HELP! * YELLOW=global GREY=local Global HTML version of Foils prepared 22 January 1996

Foil 16 Key points in database technology

From Web Technology Overview CPS616 Basic Information Track for Computational Science -- Winter-Spring Semester 96. by Geoffrey Fox * See also color IMAGE

Characteristics
  • Relational tables in RDBMS as the major data model for tightly controlled information management, retrieval and processing
  • Client-server as the major communication model
  • Main components: search engine; SQL; procedure languages with embedded SQL; GUI application interfaces to DBMS;
Strengths
  • Database server stores, manipulates and manages data in a powerful, high functionality information system
  • Supports design of data system with complex relationships
  • Supports complex, precise, customized access requests
  • Easy to automate most data update processes
  • Information retrieved is as current as the database
Weaknesses
  • Network access not universal or portable: employs proprietary network protocols & requires client license for each end user
  • Plain-text -- no links to, support for multimedia
  • Isolated from links to information outside database system
  • Nonstandard browsers (most are line-based) or proprietary forms


Northeast Parallel Architectures Center, Syracuse University, npac@npac.syr.edu

If you have any comments about this server, send e-mail to webmaster@npac.syr.edu.

Page produced by wwwfoil on Tue Feb 18 1997