Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-22
2001-11-27
Shah, Sanjiv (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324548
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to database management systems, and more particularly to database backup and recovery.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Databases have played a critical role in business areas such as banking and airline reservations for many years. These two lines of business illustrate how critical availability of a database can be. If a bank cannot process customer transactions (deposits, payments, transfers, etc.) because of a computer system failure, a customer may be unable to accomplish its business. Likewise, if an airline is unable to book reservations, customers may be lost and its planes may fly empty. Therefore, database availability is critical.
There are generally two components to backing-up a transaction oriented database. One component is creating a backup copy of the files that comprise the database, and the second component is tracking updates made to the database. Thus, for a full recovery of a database, the most recent backup copies of the database files are reloaded, and the database updates made subsequent to the backup of the database files must be applied to the reloaded files. The process of backing-up database files is sometimes referred to as “dumping” the database, and the process of logging status information and database updates is sometimes referred to as “auditing.” The database backup files are “database dumps” and the file to which update information is logged is the “audit file.”
In one prior system, for example, the Integrated Recovery Utility from Unisys Corporation, information related to the database dumps and audit file backups was maintained in a history file. The history file included the tape identifiers of the tapes on which the dumps and backups were stored, the times of the dumps, and the ranges of audit records stored on respective tapes.
The history file freed the database administrator from having to manually track the tapes and times associated with the database dumps and audit backups. However, simultaneous database dumping and audit archiving were not permitted in order to prevent corruption to the history file. Furthermore, redundant copies of archived audit information required a separate administrator-maintained mechanism (in addition to the history file) for tracking the locations of additional audit archives.
A system and method that addresses the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, is therefore desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In various embodiments, a system and method for database backup and recovery are provided. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented process is provided. The process includes creating a backup copy of the database and writing to a first history file a timestamp indicating the time at which the backup copy was created. A plurality of backup copies of a database audit file are concurrently created, and device identifiers referencing respective devices on which the backup copies of the audit file were created and timestamps indicating respective ranges of audit records in the backup copies of the audit file are written to a plurality of move-history files respectively associated with the plurality of backup copies of the audit file.
A system for database backup and recovery is provided in another embodiment. The system comprises an audit processor coupled to an audit file, and a recovery processor coupled to the database and to the audit file. The audit processor is configured and arranged to write audit records to the audit file. The recovery processor is configured and arranged to create a backup copy of the database and write to a first history file a timestamp indicating the time at which the backup copy was created. The recovery processor is further configured and arranged to concurrently create a plurality of backup copies of a database audit file and write a plurality of move-history files respectively associated with the plurality of backup copies of the audit file, device identifiers referencing respective devices on which the backup copies of the audit file were created and timestamps indicating respective ranges of audit records in the backup copies of the audit file.
In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for database backup. The apparatus comprises means for creating a backup copy of the database; means for writing to a first history file a timestamp indicating the time at which the backup copy was created; means for concurrently creating a plurality of backup copies of a database audit file; and means for writing to a plurality of move-history files respectively associated with the plurality of backup copies of the audit file, device identifiers referencing respective devices on which the backup copies of the audit file were created and timestamps indicating respective ranges of audit records in the backup copies of the audit file.
In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, there is provided a computer program product that is configured to be operable to create a backup copy of the database and write to a first history file a timestamp indicating the time at which the backup copy was created, concurrently create a plurality of backup copies of a database audit file, and write to a plurality of move-history files respectively associated with the plurality of backup copies of the audit file, device identifiers referencing respective devices on which the backup copies of the audit file were created and timestamps indicating respective ranges of audit records in the backup copies of the audit file.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment of the present invention. The figures and detailed description that follow provide additional example embodiments and aspects of the present invention.
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Crawford PLLC
Johnson Charles A.
Shah Sanjiv
Starr Mark T.
Unisys Corporation
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