Tioga: Providing Data Management Support for

We present a user interface paradigm for database management systems that is motivated by scientific visualization applications. Our graphical user interface includes a "boxes and arrows" notation for database access and a flight simulator model of movement through information space. We also provide means to specify a hierarchy of abstracts of data of different types and resolutions, so that a "zoom" capability can be supported. The underlying DBMS support for this system is described and includes the compilation of query plans into megaplans, new algorithms for data buffering, and provisions for a guaranteed rate of data delivery. The current state of the Tioga implementation is also described.