Database Freeze Triggers for Selective Upgrade Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
During system upgrades in a software landscape, traditional locking mechanisms cause downtime, leading to data loss, corruption, or unexpected behavior, and restrict customization and development, resulting in undesirable productivity losses for customers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing database freeze triggers to control access to specific database objects, allowing certain tools and applications to operate while preventing modifications to other objects, thereby minimizing downtime and enabling controlled upgrades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional locking mechanisms are used during system upgrade, then data integrity is protected, but system downtime increases and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the database objects into different categories (upgradable and non-upgradable) and applies different locking strategies to each segment. Freeze triggers are selectively applied only to upgradable database objects that require consistency during upgrade, while non-upgradable objects remain accessible. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data integrity for critical objects while preserving system availability for other operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different access control characteristics to different database objects based on their upgrade status. Instead of a global lock on the entire database, the system applies freeze triggers locally only to specific database objects that need protection during upgrade. This allows selective locking that maintains reliability where needed while preserving productivity elsewhere in the system.
2Reliability
If database freeze triggers are applied to all objects, then data consistency is maintained, but customization and development are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides database objects into segments based on their upgrade requirements. Freeze triggers are applied only to the segment of objects that are being upgraded and require consistency, while leaving other segments (non-upgradable objects) accessible for customization and development activities. This selective segmentation resolves the contradiction between maintaining consistency and preserving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different quality characteristics (freeze protection) locally only to database objects that require it during upgrade. Non-upgradable database objects maintain their normal accessibility, allowing customization and development to continue. This local differentiation ensures data consistency for critical objects while preserving system versatility for ongoing development work.
3Reliability
If system is locked during upgrade, then data corruption is prevented, but development work must be suspended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments database objects by their upgrade status and applies freeze triggers only to the necessary subset (upgradable objects). This segmentation allows development work on non-upgradable objects to continue without interruption, reducing the time loss while still preventing data corruption in the upgradable segment through targeted freeze protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local quality by applying data protection characteristics only where needed during upgrade. Freeze triggers are placed locally on upgradable database objects to prevent corruption, while non-upgradable objects remain accessible for development activities. This approach maintains data persistency for critical objects while minimizing development downtime.
Data Source
AI summary
Various techniques are described for precisely locking database objects within a database during a system upgrade with the use of database freeze triggers. Some database freeze triggers can be utilized to lock transport requests while other database freeze triggers can be utilized to lock database objects such as exchange tables. For transport requests, techniques describe the use of a whitelist identify transport objects or transport object types which shall remain unblocked. As a result, a database freeze trigger can be generated for transport objects or transport object types that are not included in the whitelist. For database objects, techniques describe the identification of a tool or service which has been allowed during the upgrade. Database objects which can be modified during execution of the tool or service can be identified. Database freeze triggers can be generated for the database objects besides those identified.