Future modeling

摘要

A temporal relational database includes a relational database framework that allows for all the capabilities of a standard relational database with the addition of the concept of time. Transactions, which can be modifications of attribute values or changes to the database schema, can be stored with temporal histories. Through the use of these temporal histories, the temporal database is able to seamlessly respond to queries for times that are in the past, present, or future. Furthermore, transactions can be entered into the temporal relational database that are not effective until some point in the future, thus allowing for seamless migration of the data and schema of a database. Applications that access data in a temporal database may retrieve a time appropriate schema from the temporal database. An exemplary use of a temporal database to manage roles and responsibilities within an organization is described.

主权项

1. A method of altering a computer implemented temporal relational database, comprising:
receiving, by a computer system, a transaction by a temporal relational database, the transaction including a change to an entity stored in the database, and further including at least one temporal component indicating a future effective time from which the transaction is to take effect in the database; analyzing, by the computer system, the temporal relational database to determine if entering the transaction into the temporal relational database will result in a violation of at least one temporal constraint; entering, by the computer system, the transaction into the temporal relational database in association with the effective time if entering the transaction will not result in a violation of the at least one temporal constraint; and rejecting, by the computer system, the transaction if entering the transaction will result in a violation of the at least one temporal constraint.