Patent ID: 7536549

Claim:
A method for generating a partially encrypted and compressed database having at least one table composed of a plurality of item name portions and a plurality of item data portions in a multi-dimensional database management system designed to operate with a plurality of a multi-dimensional table databases having a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, said method comprising the steps of: generating encryption setting information identifying where encryption will be performed in particular columns and/or rows of the multi-dimensional table databases; receiving item data elements for writing into corresponding pre-selected item data portions of said at least one table; judging which of said plurality of item data portions require encryption using the encryption setting information; determining which said item data elements are in said plurality of item data portions which require encryption; generating and choosing a key for encrypting said item data elements in item data portions selected for encryption; encrypting said item data elements in said plurality of item data portions with said key thereby generating encrypted item data elements; selecting which of said encrypted item data elements to compress; compressing the selected encrypted item data elements thereby generating encrypted and compressed item data elements; and providing said encrypted and compressed item data elements in said at least one table of said partially encrypted and compressed database.