Design and Representation of Multidimensional Models with UML and XML Technologies

Abstract

Data warehouses (DW), multidimensional databases (MDB), and OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP) applications are based on the Multidimensional (MD) modeling. Most of these applications provide their own MD models to represent main MD properties, thereby making the design totally dependent of the target commercial application. In this chapter, we present how the Unified Modeling Language (UML) can be successfully used to abstract the representation of MD properties at the conceptual level. Then, from this conceptual model, we generate its corresponding implementation into any market OLAP tool. In our approach, the structure of the system is specified by means of a UML class diagram that considers main properties of MD modeling. If the system to be modeled is too complex, we describe how to use the package grouping mechanism provided by the UML to simplify the final model. To facilitate the interchange of conceptual MD models, we provide an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Schema which allows us to represent the same MD modeling properties that can be considered by using our approach. From this XML Schema, we can directly generate valid XML documents that represent MD models at the conceptual level. Finally, we provide different presentations of the MD models by means of eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT).