Magdi N. Kamel

Integrated analysis and design of knowledge systems and processes

Although knowledge management has been investigated in the context of decision support and expert systems for over a decade, interest in and attention to this topic have exploded recently. But integration of knowledge process design with knowledge system design is strangely missing from the knowledge management literature and practice. The research described in this chapter focuses on knowledge management and system design from three integrated perspectives: 1 reengineering process innovation, 2 expert systems knowledge acquisition and representation, and 3 information systems analysis and design. Through careful analysis and discussion, we integrate these three perspectives in a systematic manner, beginning with analysis and design of the enterprise process of interest, progressively moving into knowledge capture and formalization, and then system design and implementation. Thus, we develop an integrated approach that covers the gamut of design considerations from the enterprise process in the large, through alternative classes of knowledge in the middle, and on to specific systems in the detail. We show how this integrated methodology is more complete than existing developmental approaches and illustrate the use and utility of the approach through a specific enterprise example, which addresses many factors widely considered important in the knowledge management environment. Using the integrated methodology that we develop and illustrate in this article, the reader can see how to identify, select, compose and integrate the many component applications and technologies required for effective knowledge system and process design.

Heterogeneous databases: proliferations, issues, and solutions

The authors characterize the notion of heterogeneous databases as the inevitable consequence of replacing the traditional data processing practice with modern database management. They articulate the current problems and future issues connected with the great proliferation and overwhelming use of heterogeneous databases and their DBMS (database management systems). They survey available DBMS solutions to these problems and issues. The limitations and advantages of various DBMS solutions are examined. To this end, a taxonomy of DBMS solutions to the problems and issues of heterogeneous databases is presented. Some of the current research and proposals on the heterogeneous-database solutions are discussed in the context of the taxonomy. >

PREPROCESSING AND INTEGRATION OF DATA FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY

The explosive growth in the generation and collection of data has generated an urgent need for a new generation of techniques and tools that can assist in transforming these data intelligently and automatically into useful knowledge. Knowledge discovery is an emerging multidisciplinary field that attempts to fulfill this need. Knowledge discovery is a large process that includes data selection, cleaning, preprocessing, integration, transformation and reduction, data mining, model selection, evaluation and interpretation, and finally consolidation and use of the extracted knowledge. This paper addresses the issues of data cleaning and integration for knowledge discovery by proposing a systematic approach for resolving semantic conflicts that are encountered during the integration of data from multiple sources. Illustrated with examples derived from military databases, the paper presents a heuristics-based algorithm for identifying and resolving semantic conflicts at different levels of information granularity.

Federated database management system: requirements, issues and solutions

Abstract The use of database management systems (DBMS) to replace conventional file processing systems has dramatically increased in the past years. Although the use of DBMSs overcomes many of the limitations of file processing systems, many important applications require access to and integration of information among several and often incompatible DBMSs. In this paper we discuss an approach, known as the federated database approach, that allows users and applications to access and manipulate data across several heterogeneous databases while maintaining their autonomy. We discuss the requirements and objectives of a federated database management system, and outline the major issues and challenges for building and using such a system. In particular, we address the design issues from three angles: transaction management, system architecture, and schema integration. Also, we present a five-step integration methodology followed by a comprehensive example to illustrate the concepts and techniques involved in this integration methodology.

A Framework for Integrating Knowledge Process and System Design

Interest in knowledge management has greatly increased recently. But aside from building an intranet, information systems executives have little guidance on how to develop effective knowledge systems. This article offers an integrated approach that addresses many factors considered important in the knowledge management environment. Using this integrated framework, the reader can see how to identify, select, compose, and integrate the many component applications and technologies required for effective knowledge process and system design.

THE FEDERATED DATABASES AND SYSTEM: A NEW GENERATION OF ADVANCED DATABASE SYSTEMS

The presence of large numbers of heterogeneous databases in a given organization is prompted by the replacement of traditional data processing with modern database management systems (DBMS) for traditional applications, such as record keeping, product assemblies and inventory control, as well as for new applications, such as expert-system support, design automation and manufacturing engineering. These heterogeneous databases form a federation in the organization due to the desire to facilitate data sharing and resource consolidation while maintaining the local autonomy of individual databases, which are dictated by their particular security requirements, integrity constraints and application specificities. This paper outlines an architecture for the federated databases, based on the multimodel, multilingual, and multibackend approach, that facilitates data sharing and resource consolidation in a heterogeneous database environment without compromising the autonomy of individual databases.

The multimodel, multilingual approach to interoperability of multidatabase systems

Overviews the architecture of a new kind of database management system (DBMS) that facilitates data sharing and resource consolidation in heterogeneous database environments without compromising the autonomy of the individual databases. The architecture of the DBMS is based on the multimodel multilingual approach.<<ETX>>

A prototype rule-based front end expert system for integrity enforcement in relational data bases: An application to the naval aircraft flight records data base

Abstract An important goal of any data base system is to model the real world accurately in a manner consistent with the users perception of the data. One way to accomplish the accuracy of information in relational data bases is through the enforcement of integrity constraints that represent rules pertaining to the organization. Unfortunately, most DBMSs today do not provide adequate integrity features to ensure the accuracy of data in their databases. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a prototype rule-based front end expert system for integrity enforcement for the Naval Aircraft Flight Record relational data base. The expert system includes a set of rules that define (a) the update operation that triggers the testing of an integrity rule, (b) a specification of the condition to be tested, and (c) the action to be taken in case of attempted violation. These rules are stored in a knowledge base, which the inference engine of the expert system uses to enforce data base integrity.

The federated database management system: an architecture of distributed systems for the 90's

Many important applications require integration of information among several, often incompatible, database management systems. The authors discuss an approach, known as the federated database approach, that allows users and applications to access data across several heterogeneous databases while maintaining their autonomy. The authors discuss the requirements and objectives of federated database management system and outline the major issues and challenges for building and using such a system. In particular, they address the design issues from three angles: transaction processing, system architecture, and schema integration. Also, a five-step integration methodology, followed by a comprehensive example to illustrate the concepts and techniques involved in this integration methodology, is presented.<<ETX>>

An approach for building an integrated environment for molecular biology databases

The requirements of a traditional integration of databases include hiding the heterogeneity among its member databases, preserving their autonomy, supporting controlled data sharing, and providing a user-friendly interface, with a performance comparable to that of a homogeneous distributed database system. In this paper, we describe a variation of the loosely coupled federated database approach that satisfies these requirements and is specifically oriented toward the special characteristics and needs of molecular biology databases. The approach differs from the traditional federated database approach in that it also integrates software tools together with the databases. In addition, the system gives the graphical user interface a more central role in the integration. Thus, the system has all the advantages provided by a visual user environment and is thus more user-friendly than traditional linguistic approaches. The paper also includes a description of XBio, a system which constructs such an integration. The design of XBio ensures robustness and can be customized to the needs of different classes of users.