Résumé: The physical organization of reformation within a database has a major influence on the cost and performance of a computerized informatmn system. The most efficient organization for a specific problem depends on the volume and intrinsm structure of stored information, the frequency and extent of updates, the formats and frequency of retrievals, and hardware accessing characteristms. Since these factors affect design performance in complex, subtle ways, an analyst faced with selecting a database design may well feel overwhelmed by the multitude of choices. This paper offers the practitioner a strmghtforward comparison of tradltmnal record-accessing structures. For the important class of apphcatmns lnvolwng a single record type, this article identifies the three most critical problem characteristms; it structures the essential macro-level design decisions; and it offers a procedure for choosing a reasonable data organization

Langue: Anglais