Problem Explanation

The Database Integration and Synchronization Tool was designed to assist in the manipulation of data in different databases across different platforms. Using the Db-IST system, a user can migrate information from one database platform to another database platform transparently, that is without having to use platform specific commands depending on the database types involved.

The Db-IST system allows the user to open two database connections to two different databases, regardless of their type, and perform data manipulations on them. When the user opens the database connections in the Db-IST system, the user interface determines what manipulations can be performed on which database. The database opened on the left is referred to as the Source database. The Source database is only read from. There are no data manipulations that can be performed on the Source database. The database on the right side of the user interface is referred to as the Destination database. This database is where all the information resulting from data manipulations will be stored. There are two types of data manipulations the user can perform:

• Integration — Combining field names and types from the source and destination tables into the destination table combining data from both tables. The end result is a new destination table which combines the field names, types and data from both the source and destination tables.
• Synchronization — Combining field names and type from the source and destination tables into the destination discarding the data from the destination table. The end result is a new destination table which combines the field names and types from the source and destination tables, but only retains the information from the source table.

In order to perform an Integration or Synchronization, the user must first open connections to both the Source and Destination databases. When the connections are opened, the user selects one table from each database to manipulate. Once the tables are selected the Field Listing is populated with a list of the column names and types from that table. The user then arranges the column listing according to which fields are to be transferred between the two databases. Lining up the field names and types in the Field Listing effectively coordinates the two adjacent fields instructing the Db-IST system that the data from those two fields are to be combined.

Once the user is satisfied with their field organization, they choose Integrate and or Synchronize depending on which option they wish to perform on the database data. Once the Db-IST system completes the requested action, the user can preview the data in either database in the Data Preview pane. This allows the user to inspect the data in the tables before and after the Integration or Synchronization is performed.

User Interface Screenshot

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