Guaranteeing the authenticity of the data stored in the archive storage

• US 7,653,663 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEON Enterprise Software LLC
• Original Assignee: NEON Enterprise Software LLC
• Inventors: Olson, Jack E., Wright, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Application Number:
  US11/501,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 707/205, 707/204, 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques

Abstract

A method, computer program product and system for archiving data from an operational database. Data to be archived from the operational database may be stored either as received or transformed in a manner that allows the transformed archived data to be retrieved bit-for-bit identical to the original input received. Further, the data stored in the archive storage is read-only meaning that the data cannot be updated, deleted or modified. Further, backup copies of each of the storage units, which store the archived data, in the archive storage are created for disaster recovery purposes. Additionally, hash values are computed for each of the storage units in the archive storage which are used to detect unauthorized changes to the data stored in the storage units. In this manner, the authenticity of the data stored in the archive storage may be substantially guaranteed.

Claims

1. A method for archiving data from an operational database comprising the steps of:

storing data segments from said operational database that match a selection criteria in a temporary file;

providing contents of said temporary file to a component configured to write contents of said temporary file into an archive storage;

creating a storage unit in said archive storage to archive said contents of said temporary file in said archive storage, wherein said archive storage has one or more storage units; and

determining which storage unit within said archive storage is to be accessed in response to an access request using scoping variables stored in a repository.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

storing meta-data in said repository and a copy of said meta-data in said created storage unit.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transforming said archived contents of said temporary file to a common data type; and

storing said transformed archived contents in said created storage unit.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

building an index in said created storage unit for selected columns of data stored in said created storage unit.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a storage unit is created in said archive storage every time new data is stored in said archive storage.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage is an operating system file.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains data that is consistent with meta-data that was current at time of archiving.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains an identification of a sequence position relative to other storage units in said archive storage.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage comprises meta-data that applies to data stored in that storage unit.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

computing hash values to detect unauthorized changes.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said hash values are stored in said created storage unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein a copy of said hash values are stored in said repository.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

creating one or more backup copies of said created storage unit.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said archive storage is read-only.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

reading a discard policy stored in said repository.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of:

discarding all business objects that match business objects listed in said read discard policy that exist beyond a retention period.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said discarded business objects from said one or more storage units within said archive storage are overwritten with binary zeroes.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein if all business objects in a storage unit within said archive storage become discarded, then said storage unit is marked as having no data.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an extractor is configured to spool contents of said temporary file to said component, wherein said extractor supports a function for simulating archiving without removing data from said operational database.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

storing said scoping variables for selected groupings of data in said repository.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said selected groupings of data are columns of data.

22. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium for archiving data from an operational database comprising the programming steps of:

storing data segments read from said operational database that match a selection criteria in a temporary file;

providing contents of said temporary file to a component configured to write contents of said temporary file into an archive storage;

creating a storage unit in said archive storage to archive said contents of said temporary file in said archive storage, wherein said archive storage has one or more storage units; and

determining which storage unit within said archive storage is to be accessed in response to an access request using scoping variables stored in a repository.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

storing meta-data in said repository and a copy of said meta-data in said created storage unit.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming steps of:

transforming said archived contents of said temporary file to a common data type; and

storing said transformed archived contents in said created storage unit.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

building an index in said created storage unit for selected columns of data stored in said created storage unit.

26. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein a storage unit is created in said archive storage every time new data is stored in said archive storage.

27. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage is an operating system file.

28. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains data that is consistent with meta-data that was current at time of archiving.

29. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains an identification of a sequence position relative to other storage units in said archive storage.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage comprises meta-data that applies to data stored in that storage unit.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

computing hash values to detect unauthorized changes.

32. The computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein said hash values are stored in said created storage unit.

33. The computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein a copy of said hash values are stored in said repository.

34. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

creating one or more backup copies of said created storage unit.

35. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein said archive storage is read-only.

36. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

reading a discard policy stored in said repository.

37. The computer program product as recited in claim 36 further comprising the programming step of:

discarding all business objects that match business objects listed in said read discard policy that exist beyond a retention period.

38. The computer program product as recited in claim 37, wherein said discarded business objects from said one or more storage units within said archive storage are overwritten with binary zeroes.

39. The computer program product as recited in claim 37, wherein if all business objects in a storage unit within said archive storage become discarded, then said storage unit is marked as having no data.

40. The computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein an extractor is configured to spool contents of said temporary file to said component, wherein said extractor supports a function for simulating archiving without removing data from said operational database.

41. The computer program product as recited in claim 22 further comprising the programming step of:

storing said scoping variables for selected groupings of data in said repository.

42. The computer program product as recited in claim 41, wherein said selected groupings of data are columns of data.

43. A system, comprising:

a memory unit for storing a computer program for archiving data from an operational database; and

a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for storing data segments from said operational database that match a selection criteria in a temporary file;

circuitry for providing contents of said temporary file to a component configured to write contents of said temporary file into an archive storage;

circuitry for creating a storage unit in said archive storage to archive said contents of said temporary file in said archive storage, wherein said archive storage has one or more storage units; and

determining which storage unit within said archive storage is to be accessed in response to an access request using scoping variables stored in a repository.

44. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for storing meta-data in said repository and a copy of said meta-data in said created storage unit.

45. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for transforming said archived contents of said temporary file to a common data type; and

circuitry for storing said transformed archived contents in said created storage unit.

46. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for building an index in said created storage unit for selected columns of data stored in said created storage unit.

47. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein a storage unit is created in said archive storage every time new data is stored in said archive storage.

48. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage is an operating system file.

49. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains data that is consistent with meta-data that was current at time of archiving.

50. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage contains an identification of a sequence position relative to other storage units in said archive storage.

51. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein each storage unit in said archive storage comprises meta-data that applies to data stored in that storage unit.

52. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for computing hash values to detect unauthorized changes.

53. The system as recited in claim 52, wherein said hash values are stored in said created storage unit.

54. The system as recited in claim 52, wherein a copy of said hash values are stored in said repository.

55. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for creating one or more backup copies of said created storage unit.

56. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said archive storage is read-only.

57. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for reading a discard policy stored in said repository.

58. The system as recited in claim 57, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for discarding all business objects that match business objects listed in said read discard policy that exist beyond a retention period.

59. The system as recited in claim 58, wherein said discarded business objects from said one or more storage units within said archive storage are overwritten with binary zeroes.

60. The system as recited in claim 58, wherein if all business objects in a storage unit within said archive storage become discarded, then said storage unit is marked as having no data.

61. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein an extractor is configured to spool contents of said temporary file to said component, wherein said extractor supports a function for simulating archiving without removing data from said operational database.

62. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for storing said scoping variables for selected groupings of data in said repository.

63. The system as recited in claim 62, wherein said selected groupings of data are columns of data.