Chapter
5
Database Resources
Management
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2008, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Logical Data Elements
5-2
Logical Data Elements
• Character
• A single alphabetic, numeric, or other symbol
• Field or data item
• Represents an attribute (characteristic or quality)
of some entity (object, person, place, event)
• Examples: salary, job title
• Record
• Grouping of all the fields used to describe the
attributes of an entity
• Example: payroll record with name, SSN, pay rate
5-3
Logical Data Elements
• File or table
• A group of related records
• Database
• An integrated collection of logically related
data elements
5-4
Electric Utility Database
5-5
Database Structures
• Common database structures…
• Hierarchical
• Network
• Relational
• Object-oriented
• Multi-dimensional
5-6
Hierarchical Structure
• Early DBMS structure
• Records arranged in tree-like structure
• Relationships are one-to-many
5-7
Network Structure
• Used in some mainframe DBMS packages
• Many-to-many relationships
5-8
Relational Structure
• Most widely used structure
• Data elements are stored in tables
• Row represents a record; column is a field
• Can relate data in one file with data in another,
if both files share a common data element
5-9
Relational Operations
• Select
• Create a subset of records that meet a stated
criterion
• Example: employees earning more than $30,000
• Join
• Combine two or more tables temporarily
• Looks like one big table
• Project
• Create a subset of columns in a table
5-10
Multidimensional Model
5-11
Object-Oriented Structure
• An object consists of
• Data values describing the attributes of an entity
• Operations that can be performed on the data
• Encapsulation
• Combine data and operations
• Inheritance
• New objects can be created by replicating some
or all of the characteristics of parent objects
5-12
Evaluation of Database Structures
• Hierarchical
• Works for structured, routine transactions
• Can’t handle many-to-many relationship
• Network
• More flexible than hierarchical
• Unable to handle ad hoc requests
• Relational
• Easily responds to ad hoc requests
• Easier to work with and maintain
• Not as efficient/quick as hierarchical or network
5-13
Database Development
• Database Administrator (DBA)
• In charge of enterprise database development
• Improves the integrity and security of
organizational databases
• Uses Data Definition Language (DDL) to develop
and specify data contents, relationships, and
structure
• Stores these specifications in a data dictionary
or a metadata repository
5-14
Data Dictionary
• A data dictionary
• Contains data about data (metadata)
• Relies on specialized software component to
manage a database of data definitions
• It contains information on..
• The names and descriptions of all types of data
records and their interrelationships
• Requirements for end users’ access and use of
application programs
• Database maintenance
• Security
5-15
Database Development
5-16
Data Planning Process
• Database development is a top-down process
• Develop an enterprise model that defines the
basic business process of the enterprise
• Define the information needs of end users in
a business process
• Identify the key data elements that are needed
to perform specific business activities
(entity relationship diagrams)
5-17
Entity Relationship Diagram
5-18
Database Design Process
• Data relationships are represented in a data
model that supports a business process
• This model is the schema or subschema on
which to base…
• The physical design of the database
• The development of application programs to
support business processes
5-19
Database Design Process
• Logical Design
• Schema - overall logical view of relationships
• Subschema - logical view for specific end users
• Data models for DBMS
• Physical Design
• How data are to be physically stored and
accessed on storage devices
5-20
Logical and Physical Database Views
5-21
Data Resource Management
• Data resource management is a managerial
activity
• Uses data management, data warehousing,
and other IS technologies
• Manages data resources to meet the information
needs of business stakeholders
5-22
Types of Databases
5-23
Operational Databases
• Stores detailed data needed to support business
processes and operations
• Also called subject area databases (SADB),
transaction databases, and production
databases
• Database examples: customer, human resource,
inventory
5-24
Distributed Databases
• Distributed databases are copies or parts of
databases stored on servers at multiple locations
• Improves database performance at worksites
• Advantages
• Protection of valuable data
• Data can be distributed into smaller databases
• Each location has control of its local data
• All locations can access any data, any where
• Disadvantages
• Maintaining data accuracy
5-25
Distributed Databases
• Replication
• Look at each distributed database and find
changes
• Apply changes to each distributed database
• Very complex
• Duplication
• One database is master
• Duplicate the master after hours, in all locations
• Easier to accomplish
5-26
External Databases
• Databases available for a fee from commercial
online services, or free from the Web
• Examples: hypermedia databases, statistical
databases, bibliographic and full text databases
• Search engines like Google or Yahoo are
external databases
5-27
Hypermedia Databases
• A hypermedia database contains
• Hyperlinked pages of multimedia
• Interrelated hypermedia page elements,
rather than interrelated data records
5-28
Components of Web-Based System
5-29
Applications and Data Marts
5-30
Database Management System
• In mainframe and server computer systems, a
software package that is used to…
• Create new databases and database applications
• Maintain the quality of the data in an
organization’s databases
• Use the databases of an organization to provide
the information needed by end users
5-31
Common DBMS Software Components
• Database definition
• Language and graphical tools to define entities,
relationships, integrity constraints, and
authorization rights
• Nonprocedural access
• Language and graphical tools to access data
without complicated coding
• Application development
• Graphical tools to develop menus, data entry
forms, and reports
5-32
Common DBMS Software Components
• Procedural language interface
• Language that combines nonprocedural access
with full capabilities of a programming language
• Transaction processing
• Control mechanism prevents interference from
simultaneous users and recovers lost data after
a failure
• Database tuning
• Tools to monitor, improve database performance
5-33
Database Management System
• Database Development
• Defining and organizing the content,
relationships, and structure of the data needed
to build a database
• Database Application Development
• Using DBMS to create prototypes of queries,
forms, reports, Web pages
• Database Maintenance
• Using transaction processing systems and other
tools to add, delete, update, and correct data
5-34
DBMS Major Functions
5-35
SQL
• SQL Queries
• Structured, international standard query language
found in many DBMS packages
• Query form is SELECT…FROM…WHERE…
5-36
Graphical Query Wizard
5-37
