Implementation of an object-oriented university database using VODAK/VML prototype-2/C++

Object-oriented database (OODB) technology has become very popular and successful in recent years. Currently, there are many commercial object-oriented database systems available that are used for developing large and complex real world applications. In addition, there are many research prototypes of object-oriented databases available. In a joint research project of the CIS Dept at NJIT and GMD-IPSI an object-oriented data model called the Dual Model was developed. Using this Dual Model a university environment database schema was designed. This univesity database schema was implemented using the VODAK/VML OODB prototype - 1. The university database was then reimplemented using the C++ programming language, without any underlying database. In this thesis we have implemented a Dual Model based version of the university database, using the VODAK/VML OODB prototype - 2. This prototype is the first implemented prototype, which separates the structural and semantic aspects of a class definition. It also uses C++ as implementation language, while the previous prototype was based on Smalltalk - 80. To interact with the database we have developed a university database browser using the X11/MOTIF toolkit and C++

Transaction management in object-oriented data base systems

Object-oriented data bases are fast gaining in popularity, especially with the advent of advanced applications like computer aided design (CAD) and multimedia data bases (MMDB). The modeling techniques required by these applications cannot be met by conventional data base systems. The semantic richness of the object-oriented model facilitates the modeling of advanced data base applications. These applications are characterized by long-duration cooperating transactions. Unlike the conventional data bases, serializability can no linger be the correctness criterion for concurrent transaction execution. A new transaction model for object-oriented data bases is needed. This dissertation describes our research in the area of transaction management for object-oriented data bases. A new transaction model for object-oriented data bases is defined. This model takes into consideration the unique requirements of the advanced applications. Data base consistency is now defined in terms of correctability. Object-oriented Correct Schedules (OOCS) and Object-oriented Correctable Schedules (OOCLS) are defined. This dissertation also describes a new concurrency control protocol that satisfies the correctness criterion for concurrent execution of transactions in an object-oriented data base environment, i.e. it allows only Object-oriented Correctable Schedules. Users of a data base interact with it through means of queries. Queries are then translated into transactions. The data base functionality necessary to support queries is also discussed in this research work

Implementação de um sistema temporal em um banco de dados orientado a objetos

Orientador: Claudia Bauzer MedeirosDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matematica, Estatistica e Ciencia da ComputaçãoResumo: Vários modelos têm sido propostos para incorporar o conceito de Tempo em Banco de Dados. A maioria destes modelos limita-se a incorporar as facilidades temporais em Sis­temas de Bancos de Dados Relacionais. Contudo, a maioria das aplicações que requerem um gerenciamento temporal de dados apresenta uma natureza orientada a objeto. As pesquisas sobre a incorporação de Tempo em Bancos de Dados Orientado a Objetos ainda estão em uma fase inicial. Este trabalho apresenta mais uma contribuição para o desenvolvimento das pesquisas nesta área. A contribuição consiste na implementação de um sistema de gerenciamento de tempo para um banco de dados orientados a objetos. Este sistema, a Camada de Gerenciamento Temporal, foi implementado sobre o sistema O2 e permite a definição e gerenciamento de dados temporais orientado a objetos, bem como o processamento de consultas temporais.Abstract: Many temporal data models have been suggested. A great number of these models is based on incorporating time only for relational databases systems. However, the applications that require temporal data management presents a object-oriented nature. Research on object-oriented database systems is still in its initial phase. This work presents a practical contribution to the research in this area. This contribution consists in the development of a temporal data management system for an object oriented database. This system - The Temporal Management Layer - was built on top of the O2 database system and allows the definition and management of object oriented temporal data, as well as the processing of temporal queries.MestradoMestre em Ciência da Computaçã

Algorithms for generation of path-methods in object-oriented databases

A path-method is a mechanism in object-oriented databases (OODBs) to retrieve or to update information relevant to one class that is not stored with that class but with some other class. A path-method is a method which traverses from one class through a chain of connections between classes to access information at another class. However, it is a difficult task for a user to write path-methods, because it might require comprehensive knowledge of many classes of the conceptual schema, while a typical user has often incomplete or even inconsistent knowledge of the schema. This dissertation proposes an approach to the generation of path-methods in an OODB to solve this problem. We have developed the Path-Method Generator (P MG) system, which generates path-methods according to a naive user\u27s requests. PMG is based on access weights which reflect the relative frequency of the connections and precomputed access relevance between every pair of classes of the OODB computed from access weights of the connections. We present specific rules for access weight assignment, efficient algorithms to compute access relevance in a single OODB, and a variety of traversal algorithms based on access weights and precomputed access relevance. Experiments with a university environment OODB and a sample of path-methods identify some of these algorithms as very successful in generating most of the desired path-methods. Thus, the PMG system is an efficient tool for aiding the user with the difficult task of querying and updating a large OODB. The path-method generation in an interoperable multi object-oriented database (IM-OODB) is even more difficult than for a single OODB, since a user has to be familiar with several OODBs. We use a hierarchical approach for deriving efficient online algorithms for the computation of access relevance in an IM-OODB, based on precomputed access relevance for each autonomous OODB. In an IM-OODB the access relevance is used as guide in generating path-methods between the classes of different OODBs

An extensible view system for supporting the integration and interoperation of heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed database management systems

In this thesis the problem of integrating heterogeneous, autonomous and distributed database management systems (DBMSs) is addressed. To provide a solution, we have developed an approach, a design method, and a view system. Our approach is based on the invention of the abstract view constructs that have uniform and stable representations for supporting semantic relativism and distributed abstraction modeling. Our design method applies object-oriented techniques and software engineering concepts to manage the system complexity. Our view system has been constructed upon established experience with the development of large-scale distributed systems in a distributed object infrastructure provided by the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The scope of our research identifies the goals of Project Zeus in which we have created the Zeus View Mechanism ( ZVM) as the theoretical foundation of our approach. The notion of frameworks has been introduced as part of our design methodology to promote code/design reuse and enhance the portability/extensibility of the architectural design. A multidatabase system, the Zeus Multidatabase System ( ZMS), has provided a test bed for our concept. Project Zeus has exciting prospects. The foundation established in this research has created new directions in multidatabase research and will have a significant impact on future integration and interoperation technologies

An Object-Oriented Heterogeneous Database Architecture

Many data management environments face a critical need to integrate heterogeneous data-data that are stored in varying locations using various data management systems with diverse data formats and schemas. To address this problem, the database research community has developed the concept of a heterogeneous database system (HDB) that provides users with the illusion of a single unified database. However, HDBs rely on the implicit assumption that all data to be integrated into the HDB are stored in full-fledged database management systems (DBMS). This assumption leaves environments that need to integrate non-DBMS data unserved by HDB systems. Furthermore, HDBs are complex software solutions that are not easily lmplementable by database developers wrestling with heterogeneous data. This thesis presents a new, easily implemented HDB architecture that is suitable for integrating non-DBMS data. The key to our architecture is using an object-oriented database management system (OODBMS) as an implementation tool. Rather than developing an HDB from scratch, we leverage the power and facilities of the underlying OODBMS to provide a query language, application programmer interface, interactive query interface, concurrency control, etc. Using object-oriented technology gives us an additional benefit-our HDB becomes an object-oriented HDB (OOHDB) providing users with greater data model expressivity along with a powerful behavioral component. The OOHDB architecture we present is independent of a particular OODBMS and can be implemented using a number of commercial OODBMSs for a variety of data management environments. We describe one implementation of our architecture using the GemStone OODBMS for accessing heterogeneous materials science data. This implementation demonstrates how easily the architecture can be implemented. We use this implementation to analyze the performance of the architecture and examine the effectiveness of strategies for enhancing performance. We conclude that for many environments with heterogeneous non-DBMS data, our OOHDB architecture provides a good solution that is easy to implement using commercial OODBMS technology

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

Constructing highly-available distributed metainformation systems

PhD ThesisThis thesis demonstrates the adequacy of an object-oriented approach to the construction of distributed metainformation systems: systems that facilitate information use by maintaining some information about the information. Computer systems are increasingly being used to store information objects and make them accessible via network. This access, however, still relies on an adequate metainformation system: there must be an effective means of specifying relevant information objects. Moreover, distribution requires the metainformation system to cope well with intermittent availability of network resources. Typical metainformation systems developed to date permit information objects to be specified by expressing knowledge about their syntactic properties, such as keywords. Within this approach, however, query results are potentially too large to be transmitted, stored and treated, at reasonable cost and time. Users are therefore finding it difficult to navigate their way through the masses of information available. In contrast, this thesis is based on the principle that a metainformation system IS more effective if it permits information objects to be specified according to their semantic properties, and that this helps managing, filtering and navigating information. Of particular interest is object orientation because it is the stateof- the-art approach to both the representation of information semantics and the Abstract 11 design of reliable systems. The thesis presents the design and implementation of a programming toolkit for the construction of metainformation systems, where information objects can be any entity that contains information, the notion of views permits organising the information space, transactional access is employed to obtain consistency, and replication is employed to obtain high availability and scalability.Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (CNPq, Brazil), grant number 201905/91.4

Function-based indexing for object-oriented databases

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1994.Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-171).by Deborah Jing-Hwa Hwang.Ph.D