FLOATING TIME DIMENSION DESIGN

• US 20140279827A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bigus, Joseph P., Gong, Leon
• Granted Patent: US 9,715,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2282 Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for managing time dimension tables are disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises providing an intelligent time dimension agent application and optimizing a time dimension table by the intelligent time dimension agent based upon changing data in associated fact tables. In a second aspect, the system comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes an application which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out the steps of the method. In a third aspect, the computer program product comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer device, causes the computer device to carry out the steps of the method.

Claims

1. A method for managing time dimension tables, the method comprising:

providing an intelligent time dimension agent application;

optimizing a time dimension table by the intelligent time dimension agent application based upon changing data in associated fact tables.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supporting multiple data mart time unit levels to enable data comparability among a plurality of data marts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimizing further comprises:

creating a floating time dimension (FTD) to automatically adjust the time dimension table based on time information changes in the associated fact tables, wherein the FTD is managed by the intelligent time dimension agent application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the FTD comprises a set of time dimension tables, a time dimension agent (TDA), a root time dimension table, a root time dimension agent, a child time dimension table, and a child time dimension agent.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the TDA automatically manages each time dimension table by:

creating and modifying the time dimension table;

generating and modifying data of the time dimension table; and

communicating with other time dimension agents.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

covering the plurality of data marts by the root time dimension table, wherein the root time dimension table includes a lowest time unit level for the plurality of data marts and a time key for the multiple data mart time unit levels; and

managing the root time dimension table by the root time dimension agent.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the associated fact tables is associated with the child time dimension table, further comprising:

scanning data of the at least one of the associated fact tables by the child time dimension table to determine a time frame and a time unit level.

8. A system for managing time dimension tables, the system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes an application which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

provide an intelligent time dimension agent application;

optimize a time dimension table by the intelligent time dimension agent application based upon changing data in associated fact tables.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

support multiple data mart time unit levels to enable data comparability among a plurality of data marts.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein to optimize further comprises to:

create a floating time dimension (FTD) to automatically adjust the time dimension table based on time information changes in the associated fact tables, wherein the FTD is managed by the intelligent time dimension agent application.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the FTD comprises a set of time dimension tables, a time dimension agent (TDA), a root time dimension table, a root time dimension agent, a child time dimension table, and a child time dimension agent.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the TDA to:

automatically manage each time dimension table by creating and modifying the time dimension table, generating and modifying data of the time dimension table, and communicating with other time dimension agents.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

cover the plurality of data marts by the root time dimension table, wherein the root time dimension table includes a lowest time unit level for the plurality of data marts and a time key for the multiple data mart time unit levels; and

manage the root time dimension table by the root time dimension agent.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the associated fact tables is associated with the child time dimension table, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

scan data of the at least one of the associated fact tables by the child time dimension table to determine a time frame and a time unit level.

15. A computer program product for converting asymmetric requests into symmetric requests, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable/executable by a computer to:

provide an intelligent time dimension agent application;

optimize a time dimension table by the intelligent time dimension agent application based upon changing data in associated fact tables.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further wherein the program code is readable/executable by the computer to:

support multiple data mart time unit levels to enable data comparability among a plurality of data marts.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein to optimize further comprises to:

create a floating time dimension (FTD) to automatically adjust the time dimension table based on time information changes in the associated fact tables, wherein the FTD is managed by the intelligent time dimension agent application.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the FTD comprises a set of time dimension tables, a time dimension agent (TDA), a root time dimension table, a root time dimension agent, a child time dimension table, and a child time dimension agent.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further wherein the program code is readable/executable by the computer to:

cover the plurality of data marts by the root time dimension table, wherein the root time dimension table includes a lowest time unit level for the plurality of data marts and a time key for the multiple data mart time unit levels; and

manage the root time dimension table by the root time dimension agent.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein at least one of the associated fact tables is associated with the child time dimension table, further wherein the program code is readable/executable by the computer to:

scan data of the at least one of the associated fact tables by the child time dimension table to determine a time frame and a time unit level.