Data Mapping Application Block
"The Data Mapper is a layer of software that separates the in-memory objects from the database. Its responsibility is to transfer data between the two ends to isolate them from each other. With Data Mapper the in-memory objects needn’t know even that there’s a database present; they need no SQL interface code, and certainly no knowledge of the database schema." (Fowler, Martin, Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, p. 165) Data Mappers equate to what is known as Data Access Logic Components (DALCs). This application block is intended to make it easier for producers of business DALCs to create common functionality that relates to managing "entities" with CRUD functions. The DataMapper also promotes the use of stored procedures as a best practice to abstract data access from the underlying data schema and increase performance. Finally, the DataMapper allows capabilities like the use of transactions, command timeouts, and caching properties to be added, removed, and modified through configuration when needed. For example, to add transactions or caching to a DALC, no code will need to be modified -- only configuration settings.”
Find out more here