Features and Requirements

Abstract

In the last chapter we discussed data base organisation, which forms the foundation of a data base. Certain key features, such as data independence and the flexibility of data structures, follow directly from this foundation, but there are other features that must be built on the foundation to transform it into a viable data base capable of offering the full range of the expected advantages. These features provide the following facilities. (1) Performance optimisation: facilities to evaluate performance and tune the data base from time to time to optimize its performance. (2) Concurrent usage: the use of the data base by more than one application program at the same time. (3) Data protection: the protection against loss or damage of data in the data base and the protection of the confidentiality of the data from unauthorised persons.