The steps below are a quick summary of the actions required to build a subset database with the DataBee software. Please see embedded links for more information on each step and the DataBee Quick Start Guide for a detailed, practical, step-by-step walk through of the DataBee design, extract and load methodology.
In general, the actions you would perform with the DataBee software in order to create a referentially correct subset database from a much larger source version are:
The development of the rules in the extraction set is the most difficult part of the DataBee process and this is the step that will require the most effort. Fortunately the rules only need to be built once. After the extraction set has been constructed, it is simple to run it repeatedly in order to extract subset databases on demand. The DataBee Quick Start Guide discusses the best method of building an extraction set. All users are strongly advised to follow the Quick Start Guides step-by-step iterative approach to building a the extraction rules - it is very effective.
The development of the rules in the loader set is usually a very straightforward process and usually takes a relatively small amount of time. The DataBee Quick Start Guide contains a chapter on building a loader set and all implementers are advised to follow the methods described there.
When the extraction process is complete the ROWID values of every row from every table which will need to be moved to the target database will have been identified and stored in a temporary table in the source schema (or proxy). The extraction process simply identifies the rows (by ROWID) and at no time is actual data transmitted to the Windows PC on which the Set Extractor application is installed.
The quantity of data loaded in the target schema will be smaller than that in the source - sometimes much smaller. Often in such situations, it is desirable to adjust the tablespace and storage clause definitions of the tables and indexes in the target schema so they are not allocated more space than is necessary. This requires obtaining the DDL structure of all tables and indexes and rebuilding them with new tablespace and storage clause information. Often the code for the schema DDL structure is available in a separate repository or documentation system.
A companion tool from Net 2000 Ltd. (the authors of DataBee) called the DDL Wizard is available to all DataBee users. The DDL Wizard software can generate the DDL rebuild scripts for an existing schema and this source code can be manipulated with easy to apply rules which modifies the tablespace and storage definitions of the tables and indexes. The structure of the subset target database can then be rebuilt with smaller storage allocations and fewer tablespaces using the modified DDL definitions.
Running loader set rules execute in the target schema and pull the data through a database link (or via direct schema-to-schema copy) from the source into the target. At no time is the data transmitted to the PC running the Set Loader application. The Set Loader software simply initiates and controls the load process.
The load process can be repeated many times for multiple target schemas. It is not necessary to re-extract in order to load other targets schemas with copies of the same subset data.