Processor Implemented Systems and Methods for Using the Catalog Part of an SQL Identifier to Expose/Access Heterogeneous Data

A computer-implemented system for providing data from a plurality of databases stored on a plurality of disparate servers, comprising:

• one or more data processors;
• a computer-readable memory encoded with instructions for commanding the one or more data processors to execute a method comprising:
• receiving a query for data from a plurality of databases stored on a plurality of disparate servers, the query identifying the plurality of databases by a logical catalog name of an object reference;
• resolving an address for a first server that stores a first database identified by the logical catalog name in the query using a logical name-to-connection metadata map;
• transmitting a first sub-query to the first server based on the received query;
• receiving a first sub-query response from the first server;
• resolving an address for a second server that stores a second database identified by the logical catalog name in the query using the logical name-to-connection metadata map;
• transmitting a second sub-query to the second server based on the received query;
• receiving a second sub-query response from the second server;
• combining the first sub-query response and the second sub-query response to generate a query response according to the received query;
• and
• transmitting the query response.

A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for commanding one or more data processors to execute a method of providing data from a plurality of databases stored on a plurality of disparate servers, the method comprising:

• receiving a query for data from a plurality of databases stored on a plurality of disparate servers, the query identifying the plurality of databases by a logical catalog name of an object reference;
• resolving an address for a first server that stores a first database identified by the logical catalog name in the query using a logical name-to-connection metadata map;
• transmitting a first sub-query to the first server based on the received query;
• receiving a first sub-query response from the first server;
• resolving an address for a second server that stores a second database identified by the logical catalog name in the query using the logical name-to-connection metadata map;
• transmitting a second sub-query to the second server based on the received query;
• receiving a second sub-query response from the second server;
• combining the first sub-query response and the second sub-query response to generate a query response according to the received query;
• and
• transmitting the query response.