System and method of data source agnostic querying

1 . A data source agnostic query system for data source agnostic querying, the system comprising:

a query set component for defining data to be retrieved from a data source.

2 . The data source agnostic query system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the query set component includes a set of queries, the queries having:

a source element for defining metadata upon which the data source agnostic query is based; and

a selection element for identifying metadata elements upon which the data source agnostic query is based.

3 . The data source agnostic query system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the queries further includes one or more of:

a name attribute for uniquely identifying the queries in the query set component;

a detail filter element for eliminating data values or members from a result set;

a summary filter element for eliminating data values or members from a result set;

a slicer element for slicing on data values or members from a result set;

a dimension information element for augmenting the selection element;

a memeberSet Structure that describes the set structure of the query; and

a query hint element for transforming the data source agnostic query.

4 . A data source agnostic query system for data source agnostic querying, the system comprising:

a query result definition component for describing the structure of a result set for the data to be retrieved.

5 . The data source agnostic query system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the query result definition further includes one or more of:

edges for defining the placement of data items within a report; and

master detail links for master-detail relationships between the queries in a query set.

6 . The data source agnostic query system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the edge is a collection of edge groups, each edge group having:

a collection of value sets and;

a collection of nested edges groups.

7 . The data source agnostic query system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a value set of the collection of value sets includes one or more of:

a group header for containing a collection of data item references;

a group footer for containing a collection of data item references;

a group body for containing a collection of data item references and a collection of property expressions;

a group sort for containing a collection of sort items, and

a collection of property expressions.

8 . A data source agnostic query system for data source agnostic querying, the system comprising:

a query set component for defining data; and

a query result definition component for describing the structure of a result set.

9 . A method of data source agnostic querying, the method comprising the step of decomposing a data source agnostic query into sub-queries, the step of decomposing including the steps of:

identifying the underlying data source specific planners that are involved in the preparation of the data source agnostic query; and

preparing the sub-queries corresponding to each planner.

10 . The method claimed in claim 9 wherein the sub-queries are grouped into data source query types.

11 . The method claimed in claim 9 wherein the decomposition has intimate knowledge of the quality of service of all underlying source.

12 . The method claimed in claim 9 wherein the decomposition uses the QRD and the data item expressions for optimization.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising the step of:

translating the gesture into a data source agnostic query.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising the step of:

sending each sub-query to a data source query engine based upon its data source query type.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising the step of:

reassembling of the results from the data source query engines into a single result set and the decomposed plan

16 . The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving a data set result from the data source query engine; and

compiling the data set result into a report.

17 . A memory containing computer executable instructions that can be read and executed by a computer for caring out a method of data source agnostic querying, the method comprising the step of:

decomposing a data source agnostic query into sub-queries, the step of decomposing including the steps of:

identifying the underlying data source specific planners that are involved in the preparation of the data source agnostic query; and

preparing the sub-queries corresponding to each planner.

18 . A carrier carrying a propagated signal containing computer executable instructions that can be read and executed by a computer, the computer executable instructions being used to execute a method of data source agnostic querying, the method comprising the step of:

decomposing a data source agnostic query into sub-queries, the step of decomposing including the steps of:

identifying the underlying data source specific planners that are involved in the preparation of the data source agnostic query; and

preparing the sub-queries corresponding to each planner.