Multi-domain impact analysis using object relationships

• US 9,239,854 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Rausch, Nancy Anne, Eastwood, Peter Rowland, Replogle, Chris L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, BAOQUOC N
• Application Number:
  US13/913,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 707/805, 707/803, 707/810
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management

Abstract

Systems and methods for impact analysis across multiple domains using non-data types of relationships between objects are provided. A data model can be formed. The data model can include objects representative of physical data in separate domains and relationships of non-data types between the objects. An impact analysis interface can be generated using the data model. The impact analysis interface can depict the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

forming, by a computing device, a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generating, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects, wherein generating includes;

generating options that are selectable on the impact analysis interface;

receiving from a second computing device selected options as received filtering criteria; and

identifying the options other than the selected options as unselected information; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes generating filtered information according to the received filtering criteria and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the filtered information and to the exclude unselected information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating, using the data model, the impact analysis interface includes:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received filtering criteria includes an identification of an object type and a relationship type of objects and relationships to include on the impact analysis interface modified to include the filtered information,

wherein the unselected information includes an identification of another object type and another relationship type of objects and relationships to exclude from the impact analysis interface modified to exclude the unselected information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein different types of non-data relationships are represented on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.

7. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to perform operations including;

forming a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generating, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects, wherein generating includes;

generating options that are selectable on the impact analysis interface;

receiving from a second computing device selected options as received filtering criteria; and

identifying the options other than the selected options as unselected information; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes generating filtered information according to the received filtering criteria and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the filtered information and to exclude the unselected information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein generating, using the data model, the impact analysis interface includes:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the received filtering criteria includes an identification of an object type and a relationship type of objects and relationships to include on the impact analysis interface modified to include the filtered information,

wherein the unselected information includes an identification of another object type and another relationship type of objects and relationships to exclude from the impact analysis interface modified to exclude the unselected information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium contains instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to generate the impact analysis interface by representing different types of non-data relationships on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

form a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generate, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects, wherein generating includes;

generating options that are selectable on the impact analysis interface;

receiving from a second computing device selected options as received filtering criteria; and

identifying the options other than the selected options as unselected information; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes generating filtered information according to the received filtering criteria and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the filtered information and to the exclude unselected information.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to generate, using the data model, the impact analysis interface by:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the received filtering criteria includes an identification of an object type and a relationship type of objects and relationships to include on the impact analysis interface modified to include the filtered information,

wherein the unselected information includes an identification of another object type and another relationship type of objects and relationships to exclude from the impact analysis interface modified to exclude the unselected information.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to generate, using the data model, the impact analysis interface by:

representing different types of non-data relationships on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

forming, by a computing device, a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generating, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes identifying immediately related objects to an object selected for expansion and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the immediately related objects and the relationships between the object and the immediately related objects.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein generating, using the data model, the impact analysis interface includes:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein different types of non-data relationships are represented on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.

24. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to perform operations including;

forming, by a computing device, a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generating, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes identifying immediately related objects to an object selected for expansion and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the immediately related objects and the relationships between the object and the immediately related objects.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein generating, using the data model, the impact analysis interface includes:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium contains instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to generate the impact analysis interface by representing different types of non-data relationships on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.

29. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

form a data model that includes (i) objects representative of physical data in separate domains and (ii) relationships of non-data types between the objects; and

generate, using the data model, an impact analysis interface that depicts the objects and the non-data types of relationships between the objects; and

data scoping information about the objects and the relationships on the impact analysis interface, wherein data scoping the information includes identifying immediately related objects to an object selected for expansion and modifying the impact analysis interface to include the immediately related objects and the relationships between the object and the immediately related objects.

30. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein the relationships of the non-data types include:

a parent/child relationship;

an inclusion relationship;

an association relationship;

a synonymous relationship; and

an equivalent relationship.

31. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein the data model includes an object table, an object attribute table that includes object attributes, and an object relationship table that includes the relationships.

32. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to generate, using the data model, the impact analysis interface by:

retrieving the object attributes and the relationships from the object table, the object attribute table, and the object relationship table; and

displaying information about the object attributes on the impact analysis interface.

33. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to generate, using the data model, the impact analysis interface by:

representing different types of non-data relationships on the impact analysis interface using different visual representations.