UNIT-1
Introduction to database
Management System
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-1
Basic Definitions
Database: A collection of related data.
Data: Known facts that can be recorded and have an implicit
meaning.
Mini-world: Some part of the real world about which data is
stored in a database. For example, student grades and
transcripts at a university.
Database Management System (DBMS): A software
package/ system to facilitate the creation and maintenance of a
computerized database.
Database System: The DBMS software together with the data
itself. Sometimes, the applications are also included.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-2
Typical DBMS Functionality
Define a database : in terms of data types, structures
and constraints.
Construct or Load the Database on a secondary
storage medium.
Manipulating the database : querying, generating
reports, insertions, deletions and modifications to its
content.
Concurrent Processing and Sharing by a set of users
and programs – yet, keeping all data valid and
consistent.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-3
Typical DBMS Functionality
Other features:
– Protection or Security measures to prevent
unauthorized access.
– “Active” processing to take internal actions on
data.
– Presentation and Visualization of data.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-4
Example of a Database
(with a Conceptual Data Model)
Mini-world for the example: Part of a
UNIVERSITY environment.
Some mini-world entities:
– STUDENTs
– COURSEs
– SECTIONs (of COURSEs)
– (academic) DEPARTMENTs
– INSTRUCTORs
Note: The above could be expressed in the ENTITY-
RELATIONSHIP data model.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-5
Example of a Database
(with a Conceptual Data Model)
Some mini-world relationships:
– SECTIONs are of specific COURSEs
– STUDENTs take SECTIONs
– COURSEs have prerequisite COURSEs
– INSTRUCTORs teach SECTIONs
– COURSEs are offered by DEPARTMENTs
– STUDENTs major in DEPARTMENTs
Note: The above could be expressed in the ENTITY-
RELATIONSHIP data model.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-6
Main Characteristics of the
Database Approach
Self-describing nature of a database system: A DBMS
catalog stores the description of the database. The
description is called meta-data). This allows the
DBMS software to work with different databases.
Insulation between programs and data: Called
program-data independence. Allows changing data
storage structures and operations without having to
change the DBMS access programs.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-7
Main Characteristics of the
Database Approach
Data Abstraction: A data model is used to hide
storage details and present the users with a
conceptual view of the database.
Support of multiple views of the data: Each user may
see a different view of the database, which
describes only the data of interest to that user.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-8
Main Characteristics of the
Database Approach
Sharing of data and multiuser transaction
processing : allowing a set of concurrent users to
retrieve and to update the database. Concurrency
control within the DBMS guarantees that each
transaction is correctly executed or completely
aborted. OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) is a
major part of database applications.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-9
Database Users
Users may be divided into those who actually
use and control the content (called “Actors on
the Scene”) and those who enable the database
to be developed and the DBMS software to be
designed and implemented (called “Workers
Behind the Scene”).
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-10
Database Users
Actors on the scene
– Database administrators: responsible for authorizing
access to the database, for co-ordinating and monitoring its
use, acquiring software, and hardware resources,
controlling its use and monitoring efficiency of operations.
– Database Designers: responsible to define the content, the
structure, the constraints, and functions or transactions
against the database. They must communicate with the end-
users and understand their needs.
– End-users: they use the data for queries, reports and some
of them actually update the database content.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-11
Categories of End-users
Casual : access database occasionally when needed
Naïve or Parametric : they make up a large section
of the end-user population. They use previously well-
defined functions in the form of “canned
transactions” against the database. Examples are
bank-tellers or reservation clerks who do this activity
for an entire shift of operations.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-12
Categories of End-users
Sophisticated : these include business analysts,
scientists, engineers, others thoroughly familiar with
the system capabilities. Many use tools in the form of
software packages that work closely with the stored
database.
Stand-alone : mostly maintain personal databases
using ready-to-use packaged applications. An
example is a tax program user that creates his or her
own internal database.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-13
Advantages of Using the
Database Approach
Controlling redundancy in data storage and in
development and maintenance efforts.
Sharing of data among multiple users.
Restricting unauthorized access to data.
Providing persistent storage for program
Objects (in Object-oriented).
Providing Storage Structures for efficient
Query Processing.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-14
Advantages of Using the
Database Approach
Providing backup and recovery services.
Providing multiple interfaces to different
classes of users.
Representing complex relationships among
data.
Enforcing integrity constraints on the database.
Drawing Inferences and Actions using rules
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-15
Additional Implications of Using
the Database Approach
Potential for enforcing standards: this is very crucial
for the success of database applications in large
organizations Standards refer to data item names,
display formats, screens, report structures, meta-data
(description of data) etc.
Reduced application development time: incremental
time to add each new application is reduced.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-16
Additional Implications of
Using the Database Approach
Flexibility to change data structures: database
structure may evolve as new requirements are
defined.
Availability of up-to-date information – very
important for on-line transaction systems such as
airline, hotel, car reservations.
Economies of scale: by consolidating data and
applications across departments wasteful overlap of
resources and personnel can be avoided.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-17
Historical Development of
Database Technology
Early Database Applications: The Hierarchical and
Network Models were introduced in mid 1960’s and
dominated during the seventies. A bulk of the
worldwide database processing still occurs using these
models.
Relational Model based Systems: The model that
was originally introduced in 1970 was heavily
researched and experimented with in IBM and the
universities. Relational DBMS Products emerged in
the 1980’s.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-18
Historical Development of
Database Technology
Object-oriented applications: OODBMSs were
introduced in late 1980’s and early 1990’s to cater to
the need of complex data processing in CAD and other
applications. Their use has not taken off much.
Data on the Web and E-commerce Applications:
Web contains data in HTML (Hypertext markup
language) with links among pages. This has given rise
to a new set of applications and E-commerce is using
new standards like XML (eXtended Markup
Language).
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-19
Extending Database
Capabilities
New functionality is being added to DBMSs in the
following areas:
– Scientific Applications
– Image Storage and Management
– Audio and Video data management
– Data Mining
– Spatial data management
– Time Series and Historical Data Management
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-20
When not to use a DBMS
Main inhibitors (costs) of using a DBMS:
– High initial investment and possible need for additional
hardware.
– Overhead for providing generality, security, concurrency
control, recovery, and integrity functions.
When a DBMS may be unnecessary:
– If the database and applications are simple, well defined, and
not expected to change.
– If there are stringent real-time requirements that may not be
met because of DBMS overhead.
– If access to data by multiple users is not required.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-21
When not to use a DBMS
When no DBMS may suffice:
– If the database system is not able to handle the
complexity of data because of modeling
limitations
– If the database users need special operations not
supported by the DBMS.
Elmasri and Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
Slide 1-22
