Criteria for Characterizing Heterogeneous Database Systems

The type of schemas, data sharing, and data access methods can be used for classifying heterogeneous database systems, but fail to capture important characteristics of these systems, including:

1. database heterogeneity and cooperation assumptions;

2. type and accuracy of schema and data converters;

3. extent of schema and data conflict detection and resolution;

4. type of database correlations and restructuring;

5. type of query interfaces and processing;

6. extent of synchronization with component databases.

We briefly discuss below these characteristics of heterogeneous database systems.

• Database Heterogeneity and Cooperation Assumptions
• Schema and Data Converters
• Conflict Detection and Resolution
• Database Correlations and Restructuring
• Query Interfaces and Processing
• Synchronization with Component Databases