Storing modeling alternatives with unitized data

A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes instructions executable on a processor, the instructions, when executed, operable to:

• access elements of a system model that models an engineered system, each element representing a portion of the engineered system and identified by an element identifier (ID) that uniquely identifies the respective element;
• access a selected scenario that references a plurality of alternatives that exist among a larger plurality of alternatives organized according to an alternative hierarchy, each alternative indicating parameter values for a single facet of a modeling problem embodied in the system model and identified by an alternative ID that uniquely identifies the alternative, each alternative further maintaining an explicit indication of a level in the alternative hierarchy to which the respective alternative belongs;
• perform a bulk-data retrieval of parameter values for the elements from a unitized data store, the bulk-data retrieval to include a database query that specifies at least a list of alternative IDs for one or more alternatives of the selected scenario used in an alternative ID-element ID pair that provides a direct reference into the unitized data store, the database query to restrict results based on a maximum level of the alternative hierarchy such that retrieved parameter values are from child-most alternatives of the alternative hierarchy;
• and
• use the retrieved parameter values to execute the system model.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display device;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store instructions for a modeling application and a relational database system that maintains a relational database, the instructions, when executed by the processor, being operable to:
• access, in the relational database, elements of a system model that models an engineered system, each element and identified by an element identifier (ID),
• access, in the relational database, a selected scenario that references a plurality of alternatives organized according to an alternative hierarchy, each alternative indicating parameter values for a single facet of a modeling problem embodied in the system model and identified by an alternative ID, each alternative further maintaining an explicit indication of a level in the alternative hierarchy to which the respective alternative belongs,
• perform a bulk-data retrieval of parameter values for the elements, the bulk-data retrieval to include a database query that specifies at least a list of alternative IDs for one or more alternatives from the selected scenario used in an alternative ID-element ID pair that provides a direct reference into the unitized data store, the database query to restrict results based on a maximum level of the alternative hierarchy such that retrieved parameter values are from child-most alternatives of the alternative hierarchy,
• use the retrieved parameter values to execute the system model, and
• display results from the execution of the system model on the display device.