LIBD:Themes

Version actuelle en date du 4 décembre 2011 à 22:46

This section collects and integrates the resources of the Computer science faculty and, more specifically of the DB research group, into themes related to Database Engineering (and some others).

Cette section regroupe et intègre les différentes ressources de la faculté d'informatique et du LIBD en particulier, autour de thématiques liées à l'Ingénierie des bases de données (et quelques autres).

<Back to Welcome page / Retour à la page d'accueil>

Foreword

This section of the site will present the contribution of the Computer science faculty of the University of Namur to the Database discipline since 1971. In short, an overview of the first 40 years of research in DB engineering! I will leave the development of the next 40 years to my young colleagues.

This work is not a simple task, and I don't expect its completion before at least one or two years

Jean-Luc Hainaut, June 2011

Introduction

TBA

Modeling and Metamodeling

• Introduction

Database engineeering addresses domains such as database exploitation, database design, database reverse engineering or database evolution. A database is described through a hierarchy of schemas, each of them expressed in a data (or information) model. A large part of database engineering resort to schema manipulation, where data structures are built, analyzed, evaluated, transformed and used to produced various artefacts such as other schemas, DML and DDL code. The quality and the effectiveness of these schema manipulation processes depend on the availability of appropriate data models. Hence the importance of model development activities (Database Models).

A data model states a definite way to view data but, to be complete, it must be accompanied by languages that tell how to interact with the contents of database, that is, how to manipulate these data. Sometimes, such language takes the form of an API (application program interface) that also defines the technical detail of these interactions (Database languages).

The design and evaluation of models require a means to describe them in a general way and to reason about them (for example, how the Entity-relationship model compares with UML class diagrams?) This is the concern of metamodeling, that proposes models to reason about models, and that are, for that, metamodels (Metamodeling).

This chapter describes the contribution of the LIBD to the development of database models, database languages and API’s and metamodels.

Database Models

• Status: Complete
• Description

The development and the exploitation of data models are at the baseline of the database engineeering domain. They allow database structures to be described at the appropriate level of abstraction, so that one can rigourously evaluate and transform schemas and reason about them. They are at the core of design methodologies and CASE tools. The conceptual models, such as the Entity-relationship model and some interpretation of UML class diagrams are aimed at describing data/information structures at the conceptual, technology-independent level, while the many logical models currently available are intended to represent data structures as they are implemented by data managers (or by families thereof).

Several data models have been designed and implemented: the SPHINX data models, the Individual model (Merise), the GAM (Generalized Access Model), the GER (Generic Entity-relationship) model, the DB-MAIN model and the temporal ER model.

• Keywords

ER model, Individual model, Merise model, UML class diagrams, wide-spectrum model, GER model, DB-MAIN model, logical data model, temporal model, legacy data model, relational model, network model, hierarchical model, OO model, OR model, XML model, decision support, large schema layout, semantic and statistical aspects of models, IS-A relation, wrappers

<Go to the Database Models page for more detail>

Database Languages and API

• Status: Partial
• Description

Interacting with databases requires languages and protocols, be they for database building, exploitation or administration. The level of language depends on its goal and on the skill of its target user. We present and discuss some of the languages and API’s we have developed as well as some contributions to language processing.

• Keywords

database languages, CASE programming, Voyager 2, DB-MAIN, SQL script, dynamic SQL, temporal API, wrapper, wrapper generator

<Go to the Database Languages and API page for more detail>

Metamodeling

• Status: complete
• Description

Meta-something is something about something (replace something by any name pertaining to philosophy, mathematics or computer science). For instance, metadata are data that describe the structure and other properties of data (generally user data). For instance, the table of tables (generically named SYS_TABLE) in the catalog of any relational database is a metatable that contains metadata. Being said in passing, it includes a row that describes this table itself.

The domain of database engineering makes much use of meta-level concepts. For instance any CASE tool includes some sort of database in which it stores its data. This database contains descriptions of schemas, among others. These descriptions are metadata. This database bears several names according to the community that uses it, namely metadatabase, metabase, (metadata) repository, model base or encyclopedia (this one a bit outdated).

The term meta-model designates a model that is used to describe other models. Since the database community prefers the term schema instead of model (the latter having another interpretation, as in relational model), this proposition translate as follows: the term meta-schema designates a schema that is used to describe other schemas.

• Keywords

metamodel, metaCASE, metadata, model base, repository, catalog tables, DB-MAIN, Voyager 2, workflow modeling, clinical pathway modeling

<Go to the Metamodeling page for more detail>

Database Methodologies

• Introduction

Method Modeling

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Method Modeling page for more detail>

Database design (General)

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Database design (General) page for more detail>

Conceptual Analysis

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Conceptual Analysis page for more detail>

Logical Design

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Logical Design page for more detail>

Physical Design

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Physical Design page for more detail>

Code Generation

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Code Generation page for more detail>

Database Schema Quality

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Database Schema Quality page for more detail>

Database reverse Engineering

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Database reverse Engineering page for more detail>

Database Reverse Engineering

• Introduction

Methodology and Techniques

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the DBRE - Methodology and Techniques page for more detail>

Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the DBRE - Tools page for more detail>

Case Studies

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the DBRE - Case Studies page for more detail>

Transformational Engineering

• Introduction

Principles and Methodology

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the TRANSFO - Principles and Methodology page for more detail>

Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the TRANSFO - Tools page for more detail>

Applications

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the TRANSFO - Applications page for more detail>

Database Evolution and Migration

• Introduction

Database Evolution and Migration

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the EVOL - Database Evolution and Migration page for more detail>

Program Evolution and Migration

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the EVOL - Program Evolution and Migration page for more detail>

Data Interoperability

• Introduction

Heterogeneous Data Integration

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the INTEGR - Heterogeneous Data Integration page for more detail>

Web Data Integration

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the INTEGR - Web Data Integration page for more detail>

Special Databases

• Introduction

Some aspects of information systems require a special treatment, that translates in specific data models and specific design processes.

Active Databases

• Status: complete
• Description

An active (or reactive) database is able to react to some external stimuli, such as data modification actions. Practically, the reaction mechanism relies on triggers, predicates and SQL procedures. A specific reaction can be defined through different patterns. The first one is the predicate (SQL check), which states a static property that the data must always meet. Any action that will violate this property is rejected. The second one specifies a procedure that must be executed before or after definite data modification actions (SQL trigger). The third one consists of a procedure of arbitrary complexity (SQL stored procedure) that can be called by users, by client programs or by triggers.

• Keywords

active database, Is-a relation management, active rule, SQL trigger, SQL predicate, SQL stored procedure, integrity management, update propagation, decision support system, temporal database

<Go to the SPECIAL - Active Databases page for more detail>

Temporal Databases

• Status: complete
• Description

While a standard database collects data about the current state of a set of entities, a temporal database includes data about entities that evolve over time. When an entity changes, its new state is recorded but the former state is kept in the temporal database. As a consequence, it is possible to rebuild the state of the application domain at a certain time point. It is also possible to extract the evolution of a set of entities during a certain period. A fully temporal database records the past, current and future states of entities. One considers two types of time. The transaction (or physical) time indicates when data have been recorded, changes and deleted in the database. The valid (or logical) time indicates when events occurs in the application domain. A bitemporal database record both types of time.

• Keywords

temporal database, active database, statistical database

<Go to the SPECIAL - Temporal Databases page for more detail>

Statistical Databases

• Status: partial
• Description
• Keywords

statistical database, temporal database, Quetelet.net project

<Go to the SPECIAL - Statistical Databases page for more detail>

XML and the web

• Introduction

XML Structures Modeling and Manipulation

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the WEB - XML Structures page for more detail>

Web Reverse Enginering

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the WEB Reverse Enginering page for more detail>

Tools

• Introduction

DBMS

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the DBMS page for more detail>

Standard CASE Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Standard CASE Tools page for more detail>

Special-purpose CASE Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Special-purpose CASE Tools page for more detail>

Meta-CASE Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Meta CASE Tools page for more detail>

Database Access Tools

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

conceptual API, SQL-script Interpreter, Object-relational mapping,

<Go to the Database access Tools page for more detail>

Workflow modeling

• Introduction

Model-base for Clinical Pathways

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Model base for Clinical Pathways page for more detail>

Workflow Modeling

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Workflow Modeling page for more detail>

Databases and Computing Models

• Introduction

Modeling and Methodology

• Status: complete
• Description

Spreadsheets offer one of the most popular form of programming available to end users. Unfortunately, many spreadshets include more or less severe errors that make them unreliable. In this theme, we analyze this problem and we propose a simple and intuitive user-oriented methodology to develop correct spreadsheets.

• Keywords

computing model, equational model, spreadsheet, spreadsheet design, spreadsheet errors, spreadsheet/database coupling

<Go to the DB-Comp - Modeling and Methodology page for more detail>

Tools

• Status: partial
• Description

An environment to design and generate hybrid databases including an equational model has been implemented in the DB-MAIN CASE tool. Such a database includes derived attributes according to complex computing rules.

• Keywords

computing model, equational model, deductive database

<Go to the DB-Comp - Tools page for more detail>

Educational Resources

• Introduction

SQL

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - SQL page for more detail>

Database Design

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Database Design page for more detail>

Relational Theory

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Relational Theory page for more detail>

Database Reverse Engineering

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Database Reverse Engineering page for more detail>

Transformation-based Database Engineering

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Transformation-based Database Engineering page for more detail>

Database Security

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Database Security page for more detail>

Temporal Databases

• Status: Empty
• Description
• Keywords

<Go to the Education - Temporal Databases page for more detail>

<Back to Welcome page / Retour à la page d'accueil>