Authoring server schema update tool

The content management solution in WebSphere Commerce introduces multiple database schemas on the authoring server that require each and every table to have a definition within each schema. The definition within the workspaces schemas differ depending on whether the table is considered to be one of the following resources:

These resources are specified in the

resource xml configuration files

(all unspecified tables are considered unmanaged resources).

During instance creation of the authoring server, new database schemas are created based on all the tables and views defined in base schema at the time. Previously, if the base schema was modified in any way, for example new tables were added or fix packs installed, the authoring schemas were updated manually. With the introduction of the authoring server schema update tool you can now update the workspaces schema easily.

The authoring update tool makes the customization and installation process simpler, by having the workspace management schemas allocated, recalibrated or patched by running an Ant script in the server environment, and a batch file in the development environment. This means that when you change the schema, you can run the Ant script or batch file on an authoring server and determine any new tables that need to be managed into the workspace schemas. As a result, you will no longer have to follow the manual steps to adjust the workspace schemas. You can also use this tool to adjust your workspace schemas when you create your own content managed resources. If you introduce new tables, you can run the Ant script or batch file through a command line API.

The following Ant scripts are used in the server environment:

The following batch files are used in the development environment:

When to use the authoring server update tool

If you deploy changes to your WebSphere Commerce database schema, such as adding a new table, these changes must also be made in the workspace schemas. This tool allows you to recalibrate the workspace schemas with the master database schema. Without recalibration, your authoring server will not work with your new changes to the base schema, and may cause data lost or inconsistency.

The WebSphere Commerce server must not be running since this tool updates the workspace schema structure.

 

Supported functions

The authoring server update tool supports the following functions:

None of the supported functions delete tables or data from the existing workspace schemas. If a table gets deleted in the base schema, the table in the write schema of the workspace for any content-managed or operational table remains. You will not lose any data after running this tool.

 

Supported databases

The workspace update tool only supports the following databases:

Non-supported functions

The following functions are not provided by the workspace schema update tool:

Related concepts

Workspaces
Authoring server

Related tasks

Run the authoring server update scripts on the WebSphere Commerce Server
Run the authoring server update scripts on the development environment


Related Reference


ANT task: UpdateWorkspacesSchemaTable