Distributed data warehouse query and resource management system

• US 6,178,418 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARIS Software
• Original Assignee: Noetix Corp. (Insightsoftware UK Trading Ltd.)
• Inventors: Singer, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US09/123,729
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-206, 713/155, 370/255, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

An architecture and method of operation for servicing data queries within a distributed data warehouse system composed of a plurality of physical servers housing the data to be accessed. Queries are generated by data accessing and processing applications executing on client computers within the distributed data warehouse system. The method enables queried data to be requested by, and delivered to respective client computers without having to pass through a middle-tier server. The method further provides a manageable and scalable system architecture which will readily support a variety of physical servers, including legacy databases, and query format translations when required.

Claims

1. A method for servicing data queries to a distributed data warehouse system generated by at least one data accessing application executing on at least one client computer, the distributed data warehouse system being composed of a plurality of physical servers housing data to be accessed, the method comprising:

a) generating a query for data required by the application executing on the client computer;

b) passing the query to a connection driver of the client computer;

c) forwarding the query to a query server;

d) receiving the query at the query server;

e) determining at the query server a specific physical server within the distributed data warehouse system to be accessed in order to resolve the query for the required data;

f) transmitting back to the connection driver of the client computer information indicating the physical server to access in order to satisfy the query;

g) transmitting a request from the connection driver to the physical server to satisfy the query; and

h) receiving the required data at the client computer and providing said data to the application;

i) wherein the required data is passed directly from the physical server to the client computer without passing through the query server.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the query server rephrases the query, if necessary, to establish a query format that is compatible with the respective physical server to which the query is to be sent to access the required data, thereby providing a means to translate queries, which would otherwise be incompatible with the physical server having the required data, in a manner that is transparent to the application executing on the client.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the query server includes at least one virtual table organized according to a plurality of business rules associated with the distributed data warehouse system and the available physical servers thereof, such that each virtual table holds mapping information to enable the query server to select a preferred physical server to be accessed to satisfy the query.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the query server includes a query router that considers loading status of a plurality of the physical servers to steer queries in order to effect load balancing of queries sent to available physical servers of the distributed data warehouse system.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the application executing on at least one of the clients is an internet web server.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one physical server is accessed by way of an internet network connection.

7. The method according to claim 4, further providing a plurality of replicated query servers, such that if a designated primary query server does not respond to a query within a predetermined period of time, a designated secondary query server will respond to the query.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein an alert is forwarded to a monitoring station when a primary query server does not respond within the predetermined period of time.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein an alternate primary query server is automatically designated should an original primary query server be determined to be non-responsive.

10. A method for servicing data queries generated by at least one data accessing application executing on at least one client computer, the client computer having access to a distributed data warehouse system that is composed of a plurality of physical servers housing data to be accessed, the method comprising:

a) generating a query for required data by the application executing on the client computer;

b) passing the query to a connection driver of the client computer having access to a communication network;

c) forwarding the query via the communication network to a query router;

d) receiving the query via the communication network at the query router and determining thereat a specific physical server within the distributed data warehouse system to be accessed to resolve the query and provide the required data;

e) rephrasing the query, if necessary, to establish a query format that is compatible with the physical server to which the query is to be sent to access the required data;

f) transmitting back over the communication network information to the connection driver of the client computer indicating the physical server to be accessed to satisfy the query;

the information including, if necessary, a rephrased query format to be sent to the physical server;

g) transmitting to the physical server, also connected via a communication network, a request for the required data to satisfy the query;

h) receiving the data at the client computer and providing the queried data to the application;

i) wherein the required data is passed over the communication network directly from the physical server to the client computer without the need for a middle-tier server.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the query server includes virtual tables that are organized according to a plurality of business rules associated with the distributed data warehouse system;

wherein each virtual table holds mapping information to enable the query server to select a preferred physical server to be accessed to satisfy the query.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the query router is a program executing on a query server, which considers the loading status of a plurality of physical servers to direct queries in order to effect load balancing of queries sent to the available physical servers.

13. The method according to claim 10, such that when a query from a client computer requires access to a physical server for which the client computer connection driver is not compatible, the query server automatically transmits a replacement, updated connection driver to the client computer, as well as indicating the physical server to be accessed to satisfy the query.

14. The method according to claim 10, such that a query from an originating client computer is directed by the query router to a particular physical server based on compatibility of the query format produced by the originating client computer in order to eliminate the need to translate the format of the query.