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Dbms Schemas:: Internal, Conceptual, External

There are three levels of data abstraction in databases: 1) The internal level defines the physical storage structure, 2) The conceptual level describes the overall database structure for all users, and 3) The external level describes the specific parts of the database relevant to individual users. The schema definitions at each level are separated to allow changes at one level without affecting the others.

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1K views11 pages

Dbms Schemas:: Internal, Conceptual, External

There are three levels of data abstraction in databases: 1) The internal level defines the physical storage structure, 2) The conceptual level describes the overall database structure for all users, and 3) The external level describes the specific parts of the database relevant to individual users. The schema definitions at each level are separated to allow changes at one level without affecting the others.

Uploaded by

Eichhorst Automobiles
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DBMS

SCHEMAS: 
Internal, Conceptual, External
LEVELS OF DATA
ABSTRACTION
 Database systems comprise of complex data structures. Thus, to make the system efficient for
retrieval of data and reduce the complexity of the users, developers use the method of Data
Abstraction.
 There are mainly three levels of data abstraction:

1. Internal Level: Actual PHYSICAL storage structure and access paths.


2. Conceptual or Logical Level: Structure and constraints for the entire database
3. External or View level: Describes various user views
INTERNAL LEVEL/SCHEMA
 The internal schema defines the physical storage structure of the database. The internal schema
is a very low-level representation of the entire database. It contains multiple occurrences of
multiple types of internal record. In the ANSI term, it is also called "stored record'.
Facts about Internal schema:
 The internal schema is the lowest level of data abstraction
 It helps you to keeps information about the actual representation of the entire database. Like
the actual storage of the data on the disk in the form of records
 The internal view tells us what data is stored in the database and how
 It never deals with the physical devices. Instead, internal schema views a physical device as a
collection of physical pages
CONCEPTUAL
SCHEMA/LEVEL
 The conceptual schema describes the Database structure of the whole database for the community of
users. This schema hides information about the physical storage structures and focuses on describing
data types, entities, relationships, etc.
 This logical level comes between the user level and physical storage view. However, there is only
single conceptual view of a single database.
Facts about Conceptual schema:
 Defines all database entities, their attributes, and their relationships
 Security and integrity information

 In the conceptual level, the data available to a user must be contained in or derivable from the
physical level
EXTERNAL SCHEMA/LEVEL
 An external schema describes the part of the database which specific user is interested in. It hides the
unrelated details of the database from the user. There may be "n" number of external views for each database.
 Each external view is defined using an external schema, which consists of definitions of various types of
external record of that specific view.
 An external view is just the content of the database as it is seen by some specific particular user. For example,
a user from the sales department will see only sales related data.
Facts about external schema:
 An external level is only related to the data which is viewed by specific end users.
 This level includes some external schemas.
 External schema level is nearest to the user
 The external schema describes the segment of the database which is needed for a certain user group and hides
the remaining details from the database from the specific user group
GOAL OF 3 LEVEL/SCHEMA OF DATABASE

Here, are some Objectives of using Three schema Architecture:


 Every user should be able to access the same data but able to see a customized view of the
data.
 The user need not to deal directly with physical database storage detail.
 The DBA should be able to change the database storage structure without disturbing the user's
views
 The internal structure of the database should remain unaffected when changes made to the
physical aspects of storage.
ADVANTAGES DATABASE
SCHEMA
 You can manage data independent of the physical storage
 Faster Migration to new graphical environments
 DBMS Architecture allows you to make changes on the presentation level without affecting
the other two layers
 As each tier is separate, it is possible to use different sets of developers
 It is more secure as the client doesn't have direct access to the database business logic
 In case of the failure of the one-tier no data loss as you are always secure by accessing the
other tier
DISADVANTAGES DATABASE SCHEMA

 Complete DB Schema is a complex structure which is difficult to understand for every one
 Difficult to set up and maintain
 The physical separation of the tiers can affect the performance of the Database
SUMMARY
 There are mainly three levels of data abstraction: Internal Level, Conceptual or Logical Level
or External or View level
 The internal schema defines the physical storage structure of the database
 The conceptual schema describes the Database structure of the whole database for the
community of users
 An external schema describe the part of the database which specific user is interested in
 DBMS Architecture allows you to make changes on the presentation level without affecting
the other two layers

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