An Ontology-Based Approach for Exchanging Data Between Heterogeneous Database Systems

This paper presents an approach which allows data exchange between heterogonous databases. It targets at simultaneously semantic and structural heterogeneity. From the semantic point of view, this approach proposes an ontology based approach. On the one hand this ontology can be referenced by universal identifiers and acceded by queries; on the other hand, it can be exchanged between heterogonous databases systems. From the structural point of view, this approach is based on the use of a generic meta-schema, formalised in the EXPRESS language, and allowing the exchange of any instance of any database schema. Exchanged instances reference, as much as needed, the global unique identifiers defined by the ontology. However, the conversion of exchange files to the various target systems can be achieved in a generic manner (e.g. independently of the particular exchanged model). The interest of the EXPRESS language to achieve directly such a program is presented as well.