PeopleSoft Database

PeopleSoft has a long history of offering customers a choice of market-leading databases. PeopleTools provides an abstraction layer, which insulates application developers from the intricacies of each of the specific database platforms. Customer databases choices include:

Oracle
IBM Db2
Microsoft SQL Server

After you install your database engine there are three distinct layers within the database that work in concert to store and manage data for your PeopleSoft system. The database system tables manage both the PeopleTools and PeopleSoft application database objects, while the PeopleSoft application tables reside within the infrastructure defined by the PeopleTools metadata.

PeopleSoft database comprised of distinct, yet integrated, layers including system tables, PeopleTools metadata, and PeopleSoft application data

The following table describes each layer of a PeopleSoft database.

PeopleSoft Database Layer	Description
System Tables	System tables, also called system catalog tables, are analogous to a table of contents for a book or to file allocation tables on a hard drive. The structure and table names vary depending on which RDBMS you use. System catalog tables: Keep track of all of the objects that reside in the database instance. Are created by and owned by the RDBMS. Are often described as system metadata.
PeopleTools metadata	PeopleTools tables provide the infrastructure for PeopleSoft applications by storing and managing PeopleSoft application metadata. This metadata consists of information that defines the application, such as records, fields, pages, PeopleCode, and security. PeopleTools tables: Define the structure of all object definitions that make up an application. Use the same table structure for all applications. Contain data that is added and updated only when the application is installed, or when using development tools such as PeopleSoft Application Designer or Data Mover.
PeopleSoft application data tables	Application data tables store data entered through a PeopleSoft application. The specific tables and their structures vary by application. Application data tables: Contain transactional data entered by users. Are empty prior to data entry (except the demo databases).

PeopleSoft Database Layer

Description

System Tables

System tables, also called system catalog tables, are analogous to a table of contents for a book or to file allocation tables on a hard drive. The structure and table names vary depending on which RDBMS you use. System catalog tables:

Keep track of all of the objects that reside in the database instance.
Are created by and owned by the RDBMS.
Are often described as system metadata.

PeopleTools metadata

PeopleTools tables provide the infrastructure for PeopleSoft applications by storing and managing PeopleSoft application metadata. This metadata consists of information that defines the application, such as records, fields, pages, PeopleCode, and security. PeopleTools tables:

Define the structure of all object definitions that make up an application.
Use the same table structure for all applications.
Contain data that is added and updated only when the application is installed, or when using development tools such as PeopleSoft Application Designer or Data Mover.

PeopleSoft application data tables

Application data tables store data entered through a PeopleSoft application. The specific tables and their structures vary by application. Application data tables:

Contain transactional data entered by users.
Are empty prior to data entry (except the demo databases).