A prototype rule-based front end system for integrity enforcement in relational databases: An application to the naval aircraft flight records database

Abstract

An important goal of any database system is to model the real world accurately in a manner consistent with the user's perception of the data. One way to accomplish the accuracy of information in relational databases is through the enforcement of integrity constraints that represent rules pertaining to the organization. Unfortunately most DBMS today do not provide adequate integrity features to ensure the accuracy of data in their databases. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a prototype rule-based front end system for integrity enforcement for the Naval Aircraft Flight Record relational database. The system includes a set of rules that define 1) the update operation that triggers the testing of an integrity rule, 2) a specification of the condition to be tested, and 3) the action to be taken in case of attempted violation. These rules are stored in a knowledge base, which the inference engine of the system uses to enforce database integrity.