Concept-Based Querying of Graph Databases

Abstract

A system may include a processor, a user input, and memory comprising a graph and executable instructions. The executable instructions may cause the processor to effectuate operations. The operations include receiving, via the user input, a query comprising a class generalization and pathway variables. The operations include identifying a query class based on at least the class generalization and determining an anchor set based on at least one of the pathway variables. The operations also include translating the pathway variables into a pathway algebraic expression based on the anchor set and the query class and executing the pathway algebraic expression on the graph to return a pathway set.

1 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory comprising executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions cause the processor to effectuate operations, the operations comprising:
 identifying a query class based on at least a class generalization, the class generalization corresponding to a component, a class field, metadata, or any combination thereof; 
 determining an anchor set of nodes that are instantiations of a node class based on at least one of a plurality of pathway variables; and 
 executing a pathway algebraic expression on a graph to return a pathway set, wherein the pathway algebraic expression is based on at least one of the anchor set of nodes or the query class, and wherein the pathway set includes:
 a first node having a first type corresponding to one of: a virtual network function, a virtual network function component, a virtual machine, or physical hardware; and 
 a second node having a second type corresponding to one of: the virtual network function, the virtual network function component, the virtual machine, or the physical hardware, wherein the second type is different from the first type. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the graph complies with a schema, the schema comprising a plurality of classes complying with a class hierarchy and a plurality of components. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , the operations further comprising:
 identifying a common ancestor class of a subset of the plurality of classes, the common ancestor class comprising class fields;   identifying a plurality of subset components based on the subset of the plurality of classes;   defining a concept based on the class fields and the plurality of subset components; and   determining that the class generalization comprises the class fields and the plurality of subset components.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein identifying the query class comprises identifying the query class as the subset of the plurality of classes based on the class generalization satisfying the concept. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a processor, a plurality of query classes based on a class generalization; and   executing, by the processor, a pathway algebraic expression on a graph to return a pathway set, wherein the class generalization comprises at least one of a component, a class field, or metadata, wherein the pathway algebraic expression is based on at least one query class included in the plurality of query classes, and wherein the pathway set includes:
 a first node having a first type corresponding to one of: a virtual network function, a virtual network function component, a virtual machine, or physical hardware; and 
 a second node having a second type corresponding to one of: the virtual network function, the virtual network function component, the virtual machine, or the physical hardware, wherein the second type is different from the first type. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, a query comprising the class generalization.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the query identifies a parent class, wherein at least one of the plurality of query classes is a subclass of the parent class, and wherein each of the plurality of query classes comprises the class generalization. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the query comprises a second class generalization, the method further comprising:
 identifying, by the processor, a second plurality of query classes based on the second class generalization.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pathway algebraic expression is based on at least one query class included in the second plurality of query classes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the class generalization is associated with a second plurality of classes that are different from the plurality of query classes, and wherein the query comprises a second class generalization and the second plurality of classes do not satisfy the second class generalization. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the query comprises a strongly typed concept, and wherein the strongly type concept is based on at least the class generalization. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the graph complies with a schema, the schema comprising a plurality of classes complying with a class hierarchy, the method further comprising:
 identifying, by a processor, a common ancestor class of a subset of the plurality of classes, the common ancestor class comprising class fields;   identifying, by a processor, a plurality of components based on the subset; and   defining, by a processor, the strongly typed concept based on the class fields and the plurality of components.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor executing the instructions to effectuate operations, the operations comprising:
 identifying a plurality of query classes based on a class generalization; and   obtaining a pathway set based on the identifying of the plurality of query classes, the pathway set including:
 a first node having a first type corresponding to one of: a virtual network function, a virtual network function component, a virtual machine, or physical hardware; and 
 a second node having a second type corresponding to one of: the virtual network function, the virtual network function component, the virtual machine, or the physical hardware, wherein the second type is different from the first type. 
   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a query comprising the class generalization.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the query comprises pathway variables and a second class generalization, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying a second plurality of query classes based on the second class generalization; and   translating the pathway variables into a pathway algebraic expression based on the second plurality of query classes,   wherein the obtaining of the pathway set is further based on the pathway algebraic expression.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the class generalization comprises at least one of a component, a class field, or metadata. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the pathway set complies with a pathway expression, and wherein the pathway expression includes a node pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the pathway set is based on a graph, wherein the node pattern comprises first constraints on first attributes, and wherein nodes of the graph that satisfy the first constraints are included in the pathway set. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the pathway expression further includes an edge pattern, wherein the edge pattern comprises second constraints on second attributes, and wherein edges of the graph that satisfy the second constraints are included in the pathway set. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the pathway set is based on a layered graph that includes a first layer and a second layer, wherein the pathway set includes a pathway that corresponds to an instance of an induction pattern, wherein the instance of the induction pattern includes a vertical traversal from the first layer of the layered graph to the second layer of the layered graph, and wherein the instance of the induction pattern includes a horizontal traversal in the second layer.