Patent Application
20050283459
This invention is related to databases, and more specifically, to methods for searching and analyzing such databases.
The advent of a global communications network such as the Internet has perpetuated the exchange of enormous amounts of information. Additionally, the costs to store and maintain such information have declined, resulting in massive data storage structures that then need to be accessed. Enormous amounts of data can be stored as a data warehouse, which is a database that typically represents the business history of an organization. The history data is used for analysis that supports business decisions at many levels, from strategic planning to performance evaluation of a discrete organizational unit. It can also involve taking the data stored in a relational database and processing the data to make it a more effective tool for query and analysis. In order to more efficiently manage data warehousing at a smaller scale, the concept of a data mart is employed in which only a targeted subset of the data is managed.
Whereas many languages used for data definition and manipulation, such as SQL (Structured Query Language), are designed to retrieve data in two dimensions, multidimensional data, on the other hand, can be represented by structures with more than two dimensions. These multidimensional structures are called cubes. A cube is a multidimensional database that represents data similar to a 3-D spreadsheet rather than a relational database. The cube allows different views of the data to be displayed quickly by employing concepts of dimensions and measures. Dimensions define the structure of the cube (e.g., geographical location or a product type), while measures provide the quantitative values of interest to the end user (e.g., sales dollars, inventory amount, and total expenses). Cell positions in the cube are defined by the intersection of dimension members, and the measure values are aggregated to provide the values in the cells.
The information in a data warehouse or a data mart can be processed using online analytical processing (OLAP). OLAP views data as cubes. OLAP enables data warehouses and data marts to be used effectively for online analysis and providing rapid responses to iterative complex analysis queries. OLAP systems provide the speed and flexibility to support analysis in real time.
One conventional architecture that can facilitate OLAP for multidimensional query and analysis is MDX (Multi-Dimensional expressions). MDX is a syntax that supports the definition and manipulation of multidimensional objects and data thereby facilitating the access of data from multiple dimensions easier and more intuitive. MDX is similar in many ways to the SQL (Structured Query Language) syntax (but is not an extension of the SQL language). As with an SQL query, each MDX query requires a data request (the SELECT clause), a starting point (the FROM clause), and a filter (the WHERE clause). These and other keywords provide the tools used to extract specific portions of data from a cube for analysis. MDX also supplies a robust set of functions for the manipulation of retrieved data, as well as the ability to extend MDX with user-defined functions.
Data mining is about finding interesting structures in data (e.g., patterns and rules) that can be interpreted as knowledge about the data or may be used to predict events related to the data. These structures take the form of patterns that are concise descriptions of the data set. Data mining makes the exploration and exploitation of large databases easy, convenient, and practical for those who have data but not years of training in statistics or data analysis. The “knowledge” extracted by a data mining algorithm can have many forms and many uses. It can be in the form of a set of rules, a decision tree, a regression model, or a set of associations, among many other possibilities. It may be used to produce summaries of data or to get insight into previously unknown correlations. It also may be used to predict events related to the data—for example, missing values, records for which some information is not known, and so forth. There are many different data mining techniques, most of them originating from the fields of machine learning, statistics, and database programming.
What is needed is a schema that facilitates interaction of data mining operations across OLAP cubes.
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a formal language that integrates multidimensional extensions (e.g., MDX) and data mining extensions (e.g., DMX) for performing data mining operations on data residing in OLAP cubes. Data Mining operations generally perform operations on a set of source data indicated by a <source-data-query>. To date the <source-data-query> elements have been limited to relational queries acting directly against a relational database, or a SHAPE statement that takes relational queries and forms them into a nested rowset. This invention provides that the <source-data-query> can not only be a relational query, rather a multidimensional query formed using MDX, for example.
In another aspect of the present invention, data mining models are used to perform predictions against data contained inside an OLAP cube.
In another aspect thereof, with respect to model creation, this invention states that upon creation, the source data type is unknown and is not set until the training phase. In conventional systems, the “type” of the model was implied upon creation, the type being a relational-sourced or OLAP-sourced model.
Moreover, a mining model can be trained from an arbitrary data source regardless of its relational or multidimensional nature. Column binding is handling consistently by explicit column order in both multidimensional and relational sources, unlike conventional systems where column binding is implied through name matching between the mining model and the OLAP cube.
Furthermore, a mining model can take as a data source for prediction, an arbitrary data source, regardless of its relational or multidimensional nature. The disclosed architecture allows prediction to occur using DMX, and allows the OLAP cube to source predictions from any model, regardless of how it was created or trained. Conventionally, prediction against data in an OLAP cube is carried out in MDX, and only using mining models trained on the same cube.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the invention are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention can be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The present invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the present invention.
As used in this application, the terms “component” and “system” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.
The invention provides architecture for integrating multidimensional extensions and data mining extensions for performing data mining operations on data residing in OLAP cubes. Currently, the <source-data-query> elements have been limited to relational queries acting directly against a relational database, or a SHAPE statement that takes relational queries and forms them into a nested rowset. This invention provides that the <source-data-query> can not only be a relational query, but rather a multidimensional query formed using multidimensional extensions.
One way in which this can be accomplished is via MDX and DMX. MDX is an acronym for MultiDimensional eXpressions, as defined by the OLE DB for OLAP Specification, by Microsoft Corporation, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. DMX is an acronym for Data Mining eXtensions, as defined by the OLE DB for Data Mining Specification, by Microsoft Corporation, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. For the purposes of this description, the operations of model creation, model training, and prediction against new data are described.
In DMX, these operations are performed using the statements CREATE MINING MODEL, INSERT INTO, and SELECT . . . PREDICTION JOIN. For example:
Referring now to
In an alternative implementation, it is to be appreciated that it is not required that both the multidimensional expression component 106 and the data mining extensions component 108 reside in the single overall data mining component 104, but either can be a separate external entity from the data mining component 104. Thus, the components (106 and 108) can be independent such that one feeds the other.
Referring now to
At 200, multidimensional data is provided for data mining. At 202, the language schema is provided that integrates the multidimensional extensions and data mining extensions, and operates on the multidimensional data. At 204, a data mining model is created from the multidimensional data. At 206, the data mining model is trained on the data. At 208, predications can now be made on new data using the data mining extensions. The process then reaches a Stop block.
Referring now to
The disclosed invention allows for multiple ways of using multidimensional extensions queries (e.g., MDX) as inputs to data mining extension statements (e.g., DMX). By way of example and not by limitation, the following description uses MDX and DMX as one way in which to carry out the present invention. At 300, a first way is by simple replacement of the relational query with an MDX query. For example, the query,
can be expressed in an MDX cube as,
In another example, the following query,
can be expressed as,
Thus, in this first form, the MDX expressions can be substituted for the relational queries.
At 302, a second form allows for the elimination of the SHAPE construct by taking advantage of the inherent multidimensional structure of the cube. The above shaped relational queries can then be written in MDX as,
Additional nested tables can be arranged on additional axes.
At 304, a third form of the invention involves statements that bind by name only, e.g., SELECT, PREDICTION, and JOIN. In this form the data mining extension processor takes advantage of the cube structure, allowing for simpler queries, expanding the ON clause to extract information from the MDX query. For example,
With respect to model creation, this invention states that upon creation, the source data type is unknown and is not set until the training phase. In conventional systems, the “type” of the model was implied upon creation, the type being a relational-sourced or OLAP-sourced model.
A mining model can be trained from an arbitrary data source regardless of its relational or multidimensional nature. Column binding is handling consistently by explicit column order in both multidimensional and relational sources, unlike conventional systems where column binding is implied through name matching between the mining model and the OLAP cube.
A mining model can take as a data source for prediction, an arbitrary data source, regardless of its relational or multidimensional nature. Conventionally, prediction against data in an OLAP cube can only be carried out in MDX, and only using mining models trained on the same cube. The disclosed architecture allows prediction to occur using DMX, and allows the OLAP cube to source predictions from any model, regardless of how it was created or trained.
Referring now to
Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, as well as personal computers, hand-held computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, and the like, each of which can be operatively coupled to one or more associated devices.
The illustrated aspects of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
A computer typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media can comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital video disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer.
Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
With reference again to
The system bus 408 can be any of several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. The system memory 406 includes read only memory (ROM) 410 and random access memory (RAM) 412. A basic input/output system (BIOS) is stored in a non-volatile memory 410 such as ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, which BIOS contains the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 402, such as during start-up. The RAM 412 can also include a high-speed RAM such as static RAM for caching data.
The computer 402 further includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 414 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), which internal hard disk drive 414 may also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis (not shown), a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 416, (e.g., to read from or write to a removable diskette 418) and an optical disk drive 420, (e.g., reading a CD-ROM disk 422 or, to read from or write to other high capacity optical media such as the DVD). The hard disk drive 414, magnetic disk drive 416 and optical disk drive 420 can be connected to the system bus 408 by a hard disk drive interface 424, a magnetic disk drive interface 426 and an optical drive interface 428, respectively. The interface 424 for external drive implementations includes at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies.
The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For the computer 402, the drives and media accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. Although the description of computer-readable media above refers to a HDD, a removable magnetic diskette, and a removable optical media such as a CD or DVD, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of media which are readable by a computer, such as zip drives, magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, cartridges, and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment, and further, that any such media may contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods of the present invention.
A number of program modules can be stored in the drives and RAM 412, including an operating system 430, one or more application programs 432, other program modules 434 and program data 436. All or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and/or data can also be cached in the RAM 412.
It is appreciated that the present invention can be implemented with various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
A user can enter commands and information into the computer 402 through one or more wired/wireless input devices, e.g., a keyboard 438 and a pointing device, such as a mouse 440. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, an IR remote control, a joystick, a game pad, a stylus pen, touch screen, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 404 through an input device interface 442 that is coupled to the system bus 408, but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, etc.
A monitor 444 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 408 via an interface, such as a video adapter 446. In addition to the monitor 444, a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers etc.
The computer 402 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 448. The remote computer(s) 448 can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 402, although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device 450 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include wired/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN) 452 and/or larger networks, e.g., a wide area network (WAN) 454. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices, and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which may connect to a global communication network, e.g., the Internet.
When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 402 is connected to the local network 452 through a wired and/or wireless communication network interface or adapter 456. The adaptor 456 may facilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 452, which may also include a wireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless adaptor 456. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 402 can include a modem 458, or is connected to a communications server on the LAN, or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN 454, such as by way of the Internet. The modem 458, which can be internal or external and a wired or wireless device, is connected to the system bus 408 via the serial port interface 442. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 402, or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device 450. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used.
The computer 402 is operable to communicate with any wireless devices or entities operatively disposed in wireless communication, e.g., a printer, scanner, desktop and/or portable computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, any piece of equipment or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, news stand, restroom), and telephone. This includes at least Wi-Fi and Bluetooth™ wireless technologies. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices.
Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, allows connection to the Internet from a couch at home, a bed in a hotel room or a conference room at work, without wires. Wi-Fi is a wireless technology like a cell phone that enables such devices, e.g., computers, to send and receive data indoors and out; anywhere within the range of a base station. Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies called IEEE 802.11 (a, b, g, etc.) to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks (which use IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet). Wi-Fi networks operate in the unlicensed 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands, with an 11 Mbps (802.11b) or 54 Mbps (802.11a) data rate or with products that contain both bands (dual band), so the networks can provide real-world performance similar to the basic 10BaseT wired Ethernet networks used in many offices.
Referring now to
Communications can be facilitated via a wired (including optical fiber) and/or wireless technology. The client(s) 502 are operatively connected to one or more client data store(s) 508 that can be employed to store information local to the client(s) 502 (e.g., cookie(s) and/or associated contextual information). Similarly, the server(s) 504 are operatively connected to one or more server data store(s) 510 that can be employed to store information local to the servers 504.
What has been described above includes examples of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
