Online upgrading of a database environment using transparently-patched seed data tables

• US 9,311,305 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Buzaski, George, Hudson, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/802,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2372 Updates performed during offline database operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2393 Updating materialised views
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for managing upgrades of database systems using a transparently-patched seed data table. The method commences on a running system by copying (while software applications are running) portions of data comprising a seed data table to database table rows that are temporarily inaccessible by the software applications. The copy operation creates new rows (a seed data table copy) in a database table. The method continues while software applications are running by modifying the seed data table copy (e.g., by applying a patch). For a brief time, the method stops the software applications, then changes the database table rows that were temporarily inaccessible by the software applications to become accessible by the software applications and restarts the software application to point to the patched seed data table copy. The patch can add or change a column of the seed data table copy or its schema.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for online upgrading of a software application in a database environment using transparently-patched seed data, the transparently-patched seed data including initial data accessed by the software application that is upgraded to correspond to an upgrade to the software application, the method comprising:

creating a copy of seed data by copying, while the software application is running, the seed data in database table rows from a data table to new database table rows in the data table that are temporarily inaccessible by the software application;

applying at least one patch to modify the copy of the seed data in the data table;

stopping the software application and changing the new database table rows temporarily inaccessible by the software application to become accessible by the software application; and

starting the software application to point to the copy of the seed data that includes the new database table rows to which the at least one patch has been applied.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of adding a column to the data table, changing a data type of a column in the data table, modifying a schema of the data table, or adding an edition identifier to at least one column of the data table.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, starting the software application comprising initializing a menu or one or more forms for the software application with the copy of the seed data to which the at least one patch has been applied.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising applying the at least one patch to modify the copy of the seed data in the data table while the software application is not stopped.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising using a cross-edition trigger agent to apply a change to at least one row of the data table while the software application is running.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a loader module that is stored at least partially in a non-transitory computer accessible storage medium;

identifying at least one semaphore for the loader module;

granting exclusive access to the new database table rows to the loader module by using the at least one semaphore during a time period when the copy of seed data is being created and the at least one patch is being applied;

blocking access to at least the new database table rows in the data table at least while the copy of seed data is being created;

applying the at least one patch by using the loader module;

granting access to retrieve the seed data in the data table to one or more loader modules by using an SQL clause during the time period when the copy of seed data is being created and the at least one patch is being applied;

granting access to retrieve the new database table rows in the data table to one or more loader modules by using an SQL clause during the time period when the copy of seed data is being created and the at least one patch is being applied;

taking one or more users offline at least by stopping the software application;

returning the one or more users online after the software application is started to point to the copy of the seed data;

identifying one or more changes made by the initial run edition of the software application to the seed data;

detecting and propagating the one or more changes to the new database table rows in the data table by using one or more cross-edition trigger agents;

identifying an initial run edition of the software application including a first versioned application schema, a first versioned application code, and a first versioned metadata definitions;

identifying an application patch that corresponding to the at least one patch including a second versioned application schema, a second versioned application code, and a second versioned metadata definitions; and

synchronizing an upgrade to both the software application and the seed data at least by generating a patched edition for the software application at least by applying the application patch to the initial run edition of the software application.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising using a synonym in designating the new database table rows temporarily inaccessible by the software application to become accessible by the software application.

8. A computer system for online upgrading of a software application in a database environment using a transparently-patched seed data, the transparently-patched seed data including initial data accessed by the software application that is upgraded to correspond to an upgrade to the software application, comprising:

a computer processor to execute a set of program code instructions; and

a memory to hold the program code instructions, in which the program code instructions comprises program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to;

create a seed data copy at least by copying, while the software application is running, the seed data in database table rows from a data table to new database table rows in the data table that are temporarily inaccessible by the software application;

apply at least one patch to modify the copy of the seed data in the data;

stop the software application and change the new database table rows temporarily inaccessible by the software application to become accessible by the software application; and

start the software application to point to the copy of the seed data that includes the new database table rows to which the at least one patch has been applied.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the at least one patch comprises at least one of, an addition of a column to the data table, a change of data type of a column in the data table, or a modification of a schema of the data table.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the at least one patch comprises adding an edition identifier to at least one column of the data table.

11. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising program code which when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to apply the at least one patch to modify the seed-data in the data table while the software application is not stopped.

12. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to use a cross-edition trigger agent to apply a change to at least one row of the data table while the software application is running.

13. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to apply an application code patch to a code base of the software application.

14. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the computer processor to use a synonym to change the new database table rows temporarily inaccessible by the software application to become accessible by the software application.

15. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a set of acts to implement online upgrading of a software application in a database environment using transparently-patched seed data including initial data accessed by the software application that is upgraded to correspond to an upgrade to the software application, the set of acts comprising:

creating a copy of seed data by copying, while the software application is running, the seed data in database table rows from a data table to new database table rows in the data table that are temporarily inaccessible by the software application;

applying at least one patch to modify the copy of the seed data in the data table;

stopping the software application and changing the new database table rows temporarily inaccessible by the software application to become accessible by the software application; and

starting the software application to point to the copy of the seed data that includes the new database table rows to which the at least one patch has been applied.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one patch comprises at least one of, an addition of a column to the data table, a change of data type of a column in the data table, or a modification of a schema of the data table.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the at least one patch comprises adding an edition identifier to at least one column of the data table.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising applying the at least one path to modify the copy of the seed data in the data table while the software application is not stopped.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising using a cross-edition trigger agent to apply a change to at least one row of the data table while the software application is running.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, the set of acts further comprising applying an application code patch to a code base of the software application.