Pricing data according to provenance-based use in a query

1. A method for pricing data according to provenance-based use in a query, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a set of data cubes, wherein a data cube in the set of data cubes comprises a quantum of data configured for trading in exchange for a payment, the set of data cubes being identified to participate in answering the query;

computing, by the processor, a first portion of a price for performing the query, wherein the first portion includes a price of a first data cube computed using a first set of provenance attributes and a first provenance-based pricing adjustment from a first pricing definition, the first data cube being included in the set of data cubes;

computing, by the processor, a confidence level of a result set of the query, the confidence level determined without executing the query; and

presenting, by the processor, the set of data cubes, the first set of provenance attributes, the first portion of the price, and the confidence level in a pricing preview of the query, the pricing preview excluding at least a portion of data from the result set of the query;

receiving an input;

presenting the result set responsive to the input allowing execution of the query using the set of data cubes, the result set resulting from executing the query using the set of data cubes; and

debiting an account for the price, and

crediting a seller of the first data cube the first portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input, wherein the input changes a selection of a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes, forming a revised first set of provenance attributes; and

changing, responsive to the input, the first data cube such that a portion of the first data cube participates in the set of data cubes, forming a revised set of data cubes.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

computing a revised first portion of the price for performing the query, wherein the revised first portion includes a price of the portion of the first data cube computed using the revised set of provenance attributes and a second provenance-based pricing adjustment;

computing a revised confidence level of a revised result set of the query; and

presenting the revised set of data cubes, the revised first set of provenance attributes, the revised first portion of the price, and the revised confidence level in the pricing preview of the query.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input, wherein the input changes a selection of a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes, forming a second set of provenance attributes; and

adding, responsive to the input, a second data cube to the set of data cubes, forming a second set of data cubes.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

computing a second portion of the price for performing the query, wherein the second portion includes a price of the second data cube computed using the second set of provenance attributes and a second provenance-based pricing adjustment;

computing a second confidence level of a second result set of the query; and

presenting the second set of data cubes, the second set of provenance attributes, the second portion of the price, and the second confidence level in the pricing preview of the query.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input, wherein the input provides a feedback on the first data cube;

changing, responsive to the input, a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes; and

changing a second provenance-based pricing adjustment for the first data cube.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

computing a contribution of the first data cube in the confidence level; and

computing a second provenance-based pricing adjustment from a second pricing definition, wherein the price of the first data cube is further computed using the second provenance-based pricing adjustment.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating whether the first portion can be computed without executing the query, and wherein the first portion is computed responsive to the evaluating being affirmative.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

estimating the result set by executing a portion of the query using a subset of the set data cubes, wherein the first data cube is included in the subset of the set of data cubes.

10. A computer program product for pricing data according to provenance-based use in a query, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to identify a set of data cubes, wherein a data cube in the set of data cubes comprises a quantum of data configured for trading in exchange for a payment, the set of data cubes being identified to participate in answering the query;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a first portion of a price for performing the query, wherein the first portion includes a price of a first data cube computed using a first set of provenance attributes and a first provenance-based pricing adjustment from a first pricing definition, the first data cube being included in the set of data cubes;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a confidence level of a result set of the query, the confidence level determined without executing the query; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to present the set of data cubes, the first set of provenance attributes, the first portion of the price, and the confidence level in a pricing preview of the query, the pricing preview excluding at least a portion of data from the result set of the query;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to present the result set responsive to the input allowing execution of the query using the set of data cubes, the result set resulting from executing the query using the set of data cubes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to debit an account for the price, and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to credit a seller of the first data cube the first portion.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input, wherein the input changes a selection of a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes, forming a revised first set of provenance attributes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to change, responsive to the input, the first data cube such that a portion of the first data cube participates in the set of data cubes, forming a revised set of data cubes.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a revised first portion of the price for performing the query, wherein the revised first portion includes a price of the portion of the first data cube computed using the revised set of provenance attributes and a second provenance-based pricing adjustment;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a revised confidence level of a revised result set of the query; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to present the revised set of data cubes, the revised first set of provenance attributes, the revised first portion of the price, and the revised confidence level in the pricing preview of the query.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input, wherein the input changes a selection of a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes, forming a second set of provenance attributes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to add, responsive to the input, a second data cube to the set of data cubes, forming a second set of data cubes.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a second portion of the price for performing the query, wherein the second portion includes a price of the second data cube computed using the second set of provenance attributes and a second provenance-based pricing adjustment;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a second confidence level of a second result set of the query; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to present the second set of data cubes, the second set of provenance attributes, the second portion of the price, and the second confidence level in the pricing preview of the query.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input, wherein the input provides a feedback on the first data cube;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to change, responsive to the input, a provenance attribute in the first set of provenance attributes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to change a second provenance-based pricing adjustment for the first data cube.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a contribution of the first data cube in the confidence level; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to compute a second provenance-based pricing adjustment from a second pricing definition, wherein the price of the first data cube is further computed using the second provenance-based pricing adjustment.

17. A computer system for pricing data according to provenance-based use in a query, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to identify a set of data cubes, wherein a data cube in the set of data cubes comprises a quantum of data configured for trading in exchange for a payment, the set of data cubes being identified to participate in answering the query;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to compute a first portion of a price for performing the query, wherein the first portion includes a price of a first data cube computed using a first set of provenance attributes and a first provenance-based pricing adjustment from a first pricing definition, the first data cube being included in the set of data cubes;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to compute a confidence level of a result set of the query, the confidence level determined without executing the query; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to present the set of data cubes, the first set of provenance attributes, the first portion of the price, and the confidence level in a pricing preview of the query, the pricing preview excluding at least a portion of data from the result set of the query;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive an input;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to present the result set responsive to the input allowing execution of the query using the set of data cubes, the result set resulting from executing the query using the set of data cubes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to debit an account for the price, and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to credit a seller of the first data cube the first portion.