Relational database management system having integrated non-relational multi-dimensional data store of aggregated data elements

Abstract

Improved method of and apparatus for joining and aggregating data elements integrated within a relational database management system (RDBMS) using a non-relational multi-dimensional data structure (MDD). The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize achieving a significant increase in system performance (e.g. deceased access/search time), user flexibility and ease of use. The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize an improved Data Warehouse for supporting on-line analytical processing (OLAP) operations or to realize an improved informational database system or the like.

1 - 34 . (canceled)  
     
     
         35 . A relational database management system (RDBMS) comprising: 
 a view mechanism;    a relational data store storing fact data;    an aggregation module, operatively coupled to said relational data store, for aggregating said fact data and storing the resultant aggregated data in a non-relational multi-dimensional data store;    a query servicing mechanism, operatively coupled to said aggregation module, for servicing query statements generated in response to user input, said query servicing mechanism comprising: 
 a reference generating mechanism enabled by using said view mechanism, for generating a user-defined reference to aggregated fact data generated by the aggregation module; and  
 a query processing mechanism for processing a given query statement, wherein, upon identifying that the given query statement is on said user-defined reference, communicates with said aggregation module to retrieve portions of aggregated fact data pointed to by said reference that are relevant to said given query statement.  
   
     
     
         36 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , wherein said aggregation module includes a query handling mechanism for receiving query statements, and wherein communication between said query processing mechanism and said query handling mechanism is accomplished by forwarding the given query statement to said query handling mechanism.  
     
     
         37 . The RDBMS of  claim 36 , wherein said query handling mechanism extracts dimensions from the received query statement and forwards the dimensions to said storage handler, and wherein the storage handler accesses locations of said non-relational multi-dimensional data store based upon the forwarded dimensions and returns the retrieved data back to the query servicing mechanism for communication to the user.  
     
     
         38 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , wherein said aggregation module includes 
 a data loading mechanism for loading at least fact data from said relational data store;    an aggregation engine for aggregating the fact data; and    a storage handler for storing the fact data and resultant aggregated fact data in said non-relational multi-dimensional data store.    
     
     
         39 . The RDBMS of  claim 38 , wherein said aggregation module includes control logic which, upon determining that said non-relational multi-dimensional data store does not contain data required to service the given query statement, controls said data loading mechanism and said aggregation engine to aggregate at least fact data required to service the given query statement and controls said aggregation module to return the aggregated data back to said query servicing mechanism for communication to the user.  
     
     
         40 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , in combination with a data analysis engine to realize an OLAP system.  
     
     
         41 . The RDBMS of  claim 40 , wherein said OLAP system is a ROLAP system.  
     
     
         42 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , for use as an enterprise wide data warehouse that interfaces to a plurality of information technology systems.  
     
     
         43 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , for use as a database store in an informational database system.  
     
     
         44 . The RDBMS of  claim 43 , wherein said informational database system is a spread-sheet modeling program.  
     
     
         45 . The RDBMS of  claim 35 , wherein said query statements are generated by a query interface in response to communication of a natural language query communicated from a client machine.  
     
     
         46 . The RDBMS of  claim 45 , wherein said client machine comprises a web-enabled browser to communicate said natural language query to the query interface.  
     
     
         47 . In a relational database management system (RDBMS) comprising a view mechanism and a relational data store storing fact data, a method for aggregating the fact data and providing query access to the aggregated data comprising the steps of: 
 providing an integrated aggregation module, operatively coupled to said relational data store, for aggregating the fact data and storing the resultant aggregated data in a non-relational multi-dimensional data store;    in response to user input, using said view mechanism to generate a reference to aggregated fact data generated by said integrated aggregation module and stored in said non-relational multi-dimensional data store; and    processing a given query statement generated in response to user input,    wherein, upon identifying that the given query statement is on said reference, retrieving from said integrated aggregation module portions of aggregated fact data pointed to by said reference that are relevant to said given query statement.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of extracting dimensions from the given query statement, accessing locations of said non-relational multi-dimensional data store based upon the extracted dimensions, and returning the retrieved data back to the user.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said integrated aggregation module comprises: 
 a data loading mechanism for loading at least fact data from said relational data store;    an aggregation engine for aggregating the fact data; and    a storage handler for storing the fact data and resultant aggregated fact data in said non-relational multi-dimensional data store.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said aggregation module, upon determining that said non-relational multi-dimensional data store does not contain data required to service the given query statement, controls said data loading mechanism and said aggregation engine to aggregate at least fact data required to service the given query statement, and controls said aggregation module to return the aggregated data back to the user.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of performing data analysis operations on the retrieved data as part of an OLAP system.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , RDBMS of claim  6 , wherein said OLAP system is a ROLAP system.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said RDBMS is used as an enterprise wide data warehouse that interfaces to a plurality of information technology systems.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said RDBMS is uses as a database store in an informational database system.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein said informational database system is a spread-sheet modeling program.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said query statements are generated by a query interface in response to communication of a natural language query communicated from a client machine.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said client machine comprises a web-enabled browser to communicate said natural language query to the query interface.