Book excerpt: Upgrading Relational Databases with Objects presents a clear-headed overview of how to use object-oriented (OO) technology to improve existing relational databases. This practical how-to guide starts with the basics of OO and works its way up to examples and what-if scenarios that illustrate how OO technology is, should be and should not be integrated with relational databases. It draws a keen distinction between applications that can be best performed with each technology. The book describes such object technologies as OLE and CORBA and what their impacts will be on relational database connectivity and provides a brief tutorial on relational and object concepts, it then moves on to advanced object/relational, SQL3, OO database technology and the Internet.