Database Design - Lecture 1

Database Concepts
 Lecture Objectives

 Data vs Information
 Historical Roots of Databases
 What is a database, what it does, and why
database design is important
 What a DBMS is, what it does, and how it fits
into the database system

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 Data vs Information
 Information System
 Encompasses logic, algorithms and data
 Transformation of data into useful information
 Data versus Information
 Data constitute building blocks of information
 Information produced by processing data
 Good, timely, relevant information key to decision
making
 Good decision making key to organization’s
survival

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Data vs Information

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Data vs Information

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 Historical Roots of Databases

 First applications focused on clerical tasks

 File systems developed to address needs
 Data organized according to expected use
 Data Processing (DP) specialists computerized
manual file systems
 Requests for information quickly followed
 Large amounts of data
 Many users require simultaneous access

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 Historical Roots of Databases

 Original databases applications:

 Inventory Control
 Payroll
 Banking
 Reservation Systems
 Newer database applications:
 CAD/CAM
 GPS systems

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 File System Critique
 File System Data Management
 Requires extensive programming in third-
generation language (3GL)
 Time consuming
 Makes ad hoc queries impossible
 Leads to islands of information

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 File System Critique (con’t.)
 Data Dependence
 Change in file’s data characteristics requires
modification of data access programs
 Must tell program what to do and how
 Makes file systems cumbersome from
programming and data management views
 Structural Dependence
 Change in file structure requires modification of
related programs

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 File System Critique (con’t.)
 Field Definitions and Naming Conventions
 Flexible record definition anticipates reporting
requirements
 Selection of proper field names important
 Attention to length of field names
 Use of unique record identifiers

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 File System Critique (con’t.)
 Data Redundancy
 Different and conflicting versions of same data
 Results of uncontrolled data redundancy
 Data anomalies
 Modification
 Insertion
 Deletion
 Data inconsistency
 Lack of data integrity

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 Introducing the Database

 Data is stored in a database and must be

structured and arranged for storage,
extraction and processing
 Database consists of a collection of logically
related data stored in a single repository
which consists of end user data and metadata

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 Database Management
 A Database Management System (DBMS)
manages the access to the database (and
ultimately the data)
 Database Management System (DBMS):
 Collection of programs that manages
database structure and controls access to
data
 Sharing of data among multiple
applications and users

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Importance of DBMS
 Makes data management more efficient
and effective
 Query language allows quick answers to ad
hoc queries
 Provides better access to more and better-
managed data
 Promotes integrated view of organization’s
operations
 Reduces the probability of inconsistent
data
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DBMS Manages Interaction

Figure 1.2

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 Importance of a DBMS

 For Top Management

 Provides the information necessary for
strategic decision making and strategic
planning
 Provides access to external and internal
data
 Provides information on company
performance and whether they are
achieving their goals (targets)

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 Importance of a DBMS

 For Middle Management

 Provides data necessary for tactical
decisions and planning
 Provides a framework for enforcing and
ensuring the security and privacy of the
data

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 Importance of a DBMS

 For Operational Management

 Provides timely information for customer
support
 Produce query results within specified
performance levels
 Represents and supports the company
operations as closely as possible
(operational data)

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 Database Design
 Importance of Good Design
 eliminates data redundancy
 eliminates errors leading to bad decisions
 Practical Approach
 Focus on principles and concepts of database
design
 Importance of logical design

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Database vs. File Systems
Figure 1.6

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Database System Environment

Figure 1.7

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 DBMS environment roles
 Database Administrators
 Responsible for:
 Physical implementation of the DBMS
 Security and integrity control of the DBMS
 Maintenance of the operational system
 Ensuring satisfactory performance of the
applications for users
 Requires detailed knowledge of the
target DBMS and the system
environment

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 DBMS environment roles
 Database Designer
 Logical Database Designer
 Responsible for:
 Identifying the data (entities and attributes)
 Identifying the relationships between the
data
 Identifying the constraints on the data
 Ensures that the direction of database
development ultimately supports corporate
objectives

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 DBMS environment roles
 Database Designer
 Physical Database Designer
 Decides how the logical database design is
to be physically realized
 Responsible for:
 Mapping the logical database design into a
set of tables and integrity constraints
 Selecting specific storage structures and
access methods for the data to achieve good
performance
 Designing any security measures required on
the data

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 Database System Types
 Single-user vs. Multiuser Database
 Single-user desktop
 Multi-user workgroup
 Enterprise
 Centralized vs. Distributed

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 Database Uses
 Production or transactional
 Supports day-to-day operations
 Decision support or data warehouse
 Information for tactical or strategic
decision making
 Historical Data

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 DBMS Functions
 Data dictionary management
 Defines data elements and their
relationships
 Data storage management
 Stores data and related data entry forms,
report definitions, etc
 Data transformation and presentation
 Translates logical requests into commands
to physically locate and retrieve the
requested data
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 DBMS Functions
 Security management
 Enforces user security and data privacy
within database
 Multi-user access control
 Creates structures that allow multiple
users to access the data
 Backup and recovery management
 Provides backup and data recovery utilities

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 DBMS Functions
 Data integrity management
 Promotes and enforces integrity rules to
eliminate data integrity problems
 Database language and application
programming interfaces
 Provides data access through a query
language
 Database communication interfaces
 Allows database to accept end-user
requests within a computer network
environment
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 Where do we go from here?
 Data Modeling

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 Where do we go from here?
 Data Modeling

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