Business Objects Data Source Indexing for Ad-Hoc Query
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing enterprise software systems face challenges in allowing users to directly query business objects data sources without prior knowledge of the data sources, requiring a design phase and delaying ad-hoc analysis.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that indexes business objects data sources using searchable index documents and master tables, enabling users to provide search queries with query terms representing metadata, identifying relevant data items and sources, and generating SQL queries for real-time data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a query designer is required to design queries before users can query data sources, then query reliability is improved, but time loss increases due to design phase requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to directly query data sources without requiring a query designer's intervention. Users can formulate their own queries using the query builder interface, and the system automatically generates executable queries against the data sources, allowing self-service data access while maintaining reliability through automated query validation
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-processes and indexes data source metadata before user queries arrive. By maintaining pre-built indexes of data source structures, types, and relationships, the system can rapidly validate and execute user queries without requiring real-time design phase intervention, thus reducing time loss while ensuring query reliability
2Manufacturing precision
If users must go through a design phase with a query designer, then manufacturing precision of queries is improved, but productivity decreases due to delays in ad-hoc analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The query builder provides self-service capabilities where users can directly construct and execute queries against data sources without requiring a query designer. The system maintains precision through automated query validation and metadata-aware query generation, eliminating the bottleneck of designer dependency while enabling rapid ad-hoc analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of query execution by maintaining dynamic metadata about data sources and automatically adapting query generation based on current data structure information. This allows the system to produce precise queries on-demand without requiring manual design phase input, thereby improving productivity while preserving query precision
3Device complexity
If data sources are directly queried without indexing, then device complexity is reduced, but speed of data retrieval deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary indexing of data source metadata and data structures before user queries arrive. By pre-building indexes that map query terms to data source locations and structures, the system enables fast data retrieval without requiring complex real-time processing, thus improving speed while keeping the indexing mechanism relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary indexing layer between users and data sources. This index acts as a mediator that translates user queries into efficient data source access operations, significantly improving retrieval speed without requiring the data sources themselves to become complex. The index handles the complexity of data location and retrieval optimization
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, computer-readable media, and systems for managing business objects data sources. A search query that includes multiple query terms is received. Each query term at least partially represents metadata associated with one of multiple business objects data sources that each stores multiple data items. Multiple search index documents are searched to identify one or more business objects data sources that are each associated with metadata at least partially represented by each query term. Multiple metadata tables are searched to identify metadata associated with each identified business objects data source. The identified business objects data sources are searched for data items that satisfy the identified metadata. Representations of the data items and the metadata are provided in response to receiving the search query.