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.