Patent attributes
A data source software component generator apparatus for generating a representation of one or more data sources for selection from a plurality of data sources to satisfy a data dependency of a software service, each data source including a definition of at least one semantic identifier corresponding to data accessible via the data source, the data sources being represented organized into clusters of multiple data sources based on a semantic association between semantic identifiers of data sources in a cluster, each cluster being represented as one or more data structures, and the data dependency being defined by a specification including one or more semantic identifiers corresponding to data required for execution of the software service, the apparatus comprising: a data source encapsulator unit adapted to encapsulate each cluster as an executable software component; a semantic identifier selection unit adapted to select, from a set of semantic identifiers for all data sources represented in a cluster of a software component, a proper subset of the set of semantic identifiers based on at least one predetermined semantic identifier selection criterion; a software component configuration unit adapted to configure a software component to advertise semantic identifiers to components external to the software component, and provide an interface accessible by components external to the software component, the software component being adapted to deliver data from data sources in the cluster of the software component via the interface, such that, in operation, the apparatus generates and configures executable software components for selection of one or more software components to provide data for the software service based on the advertised semantic identifiers so as to satisfy at least part of the data dependency of the software service.
