DATABASE DESIGN

Database design is the process of producing a detailed data model of a database. This logical data model contains all the needed logical and physical design choices and physical storage parameters needed to generate a design in a Data Definition Language, which can then be used to create a database. A fully attributed data model contains detailed attributes for each entity. The term database design can be used to describe many different parts of the design of an overall database system. Principally, and most correctly, it can be thought of as the logical design of the base data structures used to store the data. In the relational model these are the tables and views. In an object database the entities and relationships map directly to object classes and named relationships. However, the term database design could also be used to apply to the overall process of designing, not just the base data structures, but also the forms and queries used as part of the overall database application within the database management system (DBMS) The process of doing database design generally consists of a number of steps which will be carried out by the database designer. Usually, the designer must:

 

Determine the relationships between the different data elements. Superimpose a logical structure upon the data on the basis of these relationships

THE DESIGN PROCESS:The design process consists of the following steps:-

1. Determine the purpose of your database - This helps prepare you for the remaining steps. 2. Find and organize the information required - Gather all of the types of information you might want to record in the database, such as product name and order number. 3. Divide the information into tables - Divide your information items into major entities or subjects, such as Products or Orders. Each subject then becomes a table. 4. Turn information items into columns - Decide what information you want to store in each table. Each item becomes a field, and is displayed as a column in the table. For example, an Employees table might include fields such as Last Name and Hire Date. 5. Specify primary keys - Choose each tables primary key. The primary key is a column that is used to uniquely identify each row. An example might be Product ID or Order ID. 6. Set up the table relationships - Look at each table and decide how the data in one table is related to the data in other tables. Add fields to tables or create new tables to clarify the relationships, as necessary. 7. Refine your design - Analyze your design for errors. Create the tables and add a few records of sample data. See if you can get the results you want from your tables. Make adjustments to the design, as needed. 8. Apply the normalization rules - Apply the data normalization rules to see if your tables are structured correctly. Make adjustments to the tables.

TYPES OF DATABASE DESIGN:-

1-Conceptual schema:Once a database designer is aware of the data which is to be stored within the database, they must then determine where dependancy is within the data. Sometimes when data is changed you can be changing other data that is not visible. For example, in a list of names and addresses, assuming a situation where multiple people can have the same address, but one person cannot have more than one address; the name is dependent upon the address, because if the address is

different, then the associated name is different too. However, the other way around is different. One attribute can change and not another

2-Logically structuring data:Once the relationships and dependencies amongst the various pieces of information have been determined, it is possible to arrange the data into a logical structure which can then be mapped into the storage objects supported by the database management system. In the case ofrelational databases the storage objects are tables which store data in rows and columns. Each table may represent an implementation of either a logical object or a relationship joining one or more instances of one or more logical objects. Relationships between tables may then be stored as links connecting child tables with parents. Since complex logical relationships are themselves tables they will probably have links to more than one parent.

3-Physical database design:The physical design of the database specifies the physical configuration of the database on the storage media. This includes detailed specification of data elements, data types, indexing options and other parameters residing in the DBMS data dictionary. It is the detailed design of a system that includes modules & the database's hardware & software specifications of the system.