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Database Extensibility Overview

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Database extensibility refers to extending your database's schema. There are three types of database extensibility: static database extensibility, dynamic database extensibility, and advanced database extensibility. When you are developing a strategy to extend your database, consider using the different types of extensibility in the following order:

Static database extensibility

This is the first type of extensibility to consider when planning changes to your schema. The advantage of using this type of extensibility is that it allows you to adapt the database to suit a specific need without altering the schema in any way. This leads to the automatic use of optimizations that are built into the standard system.

This type of extensibility involves the use of predefined columns that have no other business purpose. These columns would either be in tables that have a one-to-one relationship with an existing base table (for example, a predefined table with an S_ prefix and an _X suffix), or in tables that have a many-to-one relationship with an existing table (for example, a table that has an S_ prefix and an _XM suffix).

Dynamic database extensibility

This is the second type of database extensibility to consider using to modify the schema. Dynamic database extensions modify the schema in a defined way. You can use Siebel Tools to add columns through the Object List Editor or create an extension table by navigating to a Table object and clicking the Extend button. They allow you to create new columns on base tables and new extension tables, with records that have a one-to-one relationship with records in a base table.

Advanced database extensibility

Consider using only advanced database extensibility when the preceding types of extensibility, static and dynamic extensibility, are not available. This type of extensibility involves creating new tables whose records have a one-to-many or a many-to-one relationship with records in a standard base table. You can use advanced database extensibility to create stand-alone tables that may be related to base tables or intersection tables. This facilitates any new many-to-many relationships, either between new stand-alone tables or within the supplied schema.

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