database integrity

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database integrity The condition of a database in which all data values are correct, in the sense (a) of reflecting the state of the real world – within given constraints of accuracy and timeliness – and (b) of obeying rules of mutual consistency. The maintenance of database integrity involves integrity checking, and recovery from any incorrect state that may be detected; this is the responsibility of database administration using the facilities of a database management system.

File integrity can be defined in similar terms. Typically, however, files are subject to less extensive integrity checking than databases.