Investigation of using XML to create construction estimates and store them in SQL Server 2005

Abstract

Problems of using new SQL Server 2005 XML possibility to create construction estimates and store them in a distributed system are considered in the paper. Two data structures that associate with construction estimates are investigated. The first structure concerns construction complex along with its object and estimate list, and the second structure concerns construction estimate that consists of divisions, subdivisions, work elements and resources. Information system performance is analyzed in the following two cases: 1) when the construction complex list and estimate data are kept in related tables. 2) when they are kept in XML format. With a help of simulated data it is shown that construction complex list and estimate data loading time is significantly smaller when they are stored in XML document format.