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Enhanced Entity Relationship

The Enhanced Entity-Relationship (EER) model builds on the traditional ER model by adding concepts like subclasses, superclasses, specialization, generalization, and inheritance to better represent complex database schemas. It includes key concepts such as attribute inheritance, disjointness, and completeness constraints, and provides various strategies for mapping EER diagrams to relational schemas. The EER model is particularly useful for modeling complex data structures and improving database design accuracy.

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6 views2 pages

Enhanced Entity Relationship

The Enhanced Entity-Relationship (EER) model builds on the traditional ER model by adding concepts like subclasses, superclasses, specialization, generalization, and inheritance to better represent complex database schemas. It includes key concepts such as attribute inheritance, disjointness, and completeness constraints, and provides various strategies for mapping EER diagrams to relational schemas. The EER model is particularly useful for modeling complex data structures and improving database design accuracy.

Uploaded by

BIRUK GEBRE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Enhanced Entity-Relationship

The Enhanced Entity-Relationship (EER) model extends the traditional Entity-Relationship


(ER) model by incorporating additional concepts to accurately represent complex database
schemas. These enhancements include subclasses, superclasses, specialization,
generalization, and inheritance, enabling a more precise depiction of data relationships and
constraints.

Key Concepts of the EER Model:

1. Superclass and Subclass:


Superclass: A generalized entity type that encompasses common attributes
shared by multiple subtypes. For instance, an Employee entity can serve as a
superclass for Secretary , Engineer , and Manager subclasses.
Subclass: A specialized entity type that inherits attributes from its superclass and
may possess additional attributes unique to itself. This hierarchical relationship
facilitates the modeling of entities that share common characteristics while
maintaining their distinct properties.
2. Specialization and Generalization:
Specialization: A top-down approach where a higher-level entity (superclass) is
divided into lower-level entities (subclasses) based on distinguishing
characteristics. For example, an Employee entity can be specialized into
FullTimeEmployee and PartTimeEmployee based on employment status.
Generalization: A bottom-up approach that combines multiple lower-level entities
into a higher-level generalized entity based on shared attributes. For instance,
entities Car and Truck can be generalized into a Vehicle entity.
3. Attribute and Relationship Inheritance:
Subclasses inherit all attributes and relationships of their superclass, ensuring
consistency and reducing redundancy. This inheritance allows for shared
attributes to be defined once in the superclass and automatically applied to all
subclasses.
4. Constraints in EER:
Disjointness Constraint: Specifies whether an instance of a superclass can be a
member of more than one subclass. In a disjoint constraint, an entity can belong
to only one subclass.
Completeness Constraint: Determines whether every instance of a superclass
must be a member of at least one subclass. Total completeness indicates that
every superclass instance is also a member of a subclass, while partial
completeness allows some instances not to be members of any subclass.

Mapping EER Diagrams to Relational Schemas:

When translating EER diagrams into relational schemas, each entity and relationship is
typically represented as a table. Superclasses and subclasses can be mapped using
various strategies:

Single Table Inheritance: All entities (superclass and subclasses) are stored in a
single table with columns for all possible attributes and a discriminator column to
identify the subclass.
Class Table Inheritance: Each class in the hierarchy (superclass and each subclass)
has its own table. The superclass table contains common attributes, while each
subclass table contains specific attributes and a foreign key referencing the superclass
table.
Concrete Table Inheritance: Only subclasses have tables that include all attributes,
both inherited and specific. The superclass does not have a separate table.

Practical Applications of the EER Model:

Modeling Complex Data Structures: EER is particularly useful in applications


requiring a detailed representation of data, such as engineering design,
telecommunications, and geographic information systems.
Database Design: The EER model aids in creating more accurate database schemas
that reflect real-world complexities, improving data integrity and query performance.

References for Further Reading:

Enhanced ER Model - GeeksforGeeks


Enhanced Entity Relationship Model (EER Model) - Tutorial Ride
Enhanced ER Diagram Tutorial - Lucidchart

These resources provide comprehensive insights into the EER model, its components, and
applications in database design.

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