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US-12619632-B2 - Preparation of a transactionally consistent database clone during a downtime optimized database conversion

US12619632B2US 12619632 B2US12619632 B2US 12619632B2US-12619632-B2

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes starting on a source database (DB), a software update manager (SUM). DB triggers and log tables are created on the source DB and by the SUM. Creation of a clone DB is initiated, where the clone DB is a clone of the source DB. Using connection data to the clone DB, a connection to the clone DB is tested. Using the SUM and the connection data to the clone DB, initial data from the clone DB is transferred to a target DB. Using the SUM, a delta replay of recorded changes made to the source DB since creation of the clone DB is initiated.

Inventors

  • Lars-Eric Biewald

Assignees

  • SAP SE

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20241016

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A computer-implement method, comprising: starting, on a source database (DB), a software update manager (SUM); creating, on the source DB and by the SUM, DB triggers and log tables; initiating creation of a clone DB, wherein the clone DB is a clone of the source DB; testing, using connection data to the clone DB, a connection to the clone DB; transferring, using the SUM and the connection data to the clone DB, initial data from the clone DB to a target DB; and initiating, using the SUM, a delta replay to the target DB of recorded changes made to the source DB since creation of the clone DB.
  2. 2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the DB triggers record changes to the source DB and the log tables records DB changes.
  3. 3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein, after the DB triggers are created: stopping the SUM; and generating a graphical user interface (GUI) to create the clone DB and to ramp up the clone DB.
  4. 4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein initiating creation of a clone DB is performed using the GUI.
  5. 5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the clone DB is transactionally consistent and isolated.
  6. 6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising: requesting, using the SUM, connection data to the clone DB, wherein the requesting is performed using a graphical user interface (GUI).
  7. 7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising: following completion of the delta replay, using the target DB as a replacement for the source DB.
  8. 8 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform one or more operations, comprising: starting, on a source database (DB), a software update manager (SUM); creating, on the source DB and by the SUM, DB triggers and log tables; initiating creation of a clone DB, wherein the clone DB is a clone of the source DB; testing, using connection data to the clone DB, a connection to the clone DB; transferring, using the SUM and the connection data to the clone DB, initial data from the clone DB to a target DB; and initiating, using the SUM, a delta replay of recorded changes made to the source DB since creation of the clone DB.
  9. 9 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the DB triggers record changes to the source DB and the log tables records DB changes.
  10. 10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein, after the DB triggers are created: stopping the SUM; and generating a graphical user interface (GUI) to create the clone DB and to ramp up the clone DB.
  11. 11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein initiating creation of a clone DB is performed using the GUI.
  12. 12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the clone DB is transactionally consistent and isolated.
  13. 13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , comprising: requesting, using the SUM, connection data to the clone DB, wherein the requesting is performed using a graphical user interface (GUI).
  14. 14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , comprising: following completion of the delta replay, using the target DB as a replacement for the source DB.
  15. 15 . A computer-implemented system, comprising: one or more computers; and one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations, comprising: starting, on a source database (DB), a software update manager (SUM); creating, on the source DB and by the SUM, DB triggers and log tables; initiating creation of a clone DB, wherein the clone DB is a clone of the source DB; testing, using connection data to the clone DB, a connection to the clone DB; transferring, using the SUM and the connection data to the clone DB, initial data from the clone DB to a target DB; and initiating, using the SUM, a delta replay of recorded changes made to the source DB since creation of the clone DB.
  16. 16 . The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein the DB triggers record changes to the source DB and the log tables records DB changes.
  17. 17 . The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein, after the DB triggers are created: stopping the SUM; and generating a graphical user interface (GUI) to create the clone DB and to ramp up the clone DB.
  18. 18 . The computer-implemented system of claim 17 , wherein initiating creation of a clone DB is performed using the GUI.
  19. 19 . The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein the clone DB is transactionally consistent and isolated.
  20. 20 . The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , comprising: requesting, using the SUM, connection data to the clone DB, wherein the requesting is performed using a graphical user interface (GUI).

Description

BACKGROUND A traditional software update manager (SUM) (e.g., SAP SOFTWARE UPDATE MANAGER) offers a procedure (e.g., SAP R3LOAD) for a downtime optimized database (DB) conversion (e.g., to an SAP S/4HANA in-memory DB). The procedure enables a time-consuming migration of the source DB data to be primarily migrated in uptime to reduce downtime of a database to convert and associated software applications. Transactional consistency is a crucial prerequisite to execute the uptime conversion. However, due to the need to copy a large amount of data in a table-wise manner, it is difficult to ensure that a header table is copied at the same point-in-time as a dependent item table. A current solution uses complex DB trigger technology to ensure transactional consistency, but the DB trigger-based solution adds additional load on a production system and an initial data transfer of data from a source database can increase memory and CPU utilization. Additional load on the production system and increased memory and CPU utilization can force continuous adjustment of a number of processes to copy DB data. SUMMARY The present disclosure describes preparation of a transactionally consistent database clone during a downtime optimized database conversion. In an implementation, a computer-implemented method, comprises: starting, on a source database (DB), a software update manager (SUM); creating, on the source DB and by the SUM, DB triggers and log tables; initiating creation of a clone DB, wherein the clone DB is a clone of the source DB; testing, using connection data to the clone DB, a connection to the clone DB; transferring, using the SUM and the connection data to the clone DB, initial data from the clone DB to a target DB; and initiating, using the SUM, a delta replay of recorded changes made to the source DB since creation of the clone DB. The described subject matter can be implemented using a computer-implemented method; a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions to perform the computer-implemented method; and a computer-implemented system comprising one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform the computer-implemented method/the computer-readable instructions stored on the non-transitory, computer-readable medium. The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. First, in the described approach, a database (DB) clone is transactionally consistent with the source DB and can utilize the full power of database technology available on a respective database platform. Second, database triggers can be much simpler, as they only have to record a primary key of changed data and not complete snapshot rows. This reduces complexity and reduces a performance impact of the database triggers on a production system. Third, procedures (e.g., SAP R3LOAD) used to export a DB into files and them import the files into a target DB system will not negatively impact the production system (e.g., DB load, memory utilization, and central processing unit (CPU) utilization), as the procedures for an initial transfer will read data from an isolated DB clone and not a working DB associated with the production system. Fourth, a need to continuously adjust a number of DB transfer processes (e.g., SAP R3 LOAD) depending on usage of a production system can be reduced or eliminated. The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter of this specification are set forth in the Detailed Description, the Claims, and the accompanying drawings. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the Detailed Description, the Claims, and the accompanying drawings. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example database system and process for preparation of a transactionally consistent database clone during a downtime optimized database conversion, according to an implementation of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a computer-implemented method for preparation of a transactionally consistent database clone during a downtime optimized database conversion, according to an implementation of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer-implemented system used to provide computational functionalities associated with described algorithms, methods, functions, processes, flows, and procedures, according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description describes preparation of a transactionally consistent database clone during a downtime optimized database c