Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow, 13th Edition

Chapter 14:
Databases and Database
Management Systems
 Learning Objectives

1. Explain what a database is, including common database

terminology, and list some of the advantages and
disadvantages of using databases.
2. Discuss some basic concepts and characteristics of
data, such as data hierarchy, entity relationships, and
data definition.
3. Describe the importance of data integrity, security, and
privacy, and how they affect database design.

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 Learning Objectives

4. Identify some basic database classifications and

discuss their differences.
5. List the most common database models and discuss
how they are used today.
6. Understand how a relational database is designed,
created, used, and maintained.
7. Describe some ways databases are used on the Web.

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 Overview

• This chapter covers:

– What a database is, the individuals who use them,
and how databases evolved
– Important database concepts and characteristics
– Database classifications and models
– How to create and use a relational database
– How databases are used on the Web

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 What Is a Database?
• Database: A collection of related data stored in a manner
so it can be retrieved as needed
• Database management system (DBMS): Used to create,
maintain, and access databases
• A database typically consists of:
– Tables: Collection of related records
– Fields (columns): Single category of data to be stored
in a database (name, telephone number, etc.)
– Records (rows): Collection of related fields in a
database (all the fields for one customer, for example)
• Relational database: Data from several tables is tied
together (related) using a field that the tables have in
common
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 A Simple Relational Database Example

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 What Is a Database?

• Primary key: Specific field that uniquely identifies the

records in that table
– Used in a relational
database to relate tables
together
– Must be unique and a field
that doesn’t change
• PC DBMSs include:
– Microsoft Access, Corel
Paradox, Lotus Approach
• For more comprehensive
enterprise databases
– Oracle Database, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server

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 What Is a Database?

• Individuals involved with a DBMS:

– Database designers: Design the database
– Database developers: Create the database
– Database programmers: Write the programs needed
to access the database or tie the database to other
programs
– Database administrators: Responsible for managing
the databases within an organization
– Users: Individuals who enter data, update data, and
retrieve information out of the database

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 The Evolution of Databases

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 Advantages and Disadvantages of the
DBMS Approach

• Advantages
– Faster response time
– Lower storage requirements
– Easier to secure
– Increased data accuracy
• Disadvantages
– Increased vulnerability (backup is essential)

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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data hierarchy
– Characters
– Fields/columns: Hold single pieces of data
– Records/rows: Groups of related fields
– Tables: Collection of related records
– Database: Contains a group of related tables
• Entity: Something of importance to the organization
– Entities that the organization wants to store data
about typically becomes a database table
– Attributes: Characteristics of an entity
• Typically become fields in the entity’s database
table
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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Entity relationships: Describe an association between

two or more entities
– One-to-one (1:1) entity relationships (not common)
• e.g. each store has a single manager
– One-to-many (O:M) entity relationships (most
common)
• e.g. a supplier supplies more than one product to a
company
– Many-to-many (M:M) entity relationships (requires a
third table to tie the tables together)
• e.g. an order can contain multiple products and a
product can appear on multiple orders
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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data definition: The process of describing the properties

of data to be included in a database table
– During data definition, each field is assigned:
• Name (must be unique within the table)
• Data type (such as Text, Number, Currency,
Date/Time)
• Description (optional description of the field)
• Properties (field size, format of the field, allowable
range, if field is required, etc.)
• Finished specifications for a table become the table
structure

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 Data Definition

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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data dictionary: Contains all data definitions in a

database
– Table structures
• Names, types and properties of each field
– Security information (passwords, etc.)
– Relationships between the tables in the database
– Current information about each table, such as the
current number of records
– Does not contain any of the data in the tables
• Metadata: Data about the database tables
– Ensures that data being entered into the database
does not violate any specified criteria
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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data integrity: The accuracy of data

– Quality of data input determines the quality of
retrieved information
– Data validation: Ensuring that data entered into the
database is valid
• Record validation rules: Checks all fields before
changes to a record are saved
• Can be enforced on a per transaction basis so the
entire transaction will fail if one part is invalid
– Database locking
• Prevents two individuals from changing the same
data at the same time
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 Data Validation

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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data security: Protecting data against destruction and

misuse
– Protects against unauthorized access
– Database activity monitoring programs can be used to
detect possible intrusions
– Should include strict backup and disaster-recovery
procedures (disaster-recovery plan)
• Protects against data loss
• Data privacy: Growing concern because of the vast
amounts of personal data stored in databases today

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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

• Data organization: Arranging data for efficient

retrieval
– Indexed
organization
uses an
index to
keep track
of where
data is
stored

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 Data Concepts and Characteristics

– Direct organization
• Uses hashing algorithms to specify the
exact storage location
• Location is based on primary key
• Algorithms should be
designed to limit collisions
– Sometimes a combination of
indexing and direct organization
is used within a database
system

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 Quick Quiz

1. A column in a database in which customer names are

stored would be referred to as a
______________________.
a. field
b. record
c. table
2. True or False: Data validation procedures are used to
ensure that data entered into a database matches the
specified type, format, and allowable value.
3. The ______________________ contains metadata about
the database tables in a database.
Answers:
1) a; 2) True; 3) data dictionary
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 Database Classifications

• Single-user database system: Designed to be accessed

by one user
• Multiuser database system: Designed to be accessed by
multiple users (most business databases today)
• Client-server
database systems:
Has both clients
(front end) and at
least one database
server (back end)

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 Database Classifications

• N-tier database system: Has more than two tiers

– Middle tiers contain one or more programs stored on
one or more computers
• Program code is
separate from the
database
• Provides flexibility and
scalability

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 Database Classifications

• Centralized database system: Database is located on a

single computer, such as a server or mainframe
• Distributed database system: Data is physically divided
among several computers connected by a network, but
the database logically looks like it is a single database
• Disk-based databases: Data is stored on hard drives
• In-memory databases (IMDBs): Data is stored in main
memory
– Faster, used when performance is critical
– Good backup procedures are essential

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 Database Classifications

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 Quick Quiz

1. Which type of database system is beginning to be used in

high-end systems where performance is crucial?
a. In-memory databases
b. Disk-based databases
c. Single-user databases
2. True or False: With the n-tier database model, there is at
least one middle piece of software between the client and
the server.
3. With a(n) ______________________ database system, the
databases used by the system are all located on a single
computer.
Answers:
1) a; 2) True; 3) centralized
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 Database Models

• Two older models:

– Hierarchical databases: Store data in the form of a
tree, with typically a one-to-many relationship
between data entities
– Network databases: Show the relationship between
data elements usually as either one-to-many or many-
to-many
• Relational database management system (RDBMS)
– Data is organized in tables related by common fields
– Most widely used database model today

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 The Relational Database Model

• Database design steps

– Identify the purpose of the database
– Determine the tables and fields
– Assign the fields to a table and reorganize as needed
to minimize
redundancy
(normalization)
– Finalize the
structure
(primary keys,
field properties,
etc.)

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 The Relational Database Model

• Creating a relational database:

– Create the database file
– Create the structure of each individual table (in
Access, can be performed in either Design or
Datasheet view)
– Enter data
• Existing data can be migrated to the new database
• New data can be added via form or the Design
view
– Relate tables as needed

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 The Relational Database Model

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 The Relational Database Model

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 The Relational Database Model

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 The Relational Database Model

• Retrieving information from database

– Query: A request to see information from a database
that matches specific criteria
• Specifies which records should be retrieved by
specifying criteria
• Can specify the fields to be displayed
• Many programs have wizards or other tools to
make it easy to create a query
• Must be designed to extract information as
efficiently as possible
• Queries are saved so they can be retrieved again
when needed; proper results are displayed each
time the query is run
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 The Relational Database Model

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 The Relational Database Model

– Report: Formatted means of looking at a database

table or the results of a query
• Reports can pull data from more than one table
• Many programs have wizards or other tools to
make it easy to create a report
• Can be modified and customized using the Design
view
• Reports are saved so they can be retrieved again
when needed; proper results are displayed each
time the query is run

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 The Relational Database Model

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 The Relational Database Model

• Maintaining a database
– Data in tables can be edited as needed
– Table structures can be modified when needed
– Other possible modifications:
• Adding new indexes to speed up queries
• Deleting obsolete data
• Upgrading database software, installing patches
• Repairing/restoring data that has become corrupt
• Continuing to evaluate and improve security

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 Databases and the Web

• Databases are commonly used on the Web

– Information retrieval, e-commerce, dynamic Web
pages (change based on user input), etc.

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 Databases and the Web

• How Web databases work

– Visitor makes request via a Web site
• Search form
• Logging on to personalize site
• Uploading user content
– Web server converts the request into a database
query and passes it onto the database server, and
then sends the results back to the visitor

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 Databases and the Web

– Middleware is used to connect two otherwise

separate applications, such as a Web server and a
database management system
• Commonly written as scripts
– JavaScript
– VB Script
– CGI scripts
– Active Server Pages (ASPs)
– PHP scripts

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 Databases and the Web

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 Quick Quiz

1. Which of the following is the most widely used type of

database today?
a. Network
b. Relational
c. Object-oriented
2. True or False: Databases are often used in conjunction with
dynamic Web pages.
3. A(n) _______________________ is used to extract specific
information from a database by specifying particular
conditions about the data to be retrieved.
Answers:
1) b; 2) True; 3) query

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 Summary

• What Is a Database?
• Data Concepts and Characteristics
• Database Classifications
• Database Models
• Databases and the Web

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