Database Environment

Database Concepts
 Basic Definitions
• Database : A collection of related data.
• Data: Known facts that can be recorded and have an
implicit meaning.
example:
names, telephone numbers, and addresses of the people you know.
•Mini-world: Some part of the real world about which data
is stored in a database.
example: student grades and transcripts at a university
 Definitions

§ Data: facts, text, graphics, images, sound, video

segments
§ Information: Data processed to be useful in
decision making
 entity is a piece of data that is stored in the
database. An entity can be a person, place,
thing/object , or even an event.
Entities for Premiere Products:
sales reps, customers, orders, and parts
Attribute
Characteristic or property of an entity
Example: Customer has name, street,
city, etc.
May also be called a field or column
Database Background (continued)

tuple or row or
record

FIGURE 1-5: Sample data for Premiere Products

5
§Metadata: Data that describes data
 Types of Databases and
Database Applications
• Numeric and Textual Databases
Traditional database application, where most of the
information that is and accessed is either textual or numeric
• Multimedia Databases
Store pictures, video clips, and sound messages.
• Geographic Information System(GIS)
Store and analyze maps, weather data, and satellite images
Data in Context
Summarized data
Student Population
90000
count 80000 80000
75000
70000 70000
60000 60000
11% 50000 50000
14% 40000 40000
41% BIE
30000
BSCOE
20000 20000
BSCS 15000
34% 10000 10000
BSIT
0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Year 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
No. Of Students100001500020000400005000060000700007500080000

Year No. Of Students

DATA HIERARCHY

bit (the smallest unit of data) has only two values - 1 or 0

byte - 8 bits make up one byte, which represents one

character like the letter A

field - represents a combination of bytes that make up one

aspect of a business object (i.e. student number, student
name); also called column/attribute
DATA HIERARCHY (Continuation)

record - a collection of related data fields; also referred to as

row/tuple

file (or in a database an entity) - a collection of related

records; also referred to as table/relation

database - An organized collection of logically related data

DATABASE

Central repository of shared data

Data is managed by a controlling agent
Stored in a standardized, convenient
form

Requires a Database Management System (DBMS)

Metadata
Descriptions of the properties or characteristics of the data,
including data types, field sizes, allowable values, and
documentation
COMPONENTS OF THE
DATABASE ENVIRONMENT
§ CASE Tools – computer-aided software engineering
§ Repository – centralized storehouse of metadata
§ Database Management System (DBMS) – software for managing the database
§ Database – storehouse of the data
§ Application Programs – software using the data
§ User Interface – text and graphical displays to users
§ Data Administrators – personnel responsible for maintaining the database
§ System Developers – personnel responsible for designing databases and
software
§ End Users – people who use the applications and databases
Components
of the
database
environment
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A DBMS
§ is a collection of programs that enables users
to create and maintain a database;
§ a general purpose software system that
facilitates the processes of defining,
constructing, manipulating, and sharing
databases among various users and
applications
 DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Application
#1

Application

DBMS
#2
Database
containing
centralized
shared data

Application
#3 DBMS manages data
resources like an operating
system manages hardware
resources
 TRADITIONAL FILE PROCESSING

File processing system stores data in

separate computer files. File processing
system is a system used to store and manage
data that involves each department or area
within an organization having its own set of
files, often creating data redundancy and
data isolation.
Figure 1-2 Three file processing systems at Pine Valley Furniture

Duplicate
Data
 DISADVANTAGES OF TRADITIONAL
FILE PROCESSING
§ Data Redundancy (Duplication of data)
§ Different systems/programs have separate copies of the same data
§ Data integrity may suffer
§ Inefficient use of storage space

§ Limited Data Sharing

§ No centralized control of data

§ Program-Data Dependence
§ All programs maintain metadata for each file they use
§ Excessive Program Maintenance
§ Lengthy Development Times
ADVANTAGES OF DATABASE APPROACH

§ Program-Data Independence
§ Metadata stored in a repository, so applications don’t need
to worry about data formats
§ Results in: increased application development and
maintenance productivity

§ Minimal Data Redundancy

§ Leads to increased data integrity/consistency
ADVANTAGES OF DATABASE APPROACH

§ Improved Data Sharing

§ Different users get different views of the data
§ Enforcement of Standards
§ All data access is done in the same way
§ Improved Data Quality
§ Constraints, data validation rules
§ Better Data Accessibility/ Responsiveness
§ Use of standard data query language (SQL)
§ Security, Backup/Recovery, Concurrency
§ Disaster recovery is easier
 COSTS AND RISKS OF THE
DATABASE APPROACH

§ Up-front costs:
§ Installation Management Cost and
Complexity
§ Conversion Costs
§ Ongoing Costs
§ Requires New, Specialized Personnel
§ Need for Explicit Backup and Recovery
§ Organizational Conflict
§ Old habits die hard
THE RANGE OF
DATABASE APPLICATIONS

§ Personal Database – standalone desktop

database
§ Workgroup Database – local area network
(<25 users)
§ Department Database – local area network
(25-100 users)
§ Enterprise Database – wide-area network
(hundreds or thousands of users)
Figure 1-8 Workgroup database with local area network
Figure 1-9 An
enterprise data
warehouse
EVOLUTION OF DB SYSTEMS

§ Flat files - 1960s - 1980s

§ Hierarchical – 1970s - 1990s
§ Network – 1970s - 1990s
§ Relational – 1980s - present
§ Object-oriented – 1990s - present
§ Object-relational – 1990s - present
EVOLUTION OF DB SYSTEMS

§ Flat files - a database designed around a

single table or file
§ Hierarchical -data model in which the data
is organized into a tree-like structure;
confined to up to ‘one to many
relationship’
§ Network – much like the hierarchical
model except that it permitted many to
many relationship
EVOLUTION OF DB SYSTEMS

§ Relational (RDB) – establish the

relationships between entities by means of
common fields included in a file, called a
relation
§ Object-oriented (OODB)– subscribes to a
model with information represented by
objects ; encapsulates both data and
behavior
§ Object-relational (ORD) - provide a middle
ground between relational databases and
object oriented databases
OTHER CONCEPTS

§ Data Warehouse - a subject oriented,

integrated, time variant, non-volatile
collection of data used in support of
management decision making and business
intelligence

§ Web-enabled -data – a database with web-

based interface; standard database
facilities but accessed remotely
Sources :

Modern Database Management

6th Edition,
Jeffrey A. Hoffer, Mary B. Prescott, Fred R. McFadden

11th Edition
Jeffrey A. Hoffer, V. Ramesh, Heikki Topi

Definitions of DB Systems taken from various sources from the net