System and method for multiple pass cooperative processing

1. A computer-based system for collaborative processing, comprising:

a controlling module operating on computer hardware with access to at least one relational database capable of performing a first set of functions on the data in the database and at least one external analytical engine, the external analytical engine being external to the relational database and being capable of a second set of functions on the data in the database;

wherein the controlling module performs the following steps:

receiving a request to generate a report based on data in the relational database, the request including at least one multi-step calculation to be performed on data in the relational database;

querying first data in the relational database to resolve a first step of the multi-step calculation;

passing data generated by the querying act to the external analytical engine, wherein the external analytical engine is directed to perform at least one operation on the data;

receiving externally-operated data from the external analytical engine after the at least one operation;

querying the relational database to resolve another step in the multi-step calculation, the query operating on at least part of the first data and at least part of the externally-operated data; and

generating a report in response to the request after the second querying step has been performed.

2. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the externally-operated data is inserted into the at least one relational database in which the first data is stored.

3. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the externally-operated data is inserted into a second relational database different from the relational database in which the first data is stored.

4. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the controlling module performs the following additional steps:

passing data generated by the second query step to the external analytical engine, wherein the external analytical engine is directed to perform at least one operation on the data;

receiving second externally-operated data from the external analytical engine after the at least one operation; and

querying the relational database to resolve another step in the multi-step calculation, the third query operating on at least part of the first data and at least part of the second externally-operated data.

5. The computer-based system of claim 4 wherein the controlling module performs the receiving, passing, receiving, inserting and generating steps at least one additional time, thus generating a fourth query prior to generating the report result.

6. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the first querying step comprises a fetch operation.

7. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the first querying step comprises a filtering operation.

8. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the first querying step comprises a calculating operation.

9. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the first querying step comprises an aggregation operation.

10. The computer-based system of claim 1 wherein the operation performed by the external analytical engine is an operation that the at least one relational database is incapable of performing.

11. A computer-implemented method for collaborative processing in system with access to a relational database capable of performing a first set of functions on the data in the database and at least one external analytical engine, the external analytical engine being external to the relational database and being capable of a second set of functions on the data in the database, the computer-implemented method comprising the following steps performed on a computer;

receiving at a controlling module external to a relational database a request to generate a report based on data in the relational database, the request including at least one multi-step calculation to be performed on data in the relational database;

querying first data in the relational database to resolve a first step of the multi-step calculation;

passing data generated by the first querying step to the external analytical engine, wherein the external analytical engine is directed to perform at least one operation on the data;

receiving externally-operated data from the external analytical engine after the at least one operation;

querying the relational database to resolve another step in the multi-step calculation, the second query operating on at least part of the fist data and at least part of the externally-operated data; and

generating a report in response to the request after the second querying step has been performed.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the externally-operated data is inserted into the at least one relational database in which the first data is stored.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the externally-operated data is inserted into a second relational database different from the relational database in which the first data is stored.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

passing data generated by the second query to the external analytical engine, wherein the external analytical engine is directed to perform at least one operation on the data;

receiving second externally-operated data from the external analytical engine after the at least one operation; and

querying the relational database to resolve another step in the multi-step calculation, the third query operating on at least part of the first data and at least part of the second externally-operated data.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the receiving, passing, receiving, inserting and generating steps are performed at least one additional time, thus generating a fourth query prior to generating the report result.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the fist query comprises a fetch operation.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the first query comprises a filtering operation.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the first query comprises a calculation operation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the first query comprises an aggregation operation.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the operation performed by the external analytical engine is an operation that the at least one relational database is incapable of performing.

21. A computer-based machine readable medium, the machine readable medium being readable to execute a method for collaborative processing, the method comprising:

receiving at a controlling module external to a relational database a request to generate a report based on data in the relational database, the request including at least one multi-step calculation to be performed on data in the relational database;

querying first data in the relational database to resolve a first step of the multi-step calculation;

passing data generated by the first querying step to the external analytical engine, wherein the external analytical engine is directed to perform at least one operation on the data;

receiving externally-operated data from the external analytical engine after the at least one operation;

querying the relational database to resolve another step in the multi-step calculation, the second query operating on at least part of the first data and at least part of the externally-operated data; and

generating a report in response to the request after the second querying step has been performed.