Chapter 5 Data Resource
Management
Learning Objectives
Explain the business value of implementing data resource
management processes and technologies in an organization.
Outline the advantages of a database management approach to
managing the data resources of a business
Provide examples to illustrate each of the following concepts:
Logical data elements.
Fundamental database structures.
Database development.
Major types of databases.
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Why Study Data Resource
Management
Today’s business enterprises cannot survive or succeed
without quality data about their internal operations and
external environment.
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Data Resource Management
Definition
A managerial activity that applies information systems technologies
to the task of managing an organization’s data resources.
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Logical Data Element
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Logical Data Element
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)
Example: 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
File or table
A group of related records
Database
An integrated collection of logically related data elements
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Electric Utility Database
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Database Structures
Common database structures …
• Hierarchical
• Network
• Relational
• Object-oriented
• Multi-dimensional
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Hierarchical Structure
Early DBMS structure
Records arranged in
tree like structure
Relationships are one
to one
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Network Structure
Used in some mainframe DBMS packages
Many-to-many relationships
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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
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Multidimensional Structure
Variation of relational model
• Uses multidimensional structures to
organize data
• Data elements are viewed as being in
cubes
• Popular for analytical databases that
support Online Analytical Processing
(OLAP)
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Multidimensional Structure
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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
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Object-Oriented Structure
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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
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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
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Database Development
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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)
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Types of Databases
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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.
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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
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External Databases
Databases available for a fee from commercial online
services, or free from the web
• Example: hypermedia databases, statistical
databases, bibliographic and full text databases
• Search engines like Google or Yahoo are external
databases
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Hypermedia Databases
A hypermedia database contains
• Hyperlinked pages of multimedia
• Interrelated hypermedia page elements, rather
than interrelated data records
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