Book excerpt: Coverage of business database systems is organized around the database development life cycle in this text, providing a basis for discussing conceptual and implementation design, database implementation, and the management environment. Conceptual data modelling serves as a premise for a discussion of conceptual design and as a means for design implementation using the relational, hierarchical and network models. Client/server database implementations and knowledge-base systems are included among database planning and administration, DBMS selection, and security and integrity that are formulated into a framework of strategic and tactical management issues.