Native XML Data Storage and Retrieval

The design and implementation trade-offs within a native XML database make a significant impact on the performance, scalability and features available to applications that use it. This article focuses on the granularity of stored XML documents and indexing as two of the most critical design considerations. Berkeley DB XML from Sleepycat Software (www.sleepycat.com/products/xml.shtml) is the basis for this discussion. The basic functions of an XML database are to store documents, query over documents and handle query results. Of course, indexes are required to obtain acceptable query performance.