Modification of a data repository based on an abstract data representation

• US 20030167274A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Stevens, Richard J., LaRocca, Jennifer L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for modifying data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. A query abstraction layer is also provided and is based on the data repository abstraction layer. A runtime component performs translation of an abstract query into a form that can be used against a particular physical data representation.

Claims

1. A method of providing a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data, comprising:

providing an abstract model for defining an abstract modification specification logically describing an operation to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

a plurality of logical fields; and

a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map the plurality of logical fields to physical entities of the data; and

providing a run-time component to transform the abstract modification specification into a physical modification specification consistent with the physical data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names and corresponding values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is selected from one of insert, update and delete.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing, by a requesting entity, a request to execute the abstract modification specification; and

transforming, by the run-time component, the abstract modification specification into the physical modification specification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each of the plurality of logical fields.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.

7. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation modifying data having a particular physical data representation in a database, the operation comprising:

generating an abstract modification specification abstractly defining a modification operation to modify the data, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names and corresponding values, the logical field names corresponding to physical entities of the database;

transforming the abstract modification specification into a physical modification specification consistent with the particular physical data representation according to mapping rules which map the logical fields to the physical entities; and

executing the modification operation according to the physical modification specification, whereby the data is modified.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises at least one logical field corresponding to a physical entity to be modified and selection criterion for locating the physical entity to be modified.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each logical field of the abstract modification specification, the access method describing a physical location of a physical entity.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the modification operation is an insert operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying a logical seed field;

determining required logical fields for performing the insert operation based on the logical seed field; and

receiving values for each of the required logical fields.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining required logical fields based on the logical seed field is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical field, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field name to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the logical seed field.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the logical seed field is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical fields, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the modification operation is an update operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying a logical field to update and corresponding value;

creating an abstract update expression using the specified logical field to update and the corresponding value;

specifying a selection condition for selecting data to update; and

adding the selection condition to the abstract update expression.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical field.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical field is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a logical field specification for the specified logical field, wherein the logical field specification relates the specified logical field to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the modification operation is a delete operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

specifying a logical seed field to delete;

creating an abstract delete expression using the specified logical seed field;

specifying a selection condition for selecting data to delete; and

adding the selection condition to the abstract delete expression.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical seed field.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical field is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a logical field specification for the specified logical field, wherein the logical field specification relates the specified logical field to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

20. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, provides a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data, the program comprising:

an abstract model for defining an abstract modification specification logically describing an operation to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

(i) a plurality of logical fields; and

(ii) a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map the plurality of logical fields to physical entities of the data; and

a run-time component to transform the abstract modification specification into a physical modification specification consistent with the physical data.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names and corresponding values.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the operation is selected from one of insert, update and delete.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each of the plurality of logical fields, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.

24. A computer comprising a memory and at least one processor, and further comprising a logical framework for defining abstract modification operations for modifying physical data, the logical framework comprising:

an abstract model for defining an abstract modification specification logically describing an operation to modify the data, the abstract model comprising;

(i) a plurality of logical fields; and

(ii) a mapping rule for each of the plurality of logical fields, which map the plurality of logical fields to physical entities of the data; and

a run-time component to transform the abstract modification specification into a physical modification specification consistent with the physical data.

25. The computer of claim 24, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises a plurality of logical field names and corresponding values.

26. The computer of claim 24, wherein the operation is selected from one of insert, update and delete.

27. The computer of claim 24, wherein the mapping rules comprise an access method for each of the plurality of logical fields, wherein the access method describes a location of the physical entities of the data.