Patent ID: 7299237

Claim:
A machine-implemented method, comprising: determining that a set of source data, which conforms to a source schema, is to be converted to a set of target data, which conforms to a target schema, wherein the source schema is different from the target schema; automatically determining, based on a mapping data structure, a plurality of conversion mechanisms that can be invoked in succession to convert the set of source data to the set of target data, the plurality of conversion mechanisms comprising: (a) an initial set of one or more conversion mechanisms that can be invoked in succession to convert the set of source data to a final set of intermediate data, the final set of intermediate data conforming to a final intermediate schema, which is different from the source and target schemas; and (b) a final conversion mechanism that converts the final set of intermediate data to the set of target data; invoking the plurality of conversion mechanisms in succession to convert the set of source data to the set of target data; and storing the set of target data; wherein the mapping data structure indicates, for each particular conversion mechanism of the plurality of conversion mechanisms, at least one schema pair that indicates that said particular conversion mechanism converts (1) data that conforms to a first schema indicated in said pair into (2) data that conforms to a second schema indicated in said pair.