Database Management

Chapter 4

Chapter Objectives
Describe why databases have become so
important to modern organizations
Describe what database and DBMS are and how
they work
Explain four emerging database trends:
Client-server computing
Object-oriented databases
Data mining
Integrating Web applications

Database Management for

Strategic Advantage
We live in the Information Age
Information used to make organizations
more productive and competitive
Databases used to support business
operations

Databases Before the Use of

Computers
Data kept in books, ledgers, card files,
folders, and file cabinets
Long response time
Labor-intensive
Often incomplete or inaccurate

The Database Approach

Database-management system (DBMS)
Interact with the data in databases

Entity: something you collect data about

Field: one characteristic of an entity
Record: collection of fields that describe one
occurrence of an entity
Entities stored in tables
One record per row
One field per column

Sample Data Table

The Database Approach

DBMS replaced file processing
approach
Reduced data redundancy
Reduced program dependence

Databases typically consist of several

tables
Tables can be linked together

Key Database Issues

and Activities
Entering and Querying Data
Creating Database Reports

Entering and Querying Data

Use a form for data entry
Use queries to retrieve information
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Query by example (QBE)

Preprinted Form
Application For
Employment

Pine Valley Furniture

Personal Information
Name:Date:
Social Security Number:
Home Address:
City, State, Zip
Home Phone:Business Phone:
U.S. Citizen?If Not, Give Visa No. & Expiration:

Position Applying For

Title:Salary Desired:
Referred By:Date Available:

Education
High School (Name, City, State):
Graduation Date:
Business or Technical School:
Dates Attended:Degree, Major:
Undergraduate College:
Dates Attended:Degree, Major:
Graduate School:
Dates Attended:Degree, Major:
Pine Valley Furniture

Computer-Based Form

QBE Grid

Creating Database Reports

Report
A compilation of data organized and
produced in printed format

DBMS packages include a report writer

Graphics can be added
Can be automatically updated by linking
to data

Sample Quarterly Sales Report

Data Structure
Data model
A representation of the entities and their
relationships

Primary key
An attribute or combination of attributes
Uniquely identifies each record

Data Type
Each field is assigned a type
Text, number, date, etc.

Data types help the DBMS

Organize and sort the data
Do calculations
Allocate space

Data dictionary
A repository of information about the data
Key fields, data types, valid values, etc.

Database Management
Systems Approaches
Models of the relationship between
entities in a database
Hierarchical
Network
Relational

The Hierarchical Model

Models entities in a parent-child
relationship
One-to-many relationships
Parent entities can have many child records
Each child can have only one parent

Inadequate model for many databases

Not always clear which entity is the parent
and which is the child

The Hierarchical Model

The Network Model

More flexible than the hierarchical
model
Many-to-many relationships
Allows multiple children and parents

Complex databases become too

cumbersome with this model

The Network Model

The Relational Model

Views entities as two-dimensional
tables
Records are rows
Attributes are columns

Tables can be linked

Supports one-to-many, many-to-many,
and one-to-one relationships

The Relational Model

Normalization
A technique used to make complex
databases more efficient
Break one large table into several
smaller tables
Eliminates all repeating groups in records
Eliminates redundant data

Redundant Data

Normalized Data

Associations
Relationships among the entities in the data
structures
Three types
One-to-one
One-to-many
Many-to-many

Relationships set by placing primary key from

one table as foreign key in another
Creates acceptable redundancy

Recent Developments Affecting

Database Design and Use
Databases and Client-Server Computing
Server holds the actual database
Clients hold software to work with the
database

Object-Oriented Databases (OODBs)

Treat tables, queries, etc., as reusable
objects

Client/Server Database

Recent Developments Affecting

Database Design and Use
Data Mining (On-Line Analytical Processing)
Drill down from summary data to detailed data
Data Warehouses/Data Marts
Integrates many large databases into one repository

Linking Web Site Applications to Organizational

Databases
Users have Web view to organizational database
Improves customer contact and service
Adds security as a concern

Effective Management of
Databases
Database Administrator (DBA)
Responsible for the development and
management of an organizations databases

Works with systems analysts on design

Works with users and managers on
managerial and organizational issues
Responsible for implementing security
features