Multidimensional DatabaseRepresentation of

Real-time, Volatile, andMulti-behavioral Environments

David Levit

At Time of Disaster

New Orleans afterHurricane Katrina

In case of disasters, rescue delegations have little time to prepare and must operate in chaotic conditions. Coordination efforts between rescue forces are complex tasks.

"You can do all the planning in the world,but if you can’t communicate with one another,

then you're going to have some issues,"

~ Mike Zezeskiof the Maryland Sate Highway Department

At Time of Disaster

Arriving teams don’t have information about concurrent operations of other teams in the area.

To increase efficiency, teams will interact with a database to

retrieve necessary data collected by all types of teams (police,

firefighters, army, etc.)

The volatile nature of rescue operations requires teams to immediately store different type of information in the

database, leaving no time for human evolvement to modify the database

structure

Traditional relational and multidimensional databases are poorly equipped to deal with data collected from dynamic and volatile

environments, like rescue operations

These databases’ data models of real-world objects require human involvement for

creation and modification

The goal of this research is to design a database architecture that does not depart far from the foundations in

relational and multidimensional databases, but has a sufficiently flexible

structure to allow the database to adequately self-manage its data model,

responding to volatile nature of the environment

The proposed design is based on a multidimensional model’s fundamental

structure, because of its ability to intuitively divide complex entities of the

real world into basic constituentscalled dimensions and member

Rescue teams equipped with portable computers with database clients will operate with dimensions unique to teams’ tasks and dimensions shared with other rescue teams

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Connection

ConnectionConnection

Database capable to self-restructure toinclude new dimension

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data Inserted

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data Queried

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data Inserted

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data Queried

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data Inserted

N-Dimensional Cube

Central Database

Data QueriedDimensions and

data shared between rescue

teams

Central Database

Graphical representation of two handheld computer systems that rescue teams will

carry during missions

No Agents Connected to Database

No dimensions are present in the database

Firefighters Team Connected to Database

Dimensions present in database

Locations inserted in database

Can insert data into database

pertinent to different types of teams

Firefighters Team & Ambulance Team Connected to Database

Ambulance “Amb” dimension added “T”, “Agent”, “B”, A” are shared

Firefighters Team Disconnected from Database

Firefighters “F” dimensions subtracted from database

Firefighters Team Reconnect with Database

Firefighters “F” dimensions added to database

Data restored from

historical record

Advantages of the Database Architecture

The database architecture is ready to be used in any environment without human modification

The architecture can self-restructure to accommodate changes in environments

The database architecture delivers right information at the right time for the right client

Especially beneficial for any disaster situation or other volatile settings

Hurricanes

Tsunami

Combat Operations