Database Evolution: the DB-Main Approach

The paper analyses ome of the practical problems that arise when the requirements of an information system evolve, and when the database and its application programs are to be modified accordingly. It presents four important strategies to cope with this evolution, namely forward maintenance, backward maintenance, reverse engineering .and anticipating design. A common, generic, framework that can support hese strategies is described. It is based on a generic data structure model, on a transformational approach to database ngineering, and on a design process model. The paper discusses bow this framework allows formalizing these evolution strategies, and desaibes a generic CASE tool that supports database applications maintenance.