Database Reference
In-Depth Information
4.10 DATA INTEGRITY
Data integrity refers to the validity, consistency, and accuracy of the data in a database.
There are four types of data integrity. The following is a brief description of each:
1. Table-level integrity (known as entity integrity) ensures that there are no duplicate re-
cords within the table and that the field that identifies each record within the table is unique
and never null.
2. Field-level integrity ( known as domain integrity) ensures that the values in each field
are valid, consistent, and accurate; and that fields of the same type (such as NAME fields)
are consistently defined throughout the database.
3. Relationship-level integrity (known as referential integrity) ensures that the records in
the tables are synchronized whenever data is entered into, updated in, or deleted from either
table.
4. Business rules impose restrictions or limitations on certain aspects of a database based
on the ways an organization perceives and uses its data.
4.11 DOMAIN INTEGRITY
