Context insensitive model entity searching

A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for providing access to data in a database, comprising:

• receiving, from a requesting entity, a search request for data available through a database abstraction model, wherein the database abstraction model provides:
• (i) a plurality of logical fields each specifying an access method for accessing data in the database;
• and
• (ii) at least one model entity that specifies an identifier in the database used to identify instances of the model entity and further specifies a set of the logical fields used to access data related to the model entity, wherein the identifier comprises a primary key of a table in the database, and wherein the search request specifies the model entity to be searched and at least one search term;
• identifying, of the set of logical fields related to the model entity, logical fields that are candidates for containing data matching the at least one search term;
• accessing, for each instance of the model entity in the database, data for each of the identified logical fields using the access method specified for the respective identified logical field;
• identifying, for each instance, whether the accessed data contains the at least one search term, and if so, adding the identifier for the specific instance of the model entity to a set of search results;
• and
• returning the search results to the requesting entity.

A system for providing a database abstraction model of a physical database, comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• the physical database;
• the database abstraction model, wherein the database abstraction model provides:
• (i) a plurality of logical fields each specifying an access method for accessing data in the physical database;
• and
• (ii) at least one model entity that specifies an identifier in the physical database used to identify instances of the model entity and further specifies a set of the logical fields used to access data in the physical database related to the model entity;
• and
• a runtime component executable by the one or more computer processors and configured to receive, from a requesting entity, a search request that specifies the model entity to be searched and at least one search term, and, in response, to:
• of the set of logical fields related to the model entity specified in the search request, identify logical fields that are candidates for containing data matching the at least one search term;
• for each instance of the model entity in the database as determined by the identifier of the model entity, access data for each of the identified logical fields using the access method specified for the respective identified logical field;
• identify, for each instance, whether the accessed data contains the at least one search term, and if so, adding the identifier for the specific instance of the model entity to a set of search results;
• and
• return the set of search results to the requesting entity.