COMP 1630

Relational Database Design and SQL

Week 1
Course outline

■ The URL can be found in Learning Hub

Chapter 1

Database Systems
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
■ Define the difference between data and information
■ Describe what a database is, various types, and why they are valuable
assets for decision making
■ Explain the importance of database design
■ See how modern databases evolved from file systems
■ Understand flaws in file system data management
■ Outline the main components of the database system
■ Describe the main functions of a database management system (DBMS)
Why databases?
Characteristics of data in today’s world
• Ubiquitous (i.e., abundant, global, and everywhere)
• Pervasive (i.e., unescapable, prevalent, and persistent)

Databases make data persistent and shareable in a

secure way
• Specialized structures that allow computer-based systems to
store, manage, and retrieve data very quickly
Data versus Information
Data consists of raw facts
• Not yet processed to reveal meaning to the end user
• Building blocks of information

Info results from processing raw data to reveal

meaning
• Requires context
• Bedrock of knowledge
• Should be accurate, relevant, and timely
 Introducing the Database

Shared, integrated computer structure that stores data

• End-user data: raw facts of interest to end user

• Metadata: data about data, through which the end-user data is integrated
and managed
• Describes data characteristics and relationships
Database management system (DBMS)

• Collection of programs
• Manages the database structure
• Controls access to data stored in the database
■ Database management system (DBMS): intermediary between the
user and the database
– Enables data to be shared
– Presents the end user with an integrated view of data
– Provides more efficient and effective data management
– Improves sharing, security, integration, access, decision-making,
productivity, etc.

Role and Advantages of the DBMS

 Types of Databases (1 of 5)
■ Single-user database supports one user at a time
– Desktop database: single-user database on a personal computer
■ Multiuser database: supports multiple users at the same time
– Workgroup databases: supports a small number of users or a specific
department
– Enterprise database: supports many users across many departments
Types of Databases (2 of 5)
■ Classification by location
– Centralized database: data located at a single site
– Distributed database: data distributed across different sites
– Cloud database: created and maintained using cloud data
services that provide defined performance measures for the
database
 Types of Databases (3 of 5)
■ Classification by data type
– General-purpose database: contains a wide variety of data used
in multiple disciplines
– Discipline-specific database contains data focused on specific
subject areas
– Operational database: designed to support a company’s day-to-
day operations
Types of Databases (4 of 5)
■ Analytical database: stores historical data and business metrics
used exclusively for tactical or strategic decision making
– Data warehouse: stores data in a format optimized for decision
support
– Online analytical processing (OLAP): tools for retrieving,
processing, and modeling data from the data warehouse
– Business intelligence: captures and processes business data to
generate information that support decision making
Types of Databases (5 of 5)
■ Databases can be classified to reflect the degree to which the data
is structured
– Unstructured data exists in its original (raw) state
– Structured data results from formatting
■ Structure is applied based on type of processing to be performed
– Semistructured data: processed to some extent
■ Extensible Markup Language (XML)
– Represents data elements in textual format
Why Database Design Is
Important?
Focuses on design of database structure that will be used
to store and manage end-user data
– Well-designed database: facilitates data
management and generates accurate and valuable
information
– Poorly designed database: causes difficult-to-trace
errors that may lead to poor decision making
Evolution of File System Data Processing
(1 of 3)
■ Manual file systems
– Accomplished through a system of file folders and filing cabinets
■ Computerized file systems
– Data processing (DP) specialist created a computer-based system
to track data and produce required reports
■ File system redux: modern end-user productivity tools
– Includes spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel
Evolution of File System Data Processing
(2 of 3)
Table 1.2 Basic File Terminology

TERM DEFINITION
Data Raw facts, such as a telephone number, a birth date, a customer name, and a year-to-date
(YTD) sales value. Data has little meaning unless it has been organized in some logical manner.

Field A character or group of characters (alphabetic or numeric) that has a specific meaning. A field is
used to define and store data.

Record A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person, place, or thing. For
example, the fields that constitute a record for a customer might consist of the customer’s name,
address, phone number, date of birth, credit limit, and unpaid balance.

File A collection of related records. For example, a file might contain data about the students
currently enrolled at Gigantic University.
Evolution of File System Data Processing
(3 of 3)
 Problems with file systems challenge the
types of information that can be created

Problems
from data as well as information
accuracy
– Lengthy development times

with File – Difficulty of getting quick

answers

System –
–
Complex system administration
Lack of security and limited data

Data
sharing
– Extensive programming

Processing
 Access to a
file is
dependent on
its own
Structural structure

dependence
All file system
programs are
modified to
conform to a
Structural
new file
structure
and Data
File structure
Dependen
ce (1 of 2)
is changed
Structural without
affecting the

independence application’s
ability to
access the
data
 Data access
Data changes when
data storage
dependence characteristics
change

Data storage
Structural
and Data
characteristics
are changed
Data without
affecting the
independence
Dependen
program’s
ability to
access the
data

ce (2 of 2)
Practical significance of
data dependence is the
difference between
logical and physical
format
 ■ Unnecessarily storing the same data at different
places
– Islands of information (i.e., scattered data
locations)

Data – Increases the probability of having

different versions of the same data

Redundan ■ Possible results of uncontrolled data

cy redundancy
– Poor data security
– Data inconsistency
– Data-entry errors
– Data integrity problems
Database Systems (1 of 2)

■ Logically related data stored in a single logical data repository

– Physically distributed among multiple storage facilities
– DBMS eliminates most of file system’s data inconsistency, data
anomaly, data dependence, and structural dependence problems
■ Current generation DBMS software
■ Stores data structures, relationships between structures, and access
paths
■ Defines, stores, and manages all access paths and components
Database Systems (2 of 2)
The Database System Environment
■ Database system: organization of components that define and
regulate the collection, storage, management, and use of data within
a database environment
– Hardware
– Software
– People
– Procedures
– Data
DBMS Functions (1 of 3)

■ Data dictionary management

– Data dictionary:
stores definitions of data elements and their relationship
■ Data storage management
– Performance tuning ensures efficient performance
■ Data transformation and presentation
– Data is formatted to conform to logical expectations
■ Security management
– Enforces user security and data privacy
DBMS Functions (2 of 3)

■ Multiuser access control

– Sophisticated algorithms ensure that multiple users
can access the database concurrently without
compromising its integrity
■ Backup and recovery management
– Enables recovery of the database after a failure
■ Data integrity management
– Minimizes redundancy and maximizes consistency
DBMS Functions (3 of 3)

■ Database access languages and application programming

interfaces
– Query language: lets the user specify what must be done
without having to specify how
– Structured Query Language (SQL): de facto query
language and data access standard supported by the
majority of DBMS vendors
■ Database communication interfaces
– Accept end-user requests via multiple, different network
environments
Managing the Database System: A Shift
in Focus

■ Disadvantages of database systems

– Increased costs
– Management complexity
– Maintaining currency
– Vendor dependence
– Frequent upgrade/replacement cycles
TABLE 1.3 DATABASE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

JOB TITLE DESCRIPTION SAMPLE SKILLS REQUIRED

Database
Developer
Create and maintain database-based
applications
Programming, database fundamentals, SQL
PREPARING
FOR YOUR
Database Design and maintain databases Systems design, database design, SQL
Designer
Database Manage and maintain DBMS and databases Database fundamentals, SQL, vendor

DATABASE
Administrator courses

Database Analyst Develop databases for decision support QL, query optimization, data warehouses

Database
Architect
reporting
Design and implementation of database
environments (conceptual, logical, and
DBMS fundamentals, data modeling, SQL,
hardware knowledge, etc.
PROFESSIONA
Database
Consultant
physical)
Help companies leverage database
technologies to improve business processes
Database fundamentals, data modeling,
database design, SQL, DBMS, hardware,
L CAREER
and achieve specific goals vendor-specific technologies, etc.

Database Security Implement security policies for data DBMS fundamentals, database
Officer administration administration, SQL, data security
technologies, etc.
Cloud Computing Design and implement the infrastructure for Internet technologies, cloud storage
Data Architect next-generation cloud database systems technologies, data security, performance
tuning, large databases, etc.

Data Scientist Analyze large amounts of varied data to Data analysis, statistics, advanced
generate insights, relationships, and mathematics, SQL, programming, data
predictable behaviors mining, machine learning, data visualization
Summary

■ Data consists of raw facts and is usually stored in a database

– Database design defines the database structure
■ Can be classified according to the number of users, location, as well
as data usage and structure
– Databases evolved from manual and computerized file systems
■ There are some limitations of file system data management
■ DBMSs were developed to address the file system’s inherent
weaknesses