TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of data storage, and more particularly to data storage solutions for managing dynamic metadata.

BACKGROUND

Metadata is data that describes and gives information about other data. In the data storage context, metadata often describes the attributes that are applicable to, or available for, certain objects. Many database systems support formal metadata definition languages, such as structured query language (SQL) or other data definition languages (DDLs). Database level metadata updates can be risky, however, if appropriate controls are not enforced, and slow to propagate.

Business processes often require information storage systems that can retrieve, process, enter, and modify various attributes for a variety of types of objects. In order for information storage systems to process new types of information, it is often necessary to add code to the system to enable that processing. Relational database management systems (RDBMSs) can enforce data consistency and integrity through the structure of physical database schemas. This can enable some automatic code generation and modification.

RDBMSs have drawbacks that can make it difficult for them to perform effectively in large and complex data storage environments where big data support is desired. For example, RDBMSs can be too slow and too inflexible to support real-time and near real-time performance requirements of Internet or other product applications. Various key-value, tuple, object-oriented, and wide-column data stores can be better optimized to run in distributed or clustered environments at the price of strong integrity checking within the database system itself. Data management is therefore often relegated to higher level middleware, or user interface code, such that the addition of a new product attribute might require software developers to modify user interface, middleware, and database layers of a system to handle it appropriately. This can be especially problematic in large retail organizations, where information regarding products, suppliers, package quantities, and compliance must be tracked and managed, and many attribute changes are expected.

What is needed in the industry, therefore, are systems and methods for managing and propagating dynamic attribute updates.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a data storage platform comprising systems and methods for attribute management related to a key-attribute-value data store. The data storage system can dynamically expand a data store's capacity to process new information, and therefore significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of the system, the time taken to implement new functionality, and the traditional dependence on information technology resources to enable the system to process new types of information.

In embodiments, a data storage system can comprise an attribute repository, object definition repository, object repository, an attribute retrieval interface, and an attribute value repository.

The attribute repository can store a plurality of classifications, and each classification can comprise one or more attributes. The object definition repository can store a plurality of object definitions. Each object definition can be associated with one or more classifications. The object repository can store a plurality of objects. Each object can be associated with an object definition.

The attribute retrieval interface can be configured to provide a set of valid, relevant, or available attributes for a given classification, object definition, or object. The attribute-value repository can store a plurality of values, which are each associated with an object, and an attribute that is within the set of available attributes for the object. Retrieval and update of values for an object can be performed within the attribute value repository.

In embodiments, hierarchical relationships can exist between classifications, object definitions, and/or objects. The attribute repository can comprise one or more classification relationships, each classification relationship associating a child classification with a parent classification. The object definition repository can comprise one or more object definition relationships, each object definition relationship associating a child object definition with a parent object definition. The object repository can comprise one or more object relationships, each object relationship associating a child object with a parent object.

In embodiments, the attribute retrieval interface can use the relationship to provide the set of available attributes. For example, the attribute retrieval interface can be further configured to include the set of available attributes for a parent classification associated with a classification in the set of available attributes for the classification. The attribute retrieval interface can be further configured to include the set of available attributes for a parent object definition associated with an object definition in the set of available attributes for the object definition. The attribute retrieval interface can be further configured to include the set of available attributes for a parent object associated with an object in the set of available attributes for the object.

In embodiments, the data storage system can include a dynamic form builder. The dynamic form builder can be configured to create or modify an object by receiving an object definition (or identification), generating one or more user interface elements enabling a user to input a data value corresponding to each available attribute of the set of available attributes for the object definition, storing an object in the object repository corresponding to the object definition, and storing the input data values corresponding to each available attribute associated with the object in the attribute value repository.

In embodiments, the dynamic form builder can also be configured to create one or more child objects for an object by retrieving one or more child object definitions for the object, each child object definition having the object definition for the object as an associated parent definition, generating one or more user interface elements enabling the user to select one of the one or more child object definitions, and creating a new object based on the selected child object definition.

In embodiments, the data storage system can be configured for use as a product information system. For example, at least one of the plurality of object definitions can be an item definition, and at least one of the plurality of object definitions can be trade item definition. At least one of the one or more object definition relationships can associate the item definition with the trade item definition such that the item definition is the parent definition of the trade item definition, and the trade item definition can be associated with a classification having a package type attribute and a package quantity attribute.

In addition, at least one of the plurality of object definitions can be a supply item definition, and at least one of the one or more object definition relationships can associate the item definition with the supply item definition such that the item definition is the parent definition of the supply item definition, and the supply item definition can be associated with a classification having a supplier attribute and a store identification attribute.

In embodiments, each attribute can comprise one or more constraints, each having a constraint type that can be selected from the group including: valid value constraints, minimum value constraints, maximum value constraints, and user-defined expression constraints. In embodiments, a data validator can be configured to verify that a value is compliant with the constraints for the associated attribute.

In embodiments, each of the plurality of values can have a composite key comprising data elements identifying the associated object and the parent object of the associated object. In embodiments, where the attribute value repository comprises a plurality of data storage systems, values can be partitioned based on the composite key of each of the plurality of values.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the subject matter hereof. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments.

