Translating data access requests

• US 7,904,487 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ghatare, Sanjay P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed; Farhan M
• Application Number:
  US10/682,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,707 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/101, 707/103.R
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation

Abstract

A system is disclosed for translating access requests between a format suitable for a relational database and a different format used by an application. When the system receives a data access request from the application, the system accesses a mapping catalog and translates the request based on the mapping catalog. The translated request is then provided to the relational database.

Claims

1. A method of translating a request to access data from a first data format to a second data format, comprising:

receiving said request to access data for one or more attributes from a data store, said request including a filter for accessing the data of said one or more attributes and wherein at least one or more attributes are multivalued;

determining said data store from a plurality of data stores to service said request, wherein the plurality of data stores comprises a relational database and an LDAP directory, said LDAP directory including said at least one multivalued attribute, and wherein determining said data store comprises identifying partitioning criteria to associate a data type with each data store from said plurality of data stores and evaluating said partitioning criteria against said filter;

accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database schema, said mapping catalog identifying one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes, and identifying a classification for each of the one or more attributes, said relational database corresponding to said relational database schema;

translating at least a portion of said request from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating based on said classification of each attribute and said filter, said step of translating including mapping said at least one multivalued attribute to said relational database; and

providing said translated request to said relational database.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format includes a logical object class format.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format is hierarchical.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format uses LDAP format.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes a mapped column in a table in said relational database.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a column in a master table in said relational database for linking to first data in another table, said first data is for said first attribute.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating further includes translating sub filters of said request into SELECT statements, and combining said SELECT statements; and

said step of providing includes accessing a set of primary key values for a master table in said relational database based on said combined SELECT statements and, for each primary key value of said set, accessing requested attributes from said request.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating further includes creating INSERT statements based on said mapping catalog.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating further includes creating one or more DELETE statements, one or more INSERT statements and one or more UPDATE statements based on said mapping catalog.

37. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for an LDAP directory schema, said mapping catalog identifying one or more portions of one or more tables in said LDAP directory that stores said data for said one or more attributes, and identifying a classification for each of the one or more attributes, said LDAP directory corresponding to said LDAP directory schema.

12. One or more processor readable storage devices storing processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of translating a request to access data from a first data format to a second data format, comprising:

receiving said request to access data for one or more attributes from a data store, said request including a filter for accessing the data of-said one or more attributes and wherein at least one or more attributes are multivalued;

determining said data store from a plurality of data stores to service said request, wherein the plurality of data stores comprises a relational database and an LDAP directory, said LDAP directory including said at least one multivalued attribute, and wherein determining said data store comprises identifying partitioning criteria to associate a data type with each data store from said plurality of data stores and evaluating said partitioning criteria against said filter;

accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database schema, said mapping catalog identifying one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes, and identifying a classification for each of the one or more attributes, said relational database corresponding to said relational database schema; and

translating at least a portion of said request from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating based on said classification of each attribute and said filter, said step of translating including mapping said at least one multivalued attribute to said relational database.

13. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said first data format includes a logical object class format.

14. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said first data format is hierarchical.

15. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said first data format uses LDAP format.

16. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

17. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes a mapped column in a table in said relational database.

18. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a column in a master table in said relational database for linking to first data in another table, said first data is for said first attribute.

19. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 12, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

20. An apparatus capable of translating between data formats, comprising:

means for receiving a request to access data for one or more attributes from an LDAP directory, said request including said one or more attributes in a first data format and a first filter for accessing the data of said one or more attributes and wherein at least one or more attributes are multivalued;

means for determining a relational database from a plurality of data stores to service said request, wherein the plurality of data stores comprises the relational database and said LDAP directory, said LDAP directory including said at least one multivalued attribute, and wherein determining said relational database from said plurality of data stores comprises creating a partitioning expression for each of said data stores, evaluating said partitioning expression against said first filter and said request to access data, creating a second filter for a data store if said partitioning expression is satisfied, and providing said second filter to a translation module;

means for accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database, said mapping catalog identifying one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes, and identifying a classification for each of the one or more of the attributes; and

means for translating at least a portion of said request to access data from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating based on said classification of each attribute and said first filter, said means for translating including mapping said at least one multivalued attribute to said relational database.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

said first data format includes a hierarchical logical object class format that uses LDAP format; and

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

23. A system for translating between data formats, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory executed on said one or more processor comprising;

a data source interface in communication with business logic;

a partitioning module receiving access request information from said data source interface, wherein said partitioning module determines a relational database from a plurality of data stores to service said request, wherein the plurality of data stores comprises the relational database and at least one LDAP directory, said at least one LDAP directory including at least one or more multivalued attribute, and wherein determining said relational database from said plurality of data stores comprises creating a partitioning expression for each of said data stores, evaluating said partitioning expression against said first filter and said request to access data, creating a second filter for a data store if said partitioning expression is satisfied, and providing said second filter to a translation module;

a mapping catalog identifying one or more portions of one or more tables in the relational database that stores data for one or more attributes, and identifying a classification for each of said one or more attributes and wherein said one or more attributes are multivalued; and

a translation module receiving access request information from said partitioning module and mapping information from said mapping catalog, said access request information pertaining to data for said one or more attributes and including said first filter for accessing the data of the attributes, said translation module translating said request information from a first form to a second form suitable for said relational database, and said translation based on said mapping information from said mapping catalog including said classification and said first filter, said translation module including mapping said at least one multivalued attribute to said relational database.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein:

said mapping catalog further identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes.

26. A system according to claim 23, wherein:

said translation module provides said translated request information for execution on said relational database.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein:

said translation module receives a result from said relational database, said result is based on said translated request information, said translation module translates said result to said first form.

28. A system according to claim 23, wherein:

said first form includes a logical object class format.

29. A system according to claim 23, wherein:

said first form uses LDAP format.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices storing processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors, said processor readable code comprising:

code implementing a data source interface in communication with business logic;

code for implementing a partitioning module receiving access request information from said data source interface, wherein said partitioning module determines a relational database from a plurality of data stores to service said request, wherein the plurality of data stores comprises the relational database and at least one LDAP directory, said at least one LDAP directory including at least one or more attributes multivalued attribute, and wherein determining said relational database from said plurality of data stores comprises creating a partitioning expression for each of said data stores, evaluating said partitioning expression against a first filter and said request to access data, creating a second filter for a data store if said partitioning expression is satisfied, and providing said second filter to a translation module;

code implementing a mapping catalog, wherein the mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in the relational database that stores data for one or more attributes and identifies a classification for each of said one or more attributes and wherein said one or more attributes are multivalued; and

code implementing a translation module receiving access request information from said partitioning module and mapping information from said mapping catalog, said access request information pertaining to data for said one or more attributes and including a filter for accessing the data of said one or more attributes, said translation module translating said request information from a first form to a second form suitable for the relational database based on said mapping information from said mapping catalog including said classification and said first filter, said code implementing a translation module including mapping said at least one multivalued attribute to said relational database.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

32. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said mapping catalog further identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said translation module provides said translated request information for execution on said relational database.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 33, wherein:

said translation module receives a result from said relational database, said result is based on said translated request information, said translation module translates said result to said first form.

35. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said first form includes a logical object class format.

36. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said first form uses LDAP format.