Re: A Question on Integrety

This is a good example for use of a more agile approach to data persistence such as using a non-RDBMS solution (even if the product calls itself an RDBMS) where data is persisted as strings, without strong typing in the database persistence layer. Data types in this environment refer to the way that the data is either shown (output) or gathered (input) but the database mangaement system does not do type checking, permitting the applications to apply necessary type constraints, while the database happily persists any strings it it given.

An example of such a database is IBM's U2 (Universe or UniData) databases as well as jBASE, D3, and Revelation (all based on the old PICK model). I would think that XML databases might be similarly agile, but I have not evaluated such implementations as Xindice and Berkeley XML-DB.

--dawn

"Tobin Harris" <tobin_dont_you_spam_me_at_breathemail.net> wrote in message news:bras9n$1c0jk$1_at_ID-135366.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Hi there,
>
> I have a client who's business is to collect and improve data, wich is
> eventually published in a telephone directory. Initially, the data is
> allowed to be in a poor state: certain job roles require only finding
> minimal data and throwing it in. Later down the line, someone else has to
> improve the quality of this data so that it can be printed in the phone
> directory, perhaps by adding additional information or refining that
already
> there. There are also many other stages where the rules governing the data
> are contextually sensitive to the current stage of the data in it's
> lifecycle.
>
> For me, this raises an interesting question about data integrety. How do I
> design a database for entities that are subject to different business
rules
> throughout their lifecycle!? I could easily set up the relational
integrety
> for any one "stage", but this would not be applicable at all times. For
> example, if data is ready for print, it has to conform to many rules.
> However, if it is undergoing quality control, then there are far less
rules.
>
> I ask this mainly becuase it's not something I've come across when
learnign
> about logical or physical modelling, and I was just wondering if anyone
else
> had!?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tobes
>
>
>
Received on Wed Dec 17 2003 - 07:53:22 CET