Object-Oriented Query Language Design and Processing

This thesis proposes an object-oriented query language that is more powerful than many existing query languages. The language is formally specified and its expressive power is demonstrated by giving four translation schemes from other prominent object-oriented query languages. Further, this query language can be supported by a query algebra and both the query language and query algebra can be optimised using meaning preserving transformation rules. Object-Oriented Query Languages. The functional requirements of high-level object-oriented query languages are identified and they combine as well as supplement features found in existing object-oriented query languages. Effectively they formulate a query model against which existing query languages can be evaluated and compared. An evaluation of four representative query languages chosen from research prototypes and commercial products shows that none satisfies all the requirements. On the basis of the requirements a new query language, object comprehensions, is developed to provide a concise, clear, powerful, and optimisable query language for object-oriented databases. Some optimisation opportunities for the novel features are identified. A set of translation schemes from the query languages studied to object comprehensions is presented. Such translations demonstrate that object comprehensions are at least as powerful as these query languages and a system supporting object comprehensions can potentially support multiple query languages by providing translations to object comprehensions. Algebraic Support. The canonical algebra provides an abstract execution engine with which object comprehension queries can be expressed using algebraic operations. The translation scheme from object comprehensions to the canonical algebra is very simple and is no for supporting queries involving mixed collection classes The canonical algebra shares many operations with other query algebras and is formally specified. A set of transformation rules that can be used for optimisation is presented whose validity can be verified given the formal specification. Formal Data Model. The data model which forms the basis of investigation is formally defined using the specification language Z. This reference data model captures all the essential features of existing object-oriented data models including multiple inheritance. However, unlike existing data models, it also supports a generalised form of method over-loading. Static type checking of such overloaded methods is studied in this thesis

Query model for object-oriented databases

A query language should be a part of any database system. While the relational model has a well defined underlying query model, the object-oriented database systems have been criticized for not having such a query model. One of the most challenging steps in the development of a theory for object-oriented databases is the definition of an object algebra. A formal object-oriented query model is described here in terms of an object algebra, at least as powerful as the relational algebra, by extending the latter in a consistent manner. Both the structure and the behavior of objects are handled. An operand and the output from a query in the object algebra are defined to have a pair of sets, a set of objects and a set of message expressions where a message expression is a valid sequence of messages. Hence the closure property is maintained in a natural way. In addition, it is proved that the output from a query has the characteristics of a class; hence the inheritance (sub/superclass) relationship between the operand(s) and the output from a query is derived. This way, the result of a query can be persistently placed in its proper place in the lattice

A Formal Preparation for Object-Oriented Query Optimisation

This paper describes work that is in progress on a formalised preparation to object-oriented query optimisation. Such preparation is conducive to the development of optimisation strategies. As an example of a formal preparation, this paper presents a formalised object algebra, a suggested optimisation method and an implementation of an algebraic converter suitable for DAPLEX

Flattening an object algebra to provide performance

Algebraic transformation and optimization techniques have been the method of choice in relational query execution, but applying them in object-oriented (OO) DBMSs is difficult due to the complexity of OO query languages. This paper demonstrates that the problem can be simplified by mapping an OO data model to the binary relational model implemented by Monet, a state-of-the-art database kernel. We present a generic mapping scheme to flatten data models and study the case of straightforward OO model. We show how flattening enabled us to implement a query algebra, using only a very limited set of simple operations. The required primitives and query execution strategies are discussed, and their performance is evaluated on the 1-GByte TPC-D (Transaction-processing Performance Council's Benchmark D), showing that our divide-and-conquer approach yields excellent result

A query model and an object algebra for object-oriented databases

Ankara : The Department of Computer Engineering and Information Science and the Institute of Engineering and Science of Bilkent University, 1993.Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Bilkent University, 1993.Includes bibliographical references leaves 99-109.A query model is an important component of any database system. In this sense, the relational model has a well defined underlying query model. On the other hand, a well defined query model for object-oriented databases has not been accepted yet. This is one of the common complaints against object-oriented databases. So defining a formal object algebra is one of the most challenging steps in developing a theory for object-oriented databases. In object-oriented data models, although messages serve to manipulate the database, a query model is still required to effectively deal with more complex situations and to facilitate associative access. In this thesis, a query model for object-oriented databases is described, where both the structure and the behavior of objects are handled. Not only the manipulation of existing objects, but also the creation of new objects and the introduction of new relationships are supported in the model. Equivalents to the five basic operations of the relational model as ivell as other additional operations such as one level project, nest and aggregate function application are defined. Hence, the proposed object algebra subsumes the relational algebra. Linear recursion is also supported without requiring any additional operator to serve the purpose. Both the operands as well as the results of these operations are characterized as having a pair of sets -a set of objects and a set of message expressions (sequences of messages) applicable to them. The closure property is shown to be preserved in a natural way by the results of operations possessing the same characteristics as the operands in a query. It is shown that every class possesses the properties of an operand by defining a set of objects and deriving a set of message expressions for it. Furthermore, it is shown that the output of a query has the characteristics of a class. Thus, it is also shown how the super/subclass relationships of the result of a query with its operands can be established and how the result can be placed persistently in the lattice (schema) as a class. Such a class is naturally and properly placed in the lattice by maximizing reusability due to inheritance. Also equivalent object algebra expressions are presented and the associativity of the cross-product operation which is an important property in query optimization is proved. Lastly, as it was recognized that schema evolution is an important requirement to be satisfied by object-oriented databases, hence the handling of schema evolution functions through the proposed object algebra operations is also developed as another contribution of the thesis.Al- Hajj, RedaPh.D

Producing approximate answers to database queries

We have designed and implemented a query processor, called APPROXIMATE, that makes approximate answers available if part of the database is unavailable or if there is not enough time to produce an exact answer. The accuracy of the approximate answers produced improves monotonically with the amount of data retrieved to produce the result. The exact answer is produced if all of the needed data are available and query processing is allowed to continue until completion. The monotone query processing algorithm of APPROXIMATE works within the standard relational algebra framework and can be implemented on a relational database system with little change to the relational architecture. We describe here the approximation semantics of APPROXIMATE that serves as the basis for meaningful approximations of both set-valued and single-valued queries. We show how APPROXIMATE is implemented to make effective use of semantic information, provided by an object-oriented view of the database, and describe the additional overhead required by APPROXIMATE

Modélisation et manipulation de données historisées et archivées dans un entrepôt orienté objet

National audienceThis paper deals with temporal and archive object-oriented data warehouse modelling and querying. In a first step, we define a data model describing warehouses as central repositories of complex and temporal data extracted from one information source. The model is based on the concepts of warehouse object and environment. A warehouse object is composed of one current state, several past states (modelling value changes) and several archive states (summarising some value changes). An environment defines temporal parts in a warehouse schema according to a relevant granularity (attribute, class or graph). In a second step, we provide a query algebra dedicated to data warehouses. This algebra, which is based on common object algebras, integrates temporal operators and operators for querying object states. An other important contribution concerns dedicated operators allowing users to transform warehouse objects in temporal series as well as operators facilitating analytical treatments

Moa and the multi-model architecture: a new perspective on XNF2

Advanced non-traditional application domains such as geographic information systems and digital library systems demand advanced data management support. In an effort to cope with this demand, we present the concept of a novel multi-model DBMS architecture which provides evaluation of queries on complexly structured data without sacrificing efficiency. A vital role in this architecture is played by the Moa language featuring a nested relational data model based on XNF2, in which we placed renewed interest. Furthermore, extensibility in Moa avoids optimization obstacles due to black-box treatment of ADTs. The combination of a mapping of queries on complexly structured data to an efficient physical algebra expression via a nested relational algebra, extensibility open to optimization, and the consequently better integration of domain-specific algorithms, makes that the Moa system can efficiently and effectively handle complex queries from non-traditional application domains

MultiView : a methodology for supporting multiple view schemata in object-oriented databases

It has been widely recognized that object-oriented database (OODB) technology needs to be extended to provide a mechanism similar to views in relational database systems. We define an object-oriented view to be an arbitrarily complex virtual schema graph with possibly restructured generalization and decomposition hierarchies - rather than just one virtual class as has been proposed in the literature. In this paper, we propose a methodology, called MultiView, for supporting multiple such view schemata. MultiView breaks the schema design task into the following independent and well-defined subtasks: (1) the customization of type descriptions and object sets of existing classes by deriving virtual classes, (2) the integration of all derived classes into one consistent global schema graph, and (3) the definition of arbitrarily complex view schemata on this augmented global schema. For the first task of MultiView, we define a set of object algebra operators that can be used by the view definer for class customization. For the second task of MultiView, we propose an algorithm that automatically integrates these newly derived virtual classes into the global schema. We solve the third task of MultiView by first letting the view definer explicitly select the desired view classes from the global schema using a view definition language and then by automatically generating a view class hierarchy for these selected classes. In addition, we present algorithms that verify the closure property of a view and, if found to be incomplete, transform it into a closed, yet minimal, view. In this paper, we introduce the fundamental concept of view independence and show MultiView to be view independent. We also outline implementation techniques for realizing MultiView with existing OODB technology