There are many factors that influence the selection of a database. For example, if only one person will use the database information you might choose to keep it on the user's system. Or, if several people need access to the data you may choose to place it on a network server.

Most of the supported database products will run from a network server, but they operate quite differently. On the single user system, the server just stores the database file. All processing is accomplished on the user's system. This can result in considerable data being passed across the network.

Oracle is a client server database. Here the database engine runs on the server. It receives requests from client software on each user's system. A request is processed and only the answer is passed back across the network. This type of database can support more users because there is less traffic on the network. These products can also run with the client and server software both on the user's system.

Here are some selection criteria you should consider:

• Will the database be local or on a network server?
• Will you access the data from different types of systems?
• Will you be required to run the database independent of MicroStation?
• Should the MicroStation application be independent of the database? That is, should the application run unchanged with different vendor databases?
• Will tabular reporting of non-graphical data be required?
• Will corporate database standards influence your selection?
• Will you need to interface with the corporate database?
• Will you be required to access more than one vendors' database?