Change Management Shadow Copy Rollback Mechanism

Solution Overview

Problem

In change management for repository instances with content and data dictionaries, there is a need to effectively roll back changes made during development, testing, and deployment to previous states due to issues with data integrity and consistency across systems.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves creating a shadow copy of the content and data dictionary states before applying changes, allowing for the preservation and reversal of changes by capturing only affected data, which reduces storage space and enables efficient rollback processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If full copies of content and data dictionary are preserved for rollback, then data integrity is maintained, but storage space requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and stores only the changed portions of content and data dictionary rather than preserving complete copies. The extraction mechanism identifies modified objects, events, and data dictionary entries, storing only these differential changes in a compact representation that enables rollback while minimizing storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the content and data dictionary into discrete changeable units (objects, events, data dictionary entries). Each segment can be independently tracked, stored, and restored. This segmentation allows the system to manage changes at a granular level, storing only necessary portions rather than entire datasets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all content and data dictionary changes are captured for rollback, then complete reversal is possible, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverollback completenessVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing a baseline state before changes are applied and pre-defining the rollback target state. This preliminary setup includes capturing the original content, data dictionary, and object definitions before modifications occur, enabling straightforward comparison and reversal without complex analysis during the rollback process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates simplified copies of the changed elements in a standardized format. Rather than managing complex original data structures, the system creates representational copies of changes that can be easily stored, transmitted, and applied during rollback, reducing processing complexity while maintaining rollback completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If changes are rolled back to previous release, then system stability is restored, but time required for rollback increases without optimization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidrollback time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing a baseline state before changes are applied and pre-defining the rollback target state. This preliminary setup includes capturing the original content, data dictionary, and object definitions before modifications occur, enabling straightforward comparison and reversal without complex analysis during the rollback process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and stores only the changed portions of content and data dictionary rather than preserving complete copies. The extraction mechanism identifies modified objects, events, and data dictionary entries, storing only these differential changes in a compact representation that enables rapid rollback by applying only necessary changes rather than restoring entire datasets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9563519B2Reversing changes executed by change management

Publication Date: 2017.02.07 SAP SE

AI summary

In an example embodiment, updated repository instances are typically developed on a development system, transferred to a testing system, and after testing, transferred to a production system. Such an updated instance may comprise content, sources and a data dictionary. As an updated instance is moved from one system to another, the change is applied to an original instance. A shadow copy of content is kept for the original instance. In another example embodiment, a shadow copy of content is created as part of the change process. The sources and data dictionary may have their own versioning mechanism. To undo the applied change, the sources and data dictionary are rolled back to their pre-change state. The content is retrieved from the shadow copy and restored to the original instance. Finally, stranded data is restored according to appropriate policies.