A type of an object that can be persisted in a database store is defined
by a user. The type definition comprises fields and behaviors, each field
having a respective data type. One or more fields of the type definition
may be designated as containing data of a type that is to be stored as a
file outside of the database store and separately from the other fields
of the type definition. When a request is received to store an object
that is an instance of the user defined type, the data in any so
designated field of the object is stored in a file outside of the
database store, preferably within a file system of the computer on which
the database store is implemented. The data in each of the other fields
of the object is stored within the database store in the usual manner.
The database store maintains a link, or reference, between the persisted
object and the data of the field that is stored as a file outside of the
database store. Applications are provided "out of band" access, via the
file system of the computer, to the file in which the data of given field
is stored outside the database store.