ObjectGlobe: Ubiquitous query processing on the Internet

We present the design of ObjectGlobe, a distributed and open query processo r for Internet data sources. Today, data is published on the Internet via W eb servers which have, if at all, very localized query processing capabilit ies. The goal of the ObjectGlobe project is to establish an open marketplac e in which data and query processing capabilities can be distributed and us ed by any kind of Internet application. Furthermore, ObjectGlobe integrates cycle providers (i.e., machines) which carry out query processing operator s. The overall picture is to make it possible to execute a query with-in pr inciple-unrelated query operators, cycle providers, and data sources. Such an infrastructure can serve as enabling technology for scalable e-commerce applications, e.g., B2B and B2C market places. to be able to integrate data and data processing operations of a large number of participants. One of t he main challenges in the design of such an open system is to ensure privac y and security. We discuss the ObjectGlobe security requirements, show how basic components such as the optimizer and runtime system need to be extend ed, and present the results of performance experiments that assess the addi tional cost for secure distributed query processing. Another challenge is q uality of service management so that users can constrain the costs and runn ing times of their queries.