Schema Transformation Techniques for Database Reverse Engineering

Authors: 
Hainaut, JL; Tonneau, C; Joris, M; Chandelon, M
Author: 
Hainaut, J
Tonneau, C
Joris, M
Chandelon, M
Year: 
1993
Venue: 
Proc. of the 12th Int. ER Conf., LNCS
URL: 
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=647515.727009
Citations: 
0
Citations range: 
n/a
AttachmentSize
Hainaut1993SchemaTransformationTechniquesforDatabaseReverse.pdf29.2 KB

The paper presents a DBMS-independent database reverse engineering
(DBRE) methodology based on a generic process model and on
transformation techniques. DBRE is proposed as a two-phase process
consisting in recovering the DBMSdependent data structures (data
structure extraction) then in recovering their semantics (data
structure conceptualization). The second phase, that is strongly
linked with the logical design phase of current database design
methodologies, can be performed by application of a selected set of
standard schema restructuring techniques, or schema transformations.
The paper illustrates the methodology by applying it to various DBRE
processes : removing optimization structures, untranslating
Relational, COBOL, CODASYL, TOTAL/IMAGE and IMS database as well as
file structures, and finally conceptual normalization.