Week 6 - Object Oriented Databases

D.Barbalace

Researching Object Oriented Databases has made me realize how little I know about databases.  There are a lot of different types of databases, all with their own benefits and faults.  The generic definition of 'database' is as follows:  a structured set of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.

OODBs meet this definition very well, as their primary benefit is that they are very easy to integrate into multiple different operating systems, programs, and larger databases.  They were first utilized in computer aided drafting and manufacturing programs.  They are being used ever increasingly by the healthcare, telecommunications, finance, and multimedia industries.  A good example is the use of families in Revit.  Families are 'complex objects', made up of many smaller 'simple objects' (lines, dimensions, textures, etc.).

An OOBD is comprised of two main parts, the interface and the implementation.  The interface is what is seen by a user, the implementation is all of the pre established rules governing the object digitally.  By keeping these somewhat separated, it allows for smooth viewing while ensuring the object remains accurate.  This is especially important in CAD and BIM models.

Object oriented databases are normally very organized (which aids in the interchangeability of the information).  They often take on a class structure, where the objects are defined by a set of branching specifications.  For instance, a 5x5 cube might be found by searching 'basic shape'->'cube'->'5x5'.

Object oriented databases are a very important part of the work we do as engineers.  They affect our architectural and engineering computer models, our financial and scheduling calculations in excel, and they allow large companies to exchange models and information very easily.  I feel like it would take me a lot of time to fully understand how databases work, but I have a decent understanding now.

References:

http://people.cs.pitt.edu/~chang/156/19oodb.html

http://odbms.org

Comments:

Nameita's Post:  Your post definitely helped me understand OODBs a bit more, even after I had written my post. As you said with Yoon, it seems like our approach to the post was similar. I did not have any prior knowledge on databases prior to this post as well, so I took it as an opportunity to research benefits and uses for object oriented databases. I really like how you describe why object oriented dbs are better that relational dbs. I didn't realize that the time it took to compile information was that long with relational dbs. Great post!

Ryan's Post:  Great post. You basically touched on all of the thoughts that came into my head first when thinking about contractor databases. They're perfect for organization in that they provide a method of ensuring consistency between projects for pricing, equipment, and scheduling. Also, I like how you stated that you can use databases to store historical data about the company and its projects, which can help make decisions based on past circumstances. I actually can't imagine how much work it would have been back in the day having to look up a cost or figure every single time you needed it instead of quickly searching a centralized excel sheet.