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Methods for deleting database dictionary records

Your database dictionary records should match the tables and columns Service Manager manages in the RDBMS. We recommend that you use database dictionary records as your primary data definition source and allow Service Manager to make changes to RDBMS tables, columns, and indexes as needed. If you provide Service Manager with an RDBMS account with table create-alter-drop-rights, any time you make a change in a database dictionary record, the server automatically makes the necessary changes in the RDBMS.

If you do not provide Service Manager with table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, an RDBMS administrator must make all the necessary changes each time you add, remove, or update a database dictionary record. In such cases, we recommend you enable DDL logging to capture database dictionary changes. The Service Manager administrator can then provide the DDL to the RDBMS administrator who can approve or modify it as needed. After the RDBMS administrator has created the necessary tables, columns, and indexes, the Service Manager administrator can import the existing RDBMS columns.

The following table summarizes the methods you can use to delete database dictionary records and the best practices we recommend.

Action From the System Definition utility From the Database Dictionary form From RDBMS utilities
Delete a database dictionary record Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes any tables, columns, and indexes in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the tables, columns, and indexes in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator delete tables, columns, and indexes based on the DDL.
 You cannot delete a Service Manager database dictionary record from RDBMS utilities.
Delete a table Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the table in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the tables in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator delete the tables based on the DDL.
 Have the RDBMS administrator delete the tables directly in the RDBMS. Service Manager will automatically update any corresponding database dictionary records to map to NULLTABLE the next time the server restarts and there is a query against the changed table.
Delete a field Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing field in a database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the column in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing field in a database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the column in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing field in a database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator delete the column based on the DDL.
 You cannot delete a Service Manager field from RDBMS utilities.
Delete a column Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and update an existing field in a database dictionary record. Service Manager updates the column in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and use the Database Dictionary form to update an existing field in a database dictionary record. Service Manager updates the column in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to update an existing field in a database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator update the column based on the DDL.
 Have the RDBMS administrator update the column directly to the RDBMS. Service Manager will automatically update any corresponding database dictionary records the next time the server restarts and there is a query against the changed table.
Update a key Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Service Manager delete the index in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the index in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator delete the index based on the DDL.
 You cannot delete a Service Manager key from RDBMS utilities.
Delete an index Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the index in the RDBMS.
  • Best practice: Provide Service Manager table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Service Manager deletes the index in the RDBMS.
  • Enable DDL logging and use the Database Dictionary form to delete an existing key in a database dictionary record. Have the RDBMS administrator delete the index based on the DDL.
 Have the RDBMS administrator delete an index directly in the RDBMS.

Delete a database dictionary record

Applies to User Roles:

System Administrator

This procedure assumes the Service Manager system has table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS system. If Service Manager does not have table create-alter-drop-rights, your database dictionary record changes remain inactive and mapped to null tables until you activate them. If your system does not have table create-alter-drop-rights to the RDBMS, we recommend you enable the option to create DDL to provide to your RDBMS administrator. You can then activate the database dictionary record changes after your RDBMS administrator has created the tables and columns specified in the DDL.

To delete a database dictionary record:

  1. Log in to the Service Manager system with a system administrator account.
  2. From the System Navigator, click System Definition > Tables.

  3. Double-click the table name you want to delete.

    Note: Each table name is actually a database dictionary record.

    Note: You can type the first letter of a table name to jump to that alphabetic section. For example, type o to jump to the oncall table.

    An overview of the table opens.

  4. In the Table management section of the Table tab, click Delete.
  5. Click OK to confirm the deletion.
  6. Click OK to close the confirmation message.

Remove a field from an existing database dictionary record

Applies to User roles: System Administrator

This procedure maps any unwanted fields in your system to NULLTABLE. Service Manager does not actually remove data or delete the corresponding columns from the RDBMS.

Important: We recommend you leave any unwanted columns mapped to NULLTABLE rather than actually deleting them from the RDBMS to preserve any legacy data these columns may still contain and to provide you a means to remap the columns at a later date.

If you choose to remove the column from the RDBMS, Service Manager will recognize the change and update the database dictionary record to map the deleted column to NULLTABLE the next time you restart the server and query the RDBMS table that contained the deleted column.

To remove a field from an existing database dictionary record, add a table nulltable with alias n1, using the dbdict utility:

  1. Log in to Service Manager as a System Administrator.
  2. Click Tailoring > Database Dictionary.
  3. In the File Name field, enter the required file name, and then click Search.
  4. When the correct file is displayed, select the SQL Tables tab.

  5. Add the following line:

    Alias Name Type
    n1 NULLTABLE sqlserver

6. Click OK. A message appears, stating that the record has been updated in the dbdict file.

7. Select the Fields tab and double-click the column to be moved to the Null Table. The field window opens.

8. In the SQL Table field, change the entry from m1 to n1.

9. Click OK to return to the dbdict record. The 'SQL Table' column value for the changed field is now 'n1.'

10. Click OK to save the changes in the specified table. A message appears, stating that the record has been updated in the dbdict file.

When you select the table through the System Definition utility, you will see the change.

Related topics

Database dictionary
Making database dictionary changes