PREDATOR is freely available for purposes of research and
education. We have provided the sources along with design
documentation and implementation notes. The code is built
on top of the SHORE storage manager libraries from U.Wisconsin
(also freely available software). The current release runs on
Sparc Solaris only. The timing of the release is meant
to coincide with the release of SHORE Version 1.1, and the
commencement of the fall semester (so that the system
can be used in graduate courses -- we would gladly try
to support such use!).
Here is some information on PREDATOR:
*) Multi-threaded client-server system
*) Standard relational query processing capability
with SQL queries (can run the Wisconsin benchmark and more).
--) Multiple join algorithms are supported, with the ability
to add new algorithms.
--) Extensible implementations of query optimization
techniques like query rewrite and join ordering have
been provided.
--) An initial version of a dynamic-programming optimizer is
in the current release, and a fully functional version
is expected in a couple of months.
--) Query processing diagnostic tool showing query plans, and
results of query rewrite transformations.
*) Extensibility with enhanced complex data types (E-ADTs). The
E-ADTs can define methods and aggregates, which can be used within
SQL queries.
--) Several sample data types (image, audio, document, polygon,
point, raster, date, bytearray, etc) have been provided.
--) Optimization of queries involving E-ADTs.
--) A graphical E-ADT "wizard" for point-and-click extensibility
will be released in the next version.
*) B+ tree and R* tree indexing (with the ability to add new indexing
mechanisms) over simple and complex expressions.
*) Transactional support (including multi-statement transactions),
support for large volumes and large objects. These properties are
provided via the SHORE storage manager.
*) WWW-based client
--) Java applet acting as database client
--) Extensible client-side data types to match server-side E-ADTs.
--) Delivery of multi-media data through extensible streaming
protocols.
*) Documentation
--) Web-based documentation linked off the project home page
--) Design and implementation document with code-level
detailed descriptions.
--) How-to-use-PREDATOR Tutorial
--) JavaDoc-style class hierarchies
We expect a Windows-NT port to be available along with the next
release in December 1997. For more information, please contact:
Praveen Seshadri
Department of Computer Science
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853
(607) 255-1045; FAX: (607) 255-4428
e-mail: praveen@cs.cornell.edu
http://www.cs.cornell.edu/home/praveen/
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