Database System Architectures

Is the underlying design and presentation of

the database and the computer systems
 Centralized Systems
• Run on a single computer system and bound to similar
geographical location.
• It can be a Single-user system (e.g., personal computer or
workstation): desk-top unit, single user, usually has only
one CPU and one or two hard disks; that support only one
user.
or
• general-purpose computer system: one to a few CPUs and
a number of device such as monitors and printers that are
connected through a common bus that provides access to
shared data.
 Client server architecture

The database structure is designed in a

way that distinguishes between the
provider of resources (server) and the
service requesters (client).
Summary of client server functions
 Parallel Database Architectures
Is a collection of database and computer
systems that cooperate and communicate to
improve performance in a complex database
systems.
• It can be Shared memory, Shared disk, Shared
nothing or Hierarchical architectures
 Parallel Database Architectures
• Shared memory -- processors share a
common memory
• Shared disk -- processors share a common
disk
• Shared nothing -- processors share neither a
common memory nor common disk
• Hierarchical -- hybrid of the above
architectures
Parallel Database Architectures
 Shared Memory
• Processors and disks have access to a common
memory, typically via a bus or through an
interconnection network.
• Extremely efficient communication between
processors — data in shared memory can be
accessed by any processor
 Shared Disk
• All processors can directly access all disks
via an interconnection network, but the
processors have private memories.
– The memory bus is not a bottleneck
– Architecture provides a degree of fault-
tolerance — if a processor fails, the other
processors can take over its tasks since the
database is resident on disks that are
accessible from all processors.
 Shared Nothing
• Node consists of a processor, memory, and one or more disks.
Processors at one node communicate with another processor at
another node using an interconnection network. A node functions
as the server for the data on the disk or disks the node owns.
• Data accessed from local disks (and local memory accesses) do
not pass through interconnection network, thereby minimizing
the interference of resource sharing.
• Shared-nothing multiprocessors can be scaled up to thousands of
processors without interference.
• Main drawback: cost of communication and non-local disk access;
sending data involves software interaction at both ends.
 Hierarchical
• Combines characteristics of shared-memory, shared-disk, and
shared-nothing architectures.
• Top level is a shared-nothing architecture – nodes connected by an
interconnection network, and do not share disks or memory with
each other.
• Each node of the system could be a shared-memory system with a
few processors.
• Alternatively, each node could be a shared-disk system, and each of
the systems sharing a set of disks could be a shared-memory system.
• Reduce the complexity of programming such systems by distributed
virtual-memory architectures
– Also called non-uniform memory architecture (NUMA)
 Distributed Systems
• Data spread over multiple machines (also referred to as
sites or nodes).
• Network interconnects the machines
• Data shared by users on multiple machines
 Distributed Databases
• Homogeneous distributed databases
– Same software/schema on all sites, data may be partitioned among
sites
– Goal: provide a view of a single database, hiding details of
distribution
• Heterogeneous distributed databases
– Different software/schema on different sites
– Goal: integrate existing databases to provide useful functionality
• Differentiate between local and global transactions
– A local transaction accesses data in the single site at which the
transaction was initiated.
– A global transaction either accesses data in a site different from
the one at which the transaction was initiated or accesses data in
several different sites.
 Trade-offs in Distributed Systems
• Sharing data – users at one site able to access the data
residing at some other sites.
• Autonomy – each site is able to retain a degree of control
over data stored locally.
• Higher system availability through redundancy — data
can be replicated at remote sites, and system can
function even if a site fails.
• Disadvantage: added complexity required to ensure
proper coordination among sites.
– Software development cost.
– Greater potential for bugs.
Web service based Architecture
Web service is a software system designed to support web
based resources interactions through a programmatic interface
across a network.

Allows the developers to add the Web service to a Web page

(or an executable program) to offer specific functionality to
users
 Cloud Computing
Defined as “A model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient,
on-demand network access to a shared pool of
configurable computing resources (e.g. networks, servers,
storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly
provisioned and released with minimal management
effort or service provider
interaction.”
Cloud computing service models
 Benefits of cloud computing

• Cost-Reduction: Avoid up-front capital expenditure.

• Scalability/Agility: Organisations set up resources on an as-needs basis.

• Improved Security: Providers can devote expertise

• resources to security; not affordable by customer.

• Improved Reliability: Providers can devote expertise & resources on

reliability of systems; not affordable by customer.
• Access to new technologies:
Through use of provider’s
systems, customers may access
latest technology.
• Faster development: Provider’s platforms can provide
many of the core services to accelerate development
cycle.

Large scale prototyping/load testing: Providers have

the resources to enable this.

More flexible working practices: Staff can access

files using mobile devices.

Increased competitiveness: Allows organizations to

focus on their core competencies rather than their
IT infrastructures.
Risks of cloud computing
Network Dependency: Power outages, bandwidth issues and
service interruptions.

System Dependency: Customer’s dependency on availability

and reliability of provider’s systems.

Cloud Provider Dependency: Provider could became insolvent

or acquired by competitor, resulting in the service suddenly
terminating.
 Lack of control: Customers unable
to deploy technical or
organizational measures to
safeguard the data. May result in
reduced availability, integrity,
confidentiality, and isolation.