Suitability of datamodels as canonical models for federated databases

Abstract

We develop a framework of characteristics, essential and recommended, that a data model should have to be suitable as canonical model for federated databases. This framework is based on the two factors of the representation ability of a model: ezpressiveness and semantic relativism.Several data models are analyzed with respect to the characteristics of the framework, to evaluate their adequacy as canonical models.

Concept bases: A support to information systems integration

“…The goal of this step is to translate the different schemes to be integrated into a common data model sometimes called "canonical" model [21], to extract as much information as possible concerning the schemes elements (attributes, classes, methods, etc. ), and the relationships and rules existing between these elements.…”

Integration Ontology for Distributed Database

“…A data modeling is made up of structures, operations and the restrictions in the use of them. The ability of representation of a data modeling is made up of two factors [9]: i) Expressivity. The expressivity of a data modeling is the degrees in which a model can directly represent the concepts that it conform.…”

“…The CDM has the following characteristics: i) Generalization: it is the process by means of which, from two or more entities is constructed a new entity; ii) Association: it defines a new entity from the relations between two or more entities; iii) Classification: allows to group entities in classes, that is constructs a new entity from the common characteristics of other entities. The CDM must support the definition of new operations and restrictions, must allow the implementation of integration operators, among other things [9]. We will use ontologies to represent our CDM, since they allow integrating databases using intelligence during the process of conformation of the federation, as well as the semantic enrichment through the integration of the databases with its concepts, operations and restrictions.…”

Pluggable services : a platform architecture for E-commerce

“…According to Saltor et al (1991), expressiveness is a critical success factor for CDMs: ' A CDM must have an expressiveness equal or greater than any of the native models of the component DBs that are going to interoperate, in order to capture the semantics already expressed with the native models. Moreover, it should support additional semantics made explicit thru a semantic enrichment process.…”

“…To adapt the cycle proposed by Saltor et al (1991), we started from a native model of one service component and extend the model by successively adding more services. We stopped the enrichment cycle after the implementation of the platformbased end-to-end material return process covered in Chapter 4.…”