Data Element Tracing Across Application Tiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tracking data variable changes across multiple technologies and programming languages during legacy application migration is challenging due to the complexity of systems involved, making it difficult to identify data anomalies and pinpoint touch points between different layers of an application.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for data element tracing that involves receiving and tagging data elements, selecting application tiers, parsing through plugins associated with software programming languages, recording entries, and generating a data flow graph to trace the data element across tiers, allowing for the display of data flow through a user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tracking of data variables is performed across multiple technologies and programming languages, then complete analysis of data flow can be achieved, but the complexity and time required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary tool that acts as a mediator between the complex multi-language application system and the analyst. This tool automatically instruments code, tracks data elements across tier boundaries, and presents unified flow information, eliminating the need for manual cross-language tracking while maintaining complete visibility of data flows.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with automated instrumentation and analysis tools. By using software-based automated tracking that instruments code and collects flow information programmatically, the system eliminates time-consuming manual analysis while preserving accurate data flow measurement across heterogeneous technologies.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive tracking of data elements across all application tiers is implemented, then complete visibility of touch points is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tracking system into modular components including language-specific plugins, tier-level instrumentation modules, and centralized analysis components. Each plugin handles a specific programming language or tier, allowing the system to achieve comprehensive tracking coverage while managing complexity through modular, independent modules that can be selectively activated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal tracking framework that can instrument and track data elements across multiple programming languages and application tiers through a common architecture. The standardized plugin interface and unified data model allow the system to maintain simplicity at the framework level while providing comprehensive multi-language, multi-tier tracking capabilities.
3Productivity
If automated instrumentation and tracking is implemented across multiple programming languages, then data flow analysis capability is improved, but the number of components and plugins increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to manage plugin complexity by dynamically configuring which plugins are active based on the specific analysis needs. The system can adjust the set of instrumented languages and tiers being tracked, allowing high productivity when comprehensive tracking is needed while reducing component overhead when full multi-language tracking is not required.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of a method of tracing a data element for flow analysis includes receiving an input of a data element to be traced, tagging the data element to be traced and selecting one or more tiers of an application to trace the flow of the tagged data element. The selected one or more tiers of the application are parsed through a plugin associated with a software programming language and an entry is recorded at the plugin associated with a software programming language, when an instance of traced data element is encountered. A database entry is created for every encounter of the tagged data element. Further, a data flow graph is generated to trace the data element across the at least one application tier.