/ Subhash Bhalla / Associate Professor
Existing research activity in the area of database systems aims to capture a wide variety of applications into the fold of DBMS (Database Management System) technology. This is due to improved understanding of information extracted from databases by the usage of advanced DBMS techniques. The DBMSs currently use visual representations within new interfaces to manage large volumes of data, and also to manage data that may have complex features associated with its structure. In addition to complexity in features, such as multiple attributed data, wave-forms and multi-dimensional orientation, many new types of raw data are emerging that need to be captured by DBMSs for the purpose of information extraction. Among these, the image data and video image data are two important forms of data and many research efforts are being made to make suitable DBMS architectures for image and multimedia databases.
In order to provide flexibility in terms of data representation, the databases need the support of powerful data-modeling techniques. Most of the advances in techniques concentrate on capturing more meaning within data that is made resident on a computer system. Within this framework, a number of researchers are actively developing improved data management strategies.
On the implementation side, existing database systems consist of many layers of software within a DBMS ( Database Management System). These layers are mostly independent of each other. The layers are prepared to meet a specific function, such as parallel accesses or transaction commit. These impose many delays and processing constraints. In addition to this fact, at many times the software architecture is an old design, because software systems are slower to develop as compared to hardware design changes. Therefore, the DBMS architectures are based on inefficient design techniques, in many cases. Due to these two factors, many design bottlenecks exist that lead to lower level of performance of database systems, especially when dealing with many new database applications, concerning with industrial applications.
A new set of performance factors are important in new time-critical applications such as in Mobile databases for electronic commerce, and Multimedia applications using Real-time databases, in process and manufacturing industries. Thus, our aim is to reduce the worst time estimates and increase dependability of computation within a specified unit of time. Many research efforts are being made to develop capabilities within the next generation software systems that need to support time-critical transactions. This provides a challenging area for study in many domains of activity. These include :
A high level of reliability of operations is also neccesary within these systems to ensure quick response in case of failure. Thus, the activity of performance evaluation of transaction processing systems is an important area that provides improved understanding of systems. This facilitates improved integration and refinement in technique. The Database Systems Laboratory has research activity concentrating on data modeling as well as transaction processing activity. A brief outline of the ongoing projects is given below.
Information Processing Systems of future will be a combination of integrated components. There will be components for intelligent problem solving, or decision making, components for specialized data processing (e.g., image enhancers), and components for shared information management. The applications will utilize a shared base of information. The examples of some of the application domains are business automation, industrial automation, computer-aided design and manufacture, and cartography. Under the "Data Modeling for Complex Objects" the new approaches for representing such objects are being explored. Among these relation of graphics and databases is being studied.
One of the new challenging area of interest in transaction management is that of Real-time database systems in which transactions have time constraint. Within the new environment, the database management system must support a mix of ordinary as well as real-time transactions. The transaction support must also be highly reliable and fast. Traditional approaches to transaction management introduce elements of unpredictable delays during transaction processing. Thus, making these not suitable for adoption in new application environments. Many new approaches that are more appropriate for the new environments are being studied. The techniques for time-critical transactions are applicable to Mobile databases and multimedia databases.
Refereed Proceeding Papers
The study of Japanese as a second language is made more difficult by the fact that learning to read is a more time consuming task. The difficulty is compounded by the lack of suitable reference materials. Currently available dictionaries have two major drawbacks: these are not comprehensive enough to serve all users. Also, these do not offer easy and rapid methods of kanji lookup. The dictionary using our ( proposed ) method can take advantage of the virtually unlimited space in electronic media to include all the knaji and kanji compounds.
Our paper presents a qualitative analysis of differences in the way that kanji are perceived by different users of Japanese language. Most non-native users of Japanese dictionaries find it difficult to use these dictionaries, because the data are organized in the conventional way, that is similar to dictionaries for native Japanese users. These present compilations are based on the assumption that each user has sufficient knowledge of the language. However, the non-native users, in particular at the beginner's level, have a number of difficulties concerning the `kanji', and words.
The method of abstract modeling and usage of the model is described in this paper. This leads to detection and development of many cognitive tools. This shown that as a part of the process, a conventional Japanese - English dictionary can be converted as a more convenient tool as a multidimensional database for easier reference. The methods used in the design of the multidimensional database include the use of UNIX software tools, and classical database methods.
Distributed systems depend on consistent global snapshots for process recovery and garbage collection activity. We provide exact conditions for an arbitrary checkpoint based on independent dependency tracking within clusters of nodes. The method permits that nodes (within clusters) can independently compute dependency information based on available ( local ) information. The existing models of global snapshot computations provide the necessary and sufficient conditions. But, these require expensive global computations. The nodes can also compute conditions to make a checkpoint, or conditions, such that a collection of checkpoints, can belong to a global snapshot.
Unrefereed Papers