Meta-modeling to design the Structured Database Schema

Abstract: ASSO is a formal methodology of database design which defines the Structured Database Schema model. This model permits large conceptual schemas to be specified in terms of classes and specialized classes and large consistency proofs to be reduced to small consistency proofs. In this chapter, a Meta-Modeling approach for the Structured Database Schema, which integrates features from methodologies of conceptual database design with the formal method B, is proposed. It starts from a conceptual model based on the notions of class and is-a relationship and proceeds with two gradual extensions of models: the former defines the basic operations, whereas the latter defines the Structured Database Schema. This Meta-Modeling approach guarantees the Structured Database Schema goodness by proposing extensions of models compatible with the previous models. Both a "qualitative measure" of the information implicitly specified within the Structured Database Schema and a qualitative evaluation of the consistency cost are provided.