Abstract
Description logics and reasoners, which are descendants of the KL-ONE language, have been studied in depth in artificial intelligence. After a brief introduction, we survey their application to the problems of information management, using the framework of an abstract information server equipped with several operations-each involving one or more languages. Specifically, we indicate how one can achieve enhanced access to data and knowledge by using descriptions in languages for schema design and integration, queries, answers, updates, rules, and constraints.< >