Using ontologies to abstract relational databases conceptual model

Abstract

This paper addresses the problematic Digital Preservation and focuses on the conceptual model within a specific class of digital objects: Relational Databases. Previously, a neutral format was adopted to pursue the goal of platform independence and to achieve a standard format in the digital preservation of relational databases, both data and structure (logical model). Currently, in this project, we intend to address the preservation of relational databases by focusing on the conceptual model of the database, considering the database semantics as an impor- tant preservation ”property”. For the representation of this higher level of abstraction present in databases we use an ontology based approach. At this higher abstraction level exists inherent Knowledge associated to the database semantics that we tentatively represent using ”Web Ontol- ogy Language” (OWL). We developed a prototype (supported by case study) and define a mapping algorithm for the conversion between the database and OWL. The ontology approach is adopted to formalize the knowledge associated to the conceptual model of the database and also a methodology to create an abstract representation of it.