EP0425415A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Process and apparatus for preserving data integrity of a database
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1990-09-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A Unit of Work object class for an object oriented database management system provides concurrent processing through Unit of Work levels and instances while maintaining the integrity of the data in the database. Each new Unit of Work assigned to a task is an instance of the Unit of Work object class. A Unit of Work manager controls each step such that manipulation of the data occurs to the copies at that particular level for that particular instance. Only after all levels have been completed satisfactorily will a "Commit" occur to the data in the database. If completion is not satisfactory, Rollback of the levels occur, thus preserving data integrity. The Unit of Work manager can also switch control between Unit of Work instances, thus permitting simultaneous performance of tasks.
Inventors
- 👤 Floyd Wayne Shackelford
- 👤 Robert Low Abraham
- 👤 Richard Eugene Moore
- 👤 William Lawrence Rich
- 👤 John Russel Tiller, Jr.
- 👤 Cynthia A. Ross
- 👤 Richard Smith Briggs, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/289; G06F16/23; G06F16/2365; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1474; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/953; Y10S707/955; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A process for preserving data integrity of a database of data elements stored in a data storage device, the data storage device connected to a data processor having a database manager operating therein for performing tasks on the database, comprising the steps of: creating a copy of selected database elements for a task performed on said database, performing said task on the created copy of the selected database elements, and if said task successfully completes, replacing the selected database elements with the created copy of the selected database elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A process for preserving data integrity of a database of data elements stored in a data storage device, the data storage device connected to a data processor having a database manager operating therein for performing tasks on the database, comprising the steps of: creating a copy of selected database elements for a task performed on said database, performing said task on the created copy of the selected database elements, and if said task successfully completes, replacing the selected database elements with the created copy of the selected database elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to Claim 1 characterized in that said creating step comprises the step of creating a unit of work for a task performed on said database.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to Claim 1 characterized in that said performing step comprises the step of modifying the created copy of the selected database elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to Claim 3 characterized in that said replacing step comprises the step of replacing the selected database elements with the modified created copy of the selected database elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process according to Claim 1 characterized in that said task comprises a series of steps and said creating step comprises the step of creating a copy of the selected database elements from a previous step, for use in a succeeding step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process according to Claim 5 characterized in that said replacing step comprises the step of replacing the selected database elements in the database with the copy of the selected database elements from the last step of a successfully completed task.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process according to Claim 5 characterized in that it further comprises the step of: if a step in said task fails, saving the copies of selected database elements from all steps prior to the failed step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process according to Claim 5 characterized in that it further comprises the step of : if a task is switched, saving the copies of the selected database elements for the completed steps in the task, and switching to a new task.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus in a database management system comprising: a data storage device, a database of data elements stored in said data storage device, a data processor connected to said data storage device, and a database manager operating in said data processor, for performing one or a plurality of tasks on said database, each task comprising a plurality of steps, each of said steps being capable of modifying the data elements in said database, said apparatus being characterized in that said database manager comprises: means for assigning a unit of work to each task, means for creating a unit of work level for each of said plurality of steps, the unit of work level for a succeeding step including a copy of the data elements from a preceding unit of work level which are to be modified by the succeeding step, said unit of work controlling each of said plurality of steps to modify the data elements in the associated unit of work level; whereby integrity of said database of data elements in said database is preserved if one of said plurality of steps fails to operate successfully.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus in a database management system comprising: a data storage device, a database of data elements stored in said data storage device, a data processor connected to said data storage device, and a database manager operating in said data processor, for performing one or a plurality of tasks on said database, each task comprising a plurality of steps, each of said steps being capable of modifying the data elements in said database, said apparatus being characterized in that said database manager comprises: means for assigning a unit of work to each task, means for creating a unit of work level for each of said plurality of steps, the unit of work level for a succeeding step including a copy of the data elements from a preceding unit of work level which are to be modified by the succeeding step, said unit of work controlling each of said plurality of steps to modify the data elements in the associated unit of work level; whereby integrity of said database of data elements in said database is preserved if one of said plurality of steps fails to operate successfully.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for substituting the copy of the data elements identified in a last unit of work level of a task, for the corresponding data elements in said database, if all the steps in the said task are successfully completed
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for switching from a first unit of work task to a second unit of work task.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager is an object oriented database manager, wherein said unit of work comprises a unit of work instance, and wherein each unit of work level includes a copy of the instance of said unit of work object class.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to Claim 12 characterized in that said copy of a unit of work instance for a succeeding step of a task is nested within the copy of the unit of work instance for a preceding step of said task.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
103 words
The apparatus according to Claim 12 characterized in that said unit of work object class includes a method for applying changes made to the copy of the data elements in a succeeding unit of work instance for a task to the copy of the data elements in a preceding unit of work instance for the task, a method for creating a nested unit of work copy, and a method for switching from a first unit of work instance corresponding to a predetermined step in a first task to a second unit of work instance corresponding to a predetermined step in a second task.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to Claim 14 characterized in that said unit of work object class further includes a method for discarding a unit of work instance and a method for creating new unit of work instances for new tasks.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for applying changes made to a unit of work level of a first task to the preceding unit of work level for the first task.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for discarding a predetermined unit of work.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for creating a new unit of work for a new task.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for rolling back to an immediately preceding unit of work level.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for switching from a unit of work in a first task to a unit of work in a second task.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to Claim 9 characterized in that said database manager further comprises means for creating a first unit of work for a task, by creating a copy of selected data elements from said database.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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