Evaluation of Data Integration Plans based on Graph Data

Abstract

In data management, new data storage models and technologies are gradually adopted, including graph-based data models that have been enabled by technologies such as RDF, GraphQL and LPG. These are particularly fit when dealing with the coexistence of multitude and heterogeneous data sources that require an integration architecture in a data-centric organization due to intrinsic data connectedness. Two prominent approaches are distinguished in our study: (1) embracing a unifying graph format, where, following a series of transformations, all data sources are lifted to a common format in a consolidated graph repository, (2) creating a mediator tier where legacy data sources hold their data but are accessed through a virtual graph integration layer. Each approach comes with a specific way to query data and a plethora of query languages were created for this purpose. In the context of a data integration project we investigated two approaches to data retrieval and data modeling that have gained momentum during recent years: RDF graphs holding data lifted from non-graph data sources and GraphQL acting as a proxy for retrieving virtually connected data from heterogeneous sources. The paper reports on comparative experiments with technological instantiations of the two approaches, which can inform further IT strategies in an institutional project advocating a migration from app-centricity towards data connectedness.