Automated Data Warehouse Schema Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manual process of designing and maintaining a data warehouse is time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring significant effort to map source data to a database schema and handle ongoing data updates.

Innovation Solution

An automated system that generates a database schema and data loading procedures for a data warehouse using metadata derived from source data files, allowing for the creation of a star schema with automatically generated fact and dimension tables, reducing the need for manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual processes are used to design and create data warehouse schema, then flexibility and control over business requirements are improved, but time consumption and labor intensity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in meeting business requirementsVSAvoidtime consumption for schema design and data mapping
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automated generation of data warehouse schema by extracting metadata from source data files and automatically creating dimensional models, fact tables, and dimension tables without requiring manual intervention for routine tasks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining schema templates and data mapping rules based on common data warehouse patterns, allowing rapid generation of initial schema that can be automatically populated when source data is provided

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If manual mapping of source data to database schema is performed, then precision in data transformation is improved, but productivity and scalability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision in data transformation and mappingVSAvoidspeed of data warehouse creation and maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical processes of data mapping and schema design with automated computational processes that use metadata extraction, pattern matching, and algorithmic transformation rules to map source data to target schema with consistent precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by automatically adjusting data types, transformation rules, and mapping configurations based on metadata analysis of source data files, enabling adaptive precision without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If automated schema generation is implemented, then productivity and speed of data warehouse creation are improved, but device complexity and automation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of data warehouse generationVSAvoidcomplexity of automation system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves universality by creating a multi-functional automated platform that can handle various source data formats (flat files, databases, XML), generate different types of schemas (star, snowflake), and support multiple data warehouse operations (ETL, reporting, analysis) through a single integrated system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If manual maintenance of schema and data is performed, then control over data quality is improved, but time consumption for updates and scalability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol over data qualityVSAvoidtime for ongoing data loading and schema maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by automatically monitoring source data changes, comparing them against the data warehouse schema, and triggering automated ETL processes that maintain data quality through validation rules and error handling protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service maintenance by automatically detecting when source data files are updated, re-extracting metadata, regenerating affected schema portions, and reloading data without requiring manual intervention for routine maintenance tasks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10885051B1Automatic data warehouse generation using automatically generated schema
Publication Date: 2021.01.05 INFOR US LLC
  • US10885051B1 patent drawing
  • US10885051B1 patent drawing
  • US10885051B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Techniques for automatic data warehouse generation are disclosed herein. A first data set is received. The first data set includes a plurality of tables and includes a plurality of keys. A dimensional model is mapped onto the first data set. A schema is automatically generated based on the dimensional model.