DATABASE DESIGN BY COMPUTER-AIDED SCHEMA TRANSFORMATIONS

The focus of the paper is schema transformation during the development of an information system. A framework is described for conversion and transformation of conceptual (semantic) data models and their interna l (machine oriented) representations. This framework allows us to 'wal k' through the solution space of candidate internal representations fo r a given conceptual data model. This walk may be randomised or perfor mance driven, where storage requirements and average response times ar e combined in a multi-objective fitness function. Furthermore, a wide variety of control parameters may be embedded, such as preferences for database table size, absence of data redundancy or absence of optiona l database fields, Basic experimental results produced by a prototype convertor/transformer are presented, including deviations from the sta ndard optimal normal form for databases.