Hi Stephen,
Term 'federated database' is taken and used just as in strict computer
science world. Fedearated databases are the means of data-integration
without having to relocate data locally. BioMart software is able to
integrate data from BioMart databases independent of their geographical
location, hence, federated :)
Best,
Syed
Stephen Krämer wrote:
Hi all,
I'm afraid my questions are somewhat trivial, still as a
"wet-lab-biologist" I just can't find the answers myself. I need these
informations for a presentation about biomart in which I'm supposed to
judge the reliability of the biomart system:
1. Did I get this right: BioMart uses a "Data-Warehouse"-architecture
which means that the user doesn't access the "original databases" but
modified copies of them on the biomart-servers? What does the term
"federated databases" mean in this context (which is used in many of the
presentations on the biomart website)?
2. How do you ensure that BioMart does not shut down? Do you use a "load
balancer"-server to sort crashed servers out? Or do you have some kind
of backup-servers? Or can BioMart access the original databases, if the
"copies on the biomart servers" don't work?
Thanks very much,
Stephen
