ABSTRACT
Component-based object-oriented architectures are becoming increasingly popular in building industrial strength applications. However, relational databases are not going to be replaced by object databases in the foreseeable future. This chapter explores the ramifications of component-based designs on data management and offers strategies which could be deployed in the use of relational centralized databases with object-oriented component-based application architectures. From a pure application design perspective, object-oriented databases would be much more suitable for use with object-oriented component-based application architectures. Application architectures are becoming increasingly component based to satisfy the need for flexible as well as manageable systems. An object-based component can be described as a set of objects collaborating to provide a common functionality and implementing a common interface. Thus, an object-based component improves the encapsulation aspect of object-based applications. Since a component-based architecture enhances the ability of multi-tiered architectures to deliver on its promise, it would be logical to conclude that component-based multi-tiered architectures are to stay.
