Generic conceptual framework for handling schema diversity during source integration: Semantic database case study

Abstract

DataBase Integration Systems (DIS) aim at providing a unified view of data stored in different heterogeneous local sources through a global schema. The schemas of global and local sources are represented by a - priori known logical representations. This makes the potential deployment model of the DIS, like for Data Warehouse (DW) systems, rigid and inflexible. To overcome these limitations, we claim that the integration process should be completely performed at the conceptual level independently of any implementation constraint. After studying existing database (DB) integration systems, we propose through this paper a generic conceptual framework for DB schema integration. This framework is generic as it subsumes most important DB integration systems studied. It is defined based on the description logic formalism. We then instantiate it through a case study considering a set of Oracle semantic DB, that are DB storing their own conceptual model, generated using Lehigh University BenchMark (LUBM). These DB participate in the construction of a semantic DW. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.