Relational database management system having integrated non-relational multi-dimensional data store of aggregated data elements

A relational database management system (RDBMS) for servicing query statements through one or more client machines, said RDBMS comprising:

• a RDBMS query interface adapted to receive query statements from said one or more client machines;
• a query processing mechanism for processing each query statement received from said RDBMS query interface, and generating one or more query requests by disintegrating the query statement so that each said query request specifies a set of dimensions, and determining how to service query requests with data available to said RDBMS;
• a query handling mechanism operably coupled to said RDBMS query interface;
• a relational data store having relational tables for storing fact data, and a meta-data store for storing a dictionary containing dimension data;
• a multi-dimensional database (MDDB) for storing aggregated fact data in a multi-dimensional data structure;
• a data loading mechanism for loading said meta-data and said fact data into said MDDB;
• an aggregation engine for calculating aggregated fact data from the fact data according to a multi-dimensional data aggregation process;
• a data handling mechanism for storing aggregated fact data in said MDDB and retrieving aggregated fact data from said MDDB;
• wherein said query handling mechanism (i) receives each query request, (ii) extracts a set of dimensions associated with said query request, (iii) uses said dimensions to retrieve aggregated fact data from said MDDB, and (iv) forwards retrieved aggregated fact data to said query processing mechanism for subsequent processing, if needed;
• and
• wherein when said query processing mechanism determines that servicing of one or more query requests requires aggregated fact data stored in said MDDB, then said query processing mechanism automatically routes said one or more query requests to said MDDB so that aggregated fact data can be accessed from said MDDB and forwarded to said query processing mechanism for use in servicing the given query statement, in a manner transparent to said client machine.