Patent ID: 7747562
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: storing a dataset to an object store in accordance with an object model via an application programming interface (API), wherein the dataset stores multidimensional data from a data cube; invoking the API to perform a first operation and produce a virtual dataset from the dataset, wherein the virtual dataset is defined as a data cube having dimensionality based upon the first operation without allocation of space to store multidimensional data and without computing and storing reference information for subsequent resolution to the multidimensional data, and wherein the virtual dataset allocates space to store the reference information; storing the virtual dataset to the same object store in accordance with the object model via the API, wherein the API remains consistent by enabling the storage of both the dataset and the virtual dataset to the same object store and in accordance with the same object model; utilizing the virtual dataset in a second operation defined within the API without resolving the virtual dataset to access the multidimensional data of the dataset in response to the second operation; receiving a demand to resolve the virtual dataset via the API; and in response to the demand, resolving the virtual dataset, wherein resolving the virtual dataset includes computing and storing the reference information to the allocated space of the virtual dataset so as to retrieve the multidimensional data of the dataset.