05/14/80	mrds

Function:	 This is a brief description of the Multics Relational Data Store
(MRDS) which is a generalized database manager based on the relational
approach.


Introduction:  MRDS provides capabilities to create, load, and access a
relational database with a query language that is relationaly complete.

It has an associated end user facility LINUS, Logical Inquiry and Update System
that provides an interface for less computer oriented users.

MRDS provides both a Multics command level interface, and a subroutine level
interface that is callable from all Multics programming languages supporting a
call interface.

The databases supported by MRDS provide a large measure of data independence,
and control of concurrent accesses to the database.  Security and database
recovery are also provided for.  The database concepts of views, and database
snapshots are part of the makeup of MRDS.


References:  There are two Multics manuals that contain the majority of the
information pertinent to MRDS.

The Multics Relational Data Store Reference Manual, Order number AW53, and the
Logical Inquiry and Update System Reference Manual, Order number AZ49.

A good work on databases in general is "An Introduction to Data Base Systems"
by C. J. Date, 2nd edition, Reading, Mass. published by Addison Wesley in 1977.

More specific to relational databases is "Relational Data Base Systems" by Won
Kim, that appeared in ACM Computing Surveys Vol.	11, No.  3, Sept.  1979, pp.
185-211.	An update on this article, involving MRDS, appeared in ACM Computing
Surveys Vol. 12, No. 1, March 1980, pp 111-113.


Other help:  Do a "list_help mrds" to find other info segments pertaining to
mrds.


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Historical Background

This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated
to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. 
as a contribution to computer science knowledge.  
This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL
and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. 
Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970),
renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership
of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture 
for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems 
incorporated Multics principles.
Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., 
as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. .

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Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without
fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies
and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining
to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission.
    Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS
    All Rights Reserved