Understanding Data Intensive Systems Using Dynamic Analysis and Visualization Nesrine NOUGHI

Motivation and Context  Understanding = up to 50% of the cost of the software maintenance  Data intensive systems Intensive usage of data ( towards Big Data) More and more dynamic systems (ORM, Web Application, etc.) Consequences  The database often occupies a central place  Systems are more and more complex to understand

Objective Focus : Capture SQL queries at run-time and visualize dynamically their impact on the database to ease program comprehension Understanding the communication between the database and the programs becomes a prerequisite to data-intensive system comprehension

Approach and Methodology Logical VisualizationConceptual VisualizationWorkflow Detection

Approach and Methodology  Step 1 : Logical Visualization Uses the logical schema as representation model Takes one SQL trace and logical schema as input Allows visualization at a low-level of abstraction (tables, columns, etc)

Approach and Methodology  Step 1 : Logical Visualization Example : Logical schema SQL trace Logical visualization

Approach and Methodology  Step 2 : Conceptual Visualization Uses the conceptual schema as representation model Takes one SQL trace, both conceptual and logical schemas as input Allows visualization at a higher-level of abstraction (concepts, relationships)

Approach and Methodology Logical schemaConceptual schema Step 2 : Conceptual Visualization Example : SQL trace Conceptual visualization Mapping

Approach and Methodology  Step 3 : Workflow Detection Takes several SQL traces as input Allows the visualization of the data manipulation workflow of the program

Ongoing work  Implementation of the first two steps + loop detection algorithm Logical visualizationConceptual visualization Logical visualizationConceptual visualization

Future directions  Complete and enrich the conceptual visualization  Define an experimental protocol for the evaluation of the prototype with real users  Use this visualization in order to animate the workflow of the program provide program documentation and diagrams