A Methodology for a Very Small Data Base Design

This paper proposes a design methodology for very small databases for the purpose of being hosted by portable devices. Three main differences w.r.t. the traditional design methodologies are introduced: first, the main mobility issues are considered along with data distribution; second, context awareness is included in the data design issues to allow full exploitation of context-sensitive application functionalities; and third, the peculiarities of the storage device(s) are taken into account by introducing a logistic phase after the usual conceptual and logical phases. The three aspects together determine the VSDB ambient which is the set of personal and environmental characteristics determining the portion of data that must be stored on the portable device. This paper details the design methodology in its conceptual, logical and logistic phases.