Abstract: Techniques are described for creating a first data abstraction model for a first database. Embodiments analyze the first database to determine a first set of structural characteristics, and analyze a second database to determine a second set of structural characteristics. The analyzed second database is associated with a second data abstraction model. The first set of structural characteristics is compared with the second set of structural characteristics to identify one or more similarities between the two sets of structural characteristics. Embodiments then create the first data abstraction model for the first database, based on the identified similarities and the second data abstraction model.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for extracting portions of an abstract database for problem determination. An error may be detected when an application executes an abstract query against the abstract database. A portion of the abstract database may be extracted for problem determination. A defect entry may be created in a defect tracking tool, to store the extracted portion. One or more administrative users may be notified of the defect entry.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for processing data, and more specifically to retrieving results for a query from one or more devices coupled to a network. A first device may receive an abstract query including logical fields defined by a first data abstraction model and retrieve query results stored in the first device. The query may be sent to one or more other devices via the network. The one or more other devices may be configured to convert the abstract query to local abstract queries including logical fields defined in local data abstraction models. The local queries may be issued against local databases to retrieve additional results for the query. The local queries may not include all the fields of the abstract query.

Abstract: Techniques for incorportating query results into an abstract database are described. Embodiments receive a first set of query results produced by executing a first abstract query using a first data abstraction model against a first database. One or more mappings between the first set of query results and one or more logical fields in a second data abstraction model are then determined, where the second data abstraction model models underlying physical data in a manner making a schema of the physical data transparent to a user of the second data abstraction model. Embodiments modify one or more logical field definitions to reference the first set of query results using the determined one or more mappings, such that abstract queries can be executed against both the second database and the first set of query results using the modified second data abstraction model.

Abstract: A method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on a particular logical field selected via a database query interface. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields that each correspond to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input of a discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and a web service output of the discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. A modified database query interface includes a text entry element to receive a text search term and a first selectable input associated with the first discovered web service.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a selection of a logical field of a data abstraction model. The method includes determining model entries (e.g., concepts) associated with the selected logical field and examining the data abstraction model to determine other model entries that are equal to the model entries associated with the selected logical field. For each equal model entry, the method includes determining web services to be used in performing a search, where the web services are determined by querying a discovery registry associated with the data abstraction model to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on the selected logical field. A first discovered web service is executed with user supplied criteria provided via a user interface to obtain a list of values. A condition is created that limits acceptable values associated with the selected logical field based on the user supplied criteria.

Abstract: The present invention generally is directed to methods, articles of manufacture and systems for automatically generating abstract representations of a limited subset of data repository fields accessed by a particular application. The limited subset of fields may be identified by monitoring queries issued against the data repository by the application. The abstract representations may be grouped in a data repository abstraction (DRA) component that serves as a data definition framework allowing data from the fields to be accessed independent of the particular in which the data is physically represented in the data repository. By limiting the fields exposed to the application to the limited subset of fields actually accessed by the application, the DRA component, in effect, provides the application with a custom database tailored to its particular needs.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for helping users determine the “best” places to use and acquire inventory objects within a virtual environment, as well as to notify users of useful inventory items when an avatar is at a particular location in the virtual environment. An object index may be used to store data describing attributes of virtual objects, and a user index may be used to store data describing interactions users engage in with virtual objects.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for processing abstract rules with query results having rows with multiple data values per column. In general, value fields are created to store the multiple data values of each attribute contained in each row of the query results. The abstract rule is transformed, resulting in a single executable rule corresponding to each row of the query results. Each executable rule references the value fields created to store the multiple data values. Each executable rule is then processed, utilizing the value fields of the corresponding row as rule inputs.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface. The method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on the particular logical field. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, where each logical field corresponds to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input and a web service output of a particular discovered web service are associated with logical fields of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. The method further includes initiating execution of a discovered web service that returns a list of values. The list of values obtained by the discovered web service may be augmented with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, where the field relationship metadata corresponds to the list of values.

Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture for accessing data in a database independent of the particular manner in which the data is physically represented and for preventing alterations of data in the database when a query is executed against the database are provided. One embodiment provides a method of preventing alterations of data in a database when a query is executed against the database. The method includes providing a logical representation of the data defining a plurality of logical fields abstractly describing associated physical entities of the data; receiving an abstract query comprising at least one logical field of the plurality of logical fields; and locking the at least one logical field before executing the abstract query.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product are provided for using watermarks to embed security features on avatars in a virtual world. A watermark engine receives security information for an avatar in a virtual world. The watermark engine creates a watermark for the avatar using the security information and associates the watermark with the avatar. The watermark may comprise at least one of: security preferences for the avatar, contact information for an owner of the avatar, and graphical information to cause alteration of the avatar when the avatar is recorded.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface. The method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services. A web service input and a web service output of a particular discovered web service are associated with logical fields of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. The method further includes initiating execution of a discovered web service that returns a list of values. The list of values obtained by the discovered web service may be augmented with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model.

Abstract: A method and system for integrating a physical query statement in a data abstraction model comprising a plurality of logical fields are provided. The method involves receiving the physical query statement and parsing the physical query statement to provide physical fields. The next step is determining whether the physical fields can be directly mapped to logical fields in the data abstraction model to yield a first determination result. Following this step, if at least one first physical field cannot be directly mapped to logical fields in the data abstraction model, then the next step is determining whether the first physical field can be determined from fields in the data abstraction model to yield a second determination result. Finally, the method involves providing a representation of the first determination result and a representation of the second determination result.

Abstract: Techniques for incorportating query results into an abstract database are described. Embodiments receive a first set of query results produced by executing a first abstract query using a first data abstraction model against a first database. One or more mappings between the first set of query results and one or more logical fields in a second data abstraction model are then determined, where the second data abstraction model models underlying physical data in a manner making a schema of the physical data transparent to a user of the second data abstraction model. Embodiments modify one or more logical field definitions to reference the first set of query results using the determined one or more mappings, such that abstract queries can be executed against both the second database and the first set of query results using the modified second data abstraction model.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for composing and executing queries using filtered fields. In one embodiment, a query may be composed with compatible fields, meaning filtered fields that store related data of a particular data type. Such compatible fields may be combined into a single query condition, thus simplifying the composition and execution of the query. In one embodiment, fields may be identified as compatible based on metadata included in a database abstraction model.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture and apparatus for decomposing an initial query into smaller conditional groups for execution on a database is disclosed. A separate database query may be generated for each of the conditional groups, and the results of executing these separate database queries may be combined and returned as the result of the initial query. Typically, the initial query may be decomposed because it is otherwise too large and/or too complex to be executed directly.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture for managing query results and, more particularly, for sorting data records contained in a query result obtained in response to execution of a query against a database. In one embodiment, the data records in the query result are sorted on the basis of related information which is retrieved from a corresponding data source. In another embodiment, the sorting is performed on the basis of a value variance which is determined for each of the data records in the query result. In still another embodiment, the sorting is performed on the basis of a requested value range coverage. In yet another embodiment, the sorting is performed on the basis of suitability scores which are determined with respect to analysis routines which are configured for processing the query result.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally related to data processing, and more specifically to retrieving results for a query from one or more devices coupled to a network. A first device may receive an abstract query including logical fields defined by a first data abstraction model and retrieve query results stored in the first device. The query may be sent to one or more other devices via the network. The one or more other devices may be configured to convert the abstract query to local abstract queries including logical fields defined in local data abstraction models. The local queries may be issued against local databases to retrieve additional results for the query.

Abstract: Techniques are described for creating a first data abstraction model for a first database. Embodiments analyze the first database to determine a first set of structural characteristics, and analyze a second database to determine a second set of structural characteristics. The analyzed second database is associated with a second data abstraction model. The first set of structural characteristics is compared with the second set of structural characteristics to identify one or more similarities between the two sets of structural characteristics. Embodiments then create the first data abstraction model for the first database, based on the identified similarities and the second data abstraction model.