Join minimization in XML-to-SQL translation: an algebraic approach

Consider an XML view defined over a relational database, and a user query specified over this view. This user XML query is typically processed using the following steps: (a) our translator maps the XML query to one or more SQL queries, (b) the relational engine translates an SQL query to a relational algebra plan, (c) the relational engine executes the algebra plan and returns SQL results, and (d) our translator translates the SQL results back to XML. However, a straightforward approach produces a relational algebra plan after step (b) that is inefficient and has redundant joins. In this paper, we report on our preliminary observations with respect to how joins in such a relational algebra plan can be minimized. Our approach works on the relational algebra plan and optimizes it using novel rewrite rules that consider pairs of joins in the plan and determine whether one of them is redundant and hence can be removed. Our study shows that algebraic techniques achieve effective join minimization, and such techniques are useful and can be integrated into mainstream SQL engines.