Problem Classes in Intelligent Network Database Design 2 Introduction to In

The demands to an IN database make it a distributed real-time heterogeneous database, where each of the nodes can be a parallel database. We will discuss the problems that the IN structure and its demands create, and how the current database research can fullll them. Our interests are in general solution level, logical data model, query languages, speed, and transaction handling and recovery. 1 Preface ElNa89] In time of faster service creation and high competition, it is necessary to have open and compatible network systems AiPW91]. The telephone network solution to the dilemma is both Intelligent Network (IN), that creates the background for new services, and Telecommunication Management Network (TMN), that creates the general telephone network model. Together they form the needed environment ApKS93]. Our interests are in IN, and especially the database that supports the information exchange in it. In IN, the database must be able to handle 95 % of the requests in less than 15 ms, and the total unreachable time in a year must not exceed 10 seconds. If these demands are not met, customers will notice delays in the telephone interface. In this article we will examine the demands, and what solutions we think the current database research can ooer. The rest of the paper is divided into seven chapters. Chapter 2 is a short introduction to IN. Chapter 3 deals the database theory in general level. Chapter 4 is about possible logical data models of an IN database. Chapter 5 is about query languages, both on maintenance and on user level. Chapter 6 is about speed demands and how they can be met. Chapter 7 is about transaction processing and recovery from failure conditions. Chapter 8 is summary. An Intelligent Network (IN) is able to separate the speciication, creation, and control of telephony services from physical switching networks HoHa92]. IN and its standardization is also the rst step to create an open standardized telephone network where new services 1