Introduction to Database

Prepared By :

Syed Sarmad Ali

Topics To Be Covered
Introduction about Database.
Characteristics of the database approach. Actors on the scene.

Workers behind the scene.

Introduction to DBMS. Advantages of using a DBMS. Implications of the database approach. When not to use a DBMS.

Structured And Unstructured data

file = unstructured data Database = structured data
Flat

The Problem with Unstructured Data High maintenance costs Data Redundancy: the same data will be represented multiple times in the file. Data dependence: if you change things about the file format then there will be expensive changes to programs that use it. Ensuring data consistency and controlling access to the data is difficult (i.e. you cannot finely control multi-user access to the file)

Database
Data = facts and figures
Information = processed data.

A database is a collection of data, typically describing the activities of one or more related organizations. For example, a university database might contain information about the following:
Entities such as students, faculty, courses, and classrooms.

Basic Definition
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.

Database System
DBMS

Application program End-user

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 ENTITYRELATIONSHIP data model.

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 ENTITYRELATIONSHIP data model.

Characteristics Of Database
In file system each applications is free to name data element independently. Each user define and implements the file needed for a specific software application as a part of programming the application. In database a single repository of data is maintained that is defined once and than accessed by various users. In a database the name or labels of data are defined once, and use reportedly by queries, transaction and application.

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

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

Actor on the scene

A person typically defines, constructs, and manipulates the database. In large organization, many people are responsible in the design, use and maintenance of a large database with hundreds of user. We call these users as the actors on the scene. Database Administrator. Database Designer.

End Users.

Database Administrator
In any organization where many people use the same resources, there is a need for a chief administrator to oversee and manage these resources. In a database environment, the primary resource is the database itself, and the second resource is the DBMS and related software. Administrating these resources is the responsibility of the database administrator (DBA). The DBA is responsible for authorizing access to the database, co-ordinating and monitoring its use, and acquiring software and hardware resources as needed.

Database Designer
Database designer are responsible for identifying the data to be stored in the data and for choosing appropriate structures to represent and store this data. These task should be done before the database actually implemented and populated with data. It is the responsibility of the database designers to communicate with the end users to know their actual requirement and to create a database that meet their requirement.

End Users
End users are the people whose job require access to the database for querying, updating and generating reports; There are two kinds of end users:

Casual User:
These kinds of user occasionally access the database, but they may need different information each time. They use database queries query language to specify their requests. Naive and Parametric Users: These users are constantly querying and updating the database, using standard type of query and updates

End Users (cont.)

Example of Naive and Parametric users are Bank tellers check account balances and post withdrawals and deposits. Reservation clerks for airlines, hotels, and cars rental companies check availability for a given request and make reservations. Sophisticated End Users: It include engineers, scientist, business analyst who are familiar with the DBMS in order to implement their applications. Standalone Users: Maintain personal database by using ready-made-program packages that helps them through graphical representation.

Workers Behind the Scene

DBMS system designers and implementers: These people design and implement the DBMS module and interfaces as a software packages. A DBMS consist of complex components or modules for implementing the catalogue, processing query language, controlling concurrency and handling data recovery and security. Tool Designer: These people design and implement tools. These software packages that facilitate database modelling and design, database system design and implement performance.

Workers behind the scene (cont.)

Operators and Maintenance Personal: These person are responsible for the actual running and maintenance of the hardware and software environment for the database system.

Database Management System-DBMS

Database Management System. A database management system, or DBMS, is software designed to assist in maintaining and utilizing large collections of data, and the need for such systems, as well as their use, is growing rapidly. Database Management system Management of data and Management of Users Software package for defining and managing a database.

Examples:
Proprietary: MS Access, MS SQL Server, DB2, Oracle, Sybase Open source: MySql, PostgreSQL

Implication Of Using The Database Approach

Potential for Enforcing Standards: In large organization certain standards are made in order to facilitate communication and co-operation among various departments, projects, and users within the organization. Standards can be defined for names and formats of data elements, display formats, report structures, terminology and so on.

Reduced Application Development Time:

Designing a database from scratch takes more time than a flat file system, however once the database is created, it is so easy to retrieve data from the database. Flexibility: It may be necessary to change the structure of the database with the inclusion of new entities. Nowadays DBMS allow certain types of evolutionary changes to the structure of the database.

Implication of the Database Approach(cont.)

Availability Of Up-to-Date Information:
DBMS make the update database available to all users. It is so important at some industries to retrieve the updated database. The availability is essential for many transaction-processing applications, such as reservation systems or banking database. Economies Of Scale: The DBMS approach permits consolidation of data and applications. This enables the whole organization to invest in more powerful processors, storage devices, or communication rather having a weaker equipment's in each departments.

Advantages of Database
Reduction of redundancy. Avoid storing the data multiple times. Restricting Unauthorized Access. Avoidance of inconsistency. Provide Storage Structure for efficient Query Processing Share ability. Provide Backup and Recovery. Improved security.

 Provide Multiuser interface. Representing Complex Relationship among Data. Enforcing Integrity Constraint. Integrity constraint involves specifies a data type for each item.

Uniqueness in data- a course_name should have different course name. Disdvantages of Database
Higher cost Conversion cost Most difficult recovery

When Not To Use Database

In spite of advantages of using the database, there are some situation in which a DBMS may involve unnecessary overheads. Some of them are listed below:

High initial investment in hardware, software and training.

The generality that a DBMS provides for defining and processing the data.

Overheads for providing the security, concurrency control, recovery, and integrity functions.
Problem arise when the database are not properly design.

Simple file system are use for simple, well defined database application that are not expected to change.

Application Of Database Management System.

Hospital Management System. Hotel Management System. Flight Aviation Management University Management System.

IT Inventory etc.

Summary
Introduction Basic definitions
Database Data

Mini world
DBMS Database systems

An example database Applications of database Advantages Of Database Functionalities of database systems Characteristics of database systems

End Of Lecture 1