Design and implementation of a client/server framework for federated multi-search and update across heterogeneous datastores

• US 6,370,541 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Taejae, Huang, Mei-Ing W., Chou, Kehsing J., Vo, Mimi Phuong-Thao, Lin, Jy-Jine James, Summers, Robert Nelson, Soetarman, Basuki N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/400,638
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/101, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99946 Object-oriented database structure network

Abstract

A design and implementation of a client/server framework for federated multi-search and update across heterogeneous datastores. In particular, a technique for manipulating data in one or more heterogeneous datastores at a computer is provided. An object-oriented model is provided for integrating one or more heterogeneous datastores with a federated datastore. One or more heterogeneous datastores and a federated datastore are generated based on the object-oriented model. The generated datastores are organized into a federated composition.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating data in one or more heterogeneous datastores at a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an object-oriented model for integrating one or more heterogeneous datastores with a federated datastore;

generating objects representing the one or more heterogeneous datastores and the federated datastore based on the object-oriented model; and

organizing the generated datastores into a federated composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each datastore is a datastore object whose class is based on a base datastore class.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data within the datastores in the form of objects.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the objects are dynamic data objects.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein objects are extended data objects.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the extended data objects comprise binary large objects.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving data from one or more of the heterogeneous datastores in response to a query to the federated datastore.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving data using one or more search engines.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving data by mapping between the federated datastore and one or more heterogeneous datastores.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning a group of objects in response to a query for data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising iterating through the group of objects.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling querying of a combination of data.

13. The method of claim 1, farther comprising dynamically modifying the federated composition.

14. An apparatus for manipulating data in one or more heterogeneous datastores, comprising:

a computer having one or more heterogeneous datastores; and

one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for providing an object-oriented model for integrating one or more heterogeneous datastores with a federated datastore, generating objects representing the one or more heterogeneous datastores and the federated datastore based on the object-oriented model, and organizing the generated datastores into a federated composition.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each datastore is a datastore object whose class is based on a base datastore class.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising storing data within the datastores in the form of objects.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the objects are dynamic data objects.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein objects are extended data objects.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the extended data objects comprise binary large objects.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising retrieving data from one or more of the heterogeneous datastores in response to a query to the federated datastore.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising retrieving data using one or more search engines.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising retrieving data by mapping between the federated datastore and one or more heterogeneous datastores.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising returning a group of objects in response to a query for data.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising iterating through the group of objects.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising enabling querying of a combination of data.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising dynamically modifying the federated composition.

27. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for manipulating data in one or more heterogeneous datastores at a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an object-oriented model for integrating one or more heterogeneous datastores with a federated datastore;

generating objects representing the one or more heterogeneous datastores and the federated datastore based on the object-oriented model; and

organizing the generated datastores into a federated composition.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein each datastore is a datastore object whose class is based on a base datastore class.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising storing data within the datastores in the form of objects.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the objects are dynamic data objects.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein objects are extended data objects.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the extended data objects comprise binary large objects.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising retrieving data from one or more of the heterogeneous datastores in response to a query to the federated datastore.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, further comprising retrieving data using one or more search engines.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 33, further comprising retrieving data by mapping between the federated datastore and one or more heterogeneous datastores.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising returning a group of objects in response to a query for data.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 36, further comprising iterating through the group of objects.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising enabling querying of a combination of data.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 27, further comprising dynamically modifying the federated composition.