Exploiting database technology for object based event storage and retrieval

This paper discusses the storage and retrieval of experimental data on relational databases. Physics experiments carried out using reactors and particle accelerators, generate huge amount of data. Also, most of the data analysis and simulation programs are developed using object oriented programming concepts. Hence, one of the most important design features of an experiment related software framework is the way object persistency is handled. We intend to discuss these issues in the light of the module developed by us for storing C++ objects in relational databases like Oracle. This module was developed under the POOL persistency framework being developed for LHC, CERN grid. (author)