One of the foundational technology differentiators of the Attivio Platform is the ability to perform Query Time Joins of data across both structured and unstructured data. Last year we received our latest patent on an extension of that technology called a “Composite Join” and it has enabled us to deliver some awesome solutions for our customers. 

The Query Time Join

Before we get into composite join, let’s take a step back. The concept of a join between two tables is well understood in the realm of databases. For example:

Attivio’s latest patent covers one of the most interesting features in the Semantic Data Catalog and the one that always gets wows when we demo it – the automatic join finder. Under the hood, the technology replaces manual processes that could take hours or days with a quick, easy process that takes minutes.

As any developer knows, perfect software doesn’t just happen it, pardon the pun, “develops” over time. Developers engage in a seemingly everlasting iterative process involving bug fixes and changes that can last for the lifetime of an application. But writing the software is only half the battle; it must then be deployed.

For big data companies like ours that run software across distributed networks, this is no small task. In particular, a developer makes changes, runs tests, identifies errors or processing improvements to address, and then makes more changes.