AppEngn using CI doesn't update db but logs success

I have a crazy situation.   A custom application engine (that has been running successfully for 4 years) reads a flat file and uses a component interface to update student records.  It was recently run in production and logging within the AE indicates successful updates for each student (the pc checks the status returned from the CI after the 'save' action).  However, there are no updates within the database.   I turned on trace and ran the process, and there are some lines at the top that I don't understand.  It has the 3 exceptions before the AE code even begins executing.  I have been searching around on those errors and they 'seem' to be generic error messages because everyone's fix was different.   I am digging through a massive pc/sql trace file now but I wanted to ask if anyone has any pointers???