Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-09
2004-12-14
Robinson, Greta (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06832229
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to database object extraction and, in particular, to a system and method for maintaining large-grained database concurrency with a log monitor incorporating dynamically redefinable business logic.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, corporate database management systems fall into two categories: production and informational. Production databases, including operational data stores, function as repositories for real-time or near-real-time data generated by or used in the operation of manufacturing, production, and transactional systems. In contrast, informational databases store data periodically obtained from production databases for use in decision support and on-line analytical processing systems. Informational databases include data warehouses, often structured as enterprise databases and datamarts.
Typically, data warehouses store both informational data and metadata that describe the database structure. At a minimum, informational databases must maintain a degree of large-grained data concurrency with the data stored in the production databases for trend analyses and data derivation.
On-line transaction processing systems are major producers of production data. On-line transaction processing systems require a minimum guaranteed response time with uninterrupted availability, particularly in electronic commerce (e-commerce) systems. The high data volume and the need for high availability require the use of transaction servers rather than slower database servers.
Production data provide the raw grist for decision support and on-line analytical processing systems. These systems analyze data and generate reports for use in the planning and strategic operations of a corporation. The raw production data is transformed into informational data by data mining, replication, and cleansing tools. Decision support and on-line analytical processing systems can tolerate slower response times. Nevertheless, the data needs of these systems must balance against the autonomy required by production systems.
Frequently updating the informational databases can adversely impact the operation of the production systems. On-line transaction processing systems operate near or at total hardware capacity. For instance, a typical e-commerce site can receive over 500 transactions or “hits” per second. Interrupting production system operation to update the informational databases can exacerbate the problem of maintaining the requisite level of availability and responsiveness.
Periodically, production data must be transformed into informational data through the application of business logic during the data retrieval process. Often, the business logic required to retrieve and transform production data is complex and computationally intensive. As well, the business logic is relatively inflexible and static. These factors can further affect system responsiveness.
In the prior art, two solutions for updating informational databases have been proposed. One solution presents a data replication manager that periodically copies production data while transforming the data. Unfortunately, this solution causes extensive data duplication and can be time consuming.
Another prior art solution introduces a multi-tiered database architecture with periodic updating. Business logic is implemented in queries executed against the production database. Second tiered business logic can utilize the retrieved information to populate and update datamarts using department-specific queries. In a rapidly changing environment, excessive updates can drastically disrupt production system operation.
Therefore, there is a need for a data manager capable of updating an informational database with high-frequency and low overhead. This approach would minimize resource expenditures by substantially avoiding data duplication and inefficient data retrieval.
There is a further need for an approach to retrieving informational data with dynamically redefinable parameters. This approach would allow flexible redefinition of business logic for selecting data in an ad hoc fashion.
There is a further need for an approach to non-intrusively updating an informational database. This approach would have minimal effect on a production system operation and respect autonomous operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for updating a destination database with data indirectly retrieved from a source database through log-based monitoring. A transaction log file is generated as a by-product of transactions committed to a source database by a transaction server. The log file is monitored and evaluated against a dynamic rule set specifying selection criteria implementing business logic. Those log entries satisfying the selection criteria are converted into updated records using metadata describing the schema of a destination database. The rule set and metadata can be dynamically redefined using a database builder tool. The log monitor automatically modifies the selection criteria and record-generation operations. During the data retrieval, the log monitor utilizes information stored in each log entry to indirectly derive informational data with minimal effect on the transaction server operations.
An embodiment of the present invention is a system and method for refreshing an informational database through log-based transaction monitoring. A production database is maintained and includes one or more tables. Each table stores records of production data generated by a transaction processing system. Log entries are periodically stored into a log file. At least one log entry is generated for each transaction committed to the production database. An informational database including one or more tables is maintained. Each table stores records of informational data for use by a decision support system. The log entries stored into the log file are dynamically analyzed using a rule set that specifies a data selection criteria. The updated records generated from production data satisfying the data selection criteria are stored into the informational database.
A further embodiment is a system and method for maintaining large-grained database concurrency with a log monitor incorporating dynamically redefinable business logic. Operations expressed in a data manipulation language are executed against a source database. At least one operation constitutes a commit operation that completes each database transaction. A current rule set is defined. Each rule includes business logic specifying a data selection criteria for records stored in the source database. A log entry is periodically generated in a log for each transaction committed to the source database. Each log entry identifies an affected record and includes transactional data. The transaction identified in each log entry is evaluated against the data selection criteria specified in the current rule set. A new record is built in accordance with metadata describing a destination database. The new record contains select transactional data from the log entry of each transaction meeting the selection criteria. The new record is stored into the destination database. The data stored in the destination database includes at least a partial subset of the source database.
One benefit of the present invention is the ability to dynamically redefine business logic implemented as rules interpreted by a transaction log monitor. A further benefit is harnessing the metadata intrinsic to a data warehouse to intelligently populate a database and to allow an additional level of responsiveness to changes in the structure of the database.
Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein is described embodiments of the invention by way of illustrating the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modificat
Hickman Palermo & Truong & Becker LLP
Holmes Craig G.
Lewis Cheryl
Oracle International Corporation
Robinson Greta
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