The DASDBS project: objectives, experiences, and future prospects

Abstract

A retrospective of the Darmstadt database system project, also known as DASDBS, is presented. The project is aimed at providing data management support for advanced applications, such as geo-scientific information systems and office automation. Similar to the dichotomy of RSS and RDS in System R, a layered architectural approach was pursued: a storage management kernel serves as the lowest common denominator of the requirements of the various applications classes, and a family of application-oriented front-ends provides semantically richer functions on top of the kernel. The lessons that were learned from building the DASDBS system are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the following issues: the role of nested relations, the experiences with using object buffers for coupling the system with the programming-language environment and the learning process in implementing multilevel transactions.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>