Abstract: An improved method of and apparatus for aggregating data having at least one dimension logically organized into multiple hierarchies of items, whereby such multiple hierarchies of items are transformed into a single hierarchy that is functionally equivalent to the multiple hierarchies. In the hierarchy transformation process, a given child item is linked with a parent item in the single hierarchy when no other child item linked to the parent item has a child item in common with the given child item. In the event that at least one other child item linked to the parent item has a child item in common with the given child item, the given child item is not linked with the parent item in the single hierarchy. The improved data aggregation mechanism of the present invention achieves a significant increase in system performance (e.g. deceased access/search time).

Abstract: Improved method of and apparatus for joining and aggregating data elements integrated within a relational database management system (RDBMS) using a non-relational multi-dimensional data structure (MDD). The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize achieving a significant increase in system performance (e.g. [deceased] decreased access/search time), user flexibility and ease of use. The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize an improved Data Warehouse for supporting on-line analytical processing (OLAP) operations or to realize an improved informational database system or the like.