Object Oriented Database Management Systems: Architecture and Application

The advent of multimedia computing, the World Wide Web, and objectoriented application languages has caused the proliferation of complex data types that must be managed differently from traditional character or numeric data types. Relational DBMS (RDBMS) can be modified with data extenders to support these complex new data types. Object DBMS (OODBMS), however, are designed specifically for these data types, and manipulate them with far greater efficiency. OODBMS perform direct navigation, clustering, schema evolution, and other functions that RDBMS cannot match. Adoption of common interoperable standards will facilitate the move towards open systems for heterogeneous, distributed platforms