# Patent

## Title
Modular configuration and deployment of JDBC resources

## Abstract

The JDBC data sources configuration can be stored in a JDBC configuration XML. This configuration XML can be converted into Java beans to configure data sources such as basic data sources, connection pools or multipool. Migration can be done by using a administration console tool to update the configuration XML with the new binding variables for the production environment.

## Background
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/727,188 entitled “Modular Configuration and Deployment of JDBC Resources” by Rahul Srivastava, filed Oct. 14, 2005.


BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Application servers such as the WebLogic server available from BEA Systems of San Jose, Calif. allow users to do a number of functions. One of the functions that can be allowed by the application servers is to provide access to a database. In one embodiment, the application servers provide Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) for connection to a database. JDBC technology is an API defined in J2EE that provides DBMS connectivity to a wide range of databases and access to other tabular data sources, such as spreadsheets or flat files. With a JDBC technology-enabled driver, a user can connect to corporate data even in a heterogeneous environment. JDBC defines data sources such as the relational databases and flat files using basic implementations, connection pooling implementations and distributed transaction implementation.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the use of JDBC configuration XML.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the use of test and production JDBC configuration XML.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the use of JDBC configuration XML. In one embodiment, an administration console tool 201 or other XML construction tool receives user input concerning the configuration of data sources. For propose of this application, the data sources can include basic data sources, XA protocol data sources, connection pool data sources, and multipool data sources. The data sources can be global or local. The user input 104 is used to construct JDBC configuration XML 106 for the data source. An XML schema definition 108 can define the structure of the XML and allow other tools to use the configuration in the XML to configure data sources. In one embodiment, a XML MBean conversion tool converts the configuration XML into an Mbean 110 used for configuring the JDBC data sources 112. In one embodiment, the configuration objects can map to the JDBC XML schema 108.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of migration. The administration console tool 202 can provide a migration user interface page 204 for receiving user input 206 of the binding variables. The administration console tool 202 can automatically convert the test JDBC configuration 208 into a production JDBC configuration XML 210 by changing the values of the binding variables as input by the user. Both test and production JDBC configuration XML can be converted into configuration objects to be used by the data sources.
In one embodiment, Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources are configurable with XML configuration files. The XML configuration files can be used to obtain configuration information for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources.
In one embodiment, a tool can convert the XML configuration files into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources. The configuration objects can be MBeans or other Java Beans. Migration to a new environment can include producing an updated XML configuration file, such as a configuration file for the production environment. A tool can be used to update the XML file by inputting new binding variables.
A tool can provide a two phase deployment of data source configuration. In one embodiment, the two-phase deployment can be done such that if the deployment of the updated configuration fails, the configuration can roll back to the previous configuration.
The XML configuration files can be locally or globally scoped. In one embodiment of the present invention, a system including Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources that are configurable with XML configuration files. The XML configuration files being used to obtain configuration information for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources. A tool can be used to modify XML configuration files to produce updated XML configuration files and; a deployment tool can be used to deploy the updated configuration in a two-phase process that rolls back to the prior configuration upon a failure of the deployment of the updated configuration. In one embodiment, the original XML configuration files contain test configurations and the updated XML configuration files contain production configurations. The XML configuration files can be converted into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources. The tool can be used to update the XML file by inputting new binding variables. The XML configuration files can be locally or globally scoped.
One embodiment of the present invention is a system including a tool to create at least one XML configuration file for a Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data source; and a component to use the XML file to configure the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data source. The component can convert the XML configuration files into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data source. Migration to a new environment can include producing an updated XML configuration file. The XML configuration files can be updated by inputting new binding variables
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE NON LIMITING EXAMPLE
The following description gives one non-limiting implementation of one embodiment. The discussion below gives one embodiment, but those skilled in the art will understand that other implementations of the above-described concepts can be done. Any potentially limiting language given below is to be interpreted in the context of the specific non-limiting implementation and is not meant to limit the general concepts.
The external representation and configuration of JDBC objects—Connection Pools, Data Sources, Transactional Data Sources and Multi Pools—can be consolidated into a new type of Data Source object. These new uber-data sources can be defined via a new Java Bean type (weblogicj.2ee.descriptor.wl.JDBCDataSourceBean), which in turn can conform to the new JDBC schema (weblogicj2ee.descriptor.schemas.wls90.weblogic-jdbc.xsd). These data sources can be configurable as both global- and application-scoped JDBC resources. A new configuration MBean type JDBCSystemResourceMBean can act as a container for JDBCDataSourceBeans in the WLS configuration file (“config.xml”). A new WLS-specific extension type of J2EE Module called “JDBC Module” can be defined to contain data sources configured inside a J2EE application or as a standalone J2EE module. New runtime MBean types can be created to support the new data source type and related J2EE Management Objects (JSR77).
Users can monitor application's usage of configured JDBC objects. Additional statistics can be made available for JDBC objects such as multi pools, connection pools and prepared statement caches. Application can be able to register callbacks that will get invoked before and after invocations of methods in the JDBC driver. User can be able to obtain detailed usage profiles of JDBC resources such as connection pools and prepared statement caches. User can be able to debug the usage of JDBC objects such as connections and statements. User can be able to take a Diagnostic Image of the JDBC subsystem when requested for by BEA Support. User can be able to trace the flow of an individual (“dyed”) application request through the JDBC subsystem.

    
    
        The external representation and configuration of JDBC objects—Connection Pools, Data Sources, Transactional Data Sources and Multi Pools—can be consolidated into a new type of Data Source object.
        These new data sources can be defined via a new Java Bean type (weblogicj2ee.descriptor.wl.JDBCDataSourceBean), which in turn can conform to the new JDBC schema (weblogicj2ee.descriptor.schemas.wls90.weblogic-jdbc.xsd).
        They can be configured as “System Resources” in the WLS configuration file. Or they w can be configured as J2EE Modules, either standalone or embedded inside an EAR file.
        A new configuration MBean type JDBCSystemResourceMBean can be created to act as a container for data sources configured in the WLS configuration file.
        A new WLS-specific extension type of J2EE Module called “JDBC Module” can be defined to contain data sources configured inside a J2EE application or as a standalone J2EE module.
        These data sources can be configurable as both global- and application-scoped resources.
        These data sources can be deployed using the Two-Phase deployment mechanism.
        Data Sources configured as JDBC Modules can be able to use J2EE Deployment Plans for ease of migration between different environments.
        New runtime MBeans mandated by JSR77 can be added.

There can be two types of data sources in one embodiment:

System Resources

        Created by server software Administrator
        Deployed by server software Administrator
        Defined in the server software configuration file, contained inside the configuration MBean JDBCSystemResourceMBean
        Accessed and manipulated at runtime via JMX
        Global-scoped
        Semantically equivalent to the deprecated JDBC configuration mbeans

JDBC Modules

        Created by Application Programmer
        Deployed by the server software Administrator
        Defined in the server software configuration file as standalone J2EE modules using the configuration MBean AppDeploymentMBean, or embedded inside application EAR files
        Accessed and manipulated at runtime via weblogic.Deployer and other JSR88-compatible tools
        Global- or application-scoped
        Application-scoped JDBC Modules embedded inside application EARs are semantically equivalent to the deprecated application-scoped JDBC connection pools
    
    


A JDBC schema can be defined for JDBC. Data Source definitions will be contained inside XML documents (“descriptors”) that will conform to this schema. These descriptors can have a suffix of “-jdbc.xml”. A new Java Bean type can be defined to represent the new data source object. This Java Bean can map to the new JDBC schema being defined. A new configuration MBean type “JDBCSystemResourceMBean” can be defined to contain global-scoped data sources. A new server software specific extension type of J2EE module called “JDBC Module” can be defined to configure data sources configured as J2EE modules. Data Sources can be deployed using a two-phase deployment mechanism. JSR88 provides a scheme to resolve J2EE applications' environment-specific dependencies (binding and tunable parameters) at deployment time. JDBC subsystem can make the necessary changes to support these requirements. New runtime MBean type JDBCDataSourceRuntimeMBean can deprecate the current runtime MBean type JDBCConnectionPoolRuntimeMBean. New runtime MBean type JDBCMultiDataSourceRuntimeMBean can be added to support MultiPools.
An example of an JDBC schema is given below. 




























One embodiment may be implemented using a conventional general purpose or a specialized digital computer or microprocessor(s) programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the computer art. Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the software art. The invention may also be implemented by the preparation of integrated circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
One embodiment includes a computer program product which is a storage medium (media) having instructions stored thereon/in which can be used to program a computer to perform any of the features presented herein. The storage medium can include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical discs, DVD, CD-ROMs, micro drive, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, Rams, EPROM's, EPROM's, Drams, Rams, flash memory devices, magnetic or optical cards, Nan systems (including molecular memory ICs), or any type of media or device suitable for storing instructions and/or data.
Stored on any one of the computer readable medium (media), the present invention includes software for controlling both the hardware of the general purpose/specialized computer or microprocessor, and for enabling the computer or microprocessor to interact with a human user or other mechanism utilizing the results of the present invention. Such software may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems, execution environments/containers, and user applications.
The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. For example, steps performed in the embodiments of the invention disclosed can be performed in alternate orders, certain steps can be omitted, and additional steps can be added. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalents.

## Claims

1. A system including:
Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources that are configurable with XML configuration files, the XML configuration files being used to obtain configuration information for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein the XML configuration files are converted to Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) configuration MBeans for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein new binding variables are used to update test JDBC configuration XML to production JDBC configuration XML, and wherein the test JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration MBeans and the production JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration Mbeans;
further comprising a tool to convert the XML configuration files into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein migration to a new environment can include producing an updated XML configuration file;
wherein a tool is used to update the XML file by inputting new binding variables;
wherein the XML configuration files can be locally or globally scoped;
wherein an XML schema is used; and
wherein the system includes at least one processor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a tool can provide a two phase deployment of a configuration such that if the deployment of the update configuration fails, the configuration is rolled back to a previous configuration.

3. A system including:
Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources that are configurable with XML configuration files, the XML configuration files being used to obtain configuration information for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources and;
a tool to modify XML configuration files to produce updated XML configuration files;
wherein the XML configuration files are converted to Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) configuration MBeans for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein new binding variables are used to update test JDBC configuration XML to production JDBC configuration XML, and wherein the test JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration MBeans and the production JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration Mbeans;
further comprising a tool to convert the XML configuration files into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein migration to a new environment can include producing an updated XML configuration file;
wherein a tool is used to update the XML file by inputting new binding variables;
wherein the XML configuration files can be locally or globally scoped;
wherein an XML schema is used; and
wherein the system includes at least one processor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a tool can provide a two phase deployment of a configuration such that if the deployment of the update configuration fails, the configuration is rolled back to a previous configuration.

5. A system including:
a tool to create at least one XML configuration file for a Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data source; and
a component to use the XML file to configure the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data source;
wherein the XML configuration files are converted to Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) configuration MBeans for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein new binding variables are used to update test JDBC configuration XML to production JDBC configuration XML, and wherein the test JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration MBeans and the production JDBC configuration XML is used to produce test JDBC configuration Mbeans;
further comprising a tool to convert the XML configuration files into configuration objects for the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) data sources;
wherein migration to a new environment can include producing an updated XML configuration file;
wherein a tool is used to update the XML file by inputting new binding variables;
wherein the XML configuration files can be locally or globally scoped;
wherein an XML schema is used; and
wherein the system includes at least one processor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a tool can provide a two phase deployment of a configuration such that if the deployment of the update configuration fails, the configuration is rolled back to a previous configuration.