Chapter 5 - Review of Models and Technologies for Database Integration

Abstract

This chapter reviews the models and technologies developed for database integration. Transaction-based environment data can be collected periodically and exists in a form such as a database. Specialized tools can be developed to support Web-based database access and integration. Databases are very sophisticated and mature data storage and retrieval systems, with which data can be explicitly designed and are able to support high data quality. Databases can be developed and managed autonomously and they are heterogeneous. It can be useful to combine data from multiple databases. There is a range of potential models and technologies that can be used to support both database query transparency and database integration of multiple distributed heterogeneous databases. Query transparency and database integration require a data model that can reach across multiple heterogeneous databases. A key feature of relational database management system (RDBMS) is that data can be created and maintained to support high data integrity and data quality. RDBMS also provide tools to ease data creation and data management.