Getting dependency metadata using statement execution plans

Abstract

A database statement can be identified in a software artifact that is configured to issue the database statement. At least one execution plan for the database statement can be retrieved, and reference(s) to database object(s) can be identified in the execution plan(s). Metadata from the reference(s) can be assembled, where the metadata can reflect one or more dependencies of the software artifact on the object(s). The metadata can be included in a data structure.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
 identifying a database statement in a software artifact that is configured to issue the database statement, the database statement being a request to perform an operation on a database or a reference to the request; 
 retrieving at least one execution plan for the database statement, the at least one execution plan identifying sub-operations to be performed in accomplishing an overall operation according to the database statement; 
 identifying in the at least one execution plan one or more references to one or more database objects; 
 assembling metadata from the one or more references, the metadata reflecting one or more dependencies of the software artifact on the one or more database objects; and 
 including the metadata in a data structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the acts further comprise using the metadata to perform one or more impact analysis operations. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the acts further comprise using the metadata to determine data lineage of a software artifact that includes the database statement. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the performing of the acts is done without receiving user input that identifies one or more names of the one or more database objects. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the acts further comprise augmenting other dependency metadata with the metadata from the one or more references, the other dependency metadata being metadata extracted without identifying references in a database statement execution plan. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the acts further comprise correlating the metadata, wherein correlating comprises determining that the metadata includes one or more duplicate metadata entries, and wherein the acts further comprise, in response to determining that the metadata include the one or more duplicate entries, eliminating the one or more duplicate entries. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the metadata comprises multiple entries; and   the acts further comprise:
 correlating the metadata; 
 eliminating one or more duplicate entries in the metadata found while correlating the metadata; and 
 augmenting other dependency metadata with the metadata from the one or more references, the other dependency metadata being metadata extracted without identifying references in a database statement execution plan. 
   
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying a database statement in a software artifact that is configured to issue the database statement, the database statement being a request to perform an operation on a database or a reference to the request;   retrieving at least one execution plan for the database statement, the at least one execution plan identifying sub-operations to be performed in accomplishing an overall operation according to the database statement;   identifying in the at least one execution plan one or more references to one or more database objects; and   assembling metadata from the one or more references, the metadata reflecting one or more dependencies of the software artifact on the one or more database objects, and the assembling of the metadata comprising including the metadata in a data structure.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises using the metadata to perform one or more impact analysis operations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises using the metadata to determine data lineage of a software artifact that includes the database statement. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method is performed without receiving user input that identifies one or more names of the one or more database objects. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metadata comprises multiple entries and the method further comprises correlating the metadata. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein correlating comprises determining that the metadata includes one or more duplicate entries, and the method further comprises, in response to determining that the metadata includes one or more duplicate entries, eliminating the one or more duplicate entries. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises augmenting other dependency metadata with the metadata from the one or more references, and wherein the other dependency metadata comprises metadata extracted without identifying references in a database statement execution plan. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
 identifying a database statement in a software artifact that is configured to issue the database statement, the database statement being a request to perform an operation on a database or a reference to the request;   retrieving at least one execution plan for the database statement, the at least one execution plan identifying sub-operations to be performed in accomplishing an overall operation according to the database statement;   identifying in the at least one execution plan one or more references to one or more database objects; and   assembling metadata from the one or more references, the metadata reflecting one or more dependencies of the software artifact on the one or more database objects, and the assembling of the metadata comprising including the metadata in a data structure.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise using the metadata to perform one or more impact analysis operations. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise using the metadata to determine data lineage of a software artifact that includes the database statement. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the performing of the acts is done without receiving user input that identifies one or more names of the one or more database objects. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise augmenting other dependency metadata with the metadata from the one or more references, and wherein the other dependency metadata comprises metadata extracted without identifying references in an execution plan. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise correlating the metadata and eliminating one or more duplicate entries identified while correlating the metadata.