Replicated Data Upgrade Orchestration

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Solution Overview

Problem

During application upgrades, table structure changes in source and target systems can disrupt data replication, leading to inconsistent intermediary states and concurrent downtime, as existing technologies struggle to manage table structure changes effectively across replicated databases.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where a target system deploy tool halts the first portion of the maintenance procedure, records table structure change events in a source-side orchestration table, replicates these events to a target-side orchestration table, and then executes the second portion of the maintenance procedure on the target system, ensuring synchronized table structure changes without requiring simultaneous downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If table structure changes are executed during application upgrading in source system, then the application can be upgraded to new version, but data replication to target system breaks and concurrent downtime is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication upgrade capabilityVSAvoiddata replication continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The target system deploy tool executes the first portion of the maintenance procedure in advance, preparing the target system for the upcoming table structure changes before the source system actually performs the upgrade. This preliminary action ensures the target system is ready to receive and process the changed data structures without disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An orchestration table is introduced as an intermediary mechanism to coordinate table structure changes between source and target systems. The orchestration table stores change events and coordinates the timing of structure changes, allowing the replication process to continue uninterrupted while maintaining consistency between source and target databases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If table structure changes are executed in source system, then application functionality is improved, but intermediary states during deployment become inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the target system deploy tool monitors the execution of maintenance procedures and table structure changes. Based on this feedback, the tool can halt execution of the first portion if inconsistencies are detected, and resume execution of the second portion after the source system completes its changes, ensuring data consistency throughout the upgrade process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The deployment process is made dynamic and adaptive rather than rigid. The target system deploy tool can dynamically halt and resume execution of maintenance procedures based on the state of the source system and the replication process. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain consistency while accommodating the necessary table structure changes for application functionality improvements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If concurrent downtime is required on source and target systems, then table structure changes can be synchronized, but system availability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetable structure synchronizationVSAvoidsystem downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The target system deploy tool executes the first portion of the maintenance procedure in advance while the source system is still operational. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for concurrent downtime, as the target system is already ready when the source system completes its table structure changes and resumes replication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The orchestration table acts as a mediator that coordinates table structure changes without requiring both systems to be down simultaneously. It allows the target system to prepare for changes in advance and resume operations continuously, minimizing the loss of time while ensuring precise synchronization of table structures between source and target systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10268472B2Upgrading systems with replicated data

Publication Date: 2019.04.23 SAP SE

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for executing, by a target system deploy tool, a first portion of a target-side maintenance procedure on the target system, halting execution of the first portion of the target-side maintenance procedure, executing, by a source system deploy tool, a source-side maintenance procedure on the source system, wherein, during execution of the source-side maintenance procedure, table structure change events are recorded in a source-side orchestration table, reading, by a replicator, the table structure change events recorded in the source-side orchestration table, writing, by the replicator, the table structure change events to a target-side orchestration table, and executing, by the target system deploy tool, a second portion of the target-side maintenance procedure on the target system, at least in part, by performing the table structure change events of the target-side orchestration table on one or more tables of the target system.