A host language variable that you associate with the name of the
    database. Use database handles when you are accessing more than
    one database at a time. Do not declare a host language variable
    explicitly for the database handle. The Oracle Rdb preprocessors
    declare the variable for you.

    You can make a handle local to the module in which it is declared
    (LOCAL), or global to all modules that declare the database
    (GLOBAL, EXTERNAL).

    The default is GLOBAL.