Test Physical Database
Test Physical Database
Test Physical Database
associated entity.
Example
It can also be represented by listing them within the entity rectangle, under the entity name(entity type).
Types of attributes
An attribute can be: - simple or composite, single-value or multi-value, stored or derived
or Null Values.
1) Simple (Atomic) vs Composite attribute
Simple attributes cannot be further divisible.
. Example: SSN, Sex
In E-R Diagram, simple attributes can be represented by an ellipse shape. Example:
- In E-R Diagram, Multi-valued attributes can be represented by double ellipse (oval) shape.
3) Stored vs derived attributes.
. In some cases, some attributes have a reference (derived from other attributes’ value).
Example: - The Age attribute is derived from the Birth-Date attribute.
- So, the Age attribute is derived attribute, and the Birth-Date attribute is stored attribute.
In E-R Diagram, Derived attributes can be represented by dotted ellipse.
4) Null Values attributes
Not applicable: e.g. Apartment Number, College Degree.
Unknown: - the attribute value exists but is missing. E.g. Height
- It is not known whether the value exists. E.g. Home Phone
✓ Key attributes
- Attributes can be classified as identifiers or descriptors.
- A descriptor describes a non-unique characteristic of an entity instance.
- Identifiers (more commonly called keys or key attributes) uniquely identify each instance of
an entity, called candidate key. If such an attribute doesn't exist naturally, a new attribute is defined
for that purpose.
Example: an ID number of STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE Entity type.
- In some cases, more than one attribute is required to identify a unique entity, called composite
candidate key.
- In E-R Diagram, key attributes (identifiers) can be represented by ellipse shape with
underline.
When selecting identifiers, you should follow these guidelines:
i) Choose a candidate key that has values that do not change over the life of each instance of the
entity type.
ii) Choose a candidate key that is guaranteed to always have valid values and not be null for each
instance.
iii) If a candidate key is a composite of two or more attributes, consider creating a new key with a
single value.
✓ Types of Keys in Relational Database Model
Super key
- Candidate key
Primary key
- Alternate key
Foreign key
we’re interested in identifying super keys that contain only the minimum number of columns necessary for
unique identification.
Candidate Key is a super key whose values are not repeated in the table records.
- It is a super key that contains only the minimum number of columns necessary for unique
identification.
- It is possible to have more than one choice of candidate key in a particular table. In that case, the
selection of the primary key would be driven by the designer’s choice or by end user requirements.
Primary Key is a candidate key which doesn’t have repeated nor NULL values in the table.
Super Key is an attribute or a composite attribute which functionally determines
all of the entity’s attributes.
Since, a super key may contain additional columns that are not necessary for unique
identification;
we’re interested in identifying super keys that contain only the minimum number of columns necessary for
unique identification.
Candidate Key is a super key whose values are not repeated in the table records.
- It is a super key that contains only the minimum number of columns necessary for unique
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identification.
- It is possible to have more than one choice of candidate key in a particular table. In that case, the
selection of the primary key would be driven by the designer’s choice or by end user requirements.
Primary Key is a candidate key which doesn’t have repeated nor NULL values in the table.
A primary key in any table is both a super key as well as a candidate key.
- It is an attribute or a set of attributes that uniquely identify a specific instance of an entity.
- Every entity in the data model must have a primary key whose values uniquely identify instances of the entity.
Alternate key is the candidate keys that are not selected as the primary key of the entity.
Foreign Key is a table’s primary key attribute which is repeated in another related table (having related data) to
maintain the required data relationship.
1.1.2. Relationship type, relationship sets, roles and structural constraints
A relationship is an association that exist b/n two or more participating entities.
- The function of relationship is to share data b/n entities.
- In E-R Diagram, a relationship type is represented by a diamond shape with the relationship verb in it.
- Some example of relationships are: - a DEPARTEMENT has EMPLOYEES
- an EMPLOYEE manages PROJECTS
- EMPLOYEES works_on PROJECTS
- EMPLOYEES process PAYMENTS
- EMPLOYEES works_for DEPARTEMENT
There are three types of relationships b/n entities
o One-to-one: - one instance of an entity (A) is associated with one other instance of another entity (B).
Example: - the manages relationship b/n department and employee
- President to country, husband to wife, people to religion
o One-to-many: - one instance of an entity (A) is associated with zero, one or many instances of another entity
(B), but for one instance of entity (B) there is only one instance of entity (A).
Example: - the has relationship b/n department and employee
- Country to people, mother to children, department to students
o Many-to-many: - one instance of an entity )A) is associated with zero, one or many instances of another
entity
(B), and one instance of entity (B) is associated with zero, one or many instances of entity (A).
Example: - the works_for relationship b/n employee and project
- Students to course, employee to projects, people to language
• Relationship Types
A Relationship Type defines a relationship set among entities of certain entity types.
A relationship type R among n entity types E1, E2, ••. , En defines a set of associations or a relationship set
among entity from these entity types.
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The copy number is only unique for each book, meaning Book 123 may have copy 1, copy 2, copy 3, and
book 456 may also have copy 1, copy 2 and copy 3. The copy number cannot be considered unique for each
copy.
Therefore, the Copy entity does not have a key attribute; it is considered a weak entity type where as the
book entity is the identifying entity.
- A copy cannot exist without the identifying entity (Book)
- The Copy entity type has a total participation constraint with respect to the identifying relationship.
- The partial key of the Copy entity is Copy Number; for each owner entity Book, the Copy Number
uniquely identifies the copy for each book.
1.1.4. Refining ER designing
Refining is the process of analyzing of the entity relationship design of a database.
1.1.5. ERD naming, conventions, and design issues
Specify structural constraints on relationships
Replaces cardinality ratio (1:1, 1:N, M:N) and single/double line notation for participation constraints
Entity naming convention
. Entity names should be a noun, singular (written in upper case).
Where necessary, underscores should join the words.
Where possible, avoid using the organization’s name as part of the table name.
For physical implementation, Entity Names can have a maximum of 44 characters.
Names for the entities must be meaningful and must not conflict with other entity names.
Attribute Naming convention
. Attributes’ name initial character should be upper case followed by lower case. Where necessary, underscores
should join the words. No two attributes of an entity type having the same attribute name, but Attributes of
different entities can have the same name.
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Operation (interface):
An operation is a specification of a transformation or query that an object may be called to execute.
It has a name and a list of parameters.
Enhanced ER diagram and UML modeling
Enhanced ER diagram includes all modeling concepts of the ER model.
In addition, EER diagram includes:
- Subclasses and superclasses.
-Specialization and generalization
Example: {SECRETARY, ENGINEER, TECHNICIAN}, inherits all attributes and relationship of an entity type
EMPLOYEE.
Characteristics of generalization
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A superclass entity can take shared characteristics (Attributes, Association or methods) of its subclass
entity.
. A superclass entity may have its own specific attributes and relationships (together with all common
attributes and relationships it take from the subclass
Modeling of union types using categories
Super classes represent different entity types (subclasses). Such a subclass is called a category or UNION TYPE
Example:
Database for vehicle registration, vehicle owner can be a person, a bank (holding a lien on a vehicle) or a
company.
Category (subclass) OWNER is a subset of the union of the three super classes COMPANY, BANK, and
PERSON
– A category member must exist in at least one of its super classes
Union type or a category
- Represents a single superclass/subclass relationship with more than one superclass
- Subclass represents a collection of objects that is a subset of the UNION of distinct entity
types
- Attribute inheritance works more selectively
- Category can be total or partial
- Some modeling methodologies do not have union types
Generalization - Generalization is the process of extracting shared characteristics from two or more classes,
and combining them into a generalized superclass.
An association indicates that objects of one class have a relationship with objects of another class, in which
this connection has a specifically defined meaning.
Multiplicity - A multiplicity allows for statements about the number of objects that are involved in an
association:
Aggregation - An aggregation is a special case of an association (see above) meaning “consists of”:
The one-to-one unary relationship is represented in the similar way as one-to-one binary relationship.
Some examples are given below to explain the concept of one-to-one unary relationship.
Examples: The recursive relationship between the instances of PERSON entity type is:
The above relationship shows that a person is married to a person. On the other hand, a person is married by
another person.
b) One-to-Many Unary Relationship
The one-to-many unary relationship is shown in figure below. This relationship is named as 'Manages' that
associates employees of an organization with another employee who is their manager.
The above relationship shows that a doctor is treated by many other doctors. On the other hand, a doctor
treats many other doctors.
• Ternary (degree three) relationship
A ternary relationship is a simultaneous relationship among instances of three entity types. This type of
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The above ternary relationship "Has" can be read as "A salesperson has many orders from many customers.
In E-R Diagram, any foreign key key attributes of an entity type can be represented by ellipse shape with
underline with a dot line for the name.
➢ Audit Trials
An audit trail (or audit log) is a security-relevant chronological (in order) record, set of records, or
destination and source of records that provide documentary evidence of the sequence of activities that have
affected at any time a specific operation, procedure, or event.
Audit records typically result from activities such as financial transactions, scientific research and health care
data transactions, or communications by individual people, systems, accounts, or other entities.
The process that creates an audit trail is typically required to always run in a privileged mode, so it can
access and supervise all actions from all users; a normal user should not be allowed to stop/change it.
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Furthermore, for the same reason, trail file or database table with a trail should not be accessible to normal
users.
Database auditing involves observing a database so as to be aware of the actions of database users.
Database administrators and consultants often set up auditing for security purposes, for example, to ensure
that those without the permission to access information do not access it
"Audit trails help promote data integrity by enabling the detection of security breaches.
One of the most significant aspects of database security involves setting up auditing to record user activities.
➢ Maintaining equipment inventory
Having an accurate equipment inventory is an important part of the maintenance process. If users reporting
problems can select from a complete and accurate list of equipment items, they will more quickly and
accurately report their problems, and the system can more effectively route the problems to the appropriate
approval and execution processes.
An accurate equipment inventory optimizes the maintenance process and thereby minimizes the direct and
indirect costs associated maintaining equipment.
Equipment Standards
An important step of maintaining an equipment inventory is to establish the types of equipment at your
company -- the equipment standards
Setting up Equipment Standards
Select the View and Edit Equipment Standards task. A list of all defined equipment standard will show.
Select an equipment standard, and the system displays detailed information on the selected equipment
standard in the right frame.
You can make changes to the information if needed and click on the Save button to submit the changes.
To add a new equipment standard, click on the Add New button and enter your details.
View and Edit Inventory
Select the View and Edit Equipment Inventory task. The system presents a three-panel view.
• In the top panel, you can restrict the equipment listing.
• In the left panel, the restricted equipment is listed. Click the Show button in the panel header of the top panel
to populate the list.
• Select an equipment item in the list, and its details display in the right panel.
You can make these edits:
• To update equipment details, make changes in the details panel and click the Save button.
• To add a new equipment to the inventory, click the Add New button in the inventory listing
panel, enter data in the details panel, and save your changes.
➢ Client training and satisfaction reports
Client training increase productivity or enhance current skill, the training sessions provide a valuable
opportunity to turn client risk management knowledge into a competitive advantage.
Client/Customer satisfaction report is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company
meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or
percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings)
exceeds specified satisfaction goals.
- Verbal feedback
- Informal feedback
- Formal feedback
- Questionnaire
- Survey
- Group discussion
• Prototyping
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated
or learned from. A prototype is designed to test and trial a new design to enhance precision by system analysts
and users. Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a real, working system rather than a theoretical one.
Some Advantages of Prototyping:
- Reduces development time.
- Reduces development costs.
- Requires user involvement.
- Developers receive quantifiable user feedback.
- Facilitates system implementation since users know what to expect.
- Results in higher user satisfaction.
- Exposes developers to potential future system enhancements.
• Verbal feedback
Verbal feedback should be used to supplement, support or as part of other evaluation activity. It can be formal
or informal.
Informal verbal feedback is most often used to evaluate just after a training event. Sometimes it may be in the
form of a throw away comment or something more specific.
Informal verbal feedback is good for:
- Evaluating at validation, learning and meeting of objectives levels.
- Carrying out formative assessment of training programmes.
Formal verbal feedback can assist you to evaluate for validation, whether objectives met or for learning.
Formal verbal feedback is good for:
- Informing the tutor of any immediate reactions to the training.
- Allowing the facilitator to focus subsequent evaluations around specific issues.
• Informal feedback
Informal feedback is a type of feedback which offer daily encouragement to team members and discuss
comments from customers. It can often give the employee a sense of job performance and can give
motivation.
• Formal feedback
Formal Feedback is documented feedback. In some cases, this may be a form of corrective counselling
intended to make an employee aware of their performance or lack of performance.
• Questionnaire
Questionnaires are effective mechanisms for efficient collection of certain kinds of information.
Questionnaires may have only two options (yes/no) or multiple options or rank scaling, etc.
All the readers need to do is tick the most appropriate answer according to them.
Example: How satisfied were you with the training?
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• Survey
A survey is a data collection tool that used to gather information about individuals.
A feedback survey is designed to collect feedback from clients about their interactions with a business.
- It provides space for customers to voice their compliments, complaints, and
suggestions.
- Feedback surveys help businesses improve the quality of their information, products,
and services.
• Group discussion
After group discussion, the group provides feedback to the trainer or facilitator.
It is rated on various parameters such as attitude, confidence, communication, interpersonal skills, and flow
of thoughts.