Managing multiple data models over data storage system

• US 10,423,640 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation), Microsoft Technology Limited, LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Zhen, Mak, Chiu Chun Bobby, Hsu, Chien Chih, Huynh, Yet Luong, Zhou, Chunxing
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Cheyne D
• Application Number:
  US14/550,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20160019289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 707810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

The use of multiple logical data models to expose a data storage system. Each logical data model may expose the data storage system using a semantic mapping set that maps sets of entities or attributes of the respective logical data model to corresponding sets of entities or attributes of the physical data model or perhaps directly to the data storage system itself. Each logical data model might serve a different vertical, and have a particular modelling notation selected by the logical data model provider. The mapping may also translate different logical modelling notations into a common logical modelling notation for use in communicating with the physical data model. The system may account for the lifecycle of the logical data model including birth or retirement of logical data model entities, and merging or splitting of logical data models.

Claims

1. A system comprising a plurality of logical data models configured to expose a data storage system, the system performing at least the following:

identify a first logical data model, which uses a first modeling notation, configured to expose a data storage system using a first semantic mapping set that, for each of a plurality of entities in the first logical data model, maps at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in a first physical data model of the data storage system, the mapping being configured to identify the corresponding entity within the first physical data model when receiving a query associated with the entity at the first logical data model;

generate a second logical data model, which uses a second modeling notation, to be used with the data storage system, the second logical data model being additional to the first logical data model;

translate at least a portion of the first modeling notation and at least a portion of the second modeling notation to a common modeling notation for use by the first physical data model; and

define a second semantic mapping set for the second logical data model that is configured to expose the data storage system using the second logical data model, the second semantic mapping set being different than the first semantic mapping set, and being configured to, for each of a plurality of entities in the second logical data model, map at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in the first physical data model of the data storage system, the mapping being configured to identify the corresponding entity within the first physical data model when receiving a query associated with the entity at the second logical data model, such that different semantics are applied to the same data in the data storage system by allowing queries to the first logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the first logical model and allowing queries to the second logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the second logical model, where logical data model entities map to corresponding entities in the first physical data model, which complies with the facilities and constraints of the data storage system to access the data in the data storage system.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, the first logical data model exposing to a first vertical, the second logical data model exposing to a second vertical that is different than the first vertical.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the system includes a logical data model lifecycle tracking component configured to track logical data model structural alterations of a plurality of logical data model structural alteration types so that the respective alteration is reflected in the respective semantic mapping set of the logical data model that is structurally altered.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3, the logical data model structural alterations types tracked by the logical data model lifecycle tracking component including at least one of birth and retiring of component entities of logical data models.

5. The system in accordance with claim 3, the logical data model structural alterations types tracked by the logical data model lifecycle tracking component including merging or splitting of logical data models.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, the data storage system being a hybrid data storage system comprising a plurality of constituent data storage systems, at least some of which being of different types.

7. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having thereon one or more computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for augmenting a model that includes a plurality of logical data models that expose a data storage system, the method comprising:

identify a first logical data model, which uses a first modeling notation, configured to expose a data storage system using a first semantic mapping set that, for each of a plurality of entities in the first logical data model, maps at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in a physical data model of the data storage system;

generate a second logical data model, which uses a second modeling notation, to be used with the data storage system, the second logical data model being additional to the first logical data model;

translate at least a portion of the first modeling notation and at least a portion of the second modeling notation to a common modeling notation for use by the first physical data model; and

define a second semantic mapping set for the second logical data model that is configured to expose the data storage system using the second logical data model, the second semantic mapping set being different than the first semantic mapping set, and being configured to, for each of a plurality of entities in the second logical data model, map at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in the physical data model of the data storage system, the mapping being configured to identify the corresponding entity within the physical data model when receiving a query associated with the entity at the second logical data model, such that different semantics are applied to the same data in the data storage system by allowing queries to the first logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the first logical model and allowing queries to the second logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the second logical model, where logical data model entities map to corresponding entities in the physical data model, which complies with the facilities and constraints of the data storage system to access the data in the data storage system.

8. The computer program product in accordance with claim 7, the new logical data model exposing the data storage system to a different vertical than the first and second logical data models.

9. The computer program product in accordance with claim 7, wherein a modelling notation of the logical data model is specified.

10. The computer program product in accordance with claim 9, the specified modelling notation being different than a modelling notation used by at least one of the first logical data model or the second logical data model.

11. The computer program product in accordance with claim 7, wherein logical data model structural alterations of a plurality of logical data model structural alteration types are performed so that the respective alteration is reflected in the respective semantic mapping set of the logical data model that is structurally altered.

12. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, at least one of the plurality of logical data model structural alteration types including a birth of component entities of logical data models.

13. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, at least one of the plurality of logical data model structural alteration types including a retiring of component entities of logical data models.

14. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, at least one of the plurality of logical data model structural alteration types including a merging of logical data models.

15. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, at least one of the plurality of logical data model structural alteration types including a splitting of logical data models.

16. The computer program product in accordance with claim 7, the data storage system being a hybrid data storage system comprising a plurality of constituent data storage systems, at least some of which being of different types.

17. A method for augmenting a model that includes at least one previous logical data model that expose a data storage system, the method comprising:

identifying a first logical data model, which uses a first modeling notation, configured to expose a data storage system using a first semantic mapping set that, for each of a plurality of entities in the first logical data model, maps at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in a physical data model of the data storage system;

generating a second logical data model, which uses a second modeling notation, to be used with the data storage system, the second logical data model being additional to the first logical data model;

translate at least a portion of the first modeling notation and at least a portion of the second modeling notation to a common modeling notation for use by the first physical data model; and

defining a second semantic mapping set for the second logical data model that is configured to expose the data storage system using the second logical data model, the second semantic mapping set being different than the first semantic mapping set, and being configured to, for each of a plurality of entities in the second logical data model, map at least the entity to at least a corresponding entity in the physical data model of the data storage system, the mapping being configured to identify the corresponding entity within the physical data model when receiving a query associated with the entity at the second logical data model, such that different semantics are applied to the same data in the data storage system by allowing queries to the first logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the first logical model and allowing queries to the second logical model to refer to logical data model entities for the second logical model, where logical data model entities map to corresponding entities in the physical data model, which complies with the facilities and constraints of the data storage system to access the data in the data storage system.