Canonical data model for iterative effort reduction in business-to-business schema integration

Abstract

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for providing and maintaining an evolving canonical data model (CDM) which consolidates current knowledge of the correspondences of existing schemas. One computer-implemented method includes receiving the plurality of source hierarchical schemas, each source hierarchical schema being stored as a computer-readable document in computer-readable memory, processing, using a computer, the source hierarchical schemas to generate a merged graph, the merged graph comprising a plurality of merged nodes, each merged node being provided based on one or more nodes from at least two of the source hierarchical schemas, and determining, using the computer, that the merged graph includes one or more conflicts and, in response, resolving each conflict of the one or more conflicts to generate a computed-transitive-edge-free, conflict-free merged graph as a unified data model (UDM), wherein resolving comprises splitting one or more merged nodes into respective sub-sets of merged nodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving the plurality of source hierarchical schemas, each source hierarchical schema being stored as a computer-readable document in computer-readable memory;   processing, using a computer, the source hierarchical schemas to generate a merged graph, the merged graph comprising a plurality of merged nodes, each merged node being provided based on one or more nodes from at least two of the source hierarchical schemas; and   determining, using the computer, that the merged graph includes one or more conflicts and, in response, resolving each conflict of the one or more conflicts to generate a computed-transitive-edge-free, conflict-free merged graph as a unified data model (UDM), wherein resolving comprises splitting one or more merged nodes into respective sub-sets of merged nodes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a relevance rating to the UDM to generate a canonical data model (CDM). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising applying context logic to the CDM to generate a domain-specific CDM view. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising deriving a message guide from the domain-specific CDM view. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising storing the derived message guide into the UDM. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying transitive mappings to the UDM to generate a mapping proposal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising deriving a mapping from the generated mapping proposal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising storing the derived mapping into the UDM. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and operable to:
 receive the plurality of source hierarchical schemas, each source hierarchical schema being stored as a computer-readable document in computer-readable memory;   process the source hierarchical schemas to generate a merged graph, the merged graph comprising a plurality of merged nodes, each merged node being provided based on one or more nodes from at least two of the source hierarchical schemas; and   determine that the merged graph includes one or more conflicts and, in response, resolving each conflict of the one or more conflicts to generate a computed-transitive-edge-free, conflict-free merged graph as a unified data model (UDM), wherein resolving comprises splitting one or more merged nodes into respective sub-sets of merged nodes.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 9 , further operable to apply a relevance rating to the UDM to generate a canonical data model (CDM). 
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 10 , further operable to apply context logic to the CDM to generate a domain-specific CDM view. 
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 11 , further operable to derive a message guide from the domain-specific CDM view. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 12 , further operable to store the derived message guide into the UDM. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 9 , further operable to apply transitive mappings to the UDM to generate a mapping proposal. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 14 , further operable to derive a mapping from the generated mapping proposal. 
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 15 , further operable to store the derived mapping into the UDM. 
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a memory configured to contain a unified data model (UDM);   at least one computer interoperably coupled with the memory and configured to:
 receive the plurality of source hierarchical schemas, each source hierarchical schema being stored as a computer-readable document in computer-readable memory; 
 process the source hierarchical schemas to generate a merged graph, the merged graph comprising a plurality of merged nodes, each merged node being provided based on one or more nodes from at least two of the source hierarchical schemas; and 
 determine that the merged graph includes one or more conflicts and, in response, resolving each conflict of the one or more conflicts to generate a computed-transitive-edge-free, conflict-free merged graph as the UDM, wherein resolving comprises splitting one or more merged nodes into respective sub-sets of merged nodes. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further configured to apply a relevance rating to the UDM to generate a canonical data model (CDM). 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further configured to apply context logic to the CDM to generate a domain-specific CDM view. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further configured to derive a message guide from the domain-specific CDM view.