Integration and querying of heterogeneous, autonomous, distributed database systems

Authors

Rukshan Indika Athauda, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Computer Science

First Advisor's Name

Naphtali Rishe

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Nagarajan Prabhakar

Third Advisor's Name

Subbarao Wunnava

Fourth Advisor's Name

Jun Yuan

Date of Defense

7-5-2000

Abstract

Today, databases have become an integral part of information systems. In the past two decades, we have seen different database systems being developed independently and used in different applications domains. Today's interconnected networks and advanced applications, such as data warehousing, data mining & knowledge discovery and intelligent data access to information on the Web, have created a need for integrated access to such heterogeneous, autonomous, distributed database systems. Heterogeneous/multidatabase research has focused on this issue resulting in many different approaches. However, a single, generally accepted methodology in academia or industry has not emerged providing ubiquitous intelligent data access from heterogeneous, autonomous, distributed information sources.

This thesis describes a heterogeneous database system being developed at Highperformance Database Research Center (HPDRC). A major impediment to ubiquitous deployment of multidatabase technology is the difficulty in resolving semantic heterogeneity. That is, identifying related information sources for integration and querying purposes. Our approach considers the semantics of the meta-data constructs in resolving this issue. The major contributions of the thesis work include: (i.) providing a scalable, easy-to-implement architecture for developing a heterogeneous multidatabase system, utilizing Semantic Binary Object-oriented Data Model (Sem-ODM) and Semantic SQL query language to capture the semantics of the data sources being integrated and to provide an easy-to-use query facility; (ii.) a methodology for semantic heterogeneity resolution by investigating into the extents of the meta-data constructs of component schemas. This methodology is shown to be correct, complete and unambiguous; (iii.) a semi-automated technique for identifying semantic relations, which is the basis of semantic knowledge for integration and querying, using shared ontologies for context-mediation; (iv.) resolutions for schematic conflicts and a language for defining global views from a set of component Sem-ODM schemas; (v.) design of a knowledge base for storing and manipulating meta-data and knowledge acquired during the integration process. This knowledge base acts as the interface between integration and query processing modules; (vi.) techniques for Semantic SQL query processing and optimization based on semantic knowledge in a heterogeneous database environment; and (vii.) a framework for intelligent computing and communication on the Internet applying the concepts of our work.

Identifier

FI14032366

Recommended Citation

Athauda, Rukshan Indika, "Integration and querying of heterogeneous, autonomous, distributed database systems" (2000). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1332.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1332