Selective Database Recovery Using Undo and Redo Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current database recovery methods are limited in their ability to selectively roll-forward or roll-back data, often requiring entire tables or files to be processed, leading to prolonged downtime and loss of referential integrity, and fail to automate the detection and correction of database corruption.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of UNDO and REDO methods using an enhanced Shadowbase data replication engine, which allows selective rolling back or rolling forward of corrupted data while maintaining referential integrity and enabling the database to remain online, using Undo and Redo Queues to process changes in reverse or forward order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional database recovery methods are used to restore a corrupted database, then the database can be returned to a prior correct state, but the entire database or large portions must be processed causing prolonged downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the database recovery process by identifying and isolating only the corrupted tables, columns, or rows that need recovery, rather than processing the entire database. The system divides the recovery workload into discrete units based on the scope of corruption, allowing parallel processing of unaffected database portions and minimizing the time impact on the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the corrupted data elements from the recovery process entirely. By using change logs and version control mechanisms, the system identifies corrupted elements and excludes them from the recovery operation, applying recovery only to the specific extracted corrupted portions rather than forcing recovery of the entire database structure.
2Reliability
If traditional database recovery methods are used, then corruption can be corrected, but referential integrity is lost during the recovery process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through change logs that continuously monitor and record all database modifications. During recovery operations, the system queries these change logs to verify that recovery actions maintain referential integrity constraints, providing real-time feedback on the consistency of recovered data with related tables and columns, and adjusting the recovery process accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing recovery plans that pre-validate referential integrity constraints before executing recovery operations. The system prepares recovery sequences that explicitly check and maintain foreign key relationships, primary key constraints, and other integrity rules in advance, ensuring that integrity is preserved throughout the recovery process.
3Reliability
If traditional database recovery methods are used, then the database can be restored, but the database must be taken offline causing service disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling different operational states for different portions of the database during recovery. While corrupted segments undergo recovery processing, the rest of the database remains fully operational and accessible to applications. The system creates localized recovery environments that do not interfere with the availability of unaffected data and services.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary mechanisms such as change logs, version control systems, and temporary recovery tables that act as mediators between the corrupted database and the recovery process. These intermediaries allow the database to remain online and accessible while recovery operations proceed in the background, using the intermediary structures to coordinate data restoration without blocking application access.
4Loss of time
If selective recovery of corrupted data is implemented, then downtime is reduced, but the complexity of detecting and identifying corruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by implementing continuous monitoring and validation mechanisms that proactively detect corruption before it spreads or causes failures. The system uses change logs, checksums, and validation rules to identify corrupted data elements in advance, creating a ready-to-use inventory of corrupted portions that simplifies the subsequent recovery process and reduces the complexity of real-time detection during recovery operations.
5Extent of automation
If automated detection and correction of corruption is implemented, then manual intervention is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the database system automatically detects, diagnoses, and corrects its own corruption without external intervention. The system uses built-in change logs, version control, and validation mechanisms to autonomously identify corrupted data, generate recovery plans, execute recovery operations, and verify results, making the complex automation transparent to users and reducing the perceived system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Both redo operations and undo operations are provided for returning a database that is corrupted to a correct state. When corruption of the database is detected, an automatic selection is made of one or more operations from the redo operations and undo operations for returning the database that is corrupted to a correct state. The selected one or more redo and undo operations are then performed on the database, thereby returning the database that is corrupted to a correct state.