Map and data location provider

1. A computer-implemented data storage system, comprising:

a relational data store component that stores data pertaining to a plurality of entities;

a plurality of maps that map the plurality of entities to corresponding data stored in the relational data store component;

a data access system configured to receive a request to perform an operation on at least one of the plurality of entities;

a data location provider receiving, from the data access system, an identifier that is related to the request, the data location provider utilizing computer processor that is a functional component of the computer to provide, based at least in part on information reflected in one or more of the maps, information pertaining to a location of data in the relational data store component that is pertinent to the request; and

wherein the plurality of entities are organized in a child/parent hierarchy, wherein each of the plurality of entities has a unique identifiable position within the child/parent hierarchy; and wherein the identifier is a function of the child/parent hierarchy, wherein the plurality of entities includes a plurality of entities grouped in classes, each class having similarly structured data and being associated with a table in the relational data store component, wherein at least two are associated with entities located in different positions in the child/parent hierarchy.

2. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein the data of the relational data store component is organized in tables.

3. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein the tables that correspond to said at least two classes are similarly named but are structured differently.

4. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein individual entities of at least one class have different parent entities.

5. A method for storing and retrieving data in a database system, the data being stored in a relational database store on a computer readable media, the method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of maps, wherein each map associates one or more entities with corresponding data stored in the relational database store;

receiving an identifier that is related to a request to perform an operation on data of an entity; and

utilizing a computer processor that is a functional component of a computing device to use the identifier as a basis for selecting one or more of the plurality of maps that are related to the request; and

wherein the data stored in the relational database store is organized in tables, wherein the one or more entities include a plurality of entities grouped in classes, each class having similarly structured data and being associated with a table in the relational data store, and wherein at least two classes are associated with entities located in different position in a child/parent hierarchy.

6. The method of claim 5 and further comprising organizing the entities in the child/parent hierarchy, wherein each entity has a unique identifiable position within the child/parent hierarchy; and wherein the identifier is a function of the child/parent hierarchy.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the tables that correspond to said at least two classes are similarly named but are structured differently.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein individual entities of at least one class have different parent entities.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein using the identifier comprises determining which of the plurality of maps corresponds to the identifier.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier from a data access system.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving an identifier comprises receiving an identifier from a data access system configured to process the request to perform said operation.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising performing said operation.