The Design and Implementation of a Database Management System Using Abstract Data Type.

Abstract : The design, implementation, and performance analysis of a database management system implemented using abstract data types are presented. The use of abstract data types as an implementation tool is shown to have several significant advantages over current implementation techniques. First, by using a combination of abstract data types and generic procedures to structure the design of a database system, the resulting software will be more reliable. Also, by employing a programming language which supports specification and verification of abstract data types, we can Guarantee data imdependence. Finally, we demonstrate that the application of abstract data types permits the elimination of run-time interpretation of the schema and subschema such as in IBM's IMS, Univac's DMS110, and INGRES. Instead, the data manipulation routines, which are shown to be examples of generic procedures, are implemented as parameterized calls to the procedures bound to the instances of the three abstract data types used to represent the logical structure of the database. (Author)