---
title: "xDB Reference Data database"
slug: "xdb-reference-data-database"
abstract: "Overview of Sitecore xDB Reference Data database supported infrastructure, references, privacy and security, and database structure and settings."
---
# xDB Reference Data database

The xDB Reference Data database contains marketing reference content for all xDB data such as definitions and taxonomies.

## Supported infrastructure

You can host the xDB Reference Data database on:

- SQL Server
- SQL Azure

Refer to the [Sitecore compatibility table](https://kb.sitecore.net/articles/087164) for compatible versions.

## Reference structure

The xDB Reference Data database has its place in the Sitecore reference structure. It can be referenced by other roles, and it can also reference other roles.

![Illustration showing the xDB Reference Data database's place in the Sitecore reference structure.](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/xp/en/developers/100/platform-administration-and-architecture/images/xdb-reference-data-database.png)

### Referenced by

The xDB Reference Data database is referenced by the following roles:

- [xDB Processing](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/platform-administration-and-architecture/xdb-processing.html "xDB Processing")
- [Reference Data service](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/platform-administration-and-architecture/reference-data-service.html "Reference Data service")
- [Marketing Automation Engine](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/platform-administration-and-architecture/marketing-automation-engine.html "Marketing Automation Engine")
- [Marketing Automation Operations service](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/100/platform-administration-and-architecture/marketing-automation-operations-service.html "Marketing Automation Operations service")

### References

The xDB Reference Data database does not reference other roles.

## Privacy and security

Assuming default behavior, the xDB Reference Data database does not store personal data.

### Assumptions

- Contact data is not saved in the xDB Reference Data database.

## Database structure and settings

### Default collation

Comparisons within the xDB Reference Data database are case sensitive. Therefore, unlike other databases, the default collation of the xDB Reference Data database is set to Latin1_General_CS_AS.

> [!note]
> Changing the default collation may result in definition key comparisons producing incorrect results. It is strongly recommended that you do not change the default collation.