EDBT/ICDT 2011 Workshop on Array Databases

Workshop Theme

From the fundamental collection paradigms known in conceptual modeling – sets, bags, lists, and arrays – it is the array concept which has long been neglected by the database community. However, as sensors are becoming ubiquitous and inexpensive, and as further simulations become large, multi-dimensional arrays are attributed a large share of today’s archive spaces. Geoscientific examples include 1-D sensor time series, 2-D satellite imagery, 3-D x/y/t image time series and x/y/z geology data, and 4-D x/y/z/t climate and ocean simulation data. A similar wealth of array data can be found in space, life, and other sciences. Sparse arrays appear in OLAP. In summary, arrays (by practitioners often referred to as raster data) comprise the natural representation of n-dimensional sensor, image, and statistics data. Typically these data come in massive volumes, with Petabyte – in future Exabyte – sizes for single arrays.

Unleashing this huge data reservoir for online analytics by scientists, industry, government, and citizens represents a major information services challenge. As traditional databases do not support large arays, in today’s practice ad-hoc implementations prevail, often done by service providers themselves and centered around some particular data formats. Databases are hardly involved for array management. Many researchers believe, however, that database technology can offer its traditional benefits, such as information integration, flexibility of query language, scalability, and dynamic optimization, on arrays as well.

Currently no forum is existing which expressly concentrates on array databases. Filling this gap, this workshop will gather experts interested in theory, architecture, applications, standardization, and any other relevant aspect of array services. In the closing panel, foundation will be laid towards a research agenda for this emerging field.

Topics of Interest

Submissions of original research contributions and software demonstrations are invited for all array relevant topics, including – but not limited to – the ones below:

• array theory: algebras and calculi
• query languages for massive array data analytics
• logical and physical optimization
• storage methods
• storage hierarchies
• compression
• array database architectures, including both servers and clients
• distribution and virtualization
• data quality
• uncertainty
• sensor data
• MOLAP
• applications and standardization, such as in Earth, Space, and Life Sciences
• beyond arrays: meshes and other space-time varying data
• system demonstrations

This one-day workshop on March 25, 2011 will be co-located with EDBT/ICDT 2011 at Uppsala, Sweden. Workshop participants will have to register for EDBT/ICDT; attendance to all workshops will be included in the overall registration fee.

More information on the workshop’s home page: http://www.rasdaman.com/ArrayDatabases-Workshop/