Historical Graph Database Versioning for Lifecycle Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Graph databases lack the capability to efficiently manage and query historical data, which is crucial for understanding the evolution and management of complex networks and systems over time.
Innovation Solution
An historical graph database is implemented, which stores historical graph state information including element state information and state version tracking information, allowing for the management of historical data and supporting enhanced query operations by maintaining a record of changes and lifecycle events within the graph.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional graph databases are used to store only current state information, then storage efficiency is improved, but the capability to query and analyze historical data is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where version information is embedded within element properties, and historical states are nested within time travel snapshots. This allows the database to store historical data efficiently by nesting version control metadata within the existing graph element structure, rather than requiring separate storage systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the traditional graph database by introducing version numbers and timestamps to elements and properties. This transforms the database from storing only spatial relationships to storing spatiotemporal data, enabling historical queries while maintaining the efficiency of the underlying graph structure through dimensional extension rather than structural overhaul.
2Adaptability or versatility
If version tracking information is added to each element to enable historical queries, then historical data retrieval capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The version information structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables historical data retrieval, supports time travel queries, provides data lineage tracking, and maintains element identity across transformations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate complexity-heavy systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces version numbers as an additional parameter to elements and properties, transforming them from static entities to versioned entities. This parameter change enables historical tracking without fundamentally altering the core graph structure, allowing the system to maintain simplicity while gaining historical capabilities through parameter extension.
3Measurement precision
If complete historical state information is maintained for all elements, then query accuracy for historical analysis is improved, but storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective versioning where only elements and properties that change over time maintain version information, while static elements remain simple. This local quality approach ensures that historical data is stored only where necessary, maintaining query accuracy for changing elements while avoiding unnecessary storage overhead for static elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system stores complete version information for elements that require historical tracking while using optimized or summarized storage for elements where full history is less critical. This partial action approach maintains query accuracy for important historical data while reducing overall storage requirements through selective application of versioning strategies.
Data Source
AI summary
A processing system including at least one processor may be maintain an historical graph database storing historical graph state information for a graph including a set of elements, where the historical graph state information includes, for each element, respective element state information and respective state version tracking information for the respective element. The processing system may receive an event indicative of a management action associated with a first element, where the first element may include a new element to be added to the graph or an existing element of the set of elements. The processing system may update, based on the event, the historical graph state information of the historical graph database, where the updating may include providing respective state version tracking information for the first element, and handle, based on the historical graph database, a query to retrieve a set of information of the graph.