Re: Help with complex db design concepts

From: James <jraustin1_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 30 May 2002 07:38:45 -0700
Message-ID: <a6e74506.0205300638.5e03cdfa@posting.google.com>

> Has anyone had experience with turning one approach into another on
> production databases? Did anyone run both approaches succesfully?

Below are some observations based on a Utility Modelling System for Semiconductor Fabrication Plants.

Traditional approach in rdb (65 tables)

Adv
  Fuller utilization of SQL.
  Less coding.
  Faster.

DisAdv
  App was less flexible. Required rigid data structures     but real world data was not.
  App was less resilient to changes, ie addition of new data structures,...
  Evolving the schema was difficult.

Meta-data approach in rdb (5 tables)

Adv
App was more flexible. Allowed us to model variable data structures. Evolving the schema was easier.

DisAdv
  Had to rely more on coding.
  Could only use simple subset of SQL.
  Much slower.

For fun, the fundamental aspects of the above app were modeled in a simple oodb. See www.xdb1.com/Example/Ex046.asp for results. Received on Thu May 30 2002 - 09:38:45 CDT