Extensible ETL Framework File Location Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ETL frameworks face challenges in managing file location parameters across different operating systems, handling remote file access protocols, and preventing unauthorized access, leading to inefficiencies and potential data corruption during data extraction and loading processes.
Innovation Solution
An extensible ETL framework that encapsulates file location parameters in a file location object, supporting various access protocols and preventing the use of variables to define file locations, allowing for automatic propagation of changes and secure access management across different landscapes and operating systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users define file location parameters as variables to handle unknown locations, then the system becomes more flexible in handling different file locations, but security is compromised as end users can substitute variables with unauthorized locations and corrupt files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments file location parameters into two distinct categories: variables (for dynamic values like file names) and parameters (for static values like directory paths). This segmentation allows the system to maintain flexibility where needed while ensuring security where required, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different restrictions are applied to different parts of the file location specification. Directory path components are restricted to prevent unauthorized access, while file name components allow variable substitution for flexibility. This local differentiation of quality resolves the security-flexibility contradiction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users create duplicate file format objects for different operating systems to handle different directory syntaxes, then compatibility with different operating systems is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a universal file format object structure that can handle multiple operating systems through a standardized interface. The system automatically adapts to different operating systems (UNIX, WINDOWS, etc.) using a single object type, eliminating the need for duplicate objects and reducing system complexity while maintaining compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate layer (the file format object with standardized interface) that mediates between the ETL process and different operating system file systems. This intermediary handles the differences in directory syntaxes automatically, allowing a single file format object to work across multiple operating systems.
3Reliability
If administrators manually copy files from remote systems to local systems when file access protocols are down, then data access is maintained, but time consumption and operational effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic fallback mechanisms where the system self-services by automatically switching to alternative file access methods when the primary protocol is unavailable. Instead of requiring manual administrator intervention, the system automatically tries alternative protocols or local copies, maintaining data access while eliminating manual copying time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares alternative file access paths and protocols in advance (preliminarily). When the primary remote file access protocol is down, the system can immediately switch to pre-configured alternatives without requiring manual copying, thus maintaining reliability while avoiding time loss.
4Ease of operation
If users associate location parameters directly to file format objects, then file location management is simplified, but labor intensity increases when file locations change as all affected file format objects must be manually modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the management of file location parameters into a centralized repository separate from individual file format objects. When a location parameter changes, the system automatically updates all file format objects that reference it, eliminating manual modification of each object and improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where changes to file location parameters are automatically detected and propagated to all affected file format objects. This automatic feedback loop ensures that all objects remain synchronized with the latest location parameters, improving update efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is an extensible extract, transform and load (ETL) framework. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, a file location object and a corresponding file format object are retrieved from a repository. The file location object stores file location parameters that specify a remote file system directory and a local file system directory, while the file format object stores location configuration parameters that specify a data file and the file location object. The data file may be transferred from the remote file system directory to the local file system directory according to the file location parameters and the location configuration parameters. An extract, transform and load (ETL) job may then be performed on the data file to generate an output file.