Extracting a largest redundancy-free XML storage structure from an acyclic hypergraph in polynomial time

Given a hypergraph and a set of embedded functional dependencies, we investigate the problem of determining the conditions under which we can efficiently generate redundancy-free XML storage structures with as few scheme trees as possible. Redundancy-free XML structures guarantee both economy in storage space and the absence of update anomalies, and having the least number of scheme trees requires the fewest number of joins to navigate among the data elements. We know that the general problem is intractable. The problem may still be intractable even when the hypergraph is acyclic and each hyperedge is in Boyce–Codd normal form (BCNF). As we show here, however, given an acyclic hypergraph with each hyperedge in BCNF, a polynomial-time algorithm exists that generates a largest possible redundancy-free XML storage structure. Successively generating largest possible scheme trees from among hyperedges not already included in generated scheme trees constitutes a reasonable heuristic for finding the fewest possible scheme trees. For many practical cases, this heuristic finds the set of redundancy-free XML storage structures with the fewest number of scheme trees. In addition to a correctness proof and a complexity analysis showing that the algorithm is polynomial, we also give experimental results over randomly generated but appropriately constrained hypergraphs showing empirically that the algorithm is indeed polynomial.     

Semantic foundations of 4NF in relational database design

The issue of providing a formal justification for the use of fourth normal form (4NF) in relational database design is investigated. The motivation and formal definitions for three goals of database design are presented. These goals are the elimination of: redundancy, key-based update anomalies and fact-based replacement anomalies. It is then shown that, depending on the type of constraints permitted, either Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF) or 4NF are the exact conditions needed to ensure most of the design goals. However, it is also shown that the conditions required to ensure the absence of a particular class of key-based update anomaly are new normal forms which have not previously been identified. In particular, for the case where the only constraints are functional dependencies (FDs), it is shown that the required normal form is a new normal form that is stronger than third normal form (3NF) yet weaker than BCNF. Similarly, in the more general case where both FD and multivalued dependencies (MVDs) are present, the required normal form is a new normal form that is weaker than 4NF. Received: 7 July 1995 / 28 December 1998     

Losslessness and project-join constructibility in relational databases

Summary Checking a database scheme for the lossless join property with respect to a set, M, of multivalued dependencies (MVDs) is NP-hard. We prove that, for a class of MVDs that includes the set of projected full MVDs, this check can be performed in polynomial time. Even with a lossless database scheme and a consistent database, joining the set of relations in the database can take time and space that is exponential in the size of the relation finally obtained. Joining the set of relations of such a database can be performed in polynomial time if the database scheme is project-join constructible with respect to M. We prove that project-join constructibility, a stricter condition than the lossless join property, can be detected in a database scheme in polynomial time.     

Propagating XML constraints to relations

We present a technique for refining the design of relational storage for XML data. The technique is based on XML key propagation: given a set of keys on XML data and a mapping (transformation) from the XML data to relations, what functional dependencies must hold on the relations produced by the mapping? With the functional dependencies one can then convert the relational design into, e.g. 3NF, BCNF, and thus develop efficient relational storage for XML data. We provide several algorithms for computing XML key propagation. One algorithm is to check whether a functional dependency is propagated from a set of XML keys via a predefined mapping; this allows one to determine whether or not the relational design is in a normal form. The others are to compute a minimum cover for all functional dependencies that are propagated from a set of XML keys and hold on a universal relation; these provide guidance for how to design a relational schema for storing XML data. These algorithms show that XML key propagation and its associated minimum cover can be computed in polynomial time. Our experimental results verify that these algorithms are efficient in practice. We also investigate the complexity of propagating other XML constraints to relations. The ability to compute XML key propagation is a first step toward establishing a connection between XML data and its relational representation at the semantic level.     

一个BCNF的多项式时间判定算法

文中指出了文献「１」中对ＢＣＮＦ判定问题证明过程的错之处，通过分析属于ＢＣＮＦ的关系模式的结构特点，给出了一个判定关系模式否属于ＢＮＣＦ的多项式时间算法。     

Functional dependencies among Boolean dependencies

In this paper, we consider functional dependencies among Boolean dependencies (BDs, for short). Armstrong relations are defined for BDs (called BD-Armstrong relations). For BDs, two necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of BD-Armstrong relations are given. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of Armstrong relations for functional dependencies (FDs, for short) is given, which in some sense is more convenient than the condition given in [3]. We give an algorithm that solves the problem of deciding if two BDs imply the same set of functional dependencies. If the BDs are given in perfect disjunctive normal form, then the algorithm requires only polynomial time. Although Mannila and Räihä have shown that for some relations exponential time is needed for computing any cover of the set of FDs defined in this relation, as a consequence, we show that the problem of deciding if two relations satisfy the same set of FDs can be solved in polynomial time. Another consequence is a new correspondence of the families of functional dependencies to the families of Sperner systems. By this correspondence, the estimate of the number of databases given previously in [6] is improved. It is shown that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the closure of the FDs that hold in a BD and its so-calledbasic cover. As applications of basic covers, we obtain a representation of a key, the family of minimal keys and a representation of canonical covers.This research was supported by the Hungarian Foundation for Scientific Research, Grant Nos. OTKA 2575, 2149.     

Weakly independent database schemes

Independent database schemes are best known to have constraints enforced globally by enforcing them locally in individual relations, and therefore are highly desirable in an updates-busy and distributed environment. However, independence excludes all database schemes with interrelational functional dependencies and therefore is too strong a condition. In this paper, a natural generalization of independent schemes along this line, called weakly independent schemes, is defined. A database scheme is weakly independent with respect to a set of embedded functional dependencies if the constraints can be enforced globally by enforcing local as well as interrelational functional dependencies. (a) A characterization of the weak independence and an exponential time test (in the number of functional dependencies) are presented. (b) Two polynomial time conditions are also presented, one is necessary and the other is sufficient for a database scheme to be weakly independent. (c) It is shown that a certain acyclicity of the database scheme implies weak independence. Extension to the case of embedded functional dependencies plus the join dependency is also considered. Received: 18 July 1991 / 28 September 1995     

关系模式规范化算法理论的分析应用

从关系模式规范化的算法理论中的四点要求出发,分析关系模式规范化理论中如何将关系模式规范到3NF或者BCNF,同时检查分解是否具有无损连接性．提出规范到3NF算法和BCNF算法、分解具有无损连接性的判断方法,并且列举实例加以说明。     

Micro: A normalization tool for relational database designers

Normalization is a major task in relational database design. Although normalization algorithms have been developed, very few commercial design tools are available to assist the normalization satisfactorily. In this paper, we present a prototype system Micro for automatic normalization. We have developed a simple algorithm for 2NF normalization, and used the abstract algorithms reported in the literature for 3NF and BCNF normalization. We employ efficient data structures on functional dependencies and relation schemes to improve the performance of these algorithms. Micro enforces a certain fixed order among functional dependencies to deal with the non-deterministic feature that is associated with the original algorithms. Micro provides a windowing user interface through which the database designer can specify functional dependencies easily and generate real normalized tables. Through Micro, we wish to demonstrate that the automation of normalization is practical.     

偏序环境下时态数据库中的TBCNF分解问题研究*

针对偏序时态数据库进行研究,提出了非严格偏序时态类型集、偏序时态模块模式、偏序TFD集的模式投影、偏序时态模块投影和偏序时态BC范式等概念,并给出了避免时态类型间复杂操作的偏序时态BC范式的分解算法,对其正确性、可终止性进行了证明,并对算法的时间复杂度进行了分析。为偏序时态数据库的规范化设计奠定了基础。     

全序时态模块模式的TO_TBCNF分解问题研究

时间粒度是所有时态数据所拥有的共同特点。在许多时态数据库应用中,都涉及多时间粒度约束,但是,具有多时间粒度的时态数据库的设计相当复杂,难以实现。而现实世界中的许多应用涉及到的时态类型集都能满足全序关系,由于具有全序时态类型集的全序时态模块模式有着良好的特性,文章提出了全序时态模块模式、时刻关系模式、全序时态模块投影和全序时态BC范式（TO_TBCNF）等概念,并给出了全序时态BC范式的分解算法,对其正确性、可终止性进行了证明,并对时间复杂度进行了分析。     

A New Approach to Database Auto-Design by Logic

The database auto-design is an important problem in database research.In this paper we propose some new ideas and an approach called “logic approach” to implement the database auto-design.Given a relational scheme and a set of the functional dependencies for the relation we can obtain all of the functional dependencies and key for the relation and determine the normal form the relation satisfies.     

Discovering branching and fractional dependencies in databases

The discovery of dependencies between attributes in databases is an important problem in data mining, and can be applied to facilitate future decision-making. In the present paper some properties of the branching dependencies are examined. We define a minimal branching dependency and we propose an algorithm for finding all minimal branching dependencies between a given set of attributes and a given attribute in a relation of a database. Our examination of the branching dependencies is motivated by their application in a database storing realized sales of products. For example, finding out that arbitrary p products have totally attracted at most q new users can prove to be crucial in supporting the decision making.In addition, we also consider the fractional and the fractional branching dependencies. Some properties of these dependencies are examined. An algorithm for finding all fractional dependencies between a given set of attributes and a given attribute in a database relation is proposed. We examine the general case of an arbitrary relation, as well as a particular case where the problem of discovering the fractional dependencies is considerably simplified.     

一个多时间粒度下时态模式的T3NF分解算法

对于时态数据库，时间维的引入使得如何有效地进行数据库设计以消除数据冗余和插入、删除异常显得尤为重要．可以通过支持多时间粒度的时态函数依赖（TFDs）约束对时态数模式进行规范化．但是多时间粒度的使用给数据库设计带来巨大的复杂性．一般来说，系统所能处理的和相当多的应用所涉及到的时态类型集满足全序关系．对于这种具有全序时态类型集的时态模式，通过分析TFD臬所具有的良好特性，给出了一个得到满足时态第三范式（T3NF）的无损分解的多项式时间的算法．     

A parallel algorithm for relational database normalization

The problem of database normalization in a parallel environment is examined. Generating relation schemes in third normal form is straightforward when given a set of functional dependencies that is a reduced cover. It is shown that a reduced cover for a set of functional dependencies can be produced in parallel. The correctness of the algorithm is based on two important theorems. it is demonstrated that the companion third normal form algorithm can be easily translated into a parallel version. The performance of the two algorithms is compared to the performance of their serial counterparts. The standard serial algorithms for computing minimal covers and synthesizing third normal form relations are presented. The parallel algorithms and their rationale are discussed     

Testing a dependency-preserving decomposition for losslessness

It is shown that when a decomposition of a relation scheme preserves the associated set of functional dependencies, the problem of testing the decomposition for the lossless join property reduces to the problem of computing the closures of the relation schemes in the decomposition. As a consequence of this result an efficient algorithm for losslessness is proposed.     

A comparative study of various nested normal forms

As object-relational databases (ORDBs) become popular in the industry, it is important for database designers to produce database schemes with good properties in these new kinds of databases. One distinguishing feature of an ORDB is that its tables may not be in first normal form. Hence, ORDBs may contain nested relations along with other collection types. To help the design process of an ORDB, several normal forms for nested relations have recently been defined, and some of them are called nested normal forms. In this paper, we investigate four nested normal forms, which are NNF [20], NNF [21], NNF [23], and NNF [25], with respect to generalizing 4NF and BCNF, reducing redundant data values, and design flexibility. Another major contribution of this paper is that we provide an improved algorithm that generates nested relation schemes in NNF [20] from an a-acyclic database scheme, which is the most general type of acyclic database schemes. After presenting the algorithm for NNF [20], the algorithms of all of the four nested normal forms and the nested database schemes that they generate are compared. We discovered that when the given set of MVDs is not conflict-free, NNF [20] is inferior to the other three nested normal forms in reducing redundant data values. However, in all of the other cases considered in this paper, NNF [20] is at least as good as all of the other three nested normal forms     

On the complexity of finding bounds for projection cardinalities in relational databases

We address the problem of deriving lower and upper bounds for the cardinality of the projections of a database relation, given a set of functional dependencies on the relation schema and measures of the cardinalities of the attributes in the schema. It is shown that deciding whether a given number is the least upper bound of a projection cardinality is an NP-complete problem, whereas determining whether the greatest lower bound and the least upper bound coincide can be easily solved in linear time.     

NF-NR: A practical normal form for nested relations

We propose a normal form for nested relations, called NF-NR, which removes undesirable anomalies from a nested relational database schema. Both functional dependencies and multivalued dependencies are considered. NF-NR reduces to 3NF/4NF if the nested relation considered is actually a flat relation. Especially, NF-NR removes global redundancies among a set of nested relations. Two approaches to NF-NR database design, namely the restructuring rules approach and the ER approach, are discussed. We relate NF-NR to ER-NF, a normal form of ER defined earlier, by defining a simple mapping from an ERD in ER-NF to a set of nested relations in NF-NR. This approach effectively removes ambiguitics and redundancies on a semantic level and hence gives a set of nested relations with clean semantics and yet in good normal form. A set of desirable properties for any normal form for nested relations are described and an evaluation of several existing normal forms is given based on this set of properties. The evaluation shows that NF-NR improves over previously proposed normal forms in various aspects and is a more practical normal form for nested relations.