Efficiently updating a key table during outline restructure...

Details Efficiently updating a key table during outline restructure... Efficiently updating a key table during outline restructure...

2000-07-28

2003-09-30

Mizrahi, Diane D. (Department: 2171)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C707S793000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06629102

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to database management systems performed by computers, and in particular, to improving multi-dimensional restructure performance by selecting a technique to modify a relational database based on a type of restructure.
2. Description of Related Art
Relational DataBase Management System (RDBMS) software using a Structured Query Language (SQL) interface is well known in the art. The SQL interface has evolved into a standard language for RDBMS software and has been adopted as such by both the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO).
RDBMS software has typically been used with databases comprised of traditional data types that are easily structured into tables. However, RDBMS products do have limitations with respect to providing users with specific views of data. Thus, “front-ends” have been developed for RDBMS products so that data retrieved from the RDBMS can be aggregated, summarized, consolidated, summed, viewed, and analyzed. However, even these “front-ends” do not easily provide the ability to consolidate, view, and analyze data in the manner of “multi-dimensional data analysis.” This type of functionality is also known as on-line analytical processing (OLAP).
OLAP generally comprises numerous, speculative “what-if” and/or “why” data model scenarios executed by a computer. Within these scenarios, the values of key variables or parameters are changed, often repeatedly, to reflect potential variances in measured data. Additional data is then synthesized through animation of the data model. This often includes the consolidation of projected and actual data according to more than one consolidation path or dimension.
Data consolidation is the process of synthesizing data into essential knowledge. The highest level in a data consolidation path is referred to as that data's dimension. A given data dimension represents a specific perspective of the data included in its associated consolidation path. There are typically a number of different dimensions from which a given pool of data can be analyzed. This plural perspective, or Multi-Dimensional Conceptual View, appears to be the way most business persons naturally view their enterprise. Each of these perspectives is considered to be a complementary data dimension. Simultaneous analysis of multiple data dimensions is referred to as multi-dimensional data analysis.
OLAP functionality is characterized by dynamic multi-dimensional analysis of consolidated data supporting end user analytical and navigational activities including:
calculations and modeling applied across dimensions, through hierarchies and/or across members;
trend analysis over sequential time periods;
slicing subsets for on-screen viewing;
drill-down to deeper levels of consolidation;
reach-through to underlying detail data; and
rotation to new dimensional comparisons in the viewing area.
OLAP is often implemented in a multi-user client/server mode and attempts to offer consistently rapid response to database access, regardless of database size and complexity. While some vendors have proposed and offered OLAP systems that use RDBMS products as storage managers, to date these offerings have been unsuccessful for a variety of reasons.
A multi-dimensional OLAP system has multiple dimensions and members within the dimensions. A key table holds data for the multi-dimensional OLAP system. If the dimensions are changed, data in the key table needs to be updated accordingly. In particular, an entire key table may need to be rebuilt. If the key table is large, performance may be slow because of the volume of data being updated in the key table and because the database manager logs each of these changes. Additionally, the database manager may run out of log space. That is, some database managers have an upper limit to the size of the transaction log file. If enough rows are deleted this maximum log file size will be reached.
Thus, there is a need in the art for efficiently updating a key table during outline restructure of a multi-dimensional database.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for efficiently updating a key table during outline restructure of a multi-dimensional database.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a command is executed in a computer to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data store connected to the computer. It is determined that a multi-dimensional database has been restructured. Then, a key table of the relational database is rebuilt to correspond to the restructured multidimensional database.


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