Publication | Closed Access
Functional specifications of a subsystem for data base integrity
63
Citations
0
References
1975
Year
Unknown Venue
EngineeringVerificationSoftware AnalysisFormal VerificationData IntegrityData IntegrationData ManagementFormal SpecificationComputer ScienceData SecuritySoftware VerificationIntegrity SubsystemData ValidationData Definition FacilitiesProgram AnalysisSoftware TestingFormal MethodsFunctional SpecificationsSystem SoftwareNull ValuesIntegrity Verification
The paper introduces an integrity subsystem for integrated database management systems and clarifies how integrity differs from security, consistency, and reliability. The subsystem protects databases from semantic errors by allowing users to define various types of assertions (tuple‑vs, set‑oriented, state‑vs‑transition, immediate‑vs‑delayed, hard‑vs‑soft) and specify corrective actions, while also addressing data definition, compatibility, null handling, and providing tools to create, drop, or examine these assertions.
This paper defines an integrity subsystem for an integrated data base management system, and shows how integrity is distinguished from the related areas of security, consistency, and reliability. The integrity subsystem guards the data base against semantic errors by permitting users to make assertions which define the correctness of the data base, and to specify actions to be taken when the assertions are not satisfied. Several categories of assertions are considered, including tuple-vs. set-oriented, state- vs. transition-oriented, immediate vs. delayed, and "hard" vs. "soft" assertions. The related areas of data definition facilities, compatibility of data items, and handling of null values are explored. Facilities are specified by means of which a user may create, drop, or examine integrity assertions.