System and method for accessing data in disparate information sources
First Claim
1. A system for accessing data in an information source, the system comprising:
- a metadata repository configured to store a first type of the metadata element that includes physical metadata elements defining a one-to-one relationship data stored in a plurality of information sources, and a second type of metadata element that includes logical metadata elements that are linked to one or more of the physical metadata elements in a one-to-many relationship; and
a server communicably coupled to the metadata repository, wherein the server is operable to;
convert a query request for one or more of the logical metadata elements to a source-specific query request corresponding to at least one of the information sources by referencing the two types of metadata elements; and
generate a query plan to retrieve data from the information sources referenced by the source-specific query request, wherein at least one of a join operation and a sort operation of the query plan are performed by one or more of the information sources if they have a capability to perform the operation as determined based on data maintained by the server regarding capabilities of the information sources.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a system for generating and maintaining virtual and physical metadata layers in a MetaBase metadata repository in order to simplify and optimize the retrieval of data from a plurality of disparate information sources. The system stores in a physical metadata layer of a metadata repository a plurality of physical metadata elements, wherein each one of the physical metadata elements corresponds to the metadata elements in the plurality of information sources. Logical metadata elements are stored in the virtual metadata layer and are linked to the physical metadata elements in order to maintain the relationships therebetween. By maintaining the relationships between the physical metadata elements, users can initiate a data query request for data corresponding to a logical metadata element, and the system is configured to retrieve the desired data from the relevant information sources.
59 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for accessing data in an information source, the system comprising:
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a metadata repository configured to store a first type of the metadata element that includes physical metadata elements defining a one-to-one relationship data stored in a plurality of information sources, and a second type of metadata element that includes logical metadata elements that are linked to one or more of the physical metadata elements in a one-to-many relationship; and a server communicably coupled to the metadata repository, wherein the server is operable to; convert a query request for one or more of the logical metadata elements to a source-specific query request corresponding to at least one of the information sources by referencing the two types of metadata elements; and generate a query plan to retrieve data from the information sources referenced by the source-specific query request, wherein at least one of a join operation and a sort operation of the query plan are performed by one or more of the information sources if they have a capability to perform the operation as determined based on data maintained by the server regarding capabilities of the information sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for accessing data in an information source, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a server machine communicably coupled to a metadata repository and to a plurality of information sources, a query request for one or more logical metadata elements, wherein the plurality of information sources include different types of data each defined in a one-to-one relationship by physical metadata elements, and wherein the metadata repository stores both of the physical metadata elements and the logical metadata elements that are linked to one or more of the physical metadata elements in a one-to-many relationship; converting, by the server machine, the query request to a source-specific query request corresponding to at least one of the information sources by referencing the two types of metadata elements; and generating, by the server machine, a query plan for retrieving data from the information sources referenced by the source-specific query request, wherein at least one of a join operation and a sort operation of the query plan are performed by one or more of the information sources if they have a capability to perform the operation as determined based on data maintained by the server machine regarding capabilities of the information sources. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification