Cutting Edge: Binary Serialization of DataSets -- MSDN Magazine, October 2004

Cutting Edge: Binary Serialization of DataSets -- MSDN Magazine, October 2004: "The ADO.NET DataSet object plays an essential role in most of today's distributed, multitiered applications. Instances of the DataSet class are used to move data across the tiers and to exchange data with external services. The DataSet has most of the features needed to represent real-world business entities.
First, the DataSet is a disconnected object�you can use it without a physical connection to the data source. In addition, the DataSet provides a rich programming interface. It supports multiple tables of data, accepts relations defined between pairs of tables, and allows you to enumerate its contents. Last but not least, the DataSet is a fully serializable object. It can be serialized in three different ways�to a standard .NET formatter, to an XML writer, and through the XML serializer."