Chapter 6

Introduction to Distributed
Database
Chapter Outline
1. Distributed Database definition
2. Distributed Database Advantages
3. Types of Distributed Database Systems
4. Distributed Query Processing
5. Client-Server Database Architecture

Advanced Database System- Ch6: Introduction to Distributed Database Slide 2

Distributed Database Definition
 A distributed database (DDB) is a collection of
multiple logically related database distributed
over a computer network,
 A distributed database management system as
a software system that manages a distributed
database while making the distribution
transparent to the user.

Database 1
Database 3
Communication Network
Server 1
Server 3

Database 2

Server 2

Advanced Database System- Ch6: Introduction to Distributed Database Slide 3

Distributed Database Advantages
 Management of distributed data with
different levels of transparency:
 This refers to the physical placement of
data (files, relations, etc.) which is not
known to the user (distribution
transparency).

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Distributed Database Advantages…
 Distribution and Network transparency:
 Users do not have to worry about operational
details of the network.
 There is Location transparency, which refers to
freedom of issuing command from any location
without affecting its working.
 Then there is Naming transparency, which
allows access to any names object (files, relations,
etc.) from any location.

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Distributed Database Advantages…
 Replication transparency:
 It allows to store copies of a data at multiple
sites as shown in the above diagram.
 This is done to minimize access time to the
required data.
 Fragmentation transparency:
 Allows to fragment a relation horizontally
(create a subset of tuples of a relation) or
vertically (create a subset of columns of a
relation).

Advanced Database System- Ch6: Introduction to Distributed Database Slide 6

Distributed Database Advantages…
 The EMPLOYEE, PROJECT, and WORKS_ON
tables may be fragmented horizontally and
stored with possible replication as shown
below.

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Distributed Database Advantages…
 Increased reliability and availability:
 Reliability refers to system live time, that is,
system is running efficiently most of the time.
Availability is the probability that the system is
continuously available (usable or accessible)
during a time interval.
 A distributed database system has multiple
nodes (computers) and if one fails then others
are available to do the job.

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Distributed Database Advantages…
 Improved performance:
 A distributed DBMS fragments the database to
keep data closer to where it is needed most.
 This reduces data management (access and
modification) time significantly.
 Easier expansion (scalability):
 Allows new nodes (computers) to be added
anytime without chaining the entire
configuration.

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Types of Distributed Database Systems
 Homogeneous
 All sites of the
database system
have identical setup,
i.e., same database Window
Site 5 Unix
system software. Oracle Site 1
 The underlying Oracle
operating system Window
may be different. Site 4 Communications
 For example, all network
sites run Oracle or
DB2, or Sybase or Oracle
some other Site 3 Site 2
database system. Linux Oracle Linux Oracle
 The underlying
operating systems
can be a mixture of
Linux, Window, Unix,
etc.
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Types of Distributed Database Systems
 Heterogeneous
 Each site may run different database system with one
or more varieties of operating system

Object Unix Relational

Oriented Site 5 Unix
Site 1
Hierarchical
Window
Site 4 Communications
network

Network
Object DBMS
Oriented Site 3 Site 2 Relational
Linux Linux

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Issues
 Cost of transferring data (files and results) over the
network.
 This cost is usually high so some optimization is
necessary.
 Example relations: Employee at site 1 and Department at
Site 2
 Employee at site 1. 10,000 rows. Row size = 100 bytes.
Table size = 106 bytes.
Fname Minit Lname SSN Bdate Address Sex Salary Superssn Dno
 Department at Site 2. 100 rows. Row size = 35 bytes. Table
size = 3,500 bytes. Dname Dnumber Mgrssn Mgrstartdate
 Q: For each employee, retrieve employee name and
department name Where the employee works.
 Q: Fname,Lname,Dname (Employee Dno = Dnumber Department)

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Result
 The result of this query will have 10,000
tuples, assuming that every employee is
related to a department.
 Suppose each result tuple is 40 bytes long.
The query is submitted at site 3 and the result
is sent to this site.
 Problem: Employee and Department relations
are not present at site 3.

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Strategies:
1. Transfer Employee and Department to site 3.
 Total transfer bytes = 1,000,000 + 3500 = 1,003,500
bytes.
2. Transfer Employee to site 2, execute join at site 2 and
send the result to site 3.
 Query result size = 40 * 10,000 = 400,000 bytes. Total
transfer size = 400,000 + 1,000,000 = 1,400,000 bytes.
3. Transfer Department relation to site 1, execute the join
at site 1, and send the result to site 3.
 Total bytes transferred = 400,000 + 3500 = 403,500
bytes.
 Optimization criteria: minimizing data transfer.

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Strategies:
1. Transfer Employee and Department to site 3.
 Total transfer bytes = 1,000,000 + 3500 = 1,003,500
bytes.
2. Transfer Employee to site 2, execute join at site 2 and
send the result to site 3.
 Query result size = 40 * 10,000 = 400,000 bytes. Total
transfer size = 400,000 + 1,000,000 = 1,400,000 bytes.
3. Transfer Department relation to site 1, execute the join
at site 1, and send the result to site 3.
 Total bytes transferred = 400,000 + 3500 = 403,500
bytes.
 Optimization criteria: minimizing data transfer.
 Preferred approach: strategy 3.

Advanced Database System- Ch6: Introduction to Distributed Database Slide 15

Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Consider the query
 Q’: For each department, retrieve the
department name and the name of the
department manager
 Relational Algebra expression:
 Fname,Lname,Dname (Employee Mgrssn = SSN
Department)

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 The result of this query will have 100 tuples,
assuming that every department has a manager, the
execution strategies are:
1. Transfer Employee and Department to the result site
and perform the join at site 3.
 Total bytes transferred = 1,000,000 + 3500 = 1,003,500
bytes.
2. Transfer Employee to site 2, execute join at site 2 and
send the result to site 3. Query result size = 40 * 100 =
4000 bytes.
 Total transfer size = 4000 + 1,000,000 = 1,004,000 bytes.
3. Transfer Department relation to site 1, execute join at
site 1 and send the result to site 3.
 Total transfer size = 4000 + 3500 = 7500 bytes.

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 The result of this query will have 100 tuples,
assuming that every department has a manager, the
execution strategies are:
1. Transfer Employee and Department to the result site
and perform the join at site 3.
 Total bytes transferred = 1,000,000 + 3500 = 1,003,500
bytes.
2. Transfer Employee to site 2, execute join at site 2 and
send the result to site 3. Query result size = 40 * 100 =
4000 bytes.
 Total transfer size = 4000 + 1,000,000 = 1,004,000 bytes.
3. Transfer Department relation to site 1, execute join at
site 1 and send the result to site 3.
 Total transfer size = 4000 + 3500 = 7500 bytes.
 Preferred strategy: Choose strategy 3.

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Query Processing in Distributed Databases
 Now suppose the result site is 2. Possible
strategies :
1. Transfer Employee relation to site 2, execute
the query and present the result to the user at
site 2.
 Total transfer size = 1,000,000 bytes for both
queries Q and Q’.
2. Transfer Department relation to site 1, execute
join at site 1 and send the result back to site 2.
 Total transfer size for Q = 400,000 + 3500 =
403,500 bytes and for Q’ = 4000 + 3500 = 7500
bytes.

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Client-Server Database Architecture
 It consists of clients running client software, a
set of servers which provide all database
functionalities and a reliable communication
infrastructure.
Server 1 Client 1

Client 2

Server 2 Client 3

Server n Client n

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Client-Server Database Architecture
 Clients reach server for desired service, but
server does reach clients.
 The server software is responsible for local
data management at a site, much like
centralized DBMS software.
 The client software is responsible for most of
the distribution function.
 The communication software manages
communication among clients and servers.

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Client-Server Database Architecture
 The processing of a SQL queries goes as
follows:
 Client parses a user query and decomposes it
into a number of independent sub-queries.
Each subquery is sent to appropriate site for
execution.
 Each server processes its query and sends the
result to the client.
 The client combines the results of subqueries
and produces the final result.

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