Schema evolution in database systems

Abstract

Schema Evolution is the ability of a database system to respond to changes in the real world by allowing the schema to evolve. In many systems this property also implies a retaining of past states of the schema. This latter property is necessary if data recorded during the lifetime of one version of the schema is not to be made obsolete as the schema changes. This annotated bibliography investigates current published research with respect to the handling of changing schemas in database systems.