Conversion of relational databases into triplestores

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• retrieving meta schema information for a relational database, including checking a data dictionary associated with the relational database, and saving the meta schema information in a canonical format, the saved meta schema information comprising column definitions, primary key constraint definitions and foreign key constraint definitions obtained from the data dictionary;
• processing the saved meta schema information to identify triples to be created in a triplestore;
• and
• generating triples in the triplestore in accordance with results of the processing, the generating comprising:
• creating first triples using the column definitions, the first triples corresponding to data specified within tables in the relational database,
• creating second triples using the primary key constraint definitions and the foreign key constraint definitions, the second triples corresponding to data links between the tables in the relational database, and
• creating third triples using at least one of the primary key constraint definitions, at least one of the foreign key constraint definitions, and an associative mapping table corresponding to the relational database.

A system comprising:

• a user device;
• a relational database management system;
• and
• one or more computers operable to interact with the user device and the relational database management system and to perform operations comprising:
• retrieving meta schema information for a relational database, including checking a data dictionary associated with the relational database, and saving the meta schema information in a canonical format, the saved meta schema information comprising column definitions, primary key constraint definitions and foreign key constraint definitions obtained from the data dictionary;
• processing the saved meta schema information to identify triples to be created in a triplestore;
• and
• generating triples in the triplestore in accordance with results of the processing, the generating comprising:
• creating first triples using the column definitions, the first triples corresponding to data specified within tables in the relational database,
• creating second triples using the primary key constraint definitions and the foreign key constraint definitions, the second triples corresponding to data links between the tables in the relational database, and
• creating third triples using at least one of the primary key constraint definitions, at least one of the foreign key constraint definitions, and an associative mapping table corresponding to the relational database.