An Approach to Implement Dynamically Defined Complex Objects

Conventional data models embodied by current database management systems (DBMS) do not provide satisfactory support for emerging applications. A major reason for this deficiency is the absense of concepts for complex object processing. In this paper, we explain the motivation and key properties of a new data model explicitly designed for the management of complex objects. Furthermore, the most important design decisions and implementation concepts for complex objects are discussed, as far as they were realized in the PRIMA project. Finally, we describe a nested transaction concept enabling intra-transaction parallelism when complex objects have to be retrieved or manipulated.