Yeah, I know where you are going. If you directly query a table, you can't enforce RI unless brokered by a stored proc or data services tier call.

>I was thinking that same thing a while back. I could see where an application might not enforce the same RI that a backend would. Say, for example an application is looking at a subset of information that doesn't include a child entity. The application wouldn't even KNOW about the relationship, much less be able to manage the RI. But the backend might well enforce it.
>
>I too am struggling with trying to say what I mean...plus I'm just trying to consider different scenarios.........
>
>>Hi Markus,
>>
>>Enforcing RI at the business tier and enacting RI at the data tier maybe? I know where you are going but am having trouble phrasing it as well.
>>
>>>No, the point is that some RI is business related, and some RI is technology related. The later belongs into the data tiee, while the rest is business logic.
>>>
>>>Markus