Meta-data based mediator generation

Mediators are a critical component of any data warehouse; they transform data from source formats to the warehouse representation while resolving semantic and syntactic conflicts. The close relationship between mediators and databases requires a mediator to be updated whenever an associated schema is modified. Failure to quickly perform these updates significantly reduces the reliability of the warehouse because queries do not have access to the most current data. This may result in incorrect or misleading responses, and reduce user confidence in the warehouse. Unfortunately, this maintenance may be a significant undertaking if a warehouse integrates several dynamic data sources. This paper describes a meta-data framework, and associated software, designed to automate a significant portion of the mediator generation task and thereby reduce the effort involved in adapting to schema changes. By allowing the DBA to concentrate on identifying the modifications at a high level, instead of reprogramming the mediator, turnaround time is reduced and warehouse reliability is improved.