Drift detection and notification

Abstract

A drift condition, or change, in a data structure can be detected and communicated to one or more subscribers. Data structure can be monitored by periodic configurable polling of a data source or on demand polling. Upon detection of a change in the in the data structure, subscribers can be notified of the change and optionally other information such as the identity of the object that changed and nature of the change.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable hardware storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to detect a drift condition in a data source by causing the computer system to instantiate:
 a detection component that is configured to:
 poll the data source to identify a current state of the data source; 
 identify a previous state of the data source; and 
 compare the previous state of the data source with the current state of the data source; 
 
 an identification component that is configured to use a result obtained from comparing the previous state with the current state to identify that the drift condition between the previous state and the current state is present; and 
 a notification component that is configured to provide a notification regarding the drift condition, the notification including 1) a name, 2) a type, and 3) a nature of change for at least one object that changed between the previous state and the current state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the data source is a table, and wherein the drift condition includes the table being modified. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the notification is provided to one or more subscribers of the data source, the one or more subscribers being client applications that operate over the data source. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 3 , wherein a first subscriber is subscribed according to a first level of detail while a second subscriber is subscribed according to a second level of detail, the second level of detail being different than the first level of detail. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the notification is provided to a first subscriber, and wherein a granularity of information communicated in the notification to the first subscriber is adjustable based on a determined interest that was communicated by a subscription associated with the first subscriber. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the drift condition includes renaming the at least one object. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein identifying that the drift condition is present includes acquiring one or more checksums of the data source. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein polling the data source is performed periodically at a configurable interval. 
     
     
         9 . A method for detecting a drift condition in a data source, the method being implemented by one or more processors of a computer system, the method comprising:
 polling the data source to identify a current state of the data source;   identifying a previous state of the data source;   comparing the previous state of the data source with the current state of the data source;   using a result obtained from comparing the previous state with the current state to identify that the drift condition between the previous state and the current state is present; and   providing a notification regarding the drift condition, the notification including 1) a name, 2) a type, and 3) a nature of change for at least one object that changed between the previous state and the current state.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the data source is a table, and wherein the drift condition includes the table being modified. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the notification is provided to one or more subscribers of the data source, the one or more subscribers being client applications that operate over the data source. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a first subscriber is subscribed according to a first level of detail while a second subscriber is subscribed according to a second level of detail, the second level of detail being different than the first level of detail. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the notification is provided to a first subscriber, and wherein a granularity of information communicated in the notification to the first subscriber is adjustable based on a determined interest that was communicated by a subscription associated with the first subscriber. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the drift condition includes renaming the at least one object. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein identifying that the drift condition is present includes acquiring one or more checksums of the data source. 
     
     
         16 . One or more hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a computer system to cause the computer system to detect a drift condition in a data source by causing the computer system to:
 poll the data source to identify a current state of the data source;   identify a previous state of the data source;   compare the previous state of the data source with the current state of the data source;   use a result obtained from comparing the previous state with the current state to identify that the drift condition between the previous state and the current state is present; and   provide a notification regarding the drift condition, the notification including 1) a name, 2) a type, and 3) a nature of change for at least one object that changed between the previous state and the current state.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more hardware storage devices of  claim 16 , wherein polling the data source is performed periodically at a configurable interval. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more hardware storage devices of  claim 16 , wherein the data source is a table, and wherein the drift condition includes the table being modified. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more hardware storage devices of  claim 16 , wherein the notification is provided to one or more subscribers of the data source, the one or more subscribers being client applications that operate over the data source. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more hardware storage devices of  claim 16 , wherein a first subscriber is subscribed according to a first level of detail while a second subscriber is subscribed according to a second level of detail, the second level of detail being different than the first level of detail.