Enterprise-wide data-warehouse with integrated data aggregation engine

• US 7,315,849 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 114 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), MEC Management, LLC (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota)
• Original Assignee: HyperRoll Israel Limited (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bakalash, Reuven, Shaked, Guy, Caspi, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Wassum; Luke S
• Application Number:
  US10/314,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24539 using cached or materialised query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/957 Multidimensional
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising a database management system (DBMS) including a relational datastore storing data in tables. An aggregation module, operatively coupled to the relational datastore aggregates the data stored in the tables of the relational datastore and storing the resultant aggregated data in a non-relational datastore. A reference generating mechanism generates a first reference to data stored in the relational datastore, and a second reference to aggregated data generated by the aggregation module and stored in the non-relational datastore. A query processing mechanism processes query statements, wherein, upon identifying that a given query statement is on the second reference, the query processing mechanism communicates with the aggregation module to retrieve portions of aggregated data identified by the reference that are relevant to the given query statement.

Claims

1. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB, and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said base data loader further includes an adapter for mapping the data types of said dictionary into the data types used in said MDD aggregation module, or for mapping a standard data type used to represent said dictionary into the data types used in said MDD aggregation module.

2. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

3. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 2, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

4. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

5. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

6. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

7. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

8. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

9. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

10. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

11. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

12. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

13. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 1, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.

14. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB; and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said base data loader further includes an adapter for mapping the data types of the table(s) into the data types used in said MDD aggregation module, or for mapping a standard data type used to represent said fact table(s) into the data types used in said MDD aggregation module.

15. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

16. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 15, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

17. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

18. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

19. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

20. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

21. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

22. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

23. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

24. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

25. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

26. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 14, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.

27. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB, and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said reference generating mechanism allows the user to;

(i) define said reference as a table name (TN) associated with said MDDB; and

(ii) define said link so as to enable said query handler to route said query requests on said table name (TN), to said MDD aggregation module, and wherein said query handler forwards any query request on said table name (TN), to said MDD aggregation module via said link.

28. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

29. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 28, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

30. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

31. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

32. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

33. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

34. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

35. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

36. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

37. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

38. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

39. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 27, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.

40. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB, and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request; and

wherein said reference generating mechanism comprises using a Create View SQL statement to;

(i) define said reference as a remote table name (TN) associated with said MDDB, and

(ii) (ii) define said link so as to enable said query handler to route said query requests on said remote table name (TN), to said MDD aggregation module.

41. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

42. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 41, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

43. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

44. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

45. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

46. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

47. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

48. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

49. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

50. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

51. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

52. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 40, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.

53. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB, and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said reference generating mechanism comprises using a NA trigger mechanism which enables the user to;

(i) define said reference as a native table name (TN) associated with said MDDB, and

(ii) define said link so as to enable said query handler to route said query requests on said native table name (TN), to said MDD aggregation module.

54. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

55. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 54, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

56. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

57. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

58. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

59. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

60. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

61. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

62. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

63. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

64. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

65. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 53, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.

66. An enterprise-wide data-warehouse providing the user of a client machine connected to a network, with a query interface for generating a query statement and/or a series of query requests obtained by disintegrating the query statement, via parsing, wherein each said query request specifies a set of n-dimensions, said enterprise-wide data-warehouse comprising:

(a) a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) including

(1) a query handler for receiving and servicing the series of query requests;

(2) a relational data store including (i) one or more fact tables for storing at least base data, and (ii) a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data; and

(3) a reference generating mechanism for generating a reference and a link enabling the user to query on aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said enterprise-wide data-warehouse; and

(b) a multi-dimensional data (MDD) aggregation module, integrated with said RDBMS, for generating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data, and storing said aggregated multi-dimensional data in (1) a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) having a non-relational type of multi-dimensional data storage structure including a plurality of data storage cells, wherein each said data storage cell is indexed with multiple dimensions and stores either a base data value or an aggregated multi-dimensional data value;

said series of query requests generated by said query interface referring to either (i) data stored in said tables, or (ii) aggregated multi-dimensional data stored in said MDDB, and

said reference and said link referring and linking to aggregated multi-dimensional data generated by said MDD aggregation module and/or stored in said MDDB;

said MDD aggregation module further including;

(2) a base data loader for loading said directory data and said base data to said MDD aggregation module over a first data communication interface;

(3) an aggregation engine for receiving base data from said base data loader over said first data communication interface, and calculating aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process,

wherein after base data loading operations, the base data is initially aggregated along at least one of the dimensions extracted from said dictionary and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB, and

wherein during query servicing operations, the base data is aggregated on demand along additional dimensions extracted from said query request and aggregated multi-dimensional data results are stored in said MDDB;

(4) a MDDB handler for storing aggregated multi-dimensional data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated multi-dimensional data from said MDDB;

(5) a query request handler for (i) receiving each query request from said query handler over a second data communication interface, (ii) extracting the set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) providing said dimensions as multi-dimensional coordinates to said MDDB handler so that (i) said MDDB handler can retrieve aggregated multi-dimensional data from data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and/or (ii) said aggregation engine can dynamically generate, on demand, aggregated multi-dimensional data for storage at data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by said multi-dimensional coordinates, and return the retrieved aggregated multi-dimensional data back to said query handler, over said second data communication interface, for transmission to said client machine; and

(6) a control module for managing the operation of said base data loader, said aggregation engine, said MDDB handler and said query request handler;

wherein said query request handler further includes an adapter for mapping the data types of the query request issued by said query handler, and/or for mapping a standard data type used to represent the query request issued by said query handler into the data types used in said MDD aggregation module.

67. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein during data loading operations,

said base data loader extracts dimension data from the dictionary in said meta-data store, and forwards the dimension data over said first data communication interface to said aggregation engine and configures said MDDB using said dimension data so that each data storage cell therein is specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

68. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 67, wherein during aggregation operations,

said base data loader extracts base data from said table(s), and forwards the base data to said aggregation engine over said first data communication interface;

and

said aggregation engine calculates aggregated multi-dimensional data from the base data according to said multi-dimensional data aggregation process, and stores the aggregated multi-dimensional data within data storage cell(s) in said MDDB specified by a set of multi-dimensional coordinates.

69. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said query statement is an SQL-type query statement and each query request is an SQL-type query request.

70. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said relational data store further includes summary tables to support relational-type online analytical processing (ROLAP).

71. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said first data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

72. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said second data communication interface is a standard interface selected from the group selected from OLDB, OLE-DB, ODBC, SQL, API, and JDBC.

73. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said RDBMS.

74. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said query interface is implemented in a module within said client machine.

75. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein the user interacts with said client machine using a web-enabled browser to generate a natural language type query statement, and said natural language type query statement is communicated to said query interface over said network.

76. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said query handler further includes means for transforming each query request so as to optimize the query request for efficient query handling.

77. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said multi-dimensional aggregation process supported by said aggregation engine further operates as follows:

(a) if the aggregated multi-dimensional data required to service a given query request is already pre-calculated and stored within said MDDB, then the pre-aggregated multi-dimensional data is retrieved by said MDDB handler and returned to said client machine via said query handler; and

(b) if the required multi-dimensional data is not already pre-aggregated and stored within said MDDB, then the required aggregated multi-dimensional data is calculated on demand by said aggregation engine, and the aggregated multi-dimensional data result is automatically transferred to said client machine, via said query handler, while being simultaneously stored within said MDDB by said MDDB handler.

78. The enterprise-wide data-warehouse of claim 66, wherein said MDD aggregation module is a cartridge-style data aggregation module, in which said first and second data communication interfaces are standard interfaces enabling cartridge-style interfacing with said RDBMS.