Lesson 1: Basic Interface Options

File-Based Databases and ISAM Database Interfaces

Data that has been saved as text resides in files that can be accessed using traditional file input/output (I/O). To speed up retrieval, data can be saved in a binary format called Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM). However, most ISAM databases use proprietary formats so you need specific database drivers to access the underlying data. In an attempt to standardize file and ISAM data access, the Joint Engine Technology (Jet) database engine was developed. Jet loads ISAM drivers to facilitate communication with ISAM databases in various formats.