720643Data Unification Layer ( DUL )ClosedGRD Development of PrototypeInnovate UKThe Data Unification Layer (DUL) project will produce a prototype of a novel combination of relational and non-relational databases to demonstrate a new concept for data storage, to take advantage of both storage mechanisms and leverage each of the technologies to achieve superior performance, and ease of data storage and management. In the financial services market, relational database engines such as Oracle Server, SQL Server and MySQL dominate. These are good for storing data that is relational in nature but are inefficient at handling time series data, as required for analytics. This new approach will use Xenomorph’s proprietary query language, QL+, designed for financial market analytics. The innovation is on: (a) The algorithms that are hosted to achieve the query disaggregation into the native and nonnative SQL paths (using QL+), subsequent data aggregation of the query results, and business rules mapping to enable the business/analytics rules to be expanded/contracted without changing the underlying SQL database structure. (b) A data unification layer that combines the capabilities of native and non-native SQL architectures to provide a single query interface, based upon QL+, to provide a high performance query API to produce a single, integrated response that intelligently combines the separate search results. The key benefit is that in the financial services market, users will have access to both relational and non-relational databases through one integrated database architecture. At present, this can only be achieved by using separate database architectures with bespoke software for the different query activities. In reality, users opt for one approach or the other and so do not have the full functionality required at a cost effective price. This new approach will provide an optimal solution that builds upon an established SQL infrastructure and so reduces installation, maintenance and usage costs, and support overheads.