Abstract: Compressed data objects are stored in a remote data store and are accessible to end users for data retrieval and processing. The remote data store is optimized for efficient data storage and retrieval with processes for capturing data profile statistics and creating an index of compressed data. Descriptive information about data objects and processing logic is displayed and made available for viewing and access by end users having a client application which manipulates the descriptive information to create a customized data retrieval and processing request. An end user can add descriptive information about its own data to the request and attach its own compressed data to the request that will be included in data retrieval and processing. Descriptive information representing data and logic stored in multiple remote data stores can be integrated into one request. The request can be submitted to several data stores in succession for automated data retrieval and processing without jeopardizing request security.

Abstract: Compressed data objects are stored in a remote data store and are accessible to end users for data retrieval and processing. Descriptive information about data objects and processing logic is displayed and made available for viewing and access by end users having a client application which manipulates the descriptive information to create a customized data retrieval and processing request. The request can be submitted to several data stores in succession for automated data retrieval and processing without jeopardizing request security. The final request is submitted to the appropriate data store(s) and/or vendor(s) for automated processing in accordance with the customized instructions, and the data result set is returned in a format specified by the end user. Householding capability and security features are available. End users can customize their householding parameters, including end user specifications to improve flexibility, speed, and efficiency of the householding process.

Abstract: An aggregation engine for a data warehouse which provides an indexing technique which allows the measures in a fact table data entry to be added to the appropriate aggregate bucket by mapping the each of the dimension keys to an aggregate index within a level in that dimension and then calculating an overall index using the aggregate index from each dimension which is then mapped onto the aggregate bucket in question. A rolling cache is also provided allowing frequently or recently used aggregate buckets to be represented in memory rather than in a file, and merged with the equivalent bucket in an aggregate file when necessary, so that the slower access to the address file and the aggregate files can be avoided.

Abstract: A file management system allows the linking of objects. In each link one object serves as a parent and the other as a child. When a parent object is copied the parent object is copied to produce a copy of the parent object. Additionally, the child objects of the parent object are copied s well, except in the case when the child object is designated as a special public object, each child of the parent object is copied to produce a copy of the child object. Each copy of a child object is then linked to the copy of the parent object. When a child object is designated as a special public object, the child object is linked to the copy of the parent object.