A. List two government organisations in Saudi Arabia that use database systems.

Provide an overview of their database activities, and examples of two non-trivial

queries for each organisation. 2% Marks
Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu and Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, the
Royal Commission of Jubail uses database to enumerate the royal benefits. The
tourism ministry also numbers the number of tourists that enter the country. The non-
trivial quesries could be how many tourists enter the country annually, how much
allocation is done for the royal in annual basis.

B. What does a user view represent in the context of a database system? Imagine that a
hospital wants you to design a database System for them with two user views,
namely the Medical Director and the In charge Nurse. Provide user’s requirements
specification for each of these user views, and frame two queries each in plain
English belong to these views. 3% Marks

A view is a collection of data defined by a query. A view can also be a virtual

table in database system.
The medical director view will consist of the following tables
 Staff and their salaries
 Beds and other Supplies
The view must allow the Hospital director to manage staff and view their
salaries
The view must allow the hospital director to monitor occupied beds and their
running costs
The view must allow the director to monitor supplies that are depleted
The in Charge Nurse will have the following
The view for in charge will allow management of a single ward. The nurse has
resources required to manage a ward. Therefore, they must ensure that all the
resources are allocated in time.
The view must therefore enable the following:
 View all beds and staff
 All resources and beds must be used effectively
 Allow in charge to view patient database
 The staff allocated to the wards must be viewed by the in charge

Question 2
A. Critique the differences in file-based and the database approaches. With the help of
two examples, demonstrate the superiority of the database approach over that of
the file based. 2% Marks
A file based system is a collection of application programs that perform services for the users
who wish to have access to information. Every program in a file based system defined and
manages its own data hence has a limit on how data can be used. The file based systems were
developed as an alternative to manual file systems. File based systems have problems with is
data isolation and separation. The file systems lack data duplication and has increased number
of applications programs.
On the other hand, database systems share data, it maintains the integrity of the system and
there is also security of data, database system allow for the analysis of the same amount of
data with increased concurrency. Although database systems suffer from the costs of
implementing data and the delays in recovery when the system delays.

B. Assume you have been contracted to design a database system for the KAU Hospital
(KAUH). You are required to use a systems development lifecycle approach. For each
stage of the database system development lifecycle identify examples of the tasks to
be captured 3% Marks

The following are the six stages of database management systems

The Initial Study: in this stage the feasibility of the study is curried out and the current
operation of the database must be carried out. At this stage, the objective of the database is
defined, the problems and constraints of the database, the scope and boundaries of the
database must be defined.
Database Design: This is the design stage that will define the model of the database. It
ensures that the final model of the database meets the user requirements. At this stage the
procedures needed to complete the design is defined. The process of the database system is
loosely related to the larger system, at this stage, the programmers are required. The
activities of the system transform the database into a useful information.
Database Implementation and Loading: The output of the database design gives the detail of
the tables and attributes that will be required. At this stage, the storage, indices and
performance guidelines of the database are defined. At the implantation stage, the database
is installed, databases are created and the data is converted to and loaded into the system.
Testing and evaluation: At this stage, database is fine-tuned, tested and its effectiveness
evaluated.
Operations: Once the database has passed the above stage, the database is considered
operational. The beginning of the operational activity starts the process of system evaluation.
It is at the same stage that the database is tested for various users.
Maintenance and evolution: The database administrators must prepare maintenance, the
required maintenance include preventive, corrective and adaptive maintenance for the new
and old users.