Transformation of a Relational Database to RDF/RDFS with ER(2)iDM

Abstract

The Semantic Web uses RDF/RDFS, which can enable a machine to understand web data without human interference. But most web data is not available in RDF/RDFS documents because most web data is still stored in databases. It is much more favorable to use stored data in a database to build the Semantic Web. This paper proposes an enhanced relational RDF/RDFS interoperable data model (ER(2)iDM) and a transformation procedure from relational data model (RDM) to RDF/RDFS based on ER(2)iDM. The ER(2)iDM is a data model that plays the role of an inter-mediator between RDM and RDF/RDFS during a transformation procedure. The data and schema information in the database are migrated to the ER(2)iDM according to the proposed translation procedures without incurring loss of meaning of the entities, relationships, and data. The RDF/RDFS generation tool makes a RDF/RDFS XML document automatically from,the ER(2)iDM. The proposed ER(2)iDM and transformation procedure provides detailed guidelines for transformation from RDM to RDF/RDFS unlike existing studies; therefore, we can more efficiently build up the Semantic Web using database stored data.