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DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Course: Fundamentals of Database Systems

By:- Senbeto K.
Fundamentals of Database Systems 1
 Chapter One
------------------------------------
Introduction to Database Systems

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 Course Content
Chapter: Introduction to Database Systems
 Basics of Database
 Database Systems versus File Systems
 Database approaches
 Database Management System (DBMS)
 Actors on the Scene
 Database Development Life Cycle (DDLC)
 Application Areas of Database System

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 What is Database?
Data - facts that can be recorded and that have implicit meaning.
STUDENT[Fname, Mname, Lname, StudID, Age, Sex, Dept,
StudyYear, GPA]
A database is a collection of logically related data (information)
about people, objects and events, etc. stored in a computer in a
systematic way, such that a computer program can read it to
answer questions.
For example, contact address [names, telephone numbers, and
addresses] recorded this data using address book or hard drive,
PC and Microsoft Access or Excel. This collection of related data
with an implicit meaning is a database.
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 What is Database? …
Database is essential to every business.
 Maintain internal record,
 Present data to customers on the WWW,
 Support many commercial systems
 (bank, airline, telecom)
Examples of databases:
 A student records database for a school, college or university
 information about Entities such as students, faculty, courses, and
classrooms.
 A patient records database for a hospital or clinic
 A stock database for a local shop
 A book database for a library
 Human resources databases
 A bank transaction database
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 Database Systems
The software used to manage and query a database is known as a database
management system (DBMS)
A DBMS is a set of programs that enables users to create a database and
controls the organization, storage, management, and retrieval of data in a
database.
Some DBMS software are MS-SQL, etc
We can call the database and the DBMS together a database system.
Database systems are designed to manage large data set in an
organization.

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 Database Systems versus File Systems
File Systems: are ways of arranging the files in a storage medium like a
hard disk, pen drive, DVD, directories, etc.
 File systems consist of different files which are grouped into directories.
 The file system performs basic operations like management, file naming, giving
access rules, etc.
 It is directly installed into the computer with the Operating systems such as
Windows and Linux.
 Example: NTFS (New Technology File System), EXT (Extended File System).
Database systems are designed to store and retrieval large bodies of
information in convenient and efficient manner.
 Database system provide for the safety of the information stored, prevent risks
of system crashes or attempts at unauthorized access.
 Created and controlled by Database Management System (DBMS)
 Examples: Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL, Oracle.

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 Database Systems versus File Systems…
KEY DIFFERENCES:
A file system is a software that manages and organizes the files in a
storage medium, whereas Database systems(DBS) is a software that is
used for accessing, creating, and managing data in databases.
Data inconsistency is higher in the file system but, Data inconsistency is
low in a database system.
File system does not provide support for complicated transactions, while in
the database system, it is easy to implement complicated transactions.
File system does not offer concurrency, whereas DBS provides a
concurrency facility.
 Note: We can use DBMS in place of Database Systems.

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 Database Systems versus File Systems…
Basis
. File System DBMS
Data view It provides the details of data DBMS gives an abstract view of data that
representation of data. hides the details
Data Redundant data can be present. In DBMS there is no redundant data.
Redundancy
Backup and It doesn’t provide backup and It provides backup and recovery of data
Recovery recovery of data if it is lost. even if it is lost.
Consistency There is less data consistency in There is more data consistency because
the file system. of the process of normalization.
Complexity It is less complex as compared to It has more complexity
DBMS.
Security File systems provide less security DBMS has more security mechanisms as
Constraints in comparison to DBMS. compared to file systems.
Cost It is less expensive than DBMS. It has a higher cost than a file system.
User Access Only one user can access data at a Multiple users can access data at a time.
time. 9
 Database approaches
Data management passes through the different levels
(approaches) of development along with the development in
technology and services.
There are three database approaches:
Manual Approach
Traditional File Based Approach
Database Approach

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 Database approaches…
 1. Manual Approach:
 Primitive and traditional way of information handling
 Cards and papers are used for data storage and retrieval.
 The data storage and retrieval will be performed using human
labour.
 File are prepared for every event & object
 Files are labelled and stored in one ore more cabinets.
 The cabinets could be kept in safe places for security purpose
based on the sensitivity of the information contained in it.
 Insertion and retrieval is done by searching first for the right
cabinet then for the right file then the information.
 One could have an indexing system to facilitate access to the
data
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Database approaches…Manual Approach…
 1. Manual Approach…
Limitations of the Manual approach
 Prone to error
 Difficult to update, retrieve, integrate
 You have the data but it is difficult to compile the information
 Time consuming & tiresome
 Limited to small size information
 Cross referencing is difficult
 Difficult to share and duplicate

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 Database approaches…Manual Approach…
 2. Traditional File Based Approach
File based systems were an early attempt to computerize the
manual filing system.
It is the decentralized computerized data handling method.
A collection of application programs performs services for the
end-users.
every application program define and manage its own data
Such systems have number of programs for each of the
different applications in the organization.
Since every application defines and manages its own data, the
system is subjected to serious data duplication problem.
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 Database approaches…
 2. Traditional File Based Approach…
Limitations of the Traditional File Based approach
 Duplication or redundancy of data
 Limited data sharing
 Lengthy development and maintenance time
 Data dependency on the application
 Difficult to provide multiple users support
 Incompatible file formats or data structures (e.g. C++, Java or
COBOL)
 “update anomalies”.

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 Database approaches…
 2. Traditional File Based Approach…
Limitations of the Traditional File Based approach…
 Three types of update anomalies(problems):
 Modification Anomalies: a problem experienced when one ore more
data value is changed on one application program but not on others
containing the same data set.
 Deletion Anomalies: a problem encountered where one record set is
deleted from one application but remain untouched in other application
programs.
 Insertion Anomalies: a problem experienced when there is new data
item to be recorded, and the recording is not made in all the
applications.

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 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach
 Database is a centralized computerized record keeping
system or a kind of electronic filing cabinet.
 Centralized: Keeps the data in central storage where multiple users
from different location can access it
 Database is a shared collection of logically related data and
description of data called metadata designed to meet the
information needs of an organization.
 Sharing of data across multiple applications with multiple users
 Database store information and allow users to retrieve and
update that information on demand.
 Database is deigned once and used simultaneously by many
users.
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 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Benefits of the database approach:
 Data can be shared among multiple users
 Improved accessibility of data: users can easily access data without
programming experience.
 Redundancy can be reduced and Quality data can be maintained
 Inconsistency can be avoided: data irregularity can be removed
 Program data independence.
 Centralized information control (administration)
 Security measures can be enforced
 Improved decision support and Standards can be enforced
 Providing backup and recovery facilities

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 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Characteristics of the Database Approach:
 1. Self-Describing Nature of a Database System
 Database System contains a complete definition and
descriptions of data structure and constraints.
 This definition is stored in the DBMS catalog called meta-
data, which contains information such as the structure of each
file, the type and storage format of each data item, and
various constraints on the data.
 In traditional file processing, data definition is typically part of
the application programs themselves.
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 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Characteristics of the Database Approach:
 2. Isolation between Program and Data:
 Database approach, data structure is stored in the DBMS
catalog separately, not in the programs so program changes
are not necessary.
 An application software only communicates with a database
management system (DBMS) via a standardized interface with
the help of a standardized language like SQL.
 The access to the data and the metadata is entirely done by
the DBMS. In this way all the applications can be totally
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Fundamentals data. Systems 19
 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Characteristics of the Database Approach:
 3. Support of Multiple Views of the Data:
 A database typically has many users, each of whom may require a
different perspective or view of the database.
 View is a subset of the database that contain virtual data derived
from the database files but is not explicitly stored.
 Database provides different views of data for Multiple users.

 Two views derived from the university database.

 The TRANSCRIPT view: shows Course_Title, Course_Code,

Grade, Semester, Year.
 The COURSE_PREREQUISITES view: Course_Title, Prerequisite
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 Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Characteristics of the Database Approach:
 4. Sharing of Data and Multiuser Transaction
Processing:
 Database system allow multiple users to access the database at
the same time.
 Data maintained in a single database can be available for
multiple applications.
 DBMS have concurrency control strategies to ensure several
user to access the same data item at a time and data always
remain correct.
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Database approaches…
 3. Database Approach…
Limitations and risks of the Database Approach:
 Professionals and specialized personnel are required
 Complexity in design and managing database
 High cost of development & maintenance
 High impact on failure of central database
 The cost and risk during conversion from the old to the new
system
 Complex backup and recovery services from the user’s
perspective

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Database Management Systems (DBMS)
DBMS is a software package that facilitates the processes of
creating/defining, constructing, manipulating and Sharing
databases for various applications.
 Defining : Specifying the data types, structures, and constraints for the data to
be stored.
Constructing : process of storing the data on some storage medium
that is controlled by the DBMS.
Manipulating: include Querying the database to retrieve specific
data, Updating the database to reflect changes and Generating
reports from the data.
Sharing: a database allows multiple users and programs to access the
database simultaneously.
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 Database Management Systems (DBMS) …
 An application program accesses the database by sending queries or
requests for data to the DBMS.
 For example, EMPLOYEES database of an organization that record
detailed information about each employee such as name, marital status,
sex, salary, date of birth, date of employment, level of education, field of
study, etc. Then you can ask the computer questions like:
 How many female employees are there?
 List employees with a salary of Birr 5000 and above.
 The kinds of questions you can ask the computer are unlimited. The
computer will respond to the questions immediately and accurately.
 A question that is presented to a database management system like one of
the above is called a query.
 A query typically causes some data to be retrieved; a transaction may
cause some data to be read and some data to be written into the database.
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 Database Management Systems (DBMS) …
Components of Database Management system
 The DBMS environment has five components.
 To design and use a database, there will be the interaction or integration of
Hardware, Software, Data, Procedure and People.
1. Hardware: are components that one can touch and feel
 Personal computers, mainframe, server, network infrastructure, and other
peripherals computers to be used in multi-user system;
2. Software: are collection of commands and programs used to
manipulate the hardware to perform a function.
 DBMS software, application programs,
 Operating systems, network software,
 Language software
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 Database Management Systems (DBMS) …
Components of Database Management system …
3. Data: are most important component to the user of the database
 Operational data is the data actually stored in the system to be used by
the user.
 Metadata is the data that is used to store information about the
database itself.
4. Procedure: are rules and regulations that define how to design
and use a database. It includes procedures like:
 how to log on to the DBMS, how to use facilities,
 how to start and stop DBMS,
 how to make backup, to treat hardware and software failure,
5. People: the people in the organization that are responsible for or
play a role in designing, implementing, managing, administering
database and using the resources in the database.
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 Database Management Systems (DBMS) …
Figure 1. A simplified database system environment.

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 Database Management Systems (DBMS) …
Figure 2. People in DBMS environment.

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 Actors on the Scene/ Database Users/
 Many persons are involved in the design, use, and maintenance of a
large database.
 The people whose jobs involve the day-to-day use of a large database;
we call them the "actors on the scene"
 There are d/t group of stakeholders/users that involve in designing
and operation of a database system. Some of them are:
1. Database Administrator (DBA)
 Responsible to oversee, control and manage the database resources (the
database itself, data, DBMS and other related software)
 Authorizing access to the database
 Coordinating and monitoring the use of the database
 Determining and acquiring hardware and software resources
 Accountable for problems like poor security, poor performance of the
system
 Involves in all steps of database development
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 Actors on the Scene/ Database Users/…
2. Database Designer (DBD)
 Identifies the data to be stored and choose the appropriate
structures to represent and store the data.
 Understand the user requirements and choose how the user views
the database.
 Involve on the design phase before the implementation of the
database system.
3. Systems Analyst and Application Programmer
 System analyst determines the user requirement and how the user
wants to view the database.
 Application programmer implements these specifications as
programs; code, test, debug, document and maintain the application
program.
 The application programmer determines the interface on how to
retrieve, insert, update and delete data in the database.
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 Actors on the Scene/ Database Users/…
4. End users
Workers, whose job requires accessing the database frequently for various purposes,
In general user of the database can be deleting, updating, inserting or modifying
data from the database.
End users might be one of the following:
 Naïve users: are people who use the existing application programs for constantly
querying and updating the database, using standard and pre-specified queries.
Do not know much more about database/DBMS.
Only access the database based on their access level and demand
Example: Social media, users Bank Tellers, Reservation Agents in airlines, hotels, etc
 Casual Users: are users who access the database occasionally.
Use sophisticated database queries to satisfy their needs.
Are most of the time middle to high level managers.
 Sophisticated users: are people who use their own way to access to the database.
Are familiar with the structure of the Database and facilities of the DBMS
Are most of the time engineers, scientists, business analysts, etc

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 Database Development Life Cycle (DDLC)
 Steps in designing a database system
1. Planning: involves in identifying information gap in an
organization and propose a database solution to solve the
problem.
2. Analysis: that concentrates more on fact finding about the
problem or the opportunity.
Feasibility analysis,

Requirement determination and structuring, and

Selection of best design method.

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 Database Development Life Cycle (DDLC)…
 Steps in designing a database system…
3. Design: in database development more emphasis is given to this
phase. It has three sub-phases.
Conceptual Design: concise description of the data, data type, entity,
attributes, relationship between data and constraints on the data.
Used to elicit and structure all information requirements
E.g. ER-model
Logical Design: constructing a model of the information used in an enterprise
based on a specific data model .
Conceptual design (schema) is transformed from the high-level data model
into the implementation data model.
E.g. Normalization (discover new entities and rules)
Physical Design: involves the design of internal storage, file organizations,
indexes, access paths of the database.

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 Database Development Life Cycle (DDLC)…
 Steps in designing a database system…
4. Implementation:
 Involves the actual deployment of the designed database for
use and testing it.
 5. Operation and Support:
 Administering and maintaining the operation of the database
system and
 Providing support to users.
 Tuning the database operations for best performance

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 Application Areas of Database System
 Database systems can be applied in different areas some of
them are:
Banking: use databases for customer information, accounts, loans, and banking
transactions.
Airlines: For reservations and schedule information in a geographically
distributed manner.
Universities: For student information, course registrations, and grades.
Telecommunication: For keeping records of calls made, generating monthly
bills, maintaining balances on prepaid calling cards, and storing information
about the communication networks.
Sales: For customer, product, and purchase information.
Human resources: For information about employees, salaries, payroll taxes and
benefits, and for generation of paychecks.
Multimedia databases: store images, audio clips, and video streams digitally.
Hospitals, Insurances, Metrology, etc.

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