Selecting and implementing an embedded database system - Computer

W ith the increasing deployment of computers as embedded systems that provide new and interesting services, the computing landscape is much richer and more diverse than it was even a decade ago. Developers can choose from an enormous variety of hardware, operating systems, and tools for the embedded systems they build. This range of platform and tool choices provides both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, developers can choose precisely the tools and services their applications require. On the other hand, finding the right products to use can be difficult. Despite their differences, embedded systems share important characteristics with the desktop and server systems they supplant. Because embedded systems interact with users or with their environment, they need an input/output system. Many embedded systems perform multiple tasks and need some sort of operating system for scheduling and task management. Embedded systems also often require sophisticated database management services. The key strategy in choosing database tools for embedded systems is to focus on the application’s requirements. Embedded database products vary widely from vendor to vendor. Some will do less than a particular application needs, some will do much more. By surveying the choices carefully, you can choose the tool that most closely matches your requirements. After choosing the operating system, hardware platform, and database software for a new embedded system, you must design a system that runs reliably with little or no human intervention. Unlike desktop and server systems, embedded systems cannot ask for operator help when the application encounters a problem. Finally, performance matters. Designing for performance up front, and evaluating it once you’ve built the application, is crucial. Fortunately, you can choose from a variety of techniques for evaluating and improving performance in database applications. To arrive at the best embedded-database-system solution, you must select the product that best matches your specific needs, then integrate that solution with your application. Start this process by evaluating which services your embedded application will provide.