Database dynamics: why and how

The dynamic (i.e. time/rate-dependent) aspects of DBMS are of profound importance in the design of information systems (IS), but analysts do not typically address database dynamics in a rigorous fashion as part of the system development task. To scientifically evaluate the database dynamics of a design, the analyst must model: the dynamic requirements of the IS and the dynamic capabilities of the DBMS in the system. The dynamic modeling of information systems and databases requires expertise and resources not typically available to IS analysts. The authors introduce a decision support architecture that provides analysts with support in database dynamics analysis. This architecture should be integrated with a computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool to allow the analysis to be conducted in an IS-oriented environment. An architecture to support IS professionals in database dynamics analysis should include: provision of appropriate models, such as queuing network simulations; expert knowledge of hardware, DBMS and business operation dynamic characteristics; and expert interpretation of modeling results.<>