intelligent database

database A database management system which performs data

validation and processing traditionally done by applicationprograms. Most DBMSs provide some data validation,

e.g. rejecting invalid dates or alphabetic data entered into

money fields, but often most processing is done by application

programs. There is however no limit to the amount of

processing that can be done by an intelligent database as long

as the process is a standard function for that data.

Examples of techniques used to implement intelligent databases

are constraints, triggers and stored procedures.

Moving processing to the database aids data integrity

because it is guaranteed to be consistent across all uses of

the data. Mainframe databases have increasingly become more

intelligent and personal computer database systems are rapidly

following.

(1998-10-07)