Reporting module definition language system and method

• US 20050262074A1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starch, Jesper
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for data management includes receiving a request for information associated with an incompatible foreign data source and the compatible native data source. In response to at least the request, technical and logical information for locating and processing the foreign data source are automatically identified. Foreign data from the foreign data source is retrieved in accordance with the technical information. Native data from the native data source is retrieved. At least a portion of the foreign data and at least a portion of the native data is merged in accordance with at least the logical information.

Claims

1. A software application for data management, the software operable to:

receive a request for information associated with an incompatible foreign data source and a compatible native data source;

in response to at least the request, automatically identify technical and logical information for locating and processing the foreign data source;

retrieve foreign data from the foreign data source in accordance with the technical information;

retrieve native data from the native data source; and

merge at least a portion of the foreign data and at least a portion of the native data in accordance with at least the logical information.

2. The software of claim 1, further operable to present at least a portion of the merged data to a user based, at least in part, on the logical information.

3. The software of claim 1, wherein software operable to merge the foreign data and the native data using the logical information comprises software operable to map the foreign data to identifiers compatible with native data in accordance with the logical information without input from a user.

4. The software of claim 1, wherein the technical and logical information are stored in a reporting module, the reporting module integrated into the logical domain space of the software application.

5. The software of claim 1, wherein the technical information comprises at least one of a database identifier, a database table identifier, a column identifier, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a logical location, a login name, a password, a data source identifier, a database command, or a key.

6. The software of claim 1, further operable to:

query the foreign data at the foreign data source using the technical information; and

dynamically link the foreign data with native data in accordance with the technical information to enable the subsequent merging of the foreign and native data.

7. The software of claim 6, wherein the foreign data and the native data are linked through a foreign key table.

8. A system for data management, comprising:

memory storing a compatible native data source; and

one or more processors operable to;

receive a request for information associated with an incompatible foreign data source and the compatible native data source;

in response to at least the request, automatically identify technical and logical information for locating and processing the foreign data source;

retrieve foreign data from the foreign data source in accordance with the technical information;

retrieve native data from the native data source; and

merge at least a portion of the foreign data and at least a portion of the native data in accordance with at least the logical information.

9. The system of claim 8, the one or more processors further operable to present at least a portion of the merged data to a user based, at least in part, on the logical information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors operable to merge the foreign data and the native data using the logical information comprises the one or more processors operable to map the foreign data to identifiers compatible with native data in accordance with the logical information without input from a user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the technical and logical information are stored in a reporting module, the reporting module integrated into the logical domain space of the one or more processors.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the technical information comprises at least one of a database identifier, a database table identifier, a column identifier, an IP address, a logical location, a login name, a password, a data source identifier, a database command, or a key.

13. The system of claim 8, the one or more processors further operable to:

query the foreign data at the foreign data source using the technical information; and

dynamically link the foreign data with native data in accordance with the technical information to enable the subsequent merging of the foreign and native data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the foreign data and the native data are linked through a foreign key table.

15. A method for data management, comprising:

receiving a request for information associated with an incompatible foreign data source and a compatible native data source;

in response to at least the request, automatically identifying technical and logical information for locating and processing the foreign data source;

retrieving foreign data from the foreign data source in accordance with the technical information;

retrieving native data from the native data source; and

merging at least a portion of the foreign data and at least a portion of the native data in accordance with at least the logical information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting at least a portion of the merged data to a user based, at least in part, on the logical information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein merging the foreign data and the native data using the logical information comprises mapping the foreign data to identifiers compatible with native data in accordance with the logical information without input from a user.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the technical and logical information are stored in a reporting module, the reporting module integrated into the logical domain space of an associated application.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the technical information comprises at least one of a database identifier, a database table identifier, a column identifier, an IP address, a logical location, a login name, a password, a data source identifier, a database command, or a key.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

querying the foreign data at the foreign data source using the technical information; and

dynamically linking the foreign data with native data in accordance with the technical information to enable the subsequent merging of the foreign and native data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the foreign data and the native data are linked through a foreign key table.