11394430
Unification of temporal data models
A conceptual temporal data model that captures the time-dependent semantics of data while permitting multiple data models at the representation level is described. A conceptual notion of a bitemporal relation in which tuples are stamped with sets of two-dimensional chronons in transaction-time/valid-time space is defined. A tuple-timestamped first normal form representation is introduced to show how the conceptual bitemporal data model is related, by means of snapshot equivalence, with representational models. Querying within the two-level framework is discussed. An algebra is defined at the conceptual level and mapped to the sample representational model in such a way that new operators compute equivalent results for different representations of the same conceptual bitemporal relation.<<ETX>>
616587
Querying the trajectories of on-line mobile objects
Position data is expected to play a central role in a wide range of mobile computing applications, including advertising, leisure, safety, security, tourist, and traffic applications. Applications such as these are characterized by large quantities of wirelessly Internet-worked, position-aware mobile objects that receive services where the objects' position is essential. The movement of an object is captured via sampling, resulting in a trajectory consisting of a sequence of connected line segments for each moving object. This paper presents a technique for querying these trajectories. The technique uses indices for the processing of spatiotemporal range queries on trajectories. If object movement is constrained by the presence of infrastructure, e.g., lakes, park areas, etc., the technique is capable of exploiting this to reduce the range query, the purpose being to obtain better query performance. Specifically, an algorithm is proposed that segments the original range query based on the infrastructure contained in its range. The applicability and limitations of the proposal are assessed via empirical performance studies with varying datasets and parameter settings.
44396365
Specification-based data reduction in dimensional data warehouses
Presents a powerful and easy-to-use technique for aggregation-based data reduction that enables the gradual change of the data from being detailed to being increasingly aggregated. The technique enables huge storage gains while retaining the data that is essential to the users, and it preserves the ability to query original and reduced data in an integrated manner.
14786371
Join operations in temporal databases
Abstract.Joins are arguably the most important relational operators. Poor implementations are tantamount to computing the Cartesian product of the input relations. In a temporal database, the problem is more acute for two reasons. First, conventional techniques are designed for the evaluation of joins with equality predicates rather than the inequality predicates prevalent in valid-time queries. Second, the presence of temporally varying data dramatically increases the size of a database. These factors indicate that specialized techniques are needed to efficiently evaluate temporal joins.We address this need for efficient join evaluation in temporal databases. Our purpose is twofold. We first survey all previously proposed temporal join operators. While many temporal join operators have been defined in previous work, this work has been done largely in isolation from competing proposals, with little, if any, comparison of the various operators. We then address evaluation algorithms, comparing the applicability of various algorithms to the temporal join operators and describing a performance study involving algorithms for one important operator, the temporal equijoin. Our focus, with respect to implementation, is on non-index-based join algorithms. Such algorithms do not rely on auxiliary access paths but may exploit sort orderings to achieve efficiency.
1655888
Supporting imprecision in multidimensional databases using granularities
Online analytical processing (OLAP) technologies are being used widely, but the lack of effective means of handling data imprecision, which occurs when exact values are not known precisely or are entirely missing, represents a major obstacle in applying these technologies in many domains. The paper develops techniques for handling imprecision that aim to maximally reuse existing OLAP modeling constructs such as dimension hierarchies and granularities. With imprecise data available in the database, queries are tested to determine whether or not they may be answered precisely given the available data; if not, alternative queries unaffected by the imprecision are suggested. When processing queries affected by imprecision, techniques are proposed that take into account the imprecision in the grouping of the data, in the subsequent aggregate computation, and in the presentation of the imprecise result to the user. The approach is capable of exploiting existing OLAP query processing techniques such as pre-aggregation, yielding an effective approach with low computational overhead and that may be implemented using current technology.
26280940
Database Publication Practices
There has been a growing interest in improving the publication processes for database research papers. This panel reports on recent changes in those processes and presents an initial cut at historical data for the VLDB Journal and ACM Transactions on Database Systems.
16785661
Partial outsourcing: a new paradigm for access control
Various security models have been proposed in recent years for different purposes. Each of these aims to ease administration by introducing new types of security policies and models. This increases the complexity a system administrator is faced with. Ultimately, the resources expended in choosing amongst all of these models leads to less efficient administration.In this paper, we propose a new access control paradigm, which is already well established in virus and SPAM protection as partial delegation of administration to external expertise centres. Well-known vulnerabilities can be filtered out and known sources of attacks can be automatically blocked. We describe how partial outsourcing can be achieved in a secure way. A framework, which enables this process has already been developed.
14551885
A unified security framework for networked applications
Various security models have been proposed for different types of applications and numerous types of execution environments. These models are typically reinforced by adding code to the application, which authenticates principals, authorises operations and establishes secure communication among distributed software components (e.g., clients and servers). This code is often application and context-specific, which makes it difficult to integrate an application with other each other.In this paper we propose a new unified access control mechanism that supports most of the existing security models and offers a number of additional controls that are not normally provided by security mechanisms. Moreover, the proposed mechanism integrates well with existing programming paradigms for distributed application, e.g., client/server technology and component based programming. This means that it can be seamlessly integrated with most existing distributed applications. We have implemented the proposed mechanism in a framework, that can be instantiated to implement different security models and policies. We present a qualitative evaluation that demonstrates the framework's ability to support a wide range of security policies and a preliminary performance evaluation of the framework.
14098973
CryptoCache: a secure sharable file cache for roaming users
Small mobile computers are now sufficiently powerful to run many applications, but storage capacity remains limited so working files cannot be cached or stored locally. Even if files can be stored locally, the mobile device is not powerful enough to act as server in collaborations with other users. Conventional distributed file systems cache everything locally or not at all; there is no possibility to cache files on nearby nodes.In this paper we present the design of a secure cache system called CryptoCache that allows roaming users to cache files on untrusted file hosting servers. The system allows flexible sharing of cached files among unauthenticated users, i.e. unlike most distributed file systems CryptoCache does not require a global authentication framework.Files are encrypted when they are transferred over the network and while stored on untrusted servers. The system uses public key cryptography, which allows roaming users to selectively grant read and write access to others by entrusting them with respectively the public key or the private key.
206519638
PEM/sup 3/ - the policy enhanced memory management model
Over the past decade, clusters of workstations have become widely accepted as a cost efficient way of obtaining computational power. Moreover, clusters have increasingly been used to support multi-application environment, such as web servers and application servers, and to concurrently support a number of different services. In such an environment, resources become difficult to manage, e.g., it is difficult to adequately support the varying memory usage requirements of each application with a single strategy. In this paper we propose a policy-based model that provides applications with an interface to the underlying system in order to adapt the behavior of system services at runtime. The use of policies is illustrated by presenting the design of a memory management model for distributed shared memory systems, which allows different memory placement policies, while providing the ability to change consistency and coherency protocols at runtime.
11578916
Adaptability in CORBA: the mobile proxy approach
Adaptability is one of the most important challenges in modern distributed systems. It may be defined as the ease with which a software application satisfies the different system constraints and the requirements of users and other applications. Adaptability is needed because distributed systems are inherently open, heterogeneous, and dynamic environments integrating a wide range of platforms, operating systems and applications from a number of different sources. We propose to use mobile proxies to provide adaptability in distributed applications integrated using the CORBA technology. Downloading stubs and skeletons at runtime allows the adaptation of either client or server interfaces as well as the protocol linking the two.