Supply Chain Management Journal

Use in Database in Advanced Transport Management System – Interface Using XML - Study Of Case Maria - Claudia SURUGIU Ionel PETRESCU Polytechnic University of Bucharest, [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract The new revolution within the Internet is on delivering information to systems (not only information to people). In this context, Web services are the methods with which businesses will drive system-to-system communication. By using a common language (XML) and a common transport protocol (HTTP), Web services act as a broker between two endpoints that wish to communicate. This communication must be secure; thus, an important focus is on Web services security. The distribution of goods both on land and in air between two points (sourcedestination), is a complex process based on the use of intelligent systems for sorting, planning, distribution models using different transport goods, services and links. Route tracking and tracing systems are also used as a route monitoring systems. These systems have the following components: computers, servers, readers, label (tag reader), GPS (Global Positions System). Information obtained by reading the label code (wagon, container) is transmitted to the mobile central station (MMS), then the public network (Internet) access to information server (IAS) by XML interface and tracking and tracing the route server (TTS). System is connected to the network management system to achieve transport and transactions, ordering and route planning. Different users have access to information using mobile phones, PDA's or personal computers. Research on user interfaces and database management has been proceeding almost independently. Only recently have visualization tools have integrated with database management systems. For multimedia database management, a variety of interfaces have to be provided. These include interfaces for communicating with video, audio, and text databases. In addition, interfaces to support SQL extensions for multimedia data as well as Object Database Management Group (ODMG) standards are needed. Similar issues need to be dealt with for SS-databases and XML document databases. Key Words: Web Services, web services security, XML, Object Database Management Group, database SQL, intelligent transport systems (ITS). Introduction XML (eXtensible Mark up Language) has emerged as an extension of HTML in order to increase flexibility in use of Internet data. One of the big advantages is to separate data context. This allows the collecting information once and then uses them in various ways. XML is not limited to a single format, can be used in any document, management system databases or spreadsheets. This gives a great portable data management providing an easy way to share

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information and making it suitable for business and especially for e-commerce. To exchange data between entities in XML format requires, is not necessary a special software. XML is a plain text and can be read by any application that can read text regardless of platform. May be important in any management system database. For example, a user can work with MySQL, and another with MSSQL. Because the two users, to exchange information between them, usis XML to import and export data from both types of applications. Also, the reports and statements can be of any type of

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application that may be published on the Internet easily and quickly without having to use a special application. The connection between XML and database systems is realised easy because both store data in structured way. A common way of using XML is to move data stored in XML documents in databases so that they can be processed with applications. One other use is to use the database as an index for the content contained in XML documents. For example, a form for eComert is completed with data and sent to the server. It loads the database and keep the form data and an index of the form so that it can be easily found and accessed. So XML provides detailed structural information form which can not be achieved easily with the database and form data stored in the database can be found, filtered and processed in any way, what can be done with XML. Information can be classified into XML as shown below: Orange Fruit Export Venesuela $26.95 1000 kg

12.12.2012 0446576638 In business applications are commonly used forms. These are the easiest way of collecting data. XML enables data gathering from various sources such as documents, spreadsheets, forms, databases for processing and reuse them whenever needed 1.2 XML and Query Processing Much of the data management related-work on XML has been with respect to query management. A few years ago, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) requested proposals for a query language for XML. Various efforts were reported at that time. Notable among those efforts is XML Query Language (XMLQL) from INRIA, AT&T, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Washington [XMLQL]. XMLQL has constructs that can query documents based on their DTDs (Thuraisingham, 2002), (Thuraisingham, 2003). This effort also describes a data model with a graph structure for XML documents. This effort has influenced the W3C standardization effort of the Xquery effort.

Figure 1. XML and query processing

Source: Thuraisingham, 2002

Various commercial vendors have also developed Structued Query Language (SQL)-like constructs to query XML documents. For example, as stated in [XMLSQL], the Oracle XML SQL utility has developed techniques for transforming

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XML constructs to SQL constructs and vice versa. With this, one can use SQL to query XML documents. IBM has developed DB2 CXML extended to store and manipulate XML documents. Microsoft had extended SQL92 by developing OPENXML,

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and dybase has developed its Adaptive Server, which introduced ResultSetXml Java class for processing XML documents. Query processing is another issue for XML databases, for example, efficient query optimization techniques after being investigated for such databases. One can learn a lot from query optimization in relational databases as well as in text databases. Nevertheless, one needs techniques specifically designed for XML databases. Query processing is illustrated in Figure 1. (Thuraisingham, 2002), (Hoffer, 2006). In summary, query language and query optimization are two of the major challenges for XML databases. Several research efforts are under way and we can expect much progress to be made in the near future. W3C efforts as well as the efforts of other groups such as electronic business XML (ebXML) and Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) are also promising.

2. Applications of XML to Information Management 2.1 Overview No really clear-cut separation exists between data and information management. The assumption is that data management in general deals with database systems technologies whereas information management deals with a broader set of technologies including multimedia information systems, collaborative computing, knowledge management, intelligent agents, wireless information management, and decision support and related technologies. Although XML applications to data management are somewhat more mature than XML applications to information management (Figure 2.), some work has been reported in this area, especially with the advent of the semantic Web.

Figure 2. XML and information management

Source: Thuraisingham, 2002

2.2 Decision Support and XML Decision support systems are essentially systems that support managers to make effective decisions. Decision support is a combination of technologies including data management, data warehousing, and data mining. To

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make effective decisions, one needs a clear understanding of the content. This means that documents have to be well represented. In addition, we need to understand the semantics (Thuraisingham, 2002), (Obasanjo, 2009). That is, XML, resource description framework (RDF), and the semantic Web

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will become critical technologies for decision support. I define the semantic Web to be a Web that can manage all activities for an individual. This means that the Web has to make decisions for the individuals. Therefore, the information has to be well represented. XML and RDF are necessary for managing the content of the documents. Although it is clear that XML is essential for effective decision support, developing specific XML tools for decision support is just beginning; however, many of the efforts by consortia such as ebXML are also applicable to decision support.

Figure 3. illustrates XML and decision support. XML can be stored one of two ways: • An XML Type column in a relational table; • An XML object in an XML Type table; Schema based XML can be stored as a database or as a set of objects. Relational and external data can be exposed as XML using views. The view can be a relational view containing a column of XML Type or can be a XML Type View (Obasanjo, 2009).

Figure 3. XML and decision support

Source: Thuraisingham, 2002

The database considered language was used postgre SQL. The postgre SQL supports large date processing. It is a fast server; running times of queries are very low. The role of the database is to keep all states checkpoints RFID system of routes available. Such tables are built independent from those that can not work without the self. It will create tables in the following order: city, route type, vehicles type, vehicles convoy, RFID, routes, checkpoints, checkpoints check. Database design is composed of the following tables: route type, vehicles type, vehicles, cities, convoy, RFID, routes, checkpoints, checkpoints check. The computer system consists of three components: • Software needed for processing data collected by RFID reader;

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• •

Database where is stored date; Graphical interface, allowing an operator to easily view the information and effectively.

2.2.1 Steps to Accomplish 1. Register the XML schema with XML DB. 2. Create a relational table to hold both relational data and XML documents. 3. Load an XML document into the table. 4. Write an SQL query to retrieve. • Whole Documen ; • Data from both the relational fields and the XML document in the same query; 5. Update an XML field. 6. Create Indexes.

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2.2.2 Wireless Information Management During the past decade, we have heard a lot about mobile information management or wireless information management. Although mobile agents are an important aspect of Wireless information management, many other issues have to be taken into consideration. In today's world, we are becoming increasingly wireless with handheld digital and personal digital assistants. Managing the information and representing the information displayed on wireless devices are becoming critical. Various standards are proposed for wireless technology. These include networking standards as well as information management standards. For example, Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) enables information in

disks to be displayed on wireless devices such a mobile phones. Third generation (3G) wireless protocols also are available. Finally, XML extensions have also been proposed for wireless technologies. The database community has been examining data management issues for mobile computing for the past decade (IMIE92). Wireless technologies have advanced rapidly, but information management technologies have not kept up with them. A research and development program is needed to ensure that appropriate data and information management technologies are developed. These include query processing techniques and indexing strategies. In addition, data modeling and display technologies are also important. Figure 4. illustrates wireless information management technologies.

Figure 4. Wireless information technologies

Source: Thuraisingham, 2002

2.2.3 The computer system tracking cargo containers

for

The set of elements involved in processing and transmitting data electronically make up a computer system. The computer system presented in this paper aims to improve and streamline the transport of goods by realtime monitoring. The role of this system is to allow the dispatcher to make decisions in a short time and when reading the results gathered from RFID systems installed at checkpoints. • The set of elements involved in processing and transmitting data

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electronically make up a computer system; • The computer system presented in this paper aims to improve and streamline the transport of goods by real-time monitoring; • The role of this system is to allow the dispatcher to make decisions in a short time and when reading the results gathered from RFID systems installed at checkpoints; Advantages of using computer monitoring system: 1. The operator is informed in real time about the situation of convoy that made the freight train on a route.

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2. Transport services are safe and more effective. 3. It can be classified as AVL of Intelligent Transport Systems. The system could be extended to work with your GPS, and in this way will know the position and composition of the convoy is en route. 4. It does not create impact on traffic flow. 5. It is easy to implement and cost components used are minimal. 2.3. Elaboration and implementation of the database in the computer system 2.3.1 Database Access A relational database consists of a set of tables, where each table is a set of records. A record in turn is a set of fields and each field is a pair field-name/fieldvalue. All records in a particular table have the same number of fields with the same field-names. The most popular model is the relational database, where data are stored in tables. Besides tables, a relational database can include: indexes, stored procedures, triggers it, users and user groups, data types, security mechanisms and management of transactions, etc.

In the earlier sections of this chapter, a high-level illustration of database access is given. One approach is to embed SQL calls into Java programs and access relational databases via Java Database Connectivity (JDBC). The approaches have been extended to include object databases as well as objectrelational databases. Although JDBCbased approaches are the way of the future, unfortunately many Web clients cannot understand the concepts in relational databases. These Web clients only understand the results of Web servers, and database management systems are not Web servers in general. (Bourret, 2009). Therefore, as presented in the various articles in [IEEE98], one of the approaches currently being adopted for Web database access is to use gateways between the database system and the Web servers. These gateways take the output of the database systems and then format it in a way that the Web servers can manage. Then Web clients and Web servers can communicate with each other through the various protocols. As illustrated in Figure 5., when a client issues a request to the server, the data from the databases are retrieved via the gateway. The results are then delivered to the user.

Figure 5. Database access via gateways

Bourret, 2009 2.3.2 Implementation of the database in the computer system The computer system consists of three components:

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• • •

Software needed for processing data collected by RFID reader; Database where is stored date; Graphical interface, allowing an operator to easily view the information and effectively.

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Database structure is composed of the following tables: local, type_route, type_vehicle, vehicles, convoy, RFID, routes, checkpoints, verifica_checkpoints. Creating tables is based on analysis of system components and analyzing the links between these components. The role of the database is to store all states of checkpoints RFID system of routes available. Such independent tables are built first, then those that cannot function

without the independent. It will create tables in the following order: city, type_route, type_vehicle, vehicles, convoy, RFID, routes, checkpoints, verifica_checkpoints. Choose the option "Manage" operator sends the data management module relating to vehicles, routes, convoys, checkpoints and data received from the reader, presented in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Examples of Interface of the database in the computer system

Figure 7. is represented in the database diagram highlighting the tables, fields and relationships between tables. Advantages of using computer monitoring system:

- The operator is informed in real time about the situation of convoy that made the freight train on a route; - Transport services are safe and more effective;

Figure 7. Diagram Database

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- It can be classified as AVL of Intelligent Transport Systems. The system could be extended to work with your GPS, and in this way will know the position and composition of the convoy is en route; - It does not create impact on traffic flow; - It is easy to implement and cost components used are minimal. Conclusions When faced with a decision on which database orientation is more appropriate for handling your demoralized data, consider flexibility, interoperability, and scalability. There is not a lot of data comparing the scalability, performance, and querying performance on Native XML databases as compared to Relational Database Management Systems, however based on the existing research, there is a consensus that the two are very different and one may not replace the other. Many opportunities are available in Web databases and XML. Furthermore, technology integration, such as integration of data management, data mining, objects, and security, is making a lot of progress. As the user gets flooded with increasing amounts of data and information, the need to analyze this information, to give only the information the user needs, and to extract previously unknown information to help the user in the decision-making process will become urgent. While the industry generally agrees that XML and relational data will become interchangeable, converting XML to and from relational data is often difficult. In fact, when a project requires that relational data be converted to or from complex XML formats (XML schemas or DTDs), there is no silver bullet. One offered solution, automatic conversion utilities, fails to address the intricacies of the required conversions. The opportunities and challenges in Web technologies, in general, will be endless. Some of the key points are: • The Web is an integration platform for all types of data, information, and knowledge management

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technologies. XML will play a key role; • The various data, information, and knowledge management technologies have to work with the Web. This will include database access through the Web and collaboration on the Web; • We need infrastructures for the Web to support the various data, information, and knowledge management technologies; • E-commerce and e-business will develop only if we successfully establish the Web as the integration platform; • We need research and development programs to enable the Web to be the integration platform. This means that whenever we conduct research on data, information, and knowledge management technologies, we cannot ignore the Web; • Ontologies and adding semantics will continue to play a major role in the development of XML. Interest and research dealing with the semantic Web will increase, although many of the technologies under development have to work together to make the semantic Web a reality. In conclusion, when faced with a decision on which database orientation is more appropriate for handling your demoralized data, consider flexibility, interoperability, and scalability. There is not a lot of data comparing the scalability, performance, and querying performance on Native XML databases as compared to Relational Database Management Systems, however based on the existing research, there is a consensus that the two are very different and one may not replace the other. References Bourret, R., XML and Databases. Retrieved April 19, 2009 Feuerlicht, G., Recent Trends in Database Technology, 2009

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Hoffer, J.A et.al, Modern Database Management, Prentice Hall 8th edition, 2006 IEEE Data Eng. Bull., March 1998. Imielinski, T. et al. Distributed Databases for Mobile Computing, Proceedings of the Very Large Database Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 1992. Obasanjo, D., An Exploration of XML in DBMS, 2009

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Thuraisingham, B., XML Databases and the Semantic Web, CRC Press, 2002 Thuraisingham, B., Data Management Systems Evolution and Interoperation, CRC Press,Boca Raton, FL, 1997 www.tracktrans.com HiT Software/Allora: http://www.hitsw.com

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