March 6, 2007

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Level: Advanced

In information systems modeling, the business domain being modeled often exhibits subtyping aspects that can prove challenging to implement in either relational databases or object-oriented code. In practice, some of these aspects are often handled incorrectly or inefficiently. This presentation identifies a number of subtyping issues that require special attention, and shows how to model them conceptually, and then map them to both relational and class structures for implementation. To cater for different preferences in modeling approaches, the examples will be portrayed using Object-Role Modeling, Entity Relationship, and UML notations, as well as textual languages for rule verbalization.

The main topics discussed are:

• Quick Review of Basic Subtyping Principles
• Subtyping Constraints beyond Disjoint and Complete Restrictions
• Asserted, Fully-derived, and Semi-derived Subtypes
• Role Subtypes vs Sortals
• Mapping Subtyping to Relational Databases
• Mapping Subtyping to Class Structures (OO code)
  

Dr. Terry Halpin, BSc, DipEd, BA, MLitStud, PhD, is Distinguished Professor and Vice President (Conceptual Modeling) at Neumont University. After many years in academia, he worked on data modeling technology at Asymetrix Corporation, InfoModelers Inc., Visio Corporation, and Microsoft Corporation, before returning to academia to develop data models and curricula to facilitate application development using a business rules approach to informatics. His research focuses on conceptual modeling and conceptual query technology. His doctoral thesis formalized Object-Role Modeling (ORM/NIAM). He has authored over 130 technical publications and five books, including Information Modeling and Relational Databases and Database Modeling with Microsoft Visio for Enterprise Architects, and has co-edited three books on research issues in information systems modeling. He is a member of IFIP WG 8.1 (Information Systems) and several academic program committees, is an editor or reviewer for several academic journals, and has presented seminars and tutorials at dozens of international conferences.