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International Conference on Conceptual Modeling

ER 1999: Advances in Conceptual Modeling pp 173–185Cite as

Relational Database Reverse Engineering

Elicitation of Generalization Hierarchies

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1727))

Abstract

This paper describes a method aiming at the extraction of generalization/specialization hierarchies contained in a relational database. This reverse engineering approach takes advantage of two major characteristies: first, we use DDL and DML specifications as well as data in a combined way, secondly, we provide not only generalization/specialization hierarchies but also integrity constraints allowing us to elicit the generalization/specialization links hidden in the structures and instances of the database. The result of the process consists of an enriched conceptual representation of the relational database. This approach is mainly based on heuristics. The heuristic rules map a relational meta-model onto a conceptual one. They are divided into three categories: semantics suspicion rules, reinforcement rules and confirmation rules. We illustrate our approach using a fairly complex example. Some extensions are discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEDRIC lab, CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers), 292 Rue Saint Martin, 75141, PARIS Cedex 03, France

    Jacky Akoka

  2. ESSEC (Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) & PRiSM lab, Université de VersaillesAv. B. Hirsch, 95021, CERGY Cedex, France

    Isabelle Comyn-Wattiau

  3. CEDRIC lab, CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers), France

    Nadira Lammari

  4. INT (Institut National des Télécommunications), France

    Jacky Akoka

Authors
  1. Jacky Akoka
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  2. Isabelle Comyn-Wattiau
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  3. Nadira Lammari
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Louisiana State University, 298 Coates Hall, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Peter P. Chen

  2. Department of Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA

    David W. Embley

  3. INSA-LISI, 20 Avenue Albert Einstein, F-69621, Villeurbanne Cedex, France

    Jacques Kouloumdjian

  4. Marriott School of Management, Brigham Young University, P.O. Box 23087, Provo, UT, 84602-3087, USA

    Stephen W. Liddle

  5. School of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, 5095, South Australia

    John F. Roddick

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Akoka, J., Comyn-Wattiau, I., Lammari, N. (1999). Relational Database Reverse Engineering. In: Chen, P.P., Embley, D.W., Kouloumdjian, J., Liddle, S.W., Roddick, J.F. (eds) Advances in Conceptual Modeling. ER 1999. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1727. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48054-4_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48054-4_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-66653-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48054-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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