Integrating relational database schemas using a standardized dictionary

Schema integration requires the resolution of naming, structural, and semantic conflicts. Currently, automatic schema integration is not possible. We propose that integration can be increasingly automated by capturing data semantics using a standardized dictionary. Our integration architecture constructs an integrated view by automatically combining local views defined by independently expressing database semantics in XML documents using only a pre-defined dictionary as a binding between integration sites. The dictionary eliminates naming conflicts and reduces semantic conflicts. Structural conflicts are resolved at query-time by a query processor which translates from the semantic integrated view to structural queries. Thus, the system provides both logical and physical access transparency by mapping user queries on high-level concepts to schema elements in the underlying data sources. The architecture automatically integrates and transparently queries relational data sources, and its application of standardization to the integration problem is unique.