Introduction to XML DB

by Jeff Hunter, Sr. Database Administrator Contents 1. Overview 2. Benefits of XML DB

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Options for Accessing Data in XML Repository

Overview This chapter introduces you to Oracle XML DB. From its beginnings, XML's core characteristics o sel !description and dynamic e"tensibility ha#e pro#ided the le"ibility needed to transport messages bet$een #arious applications, and loosely couple distributed business processes. XML is also language!independent and plat orm!independent. %s XML support has become standard in bro$sers, application ser#ers, and databases, enterprises ha#e $ished to tie legacy applications to the &eb using XML to trans orm #arious proprietary ile! and document!e"change templates into XML. More recently, a ne$ generation o XML standards, such as XML 'chema, has enabled a uni ied data model that can address both structured data and documents. XML 'chema has emerged as a (ey inno#ation in managing document content $ith the same rigor as data by enabling documents mar(ed up as XML to mo#e into the database. Oracle XML DB is a set o built!in high!per ormance storage and retrie#al technologies geared to XML. Oracle XML DB ully absorbs the &orld &ide &eb )onsortium *&+), XML data model into Oracle-i database and pro#ides ne$ standard access methods or na#igating and .uerying XML. /ou get all the ad#antages o relational database technology and XML technology at the same time. Oracle XML DB can be used to store, .uery, update, trans orm, or other$ise process XML, $hile at the same time pro#iding '0L access to the same XML data.

Oracle XML DB is not some separate ser#er but rather the name or a distinct group o technologies related to high!per ormance XML storage and retrie#al that are a#ailable $ithin the amiliar Oracle database. Oracle XML DB can also be thought o as an e#olution o the Oracle database that encompasses both '0L and XML data models in a highly interoperable manner, thus pro#iding nati#e XML support.

Benefits of XML DB %pplications o ten manage structured data as tables and unstructured data as iles or Large Ob1ects *LOBs,. This sub1ects de#elopers to di erent paradigms or managing di erent (inds o data. 'ystems channel application!de#elopment do$n either o the ollo$ing paths2 Unstructured This typically ma(es document access transparent and table access comple". !tructured This typically ma(es document access comple" and table access transparent. Oracle XML DB pro#ides the ollo$ing bene its2

The ability to store and manage both structured and unstructured data under the same standard &+) XML data model *XML 'chema,. )omplete transparency and interchangeability bet$een the XML and '0L data #ie$s. 3aluable 4epository unctionality2 oldering, access control, FT5, and &ebD%3 protocol support $ith #ersioning. This enables applications to retain the ile abstraction $hen manipulating XML data brought into Oracle. %s a result, you can store XML in the database *rendering it .ueryable, and at the same time access it through popular des(top tools. Better management o unstructured XML data by supporting
o o o o

5iece$ise updates XML inde"ing Integrated XML te"t search $ith Oracle Te"t Multiple #ie$s on the data, including relational #ie$s or '0L access

6n orcement o intra!document and inte! document relationships in XML documents

7sers today ace a per ormance barrier in storing and retrie#ing comple" XML. Oracle XML DB pro#ides high per ormance and scalability or XML operations $ith the help o a number o speci ic optimi8ations that relate to XML!speci ic data!caching and memory management, .uery optimi8ation on XML, special hierarchical inde"es on the XML 4epository, and so on. 6nables data and documents rom disparate systems to be accessed, or e"ample, through Oracle 9ate$ay and 6"ternal Tables, and combined into a standard data model. This integrati#e aspect reduces the comple"ity o de#eloping applications that must deal $ith data rom di erent stores.

Options for Accessing Data in XML Repository

:TT5, through the :TT5 protocol handler. &ebDa# and FT5, through the &ebDa# and FT5 protocol ser#er. '0L, through Oracle ;et 'er#ices including <DB). Oracle XML DB also supports XML data messaging using %d#anced 0ueueing *%0, and 'O%5.