A Conceptual Model for Semantic Integrity Checking

The problem of maintaining the semantic integrity of a database is one of assuring that the database contents are consistent with the real world. This requires the use of knowledge about real world constraints upon the database, and a means for applying that knowledge to the database. The knowledge which relates the database to the real world is the conceptual model of the database. This paper presents a means for representing and applying semantic integrity knowledge to existing databases maintained by existing DBMS's. The method employed to represent the real world knowledge in the Cooperative Overt Passive Errordetection (COPE) svstem is described, and examples are shown of the ways in which COPE can apply that knowledge. Means by which COPE can incorporate other, less general, semantic integrity checking approaches are also described.