Temporal logical transactions

A computer program product for temporal logical transaction support for temporal data management by a database management system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

• determine that a global temporal logical transaction time (T) is set and committed for initiating a temporal logical transaction, wherein T is a logical begin time of the temporal logical transaction, wherein T remains constant during the temporal logical transaction, wherein the temporal logical transaction comprises a logical group of units of temporal work for system-period temporal tables across a plurality of physical transactions, wherein the plurality of physical transactions comprises at least a first physical transaction and a second physical transaction, wherein T defines a time period for the temporal logical transaction, and wherein T is not a system time;
• receive a first change request for a current row in a current table, the first change request being a part of the first physical transaction within the temporal logical transaction;
• create a first history row for a history table corresponding to the current table, wherein each of the history table and the current table comprises a begin time column and an end time column;
• prior to performing the first change request, set values in the first history row to first current values in the current row, wherein a first begin time in the begin time column of the first history row is set to a same begin time in the begin time column of the current row, and wherein a first end time in the end time column of the first history row is set to T;
• perform the first change request on the current row and commit the first physical transaction, and wherein the begin time in the begin time column of the current row is set to T;
• receive a second change request for the current row in the current table to be performed after the first physical transaction commits, the second change request being a part of the second physical transaction within the temporal logical transaction;
• create a second history row for the history table corresponding to the current table;
• prior to performing the second change request, set values in the second history row to second current values in the current row, wherein a second begin time in the begin time column of the second history row is set to the begin time in the begin time column of the current row, wherein a second end time in the end time column of the second history row is set to T, and wherein the first end time of the first history row and the second end time of the second history row are both set to T because both the first physical transaction and the second physical transaction are of the same temporal logical transaction;
• compare the second begin time and the second end time in the second history row;
• upon determining that the second begin time in the second history row is greater than the second end time in the second history row, determine that there is a conflict between the first change request and the second change request for the current row, wherein in response:
• not store the second history row in the history table;
• and
• fail the second change request;
• and
• upon determining that the second begin time in the second history row is equal to the second end time in the second history row, determine that the current row was previously changed by the first physical transaction within the temporal logical transaction, wherein the second begin time in the second history row being equal to the second end time in the second history row indicates that the second physical transaction is an intermediate transaction that is not to be stored in the history table, wherein in response:
• not store the second history row in the history table;
• and
• perform the second change request on the current row and commit the second physical transaction, wherein the begin time in the begin time column of the current row is set to T.