of the plurality of tables;

a data dictionary comprising a meta-table and means to generate the data store, wherein the meta-table is generated from the single logical specification defining the data repository; and

a merge engine configured to merge incoming data with the data store based on match attributes defined by the single logical specification, wherein the incoming data is stored in at least one staging area.

2. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the at least one staging area is located in a server.

3. The data repository of claim 1, wherein the merge comprises:

loading incoming data through at least one loader into at least one staging area in a server;

reporting and fixing problems with referential integrity in the incoming data;

matching incoming data through the use of match attributes in a match table, wherein the match attributes define a plurality of rules to match entities of incoming data in the staging area with entities of data in the data store;

updating links in the staging area in preparation for the merge; and

modifying entities of data in the data store based on the entities of incoming data in the staging area.

4. The data repository of claim 3, wherein the merge further comprises:

checking for entities with instances populated in the staging area.

5. The data repository of claim 3, wherein the merge further comprises:

performing checking and auto-correction of incoming data.

6. The data repository of claim 3, wherein the merge further comprises:

finding conflicts based on date of last update in a target project.

7. The data repository of claim 3, wherein the matching data is through the use of match attributes in a match attribute table.

8. The data repository of claim 7, wherein the match attributes define a plurality of rules to match entities in the staging area with entities in the target project.

9. The data repository of claim 8, wherein the plurality of match rules generate SQL statements used while performing the matching.

10. A method to merge incoming data with data in a data store, comprising:

loading incoming data through at least one loader into at least one staging area in a server;

reporting and fixing problems with referential integrity in the incoming data;

matching incoming data through the use of match attributes in a match table, wherein the match attributes define a plurality of rules to match entities of incoming data in the staging area with entities of data in the data store;

updating links in the staging area in preparation for the merge; and

modifying entities of data in the data store based on the entities of incoming data in the staging area.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

checking for entities of data with instances populated in the staging area.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing checking and auto-correction of the incoming data.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

finding conflicts based on date of last update in a target project.

14. A computer readable medium containing software instructions stored thereon to perform:

loading incoming data through at least one loader into at least one staging area in a server;

reporting and fixing problems with referential integrity in the incoming data;

matching incoming data through the use of match attributes in a match table, wherein the match attributes define a plurality of rules to match entities of incoming data in the staging area with entities of data in the data store;

updating links in the staging area in preparation for the merge; and

modifying entities of data in the data store based on the entities of incoming data in the staging area.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

checking for entities with instances populated in the staging area.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

performing checking and auto-correction of the incoming data.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

finding conflicts based on date of last update in a target project.