Designing aggregates based on access patterns in dimensions

• US 20050283375A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: So, Alvin Hon Lam, Robinson, Gary, Poelman, John Squires
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24556 Aggregation; Duplicate elimination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

In various embodiments, a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture define an analysis window for a dimensional model in accordance with a window template and a starting point. One or more aggregate definitions are produced based on the analysis window. In another embodiment, the dimensional model comprises a time dimension, and the window template is associated with the time dimension. In yet another embodiment, the starting point is changed to a new starting point, and a new analysis window is defined using the new starting point.

Claims

1. A method of designing aggregates comprising:

defining an analysis window for a dimensional model in accordance with at least one window template and a starting point; and

producing one or more aggregate definitions based on the analysis window.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing the starting point to a new starting point; and

repeating said defining using the new starting point to provide a new analysis window.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

adjusting the aggregate definitions based on the new analysis window.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the window template comprises a set of one or more levels and specifies one or more relative members for each level, and said defining defines said analysis window to comprise a set of specific members based on the one or more relative members for each level, and wherein said producing said one or more aggregate definitions is based on the set of specific members.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the set of one or more levels of the window template is in the time dimension of the dimensional model.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the levels are relative with respect to time periods.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

specifying, by a user, the window template.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

deriving the window template from queries.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said producing also produces the aggregate definitions based on a weighting parameter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the window template comprises at least one or a combination of one or more prior parameters and one or more parallel parameters.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving queries; and

adjusting the window template based on the queries.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving queries; and

changing the starting point based on the queries.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium embodying one or more instructions executable by a computer for performing a method of designing aggregates, the method comprising:

defining an analysis window for a dimensional model in accordance with at least one window template and a starting point; and

producing one or more aggregate definitions based on the analysis window.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said method further comprises:

changing the starting point to a new starting point; and

repeating said defining using the new starting point to provide a new analysis window.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said method further comprises adjusting the aggregate definitions based on the new analysis window.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the window template comprises a set of one or more levels and specifies one or more relative members for each level, and said defining defines said analysis window to comprise a set of specific members based on the one or more relative members for each level, and wherein said producing said one or more aggregate definitions is based on the set of specific members.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the set of related levels of the window template is in the time dimension of the dimensional model.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the levels are relative with respect to time periods.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said method further comprises:

specifying, by a user, the window template.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said method further comprises:

deriving the window template from queries.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said producing also produces the aggregate definitions based on a weighting parameter.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the window template comprises at least one or a combination of one or more prior parameters and one or more parallel parameters.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving queries; and

adjusting the window template based on the queries.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said method further comprises:

receiving queries; and

changing the starting point based on the queries.

25. An apparatus for designing aggregates, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing one or more instructions that;

define an analysis window for a dimensional model in accordance with at least one window template and a starting point; and

produce one or more aggregate definitions based on the analysis window.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said one or more instructions also:

change the starting point to a new starting point; and

repeat said one or more instructions that define using the starting point to provide a new analysis window.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the window template comprises a set of one or more levels and specifies one or more relative members for each level, and said one or more instructions that define further define said analysis window to comprise a set of specific members based on the one or more relative members for each level, and wherein said instructions that produce further produce said one or more aggregate definitions based on the set of specific members.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the set of one or more levels of the window template is in the time dimension of the dimensional model.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said one or more instructions that produce the aggregate definitions also produce the aggregate definitions based on a weighting parameter.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said one or more instructions also:

receive queries; and

adjust the window template based on the queries.