Chapter 1: Overview of Database Concept

Terminology

  • Column: Represents an attribute or a characteristic of one entity.

  • ROW: A collection of Column that describe or record one entity.

  • Table : A group of Row about the same type of entity stored in one file.

  • Database : A storage structure that provides mechanisms for recording, manipulating, and retrieving data.

SQL (Structural Quary Language)

Type

Example

Description

Query

SELECT

Retrieve data value

Data Manipulation Language (DML)

INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE

Create or modify data value

Data Definition Language (DDL)

CREATE, ALTER, DROP

Define data structure

Transaction Control (TC)

COMMIT, ROLLBACK

Save or undo data modification

Data Control Language (DCL)

GRANT, REVOKE

Set permision to access database structures

Database Management System (DBMS)

A database is housed in a DBMS, which provides the functionality to create and maintain the structure of database, and work with a database. The Functionality includes:

  • Data Storage: Manage the physical structure of database.

  • Security: Control user access and privileges.

  • Multiuser Access: Manage concurrent data access.

  • Backup: Enable recovery options for database failure.

  • Database Access Language: Provide a language that allows database access.

  • Data Integrity: Enable constraints or checks on data.

  • Data dictionary: Maintain information about database structure.

Database Design

To determine the most appropriate structure of fields, records, and files in a database, System Development Life Cycle(SDLC) is well known to approach and accomplish the design and development of the system. it consists of the following steps:

  1. System Investigation: Understanding the problem

  2. System Analysis: Understanding the solution to the perviously identified problem.

  3. System Design: Defining the logical and physical components.

  4. System Implementation: Creating a system.

  5. System Integration And Testing: Placing the system into operation for testing.

  6. System Development: Placing the system into production.

  7. System Maintenance And Review: Evaluating the implemented system.

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

ERD is a diagram that identifies the entities in the database, and it shows how the entities are related to one another. It servers as a logical representation of the physical system to be built.

Three types of relationships between two entities:

  • One-to-One: in one-to-one relationship, each occurrence of data in one entity is represented by only one occurrence of data in another one entity.

  • One-to-Many: in one-to-many relationship, each occurrence of data in one entity is represented by more than one occurences of data in other entities. A straight line with a crow foot at the many end.

  • Many-to-Many: in many-to-many relationship, data can have multiple occurrences in both entities. A straight line with a crow foot at each end.

Database Normalization

Database normalization is used to create a design that reduce or eliminate data redundancy, avoid data anomalies. In general, database normalization help database designers detemine which filed or attribute belong to each entity.

  • Unnormalized Data: There is no primary key in the table that could identifies one record uniquely.

  • The First Normal Form (1NF): Eliminate all repeating data, identify one primary key or primary composite key.

  • The Second Normal Form (2NF): Make sure the table is 1NF, eliminate any partial dependences.

  • The Third Normal Form (3NF): Make sure the table is 2NF, eliminate any transitive dependences.

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