Object clustering methods and a query decomposition strategy for distributed object-based information systems

Abstract

Emerging developments and advances in distributed processing have created a need for tools and methods to partition and distribute information systems across interconnected processors. In particular, distribution approaches which take into account the key characteristics of OO concepts are required to extend traditional fragmentation results to object oriented database systems. To fulfill the above requirements, we propose a methodology for the distribution design of object-based information systems. The underlying approach consists of techniques and heuristics that can be used to create clusters of inter-related object classes that can be fragmented interdependently, producing distribution units called tree-fragments. We define a corresponding tree-fragment based approach to query decomposition and execution. Several method activation flow metrics are used to support allocation of tree-fragments to network sites.