Chain Database for Minimizing I/O During Flat Database Validation

Solution Overview

Problem

Current database validation processes, such as those used in IBM z/TPF, require extensive I/O operations, leading to long runtime durations and potential interference with transaction processing, which can result in database corruption if not regularly run.

Innovation Solution

The creation of a system-managed chain database that maintains a list of dynamically allocated records for each application database entry, allowing for efficient scanning and updating of records using a validation utility, thereby minimizing I/O operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional database validation processes are used, then database integrity can be maintained, but I/O operations increase and runtime duration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedatabase integrityVSAvoidvalidation runtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a chain database that pre-tracks dynamically allocated records before validation is needed. This allows the validation process to start from a known state of record allocation, avoiding the need to scan the entire database from scratch and significantly reducing validation runtime while maintaining integrity checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the record tracking function from the main database validation process by creating a separate chain database structure. This extracted chain database maintains only the necessary link information between fixed entries and dynamically allocated records, allowing validation to focus only on checking these pre-identified records rather than scanning the entire database.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If traditional database validation processes are used, then database integrity can be maintained, but I/O operations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedatabase integrityVSAvoidI/O operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the record tracking function from the main database validation process by creating a separate chain database structure. This extracted chain database maintains only the necessary link information between fixed entries and dynamically allocated records, allowing validation to focus only on checking these pre-identified records rather than scanning the entire database.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a chain database that pre-tracks dynamically allocated records before validation is needed. This allows the validation process to start from a known state of record allocation, avoiding the need to scan the entire database from scratch and significantly reducing validation runtime while maintaining integrity checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If database validation is run frequently, then database integrity is maintained, but transaction processing is interfered with

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedatabase integrityVSAvoidtransaction processing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a chain database that pre-tracks dynamically allocated records before validation is needed. This allows the validation process to start from a known state of record allocation, avoiding the need to scan the entire database from scratch and significantly reducing validation runtime while maintaining integrity checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of validating the entire database, the invention performs partial validation by focusing only on the chain database records that are actually in use. This partial action approach maintains sufficient integrity checking while dramatically reducing the validation footprint and allowing more frequent execution without interfering with transaction processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12321333B2Minimizing I/O operations when validating flat databases

Publication Date: 2025.06.03 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

According to at least one embodiment, a method, a computer system, and a computer program product for minimizing I/O operations when validating databases are provided. The present invention may include creating a corresponding system-managed chain database for an application database, the chain database comprising a list of one or more dynamically allocated records, if present, for one or more fixed entries in the application database, wherein each of the fixed entries comprises a respective chain database array item in the chain database; scanning, via a validation utility, one or more chain database array items; marking each of the one or more dynamically allocated records listed in the chain database for the fixed entries as found; and checking, via an indicator with various states, if the one or more dynamically allocated records for the one or more fixed entries are listed in the respective chain database array item.