Managing time in relational databases shows how to make the rich information content of bi-temporal data available to business users, while simplifying the design, maintenance and retrieval of that data. Metadata declarations eliminate the need to directly model temporal data. Temporal data maintenance is isolated in code that can be invoked to update bi-temporal data in any database and from any application program, across the enterprise. Anyone who can write queries against conventional data will be able to write queries against the bi-temporal data structures described in this book. Key features: 1. Integrates an enterprise-wide viewpoint with a strong conceptual model of temporal data management allowing for realistic implementation of database application development. 2. Provides a true practical guide to the different possible methods of time-oriented databases with techniques of using existing funtionality to solve real world problems within an enterprise data architecture environment. 3. Written by IT professionals for IT professionals, this book employs a heavily example-driven approach which reinforces learning by showing the results of puting the techniques discussed into practice.